What's the best product to cover a mattress divot and what pillows are comfy and long lasting for a side sleeper?

Submitted by kingofallnorway t3_xvts9x in BuyItForLife

I bought a plush mattress 4 years ago. There was extra plush, plush, firm and extra firm (should've gotten firm). The mattress has been inside a zipped-up cover for its lifetime except for when I clean it, so the actual mattress is like new. The only problem is that there is a deep divot down the middle of the bed right where my hips go.

The divot is a at least 2.5 inches now and I can feel the coils depending on where I move. I'm normal weight for my height. Is there a well-rated mattress topper, preferably extra firm that could go over this and make my bed great again?

Pillows: I have 2 extra firm pillows that I got from a department store a couple of years ago. They have turned into pancakes. My sleep has been terrible between the pillows and mattress. I just want to solve this once and for all.

Is Purple Pillow the answer? Would I need 2 of them if I've always slept on 2 pillows? Which topper is solid? I don't know where to go for mattress and pillow advice. It's all subjective. I assume "My Pillow" isn't good?

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1tMySpecial1nterest t1_ir3fqw1 wrote

  1. Do you have a budget? Edit your post so people can see what the budget is.

  2. For pillows and toppers, 100% natural latex lasts a long time because it doesn’t compress easily. This will solve the pillows going flat problem. There are firm options available for toppers.

  3. I don’t have any advice for fixing the problems with the mattress.

  4. “My pillow” sucks. My mom has one. It wasn’t long lasting. The filling is all clumpy and hard now. I don’t recommend.

  5. I have never tried purple pillow.

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poe201 t1_ir4fot3 wrote

seconding the latex. if you’re a side sleeper you may like a softer variety though.

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iwantmy-2dollars t1_ir4212o wrote

Before you spend money, give this a shot:

(I’m assuming this is a pillow top mattress)

Flip your mattress over and let it sit that way for a few days (pillow top down). I have family members who do it right before they go on vacation and they return to refreshed mattress.

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[deleted] t1_ir474uv wrote

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iwantmy-2dollars t1_ir481p0 wrote

Hmmm well I don’t have any suggestions on toppers. We have a beauty rest black mattress with pillow top and love it. Pillow top is a total scam but that all they sell anymore.

But for pillows we like The Pacific Coast Feather Company down around pillows. I’m a side sleeper and like these. They poor back up when you wash and dry them. Wait for Black Friday deals 👍

Edit: I’ve had my first set of those pillows for about 15yrs and they’re still going strong on the guest bed.

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n0tthemama t1_ir4uay7 wrote

I've had the purple pillow. I now use it as a seat cushion. Take a look at the coop pillows. They're adjustable on the stuffing so you can fix whatever issue you have with it.

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newberries_inthesnow t1_ir41o7i wrote

I agree about latex being the answer. For the topper and the pillows. Some places sell pillows of solid latex, others have them stuffed with shredded latex, so you can adjust the fill until it is ideal for you. Just look up "building your own mattress out of latex components", you should find a wealth of info about the toppers and mattresses.

You could even find info about cracking open your own mattress, removing the old foam layer that is letting you down, and replacing it with latex or some other foam. Additionally you can find forums where the members will get your height, weight and sleeping habits, and give you pretty solid advice about what kind of foam might work best for you. There are a couple different types of latex, and several different density measurements. It might not be the thing for you if you sleep hot or dislike the texture, but there are other good products, and you can get help to avoid wasting money on a low quality replacement. Edit: tired.

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Jcooney787 t1_ir52znl wrote

I have to mention to be very careful about cracking the mattress open because many contain fiber glass that if opened will get all over EVERYTHING!

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thatgirlinny t1_ir4fiw7 wrote

Side sleeper here! I have a latex and wool mattress that I would consider BIFL 1.5 years ago. I use medium-to-firm wool-filled pillows, a 2” wool topper and linen sheets, and sleep better than I ever have! I bought the Naturally Organic Gramercy from The Clean Bedroom, who happen to have a good sale going on now.

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cdayork t1_ir3p318 wrote

The pillows I have are made with shredded memory foam, and came with extra foam to adjust the height of the pillow. DreamyBlue premium pillow on Amazon. I've had them over a year, and they are still going strong.

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[deleted] t1_ir6m7e5 wrote

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cdayork t1_ir6oexn wrote

Firmness is a little hard to gauge because it is memory foam, and customizable. It does provide great support and doesn't go flat through the night. I guess the best way to put it is they are soft but very supportive. I just use one, and I have added foam to it. My husband uses the other with foam removed from it as he is a back sleeper.

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[deleted] t1_ir6p1b3 wrote

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cdayork t1_ir6qong wrote

They do settle if they stay flat for several days, but a quick fluffing or just resting it on it's side when you aren't sleeping stops that from happening. It has a hypoallergenic cover that comes off to be washed. I washed the whole pillow once and ending up having to take all the foam out and let it air dry for two days. You can also put the whole thing in the dryer for a few minutes to really refluff it. I've had mine for two years and haven't had an issue with it going flat.

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Teaperian t1_ir419sy wrote

Side sleeper here. Get the purple mattress and pillow. Had mine for three years, love it. the downside is I now hate memory foam mattress toppers. They’re just terrible in comparison. Good luck

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[deleted] t1_ir6miuj wrote

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Teaperian t1_ir88hlk wrote

I believe it’s their original one, flatter looking one. I was hauling it back and forth to work since I sleep at work (firefighter). Ended up buying one for work. They have little inserts you can throw in if you feel it’s too low

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JerkRussell t1_ir4lh1x wrote

IKEA has some really great feather pillows although pillows and mattresses aren’t bifl items.

As far as toppers and mattresses, I’m following this intensely as I’m awake in agony with back pain from my mattress/bed set up.

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krollAY t1_ir618cb wrote

Ok, I had this same problem with the divot in my mattress. I did a bunch of research and found r/mattress to be really helpful. Basically almost no beds are bifl these days or even buy it for a decade. I ended up doing a DIY mattress and it’s worked well for me so far. Mattresses are hugely subjective though so YMMV…

The divot is likely only in your top layer or two of foam and putting a topper, even a firm one, over that divot isn’t going to solve the issue. But you don’t necessarily need to buy a whole new mattress either. The springs under those foam layers are probably fine. What i did and what you could do is cut into your mattress, remove the low quality foam they give you, and buy a new layer or two of latex from someplace like sleeponlatex to replace it. Then buy a mattress cover to keep all of it together. NOTE: cutting into your mattress will 100% void your warranty, so don’t do it unless you are sure it’s what you wanna do.

So I replaced my terrible hybrid bed that sank in 1 year (which replaced a bed that had the same problem) with two layers of much better quality latex and memory foam for about $350 and it should last much longer than a store bought bed. I kept the springs from my previous bed after I confirmed they were still perfectly fine. My favorite part of the DIY method is that I can easily and cheaply replace certain parts of the bed as they wear out rather than buying a new bed every time it gets uncomfortable.

Below is the post that inspired my decision to DIY my bed.

https://www.reddit.com/r/Mattress/comments/ooua79/my_mattress_journey_nest_ash_brooklyn_sedona/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf

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2BitNick t1_ir4vi27 wrote

I’m a side sleeper and couldn’t find a pillow that could keep my head supported. Ended up with the Casper pillow and it’s doing a solid job.

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TheseAwareness t1_iu2aug1 wrote

Is there a specific model of pillow, or is there just one type for side sleepers?

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Muncie4 t1_ir4wvo1 wrote

You came to the internet for answers and while that seems like a great idea, that is actually a terrible idea which will lead you in the wrong direction. Inhale this through the nose...out the mouth.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvlA9UxGvSg

The only person who can know cost, firmness, bounce and heat characteristics on the planet is you. You need to visit 3 or so local mattress stores and determine which type of mattress suits you best. From a BIFL standpoint, the champion is a latex mattress, but...they are heavy as hell and expensive as hell.

If you order an "internet mattress", your only metric of purchase is the price. And shitty online opinions from people who keep their thermostat at 0 degrees Kelvin year round.

Visit stores. Lay on mattresses. Take notes. The sell pillows too, so you can take notes on them as the same logic applies. You are right, its all subjective, so stop searching online and take your ass in store. You are fixing to drop ~$1000 on something that should last you ~10 years, so put in the work.

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hermitsociety t1_ir50lua wrote

I'm a skinny woman with prominent hips and am also a side sleeper and sometimes a stomach sleeper.

I got pillows from sleep number that are adjustable. You just take a layer out. My partner is a real tall guy who sleeps on his back and he leaves in all three layers. I took one of mine out. I use the two layer for side sleeping. I put the extra single layer into a case and use that for stomach sleeping.

Idk how to fix your mattress but coil mattresses always hurt my hips unless there is a pillow top. I had an expensive tempurpedic that was really good. After a move, I had to start again. I bought a cheap zinus off amz. It didn't have a pillow top but it was like 1/5 the price of a tempur. Been sleeping on it six years now and it's still like new. It's firm even when it's hot here (I live in the south) but still soft enough to allow for hips.

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StayJaded t1_ir57hs0 wrote

Pillows are not buy it for life. They need to be replaced every couple of years, at least.

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stanfan114 t1_ir58zio wrote

I have a contoured Tempur-Pedic memory foam pillow that's probably about 20 years old, and it never goes flat and I'm a side sleeper, and I never get neck pain. The top of the pillow is curved inward, which keeps your neck straight when you sleep on your side.

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larraraine138 t1_ir5a3wi wrote

I had a similar problem. Bought a 4" mattress topper, but I also bought a cheap egg crate style pad and cut it to fit in the "dips" in my bed under the topper (otherwise the topper dips too). As for pillows, MyPillow is the best I've ever owned.

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bruinkuri t1_ir5gl9o wrote

Did your mattress come with a warranty? If so, call them because a 2.5 inch divot should be covered.

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unholyrevenger72 t1_ir4kl5a wrote

New Mattress

Stuff the two pillows into a single pillowcase. I got run a 2-3-1 pillow set up. 2 pillows stuffed into a single case for my head, 3 pillows stuffed into a case for supporting my frame as a side sleeper, and a single pillow to go between my knees.

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JFT-1994 t1_ir50fby wrote

We purchased an Icomfort mattress from Rooms To Go with a 10 year warranty, and had their mattress tech come to the house to measure our divot after 9.5 years. They gave us 90% of its original cost toward another one and we went firmer and purchased a high quality side sleeping pillow as well. The new mattress has the same warranty. Only wish the replacements didn’t almost double in cost, but a good night’s sleep requires an investment!

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