Latex Beds?

[Jhana4]

Hi all;

In college I got into the habit of sleeping on a mattress placed on the floor and much to the annoyance of the people in my life I have kept with it all of these years. Hey, one of the 8 Precepts off the list for free .

Anyway, I think it is time for me to buy a real bed.

I did my homework with Consumer Reports. All they had to say was

1. There is no objective information to compare mattresses on.
2. The only way to tell if a mattress is for you is to spend 15 minutes laying on it, 5 min per side
3. Never pay full price. Mattresses are priced like cars, purposely inflated to make giving "deals" easier. Wait for one of the frequent sales.

I've read that latex is a rubber derivative, a natural and possibly green material ( some latex mattress are made out of artificial materials, you have to ask ). A chain store in my area that specializes in orthopedic products sells latex foam mattresses as being orthopedically a good thing.

I'm not used to and don't like the feeling of sinking into a foam mattress, but I would be willing to learn to like it if it was better for my health and the environment.

If anyone here has had experience with latex mattresses I would be grateful to read your opinions about them.

Thanks

[James the Giant]

I've heard the healthiest kind of bed is a futon. Very firm, great for your back. Plus it's lower than a normal bed, so you are closer to the ground you are already so familiar with.
No idea about latex however.

[Digger]

Ever think about an inflatable air mattress? I've slept on one called "aerobed", very comfortable, easy to store away and came with a nicely designed electric pump to fill it. Most are made of PVC (not that green) but they have a new one called "EcoLite" made of Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU) supposedly more green.

[Kim O'Hara]

Hi all;

In college I got into the habit of sleeping on a mattress placed on the floor and much to the annoyance of the people in my life I have kept with it all of these years. Hey, one of the 8 Precepts off the list for free .

Anyway, I think it is time for me to buy a real bed.

This sounds really obvious, but any mattress on a hard (unsprung) base will feel exactly the same as it does on the floor, so why not stay with the kind of mattress you're comfortable with?


Kim

[Jhana4]

I'm a single guy. I feel a bit self conscious about bringing guests back to home with a bed that isn't really a bed. I am also interested in picking an option that is kinder to my joints. A mattress on the floor was this option at one time, but it isn't anymore.