Mattress alternatives for sweaty sleeper with neck/shoulder/arm pain
June 21, 2024 1:13 PM   Subscribe

I've noticed recently that my mattress is contributing to my thoracic outlet syndrome issues by being too soft and squishy. I sink into it deeply, which rounds my shoulders, and that seems to irritate my nerves. I'm looking for something new to sleep on - maybe a mattress, maybe not.

The reason I'm not too crazy about getting another mattress is that they're usually polyester, which makes me sweat a lot and absorbs and retains the odour. They also tend to be pretty hot, and my bedroom is on the third floor with no central A/C. Are there alternative/natural fiber mattresses that aren't hot and aren't much more expensive than regular mattresses?

Would a hammock be a good option for someone with thoracic outlet syndrome and hypermobility? I find I do better with firmer supports, but the swinging/rocking action of a hammock really appeals to me. Would I be able to use a weighted blanket in a hammock?
posted by wheatlets to Home & Garden (3 answers total)
 
I fixed my too-squishy mattress issue by putting a 2.5 inch extra-firm latex topper on it. At the time I bought it, it was just under $200 and it came with an organic cotton cover already on it. The sale page on Amazon no longer lists the 2.5" thickness one I bought but it does list 2" and 3" toppers.

I saw some sites which warned that some types of latex tend to get hot, and I was very worried about it since I am extra sensitive to my bed getting warm (perimenopause yay). So I bought a "cooling" bamboo fiber mattress cover to go around the latex + old mattress. Either because of this cover, or because my latex pad happily doesn't get too hot, I haven't had any temperature issues over the past year that I've been using this latex topper. The extra firm feel is HEAVEN btw, it completely solved my squishy mattress problem.
posted by MiraK at 1:36 PM on June 21 [3 favorites]


I'm super happy with my Zinus mattress -- very firm and no issues with heat. In fact, they have "cooling" and "extra cooling" models. I always use a mattress cover, too, which makes it easy to wash if it gets icky.

My other suggestion would be a camping cot. You wouldn't think, but it's a really firm, really good sleep on one of those.

Hammocks are great fun to sleep in, but can put pressure on joints much more than a stationary bed does.
posted by Silvery Fish at 5:34 PM on June 21


I'm pretty happy with my 10" foam mattress-in-a-box (Olee brand I think) but for nerve squishing issues I think it's also important to have several large supportive pillows you can wrap your arms (and legs) around.
posted by credulous at 6:53 PM on June 21


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