000 MattressMattress CasperMattress InfoMattress BuyingMattress ShoppingMattress ReviewsWonder MattressPopular MattressesMattress ComparisonsForwardFinding the right pillow is like finding the right spouse. It should comfort you, it should provide great support, and …quite frankly, sometimes it just takes some time to find the right one. Kidding aside, the right pillow is extremely important to your sleep. You can have a $5,000 mattress, but if you don’t have …The ProblemIn recent months I’ve suffered from pain in my right hip and mid to lower back. I attribute this to age, having a sedentary job (writing), having put on some pounds and lack of exercise to lubricate my joints. I sit on a high density cell foam donut as I write this. The donut relieves pressure from the coccyx, something I learned when I was pregnant many moons ago. I’ve learned to contort my body to the left when I rise from a sitting position in order for the pain in my hip to not bring me to my knees. Having this condition checked out by a doctor is out of the question.
When I retired from the corporate world I also relinquished my rights to company paid health insurance. So I make do. However, sitting is not my only uncomfortable position. Although I bought a new mattress recently, I awaken with a sore back and my right hip screams with every movement. Do I need to tell you I’ve not been sleeping well? Oh, I guess I just did. The fact is I sleep in 3-hour shifts because my body wakes me up. Oh, what I would give for just one night of uninterrupted sleep! Something had to be done. I can’t afford medical diagnosis or treatment. Going through Advil like candy is not good for my innards and doesn’t fix the problem anyway. Buying one of those high end mattresses that “have your number” is also out of the question. So, what does a not-so-young-but-not-so-old struggling writer do to alleviate the pain? Ingenuity is the answer, my friends; that and watching the paper for sales on mattress toppers. The SolutionSometimes commercialism comes in handy.
It seems everything under the sun goes on sale just before holidays. Memorial day is one of those holidays. My local Big Lots had a flyer in Sunday’s paper. They advertised a ‘famous maker’ 3” gel memory foam mattress topper for queen beds at a doable $99.99. The next day I went to Big Lots in hopes I wasn’t too late. Sure enough, they had plenty in stock and the ‘famous maker’ turned out to be Serta. Well, shoot, if the sheep on TV fear Serta because the public no longer has need to count them (the sheep) in order to go to sleep, that’s enough reason for this little girl to give the brand a shot. Not only did I make the purchase, but I treated myself to a new set of sheets (in my favorite color, although it doesn’t match my bedding!). I came home excited that, perhaps, I can now get a good night’s sleep. I rolled out the Serta Rest 3” gel memory foam topper and encapsulated it in the accompanying fitted cover (thank you Serta!). I spent the rest of the day washing bedding, including my comforter.
I was really looking forward to bedtime! Although, by the looks of my freshly-made bed, I’d need a step stool to get my 5’2” body up on the bed and under the covers! FeaturesUpon reading the instructions (yes, I read the instructions. My name is Shauna, not Shaun!) I was a little disconcerted to discover it may take up to 72 hours for the mattress topper to conform to my bed. I was absolutely delighted when it rolled out flat and fit my bed perfectly! The comfort gods were definitely on my side. In addition to that, I was elated when I read that the gel in the foam is formulated to be cool and regulates itself to your body temperature. As a post-menopausal woman, I still suffer from night sweats. Well, not really night sweats so much anymore as night heat. That’s another reason I don’t sleep comfortably. I need to have my bedding cold in order to sleep well. It’s a good damn thing I sleep alone; my queen size bed allows me to switch sides when I become too hot – which is another reason I don’t sleep well.
By the way, when does that shit end?? Oh, I almost forgot to mention that this product is made in the USA. Way to go, Serta! My rating of this product Do you suffer from back pain? What do you do to alleviate back pain? I take drugs, man! I suffer with it. I exercise and never sit for too long. Nothing yet, but I'm going to try a gel memory foam mattress topper. I prefer to bitch about it. The ResultI’ve only spent two nights on my new set up, but I am tickled to death with the results. I have awakened just once each night - which is a blessing - and I’ve been able to go right back to sleep. Unfortunately, my body puts out some heat when I’m trying to sleep. Nevertheless, the gel memory foam topper is living up to its promise. The verbiage on the box reads “adds support and comfort – eliminates pressure points”. I can attest to that. In a mere two nights, my pain is at a much lower level. I no longer have to contort my body when I get up from the couch in order to avoid pain in my right hip.
As an alternative, natural fillings are growing in popularity and availability, so I decided to undertake a home trial. Penrose Products alpaca mattress topper bedding set, £80 Fibre from alpacas is soft, luxurious and supremely comfy. Like silk, it moderates body temperature, and it is naturally hypoallergenic so great for allergy sufferers. Luxury alpaca mattress enhancer, £151.99 My daughter found it heavy at first, but is now adjusted and sleeps like Rip van Winkle. What more can you want? Ultimate microfibre topper with silk, £85 Dust mites hate silk, making it the ideal choice for anyone suffering allergies, and you can get toppers, duvets, pillow cases and bedding for the full experience. Silk filled mattress topper, £85 It’s also lightweight, and stays cool – perfect for women of a certain age. Deluxe wool bedding set, £213.48 Sleeping with wool is said to provide up to 25 per cent more deep regenerative sleep (i.e. stage four REM sleep), over traditional down or synthetic bedding.