When you have questions about pillows and other bedding, Happy Dan the Pillow Man is your guy! He’s happy because he always gets a good night’s sleep. Happy Dan is the alter ego of Dan Schecter, Senior Vice President at Carpenter Co., and the creator of SleepBetter.org. He’s spent 30 years learning about pillows and sleep and how those two items go together, and he’s now available to answer your questions!
In this edition of Ask Happy Dan, Dan answers a question about gel-infused memory foam and finding a mattress.
Heather: I have neck and low back chronic pain conditions. I also weigh 300lbs. I’ve had lots of people try to sell me memory foam mattresses, but I feel like the foam doesn’t offer the support that I need for my low back. Have you heard this from other people and can you offer any insight? I’m a problem sleeper. I have osteoarthritis in multiple joints, wear a CPAP mask, wear a mouth guard because of tooth grinding and I typically sleep on my left side on the very edge of a pillow or face-down, almost on my belly
Also, I’ve been buying gel-infused memory foam products. Is this just a gimmick or is there something to it?
Thank you for your questions. Obviously, I am not a doctor and cannot provide you with any medical information or advice. I will respond to your questions in the same order as asked.
You are correct memory foam is NOT a support foam and was never meant to be a support foam. The material reacts to body heat and weight. The warmer the foam gets the softer it gets, and you end up going through the material. There are any number of mattresses out there that offer high resiliency materials the offer both support and comfort. It takes some time to determine which mattress will suit you best, but it is well worth the time it takes.
Yes, gel-infused anything is just a gimmick and not worth your hard earned dollars.
The best pillow to sleep on is one that is 100% adjustable. Getting a pillow that adjusts will make you more comfortable during the night even with a C-pap. You have some work to do in terms of testing mattresses and pillows but the investment in time will be well worth it. So says Happy Dan The Pillow Man!
Note: Some Ask Happy Dan questions may be edited for clarity.
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