Ok. Let me start with two quick things:
- At the time I got this mattress, I had been sleeping on a King sized bed I got from Macy’s about eight years ago that, at one point in time, had been amazing; over the last two years, it had gotten too soft for me. And,
- I am ALWAYS very conscious of my lower-back health; as a woman of size who works out and exercises, I am continually aware of the state of my back and its strength, how it feels etc. I’ve experienced back injury in the past and it’s been painful and disruptive to my life.
Now that I got all of that out of the way, I am super excited to tell you guys about the new bed I am sleeping on! When Big Fig Mattress reached out to me over a month ago, I couldn’t have been more excited. Sleep is one of the single most important parts of our emotional and physical wellness! Yet, as a society we overlook the value of sleep. We praise people for functioning on as little sleep as possible, make fun of people who chose to turn in early, and fill our bedrooms and pre-sleep rituals with devices that make it hard to get solid shut-eye.
- Have you ever sat in bed playing with your phone for hours and found yourself unable to sleep?
- Have you ever walked into a big presentation for work after getting little-to-no-sleep and found yourself running on empty, unable to focus?
- Have you ever woken up in the morning with intense pain in your back because your body was totally out of line while you slept?
If you can say “yes” to any of those, then you have some small idea of how important getting a good night worth of sleep is.
Maybe it’s because I’m a bit older now, maybe it’s because I’m heavier, or maybe it’s because I’ve simply decided to put my emotional and physical self-care front and center… but to me? Sleep is everything. Like. GIVE ME ALL THE SLEEP!!!!!
As a larger women on a journey to health, I am always (and I mean always) aware of my lower back health. In the last few years, I have tweaked my back three times. Each time, the tweak began by doing something really benign – twisting to get out of bed. When my back is tweaked, I am unable to stand up straight, sometimes for weeks at a time. The last time I aggravated my back was in October of 2016. My injury forced me to sit out for over a month. It affected my ability to function, walk my dog, perform my day job AND workout, meal prep and eat regularly. In short, it really messed up my body and forced me to get focussed on practicing kindness and self-care. It was bad.
I could go on and on about how, and why, back care and sleep is essential to our wellbeing. And I will in the future! For now, I wanted you to understand why it was I was beyond stoked to hear from Big Fig. If you want to find your #BeGreater, getting a good night sleep (and doing it on a bed that reduces risk for back injury) is key.
My current bed was dreamy and soft. It’s the kind that people LOVE to fall into. It envelopes you like a hug. Squishy on top and a bit opulent feeling. The only problem is — it was sinking. I’m a stomach sleeper, which is notorious for lumbar hyperextension and injury. And it was starting to get bad.
Here’s how it all went down.
Big Fig: Sarah, would you like to try a new mattress?
Sarah: (Scrolling on the website and reading the following… Super high-density foam to eliminate sagging? Check. Springs and foils? Check. A firmer edge so, when I sit on the end it doesn’t flop? Check. ThermoGel Cooling Technology in the fabric to wick away sweat? Check. And this…and that…and that? Woooohhhoooo!) YES PLEASE!!
What’s so special about a Big Fig mattress? Here’s what they list on their website… with my (slightly irreverent-yet totes real) commentary to go along with it. (Grin)
Big Fig says: Construction with three inches of high-density foam cushioning that’s 50% more dense than the foam traditional innerspring mattresses.
Sarah says: Awesome!! So… traditional foam beds haven’t work for me before. I once I bought a fancy foam topper that left me feeling like a stranded marine animal, unable to roll over in place. Or, like in that movie Alien when the Face Hugger had the guy trapped. So, the more dense that foam, the more I am able to actually move around ON my bed? And not sink into it? Righteous.
Big Fig says: Hybrid construction, a mix of springs and foam to maintain shape and resilience over time.
Sarah says: Ok, so the bed is going to break down less, which is awesome, because my body is heavier and puts more pressure on the beds guts. Cool.
Big Fig says: The firmest foam is around the edge of the bed.
Sarah says: Awesome, so I won’t push too hard on the edge when I sit there. Cool.
Big Fig says: The mattress toppper is made with ThermoGel cooling technology that is similar to sweat-wicking you find in athletic gear.
Sarah says: YESSSSS cause, I mean, who likes to schvitz in bed?
Big Fig says: The mattress is tufted in 16 places to prevent shifting…
Sarah says: Ok, so no lumpy spots? Got it.
Big Fig says: Each order includes a wooden bedframe that supports 5x the weight of a standard foundation.
Sarah says: (….. Nothing. Instead, she remembers the -totally legit and true- time she broke the bed belonging to the son of one of her girlfriends by sitting on the edge. It was awful. It was real. I cried for days. Or the running joke about persons of size having sex on bedframes that come from a company that rhymes with Schmikea? Right. WOULD YOU TRUST THOSE SLATS?? I DON’T THINK SO, PEOPLE!!! *coughcough*
Big Fig says: You have the option to get a metal bed frame that supports up to 2,000 lbs.
Sarah says: (Scrolling through her phone to call every friend she has to throw a literal dance party on her bed. What? It can take it!)
Big Fig says: You have the option to get a metal bed frame that supports up to 2,000 lbs.
Sarah says: (Scrolling through her phone to call every friend she has to throw a literal dance party on her bed. What? It can take it!)
Big Fig says: The mattress is tried and tested for sleepers of 350 lbs to simulate 20 years of use.
Sarah says: I can’t imagine owning ANYTHING for that long but, you know, if it works why not?
If you want to read more tech goodness, I encourage you to review their website. It’s easy to review and has loads of information.
Now, here’s what you really want to know—— WHAT DID IT FEEL LIKE????
The Scoop: What a Big Fig Mattress Feels Like
First (haha) I have to tell you that delivery included full White Glove service; they removed my old mattress and set this one up for me. The experience was reliable, easy and fast.
I have now slept on my Big Fig Mattress for the last week. It is very firm but also velvety smooth. What do I mean? It’s firm — like, no joke firm — but it is also… smooth. As if Barry White was singing Eye of the Tiger while he cradled you in his rich vocal chords. Powerful but… smooth. Or, if Liam Neeson was reading a Nicholas Sparks novel to you. Or, if Antonio Banderas was reciting lines from Road House. Get it? Firm and strong… but smooth.
It’s like, if Barry White was singing Eye of the Tiger to you. Powerful but… smooth. Or, like, if Liam Neeson was reading a Nicholas Sparks novel to you. Or, if Antonio Banderas was reciting lines from Road House. Get it?
The mattress is silky to the touch. It is firm but not uncomfortable at all. The first few days I had to adjust to the firmness of my bed, remove pillows and get used to sleeping in different positions. I can safely say, that the last two nights I have slept comfortably. I am not hyperextending my lumbar area as much, so when I wake up I am doing so a bit easier. Also, I can roll in and out and move around without feeling like I am stuck in place. As frequently happened to me before.
I would love to tell you I have been able to put all the features to the bed to test; I have not. Then again, I’ve only had it for a week. I hope, in the next few months, I can really put this bad boy to use!! Also, just to let you know, I HAVE officially friends over to my house to dance on the bed with me at once, just because I can. And, honestly, who doesn’t love a dance party in bed? (FYI – this is not a joke — the text messages have been sent. It’s happening.)
I do want to note one small thing. Which isn’t actually a complaint, it’s a preference that it is 100% my fault. I have spent the last eight years on a bed with a high-profile box spring. The bed sits taller. The Big Fig Mattress comes with either a standard box spring, that sits five inches, or a taller one that sits nine inches. I should have gotten the nine inch one. In no way shape or form does this have any impact on the quality of the sleep experience – I am just finding myself weirded out that my bed is shorter. This is not their fault, again, this was mine. Is it silly for me to say this? Perhaps, but in the effort of full disclosure, I did want to mention it to you so you can make the best choice for yourself as well!
Is a Big Fig Mattress Right for Me?
I can’t make that call. I do 100% believe in what they are doing and, if this bed is able to offer me the experience it says it will (which I believe it will) then I will be a super long-term and happy Fig Fanatic! I truly love that a brand is taking the time to see, and recognize the needs of larger persons and doing so in an intelligent and respectful way. There is nothing patronizing about your shopping experience with Big Fig! It’s simply a fact that larger bodies have different needs. Big Fig is setting out to solve a real problem!
I have enjoyed my sleep the last few nights. I have felt secure yet comfortable. My new mattress seems to fit my needs well, and I look foward to spending lots of time honoring my life, my bod and my wellness with lots of beautiful sleep in the future! As a follow up, I’ll certainly check back in about a month to give you another update.
For many people, a mattress is a big financial investment. But… they can also make or break your wellness, your emotional state, and your body. Anyone who has ever slept poorly for long periods of time can testify as to how essential it is to get a good night sleep. As a plus size shopper, I think we have been conditioned to select cheap over quality. your mattress is not a place to go cheap just because. In my opinion, it makes sense to invest in the things in our life that, essentially, invest in us. This is why I purchased a nice mattress several years ago. This is also why, if I were in the place to have bought a new mattress, I would certainly look into Big Fig. If you amortize the cost of a quality mattress, you are more than getting your money! If you are weirded out about buying a mattress without trying it first, I totally get it. The Big Fig website describes their 101 nights trial, which should alleviate your concerns about commitment.
As I am writing this, I am reminded of something that’s representative of a much bigger issue. As a person of size, I have often found myself having to “make do” with things that aren’t ideal. Clothes that fit but aren’t my style, for example. My gut is telling me, that it’s about darn time a company serves the needs of an entire population of people who could potentially be “making do” with a low-quality night of sleep because we are used to it. I genuinely hope that Big Fig finds their stride and that more people will find their way to a more sound, more rewarding and more restful sleep!
Disclosure – I wasn’t paid for this review, however I was gifted this mattress with no obligation on my part to talk about it!
