u/gc28

5'9", 64kg side sleeper getting bruised shoulders and hourly arm numbness — what mattress actually works for light people?

I've been through the wringer and could really use recommendations from people who've actually solved this.

My situation:

- 5'9", 64kg (10 stone), side sleeper

- Sleep position: one leg hitched up ("mountain climber") — puts a lot of pressure on one shoulder

- Symptoms: bruising on my right shoulder and waking every hour with numb arms

- I sleep perfectly on my sofa — have done for months at a time. No numbness, no bruising.

What I've tried:

- Several IKEA mattresses → immediate pain, too hard for my weight

- Silentnight 2000 pocket spring → okay for about 100 nights, then back pain + numbness as it started to sag

- Nectar Premier (current, 30 nights in) → bruising and hourly numbness. The high-density foam just doesn't compress under my weight

- Various memory foam toppers including a 10cm one → back pain, and a Panda bamboo topper → didn't stop the bruising with the Silentnight under it.

**What I think I need (based on the sofa clue):**

The sofa works because it's thin and flat — it can't sag enough to cause back pain, but the surface is soft enough that my shoulder doesn't get crushed. I'm thinking:

- A thinner base mattress (12–15cm), something like the IKEA ÅSVANG or Dormeo Memory Silver

- A soft latex topper (2–3cm) on top for shoulder pressure relief

My questions for you:

1. Has anyone else solved this with a "thin base + latex topper" setup? What did you use?
2. Any other mattresses that actually work well for lighter side sleepers (under 65kg)? Everything seems built for heavier people.
3. Any UK-specific recommendations where I can actually return it if it doesn't work?

I'm returning the Nectar now — it's genuinely injuring me — so open to anything. Thanks in advance.