An eggcrate foam mattress topper provides an extra layer of cushioning. An eggcrate foam mattress topper can help ensure a good night’s sleep. Also called convoluted foam, these mattress toppers are covered in egg-shaped bumps that provide a soft sleeping surface that promotes air circulation. The foam’s peak-and-valley design can improve blood flow by decreasing pressure on the skin, especially at pressure points such as hips and shoulders. According to The Better Sleep Council, an eggcrate foam mattress topper can even extend the life of your mattress by protecting it from dirt and dust. Installing an eggcrate foam mattress topper takes only a few minutes. Remove the sheets from the bed. If you also have a mattress pad, you can remove it or leave it in place. You can use a mattress pad under an eggcrate foam mattress topper if you want, but you cannot use a mattress pad on top of the eggcrate foam. Lay the eggcrate foam on top of the bed, lining up the edges of the foam with the edges of the mattress.
Some eggcrate foam toppers have “zones” – areas with more points to support your back or hips. Position the eggcrate foam so that the zones are in the correct position. Generally, zoned eggcrate foam has the least amount of points at the foot end. You can place it with the points facing up or the points facing down, depending on your preference. If you are unsure of which way is more comfortable for you, test it out both ways. Spread the bottom sheet over the eggcrate foam. Pull the corners of the sheet into place at the corners of the mattress. Most sheets accommodate thin eggshell-foam mattress toppers but you may need deep-pocket sheets to fit over thicker foam pads. Avoid using sheets that fit so tight that they compress the eggcrate foam; compressed foam does not provide the same air circulation and cushioning benefits. Tip References The Better Sleep Council: Mattress Pads and ToppersDrugs.co: How to Choose and Use Mattress PadsUniversity of California Los Angeles Ergonomics: Sleeping Posture Photo Credits Dynamic Graphics Group/Dynamic Graphics Group/Getty Images Suggest a Correction
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. Now, if the night heat I still experience would just go bother someone else, I’d be a completely satisfied customer. But that’s not Serta’s problem, is it? If any of you reading this experience discomfort while you sleep for any of the reasons I have mentioned, I highly recommend Serta Rest 3” Gel Memory Foam Mattress Topper. It’s an inexpensive solution to what could turn into an expensive and debilitating problem. Try it and rest easy. I did and I now rest when I sleep. DisclaimerI am neither an employee of, nor have I been compensated by Serta to post this review.