Best Mattresses of 2024

Nowadays, there seems to be an overabundance of choice when it comes to mattresses. Far from being a good thing, a market full of mattresses can make it that much harder to know you’re getting the right one.

The good news is you don’t have to sift through hundreds of mattresses of varying qualities, constructions, and prices. We’ve done all the heavy lifting for you! Below, you’ll find this year’s latest and greatest mattresses. Depending on your preferences, there’s bound to be a bed on this list that’s right for you.

The AS3 by Amerisleep is our top recommended mattress for most sleepers due to its versatile and innovative design that comes with an affordable price tag. The plant-based Bio-Pur® foam that forms the top layer retains the flexibility of memory foam while eliminating some of its baggage, such as traditional memory foam’s tendency to hold onto body heat.

The AS3 can fit equally in a master bedroom, a studio apartment, kids’ bedroom, and guest bedrooms.

“The medium firmness of the Amerisleep AS3 mattress makes it a versatile choice suitable for a wide range of sleepers, including side sleepers like myself,” says Dr. Jordan Burns.

“The balanced combination of memory foam layers provides excellent contouring, allowing the mattress to adapt to the body’s natural curves and alleviate pressure points. This is particularly important for side sleepers, as it helps maintain proper alignment of the spine, shoulders, and hips, reducing the risk of waking up with discomfort or pain.”

We’re not the only ones to love the mattress, as eachnight.com also named the Amerisleep AS3 their best mattress of 2024.

How It Feels

The AS3 has a balanced medium feel to best suit the average sleeper. Neither too soft or too firm, the AS3 is a perfect choice for a side or back sleeper who wants a mattress that’s likely to suit their needs and comfort preferences.

For those who like the contouring power of memory foam but hate its slow response time and heat retention, the AS3 can be the solution they’re looking for as they shop.

Mattress Construction

The top layer of Bio-Pur® material can contour like memory foam, cushioning your joints and offering superior pressure relief. Unlike memory foam, this plant-based material is cooling and breathable. It’s also quicker to bounce back into shape when you change positions.

Since it has fewer synthetics in it, Bio-Pur® foam may also be a better alternative for people with sensitivities to chemical emissions. Plus, the more eco-friendly production means the new mattress smell won’t linger, and you may not even notice a smell at all.

Underneath the Bio-Pur® foam is Affinity foam, a transition foam that buoys the body for greater spine support. To ensure this foam offers specialized support for each part of the body, hexagons were carefully cut into the surface of the Affinity foam. These cutouts help the bed feel softer under the shoulders and hips and promote firm support in the head, back, and feet areas.

The final layer is Bio-Core® foam, a material engineered to resist sagging for more than a decade. Thanks to this foam, Amerisleep is confident the AS3 will last and come back with a 20-year warranty.

The mattress cover is Refresh fabric, which possesses more than just an airy weave. The fabric has thermoreactive minerals that transform absorbed body heat into infrared energy, which can boost local bloodflow when it penetrates the sleeper’s body.

SEE ALSO: Best Mattresses without Fiberglass

The Zoma Mattress is one of the best mattresses on the market for recovery. Designed by and for athletes, this mattress offers restful and recuperative sleep for active individuals.

The Zoma Mattress ships freeand comes with a 100-night sleep trial and a 10-year warranty.

How It Feels

The Zoma Mattress has a medium feel, with conforming and cool gel memory foam. The underlying supportive foams create a responsive surface, ensuring sleepers don’t feel like they’re sinking in when they lie down and preventing discomfort or misalignment.

“The Zoma Mattress is precisely engineered to cater to individuals with active lifestyles and those seeking enhanced muscle recovery during sleep,” says Dr. Jordan Burns. “Its responsive and supportive layers and gel-infused memory foam offer a comfortable yet adaptive sleep surface. This is particularly beneficial for side sleepers who require proper cushioning and support for the shoulders and hips.”

Mattress Construction

All the layers of this mattress work together to help active people bounce back. On top sits the AirCloth cover, which works with the breathable gel memory foam layer to keep the cold air flowing under you all night.

This gel memory foam layer has Triangulex™ technology, which consists of triangular cutouts in the head and foot of the mattress. These cutouts help the mattress flex closer to the body, increasing the pressure relief the bed offers.

Below, you have the Reactiv™ transition layer that adds bounce and decreases the comfort layer’s response time. The durable Support+ layer rests at the bottom of the mattress. This layer not only offers spine-aligning support but will also help the Zoma resist sagging for a full ten years.

One of the best budget mattresses on the market, the Vaya Mattress is a brand new bed for the price of a used one. The Vaya is a solid choice for budget shoppers and parents who want a durable bed that can stand up to kids’ shenanigans without breaking the bank.

The Vaya Mattress is backed by a 10-year warranty and a 100-night sleep trial.

How It Feels

The Vaya Mattress has a thick top of responsive cushion to lift sleepers while still providing conforming pressure relief. For many sleepers, this conformability translates into a softer feel, creating a plush surface for easy relaxation. Thanks to the Vaya Comfort Foam’s quick adaptability and light structure, sleepers should never find it difficult to move in and out of bed.

“The Vaya Mattress is crafted to provide a comfortable and supportive sleep surface at an affordable price,” says Dr. Jordan Burns. “Its medium firmness level strikes a balance between cushioning and support, making it suitable for various sleep preferences.”

“The Vaya Comfort Foam contours to the body’s shape, ensuring that pressure points, especially around the shoulders and hips, are adequately cushioned and supported. The Vaya Mattress’s responsive and breathable design also contributes to a cool and undisturbed sleep environment.”

Mattress Construction

The top layer of the Vaya Mattress is made of Vaya Comfort Foam that features an open-cell design to increase breathability and wick away body heat and moisture. This cushioning foam is highly contouring to cradle tired joints.

The bottom layer offers durable support to keep the spine aligned no matter what position you adopt during sleep. That makes the Vaya a great brand mattress for just about anyone.

If you’re in the market for an all-natural hybrid, the Plushbeds Luxury Bliss is an excellent option. The Bliss combines GOLs certified 100 percent organic latex with GOTS certified organic wool and cotton to offer guaranteed natural sleep.

In addition, the whole mattress is GREENGUARD Gold and Oeko-Tex Standard 100 certified, so you can rest assured that even the non-organic components (like the coils) are clean and non-toxic.

How It Feels

The Bliss doesn’t just offer organic comfort; it provides superior support and cradling as well. The fabric encased coils combine with responsive latex to create a breathable, bouncy bed that’s perfect for any sleep position.

There is also a choice of medium or medium-firm mattress models. Plushbeds notes the overwhelming majority of shoppers choose the medium mattress.

Mattress Construction

The Plushbeds Luxury Bliss has a simple construction that takes advantage of high-quality natural materials.

The mattress cover fabric is GOTS certified organic cotton, sourced from within USA and grown without pesticides, herbicides, or other chemicals. Underneath it is organic wool that regulates absorbed body heat and moisture, creating natural breathability for cooler sleep.

The main comfort layer is 3 inches of natural Talalay latex foam. The latex foam provides pressure-relieving cushion and buoys the body to maintain spine alignment. The mattress’s base is supportive pocketed coils, with reinforced coils forming the perimeter for greater edge support.

Many of our mattress recommendations have cooling technologies bundled into their design. However, the one with the highest concentration of cooling materials and therefore our top recommendation for a cooling mattress for hot sleepers is the GhostBed Luxe.

The GhostBed Luxe is a 101-night trial period and a 25-year warranty.

How It Feels

Lying down on the GhostBed Luxe is like lying down on a chilled whipped topping, soft and cool to the touch. For many sleepers, it’s just plush enough, conforming to the heavier parts without giving the impression that a person could sink without end. However, it is still on the softer end of the firmness range, so those who enjoy a firm feel may want to pass.

Mattress Construction

Hot sleepers will appreciate all the cooling technologies incorporated into the GhostBed Luxe. The mattress is wrapped in a plush Ghost Ice Fabric cover that reacts to your body’s heat to disperse it away.

The cover sits over a cooling layer of airflow-enhancing fiber, an inch of gel memory foam, the cooling Ghost Ice layer, and another three inches of gel foam. All these layers combine to pull heat away from you and move it out of the mattress.

Another great feature of this mattress is the Ghost Bounce layer. This layer is responsive like latex and contouring like memory foam. Combo sleepers will appreciate this combination of cradling and bounce.

Perhaps the softest mattress on this list, the AS5 Hybrid offers tons of cradling to people who need the most compression from their bed without sacrificing lift. Lightweight sleepers who need a mattress that conforms swiftly will enjoy it, as will side sleepers seeking a bed that embraces their shoulders and hips.

The Amerisleep AS5 Hybrid is backed by a 100-night trial and a 20-year warranty.

How It Feels

As we stressed earlier, the AS5 Hybrid might be the plushest mattress we highlight on this list. When you lie down and close your eyes, you might envision yourself sinking into a soft cloud due to the weightless feel the cushion creates.

Mattress Construction

The top layer of Bio-Pur® foam offers pain and pressure relief without giving you that “stuck” feeling. The Bio-Pur® foam is eco-friendly with plant oils replacing typical memory foam. The plant oils also help create a breathable, responsive surface in the final foam.

The Active Flex transition layer adds extra softness and support to the AS5 Hybrid, protecting you from the pressure of the firm coils. Without Active Flex or a similar material, the AS5’s top might feel unsupportive and prone to sinkage.

The adaptive coil support layer and boosted firm base foam layers work together to provide lots of lift and motion isolation. The motion isolation provided by the wrapped coils makes the AS5 Hybrid a good choice for couples who both like a soft bed. Plus, this support core off

Those who aren’t ready to let go of the innerspring mattress should take a look at the Saatva Classic mattress. This is way beyond your ordinary coil mattress. The Saatva boasts a dual coil support layer with adaptable pocket coils on top and bouncy open coils on the bottom, with a responsive pillow top for comfort and cushion. And to top it off, Saatva offers white glove delivery service.

How It Feels

The Saatva Classic comes in three firmness options, letting sleepers of all positions enjoy this bed. The most popular one is the luxury firm option, which yields gently to the body as a person stretches out but overall feels supportive and bouncy.

Some side sleepers may prefer the plush mattress for a more hug-like feel, while heavier sleepers and dedicated stomach sleepers may be better off with the firm option.

Mattress Construction

For those who like contouring, the Classic has a plush three-inch Euro pillow top that combines soft fibers and comfort foams. This top is hypoallergenic and naturally breathable to offer ideal support. Underneath the pillow top is dense memory foam with lumbar support technology to decrease the odds of back pain.

A short layer of pocketed coils supports these top two layers. These pocketed coils increase the mattress’s contouring abilities while also offering targeted back support in the middle of the mattress.

The base of the Saatva Classic is traditional tempered steel coils. To up the durability, the Classic has firm foam support rails around all sides. These rails fight sagging and offer superior edge support.

SEE ALSO: Best Mattresses for Back Pain

Those with allergies and sensitivities should consider the Bear Pro. This mattress features a top layer of copper-infused foam that resists bacteria, mold, and mildew growth. It also puts up a good fight against other common allergens like pollen and dust mites.

How It Feels

Despite its cushioning top and its ready-to-mold-to-the-body feel, the Bear Pro has a gently firm feel. This firmer feel creates a pleasant buoyancy for back sleepers, keeping them “on top” of the mattress.

Mattress Construction

The top layer of the Bear Pro is copper-infused foam. Copper infusions aren’t just good at resisting allergens. They’re also talented at resisting heat buildup. Copper is naturally cooling, and it works with the breathable Celliant® cover and underlying gel memory foam to remove unwanted heat.

These top two foam layers create deep compression for full-body pressure relief, while the bottom two layers focus on support. This combination of the responsive transition layer and high-density support foam is another excellent feature of this mattress. These two layers work together to offer the perfect mix of contouring and support to align the spine and relieve pain.

While many of our recommendations can be excellent mattresses for couples, Nest Bedding’s Sparrow Signature Hybrid is a particular favorite for their size versatilty. King mattresses can have internal firmness splits, perfect for those who want the feel of a split king without the look. Shoppers can also create a split California king mattress.

The Sparrow Signature Hybrid from Nest comes with a 365-night trial and a lifetime warranty.

How It Feels

Couples who want to sleep in the same bed but have very different firmness needs may find the Sparrow Signature Hybrid from Nest Bedding is just the thing they need.

This bed features the ability to switch firmnesses on one side (king and California king only). That means each partner can have the firmness level they want (i.e., a soft side and firm side). The Sparrow’s switchable firmness also means you can increase or decrease your firmness level without switching out the entire mattress.

Mattress Construction

The Sparrow features a 6-inch thick coil system,  Energex™ temperature regulating foam, and a quilted THERMIC® phase change cover. These elements all work together to keep the mattress cool and breathable.

The quilted THERMIC® phase change cover works with gel memory foam to promote a cool-to-the-touch feel, while the Energex™ and SmartFlow support foams create a durable cushion for extra pressure relief. The core of pocketed coils with strengthened edge support and sturdy base foam ensures the mattress will provide years of comfort.

If you’re looking for a mattress that’s eco-friendly, non-toxic, and amazingly comfortable all at the same time, check out the Avocado Green Mattress. This is one of the world’s most sustainable mattresses because Avocado works hard to ensure every component is ethically and sustainably sourced.

The Green Mattress boasts an array of certifications attesting to its purity and sustainability. The latex is certified organic under GOLS (Global Organic Latex Standard). Its textiles all sport a Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) certification.

The whole mattress is certified under the MADE SAFE® standard, which screens for a whopping 6,500 potentially harmful chemicals. And every Avocado mattress, topper, and pillow is certified GREENGUARD GOLD.

All this means if you snag an Avocado Green Mattress, you can rest assured that you’re resting on the safest, purest mattress that won’t expose you to toxins and won’t negatively impact your indoor air quality at all.

How Lying Down Feels

The Green is a latex hybrid mattress. So it offers an incredibly bouncy feel that you can really only find in one other mattress type: the innerspring. However, unlike an innerspring mattress, the Green latex hybrid won’t transfer motion when you move. It will just fight body impressions and spring back into place underneath you.

The Green Mattress is also cooling for hot sleepers. Latex is a naturally breathable material. It encourages old air to flow out of the mattress and new air to flow in every time you move. That means latex foam disperses heat out of the mattress rather than letting it sit right under you. This combines with the pocketed coils for coolness through the whole mattress.

Finally, you can expect tons of contouring from this mattress. Adaptable latex foam combines with even more adaptable pocketed coils to compress and rise up exactly where you need it. That means fantastic pressure relief and total spinal alignment.

Mattress Construction

The Avocado Green Mattress features an organic cotton cover with needle-tufted rosettes to bind all the layers together without toxic glues. Right underneath the cover, the organic wool layer offers added pressure relief and toxin-free fire protection. This wool is ethically harvested and Responsible Wool Standard (RWS) certified.

The GOLS-certified organic latex layer comes right after the wool. This is the layer that offers cooling pressure relief and spine-aligning adaptiveness. When latex sports a GOLS label, you can rest assured it’s free of heavy metals, synthetics, and toxic chemicals. GOLS latex is just natural latex foam.

Underneath all these layers of comfort sits the pocketed coil support core. This layer features up to 1,414 tempered steel coils. These coils come in three gauges and are arranged into five separate zones to offer ideal support and compression to every area of your body. The Green also has a reinforced steel coil perimeter for total edge support.

The Helix Midnight Luxe is a fantastic choice for those looking for a versatile mattress that offers the right balance of coolness, bounce, and support. This medium-feel mattress features three types of foam and a choice between cooling covers.

The zoned lumbar support technology and the quilted pillow top work together to create an even balance between support and cradling. That means this is a perfect mattress for couples who want to compromise on firmness.

The Midnight Luxe will offer plenty of lumbar support for back sleepers and sufficient pressure relief for side sleepers. So most partners can continue sharing a bed without having to purchase a split king.

How Lying Down Feels

The Midnight Luxe is a medium-feel mattress. That means it offers a combination of support and cradling that doesn’t favor either one. This makes the Luxe perfect for heavier side sleepers, petite back sleepers, and combo sleepers alike.

In addition to its versatility, the Luxe offers some incredible cooling power. Either one of the covers offers lots of temperature regulation and moisture reduction. Though, we would recommend going with the GlacioTex cover if you tend to sleep hot. This cover will offer you a cool-to-the-touch feel.

Of course, with the pocketed coil support core, the Midnight Luxe is going to be responsive. However, the special base layer below the pocketed coils adds extra stability underneath the support layer. This translates into even better motion isolation and support. It also means your coil support core will fight sagging and soft spot development even longer.

Mattress Construction

The first layer of the Midnight Luxe is the cooling cover. You have a choice between an ultra-breathable TENCELTM cover or a GlacioTex Cooling Cover that uses thermoconductivity to pull heat away from your body. The first cover will be more moisture-wicking, while the second will feel cool the moment you touch it.

There are three foam layers underneath the cover. The first is the Memory Plus Foam that offers premium relief for all your pressure points. The supportive Gel Visco foam directly underneath the comfort layer helps add support and buoyancy to the comfort foam. And the high-grade polyfoam transition layer underneath allows seamless progression from foam to coil.

On the bottom, you’ll find over 1,000 individually wrapped coils. These adaptable coils provide the right amount of compression and support to keep your spine aligned. And the reinforced coils around the perimeter ensure perfect edge support. And the DuraDense foam base layer underneath the coils increases stability and durability for the whole mattress.

Those looking for a mattress that keeps costs a little lower without sacrificing quality or comfort should look into the Mint Mattress by Tuft & Needle. This mattress is also the perfect choice for sleepers with allergies.

The Mint fights odors with its antimicrobial technology. More than that, the hostile environment for microorganisms means things like mold, dust mites, and bacteria have a harder time gaining a foothold.

This can help people with allergies get a better night’s sleep because they don’t have to deal with mold spores or dust mite droppings. It also makes this mattress healthier for everyone, as disease-causing organisms can’t flourish inside it. This can especially help with skin issues like acne and skin infections.

How Lying Down Feels

The Mint Mattress was designed with two sleepers in mind. That means it is made to provide versatile comfort to a wide variety of body types and sleep positions. It also means the Mint offers superior motion transfer control. So you can move around as much as you want without worrying about disturbing your partner.

Don’t let the fact that this is an all-foam mattress fool you. It still offers tons of edge support and responsiveness. The adaptive open-cell foam in the comfort and transition layers is designed to bounce back as soon as you move. And the progressive support edges make getting in and out of bed a breeze.

The graphite and ceramic gel infusions also make the Mint as cool as its name. The infusions make for a highly thermoconductive foam that pulls heat away from your body at maximum speed. And the open-cell design means cool air will always be flowing throughout the foam.

Mattress Construction

The Mint Mattress has three layers of foam. The comfort layer is made of adaptive open-cell memory foam that keeps air flowing underneath your body. This foam also features heat-trapping and heat-wicking ceramic gel and graphite infusions to keep the whole bed from overheating all night long.

Next, the Mint layer adds even more pressure relief and softness. The Mint layer also helps to reduce motion transfer and protect you from pressure exerted by the high-density support core underneath.

The bottom layer of the Mint Mattress is made of ultra-firm support foam. This base foam keeps you lifted onto the sleep surface and helps increase durability. It also provides progressive support edges to maintain an equal amount of lift throughout the whole sleep surface.

All these layers are wrapped in the long-lasting antimicrobial cover. This cover features HeiQ HyProTecht technology to ensure your mattress stays free of microbes for as long as you have it. This will help protect you from a host of problems, including acne and allergy symptoms. It also means your mattress won’t develop unpleasant odors.

How We Chose the Best Mattresses

• What the mattress contains: We looked at the materials that made up the mattress, from its foam and springs to its cover fabric. As a part of this, we also looked at its special features.
• What customers are saying: Seeing what customers have to say about the mattress can tell you a lot about whether or not it will suit you, too. Reviews may also mention how helpful the company was with solving a problem they encountered.
• What the reputation of the company is: An established and well-reviewed mattress company should be able to offer its customers a lengthy sleep trial and an above-average warranty.

How to Pick Your Ideal Mattress

Your mattress needs really depend on a combination of your sleep style, body type, personal preferences, and budget. If you’re unsure of your needs, the best thing you can do is buy a mattress that has a generous sleep trial with a money-back guarantee.

The trial period is an allotment of days that you can use to try your mattress risk-free. Ideally, you need a sleep trial of no less than 90 days to ensure your mattress works for you. That will allow you to complete the break-in period and also ensure you can grow accustomed to your new mattress.

Mattress Construction

Nothing has a more significant impact on your mattress’ feel, durability, and temperature than the material it’s made of. From breathability to responsiveness, your mattress is only as good as its comfort and support layers.

There are four basic types of mattresses: memory foam, latex foam, innerspring, and hybrid. While others exist, these four are the most common and widely available.

Memory Foam

A specialized type of polyurethane foam designed for cushion and support, memory foam is one of the most popular bedding materials on the market. This is because a memory foam mattress can follow the curve of your body, taking your unique shape to offer customizable support.

Memory foam mattresses are all-foam, no-coil. The firmest foam is on the bottom, and it offers support and sag resistance. Transition foam layers often add cooling and breathability. Finally, the comfort layer is normally the most contouring and cushioning foam.

Pros

Memory foam has tons of benefits. The contouring power we discussed above is one of its greatest. Nothing contours like memory foam. It can compress under your hips and shoulders to relieve these pressure points. It can rise to meet the gap in your waist and align your spine. It can lift your legs to keep your hips neutral. Not many other materials can compete with memory foam in this category.

Another fantastic thing about memory foam is its price tag. While memory foam isn’t the cheapest bedding material, it’s on the more affordable end of the spectrum. It is not hard to find an affordable and high-quality memory foam mattress.

Memory foam’s flexibility also extends to adjustable bases. Memory foam is one of the best mattresses for an adjustable base because it is heavy enough to lay on the bed without “floating” and flexible enough to contour to the bed as well as it contours to your body.

Cons

Memory foam has two major concerns: heat retention and slow response time. As far as heat retention is concerned, traditional memory foam was infamous for being sweltering. However, modern memory foams incorporate infusions, microbeads, gel layers, open-cell construction, and other technologies to increase breathability and temperature regulation.

Low responsiveness is the other big gripe about memory foam. Most memory foam takes forever to regain its original shape. Layers of bouncier foam underneath the comfort layer can help counter this issue, but memory foam will never be as bouncy as latex or hybrid construction. Combo sleepers especially may take issue with this problem.

Latex Foam

Natural latex is one of the purest mattress materials out there. This foam is made from the sap of the rubber tree. Latex foam is springy, breathable, and natural. Many people think that latex improves upon some of the problems inherent in memory foam mattresses.

Latex mattresses are usually constructed with a lighter, more contouring layer of foam on top and a denser, more durable layer on the bottom. They may also have transition layers between the comfort and support layers.

Pros

Latex foam beats out memory foam in a number of ways. First off, latex wants to hold its own shape more than memory foam. This makes it highly responsive, giving latex mattresses a springier feel that combo sleepers can enjoy.

Latex is also much more breathable and cooling than memory foam without the addition of gels or other infusions. Even gel memory foams can’t compete with latex when it comes to wicking away body heat.

Latex is also the most durable mattress material by a long shot. You’ll need to replace other mattresses every decade or so. And you can’t expect to get more than two decades out of even the most durable memory foam and hybrid mattresses. Latex, meanwhile, can last several decades.

Cons

While latex outstrips memory foam in a variety of ways, it also has some downsides. Latex’s tendency to retain its shape can be both a pro and a con because latex can’t contour the way that memory foam can. This may be especially problematic for side sleepers who need lots of compression under their joints.

Latex foam is also very heavy and difficult to move. This can make rotating or flipping your mattress a two-person job. It can also make moving a real hassle, especially if you have a larger size like a king or California king.

Natural latex mattresses are also not cheap. Organic latex is especially hard on the wallet. While hybrids are more costly on average, it’s not by much. Some organic latex mattresses can easily run into the thousands.

Innerspring

When it comes to bedding materials, the innerspring mattress is the classic sleep technology. Innerspring mattresses feature an open coil support core combined with a thin comfort layer made of a number of plush materials like fiberfill, cotton, wool, foam, etc.

Innerspring mattresses are one of the oldest sleep technologies still in use today. While they’ve declined in popularity in recent years, they’re still the most prevalent mattress type.

Pros

Innerspring mattresses are highly responsive, which falls into the pro column for people used to the bounce of a traditional coil mattress.

The open coil support core also allows for tons of airflow. This means innerspring mattresses are among the most cooling beds on the market. The addition of box springs can introduce even more cooling air circulation.

Innerspring mattresses are also good for people on a budget. These beds have the lowest average initial cost. That means they’re within reach for most people looking for a new mattress.

Cons

Innerspring mattresses might have a few pros, but they also have a lot of issues. The bounce that some people love is a con to many others. Some sleepers say innersprings feel more like a trampoline than a mattress. This bounciness also translates into lots of motion transfer.

Innerspring mattresses also don’t contour at all. They tend to sink when they compress rather than molding themselves to your shape. This can give them a saggy feel and lead to back pain and other sleep issues.

Innerspring mattresses also are not very durable. Some coil mattresses last as little as five or six years. Having to replace your mattress twice a decade can cost you more in the long run than the higher initial cost of other mattress types.

Hybrid

If you want a combination of foam and springs, hybrid mattresses could be for you. Hybrids take a comfort layer made of at least two inches of latex or memory foam and combine it with a support layer of pocketed coils. This makes hybrids responsive, cooling, contouring, and cushioning.

Many hybrids have multiple layers of foam, including a transition layer to protect you from pressure exerted by the coils and a base layer to improve motion isolation. When it comes to feel, there aren’t many options out there better than a hybrid.

SEE ALSO: Hybrid vs. Innerspring Mattresses

Pros

Hybrids are marvelous combinations of springs and foams. Their pocketed coil support core offers more bounce than an all-foam mattress while eliminating the motion transfer issue common in innerspring mattresses.

Hybrids are also contouring. Of course, their foam comfort layers offer lots of contouring, but the coils in their support layers can also move independently of one another. That gives hybrids adaptable support all the way through the mattress.

Hybrids are also wonderful for hot sleepers. They can combine cooling gel memory or latex foam with additional airflow to help increase circulation and cool down the bed.

Most hybrids are also quite durable. While they won’t outlast latex, they will outlast many memory foam mattresses and almost all innerspring ones.

Cons

Probably the biggest con of hybrid mattresses is their cost. Hybrids are among the most expensive mattresses to manufacture. That means they’re also among the most costly mattresses for consumers to purchase. This can put them out of reach for many budget shoppers.

Weight is another concern for hybrid mattresses. All those foams and metal coils are heavy, making moving a hybrid mattress an arduous task.

Mattress Firmness

Everyone has unique firmness needs based on their sleep style and body type.  Mattress firmness is determined on a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being the softest. Your preferred sleep position is the number one factor in determining your firmness needs, and almost everyone’s idea firmness falls between a 3 and an 8.

Side Sleepers

Side sleepers need the most cushioning to protect their joints. Your body weight can sandwich your bottom hip and shoulder joints between the bed pressure of the bed and the pressure of your weight. This can lead to pain and pressure points. So choose a mattress for side sleeping on the softer side (3-4).

Stomach Sleepers

Stomach sleepers need the most lift to prevent sinkage. On softer mattresses, your pelvis can sink down into the bed, overarching your spine and leading to lower back pain. A firm mattress (7-8) may be the solution. It will offer you enough lift to keep your spine aligned.

Back Sleepers

Back sleepers need a combination of lift and support. The buttocks need to be allowed to sink just enough to maintain neutral spinal alignment while keeping the rest of the body lifted onto the bed. A medium-firm mattress (6) is usually best for back sleepers.

Combo Sleepers

Combo sleepers need a lot of responsiveness as well as medium firmness to accommodate all the different sleeping positions they might adopt. Depending on what position you take more often, either a 5 or a 6 on the firmness scale could work for you, though combo sleepers who spend more time on their sides may want to consider a 4.

Petite Sleepers

If you’re under 130 pounds, you might find you don’t get enough compression out of your bed. Typically, lighter-weight sleepers need to go softer than the firmness that corresponds to their sleep style. For instance, a petite back sleeper who feels they’re not getting enough compression from their mattress might consider downgrading from a medium-firm to a medium.

Plus-Size Sleepers

Those over 230 pounds may find they have the opposite problem: too much sinkage. Heavier sleepers tend to cause more compression in their beds than necessary. This can pull the spine out of alignment and cause pain. That means you might have to increase your firmness to get enough lift to prevent sinkage.

Bed Bases

Contrary to some people’s beliefs, not all bed bases are created equal, nor are they all compatible with all mattresses.

Box Springs

Box springs are designed specifically for innerspring mattresses. Box springs are wooden frames containing a coil network that compliments the open coils of a spring mattress. These bed bases are meant to go inside a bed frame to support an innerspring.

However, box springs are not durable enough to be compatible with other mattress types. Foam and hybrid mattresses are too heavy for box springs and can break them.

Mattress Foundation

Like box springs, mattress foundations are made to go in a bed frame. Unlike box springs, mattress foundations replace the spring portion of the wooden or metal frame with rigid slats. These slats are typically an inch to five inches apart, though no more than three inches is ideal.

Mattress foundations are much stronger than box springs. That makes them compatible with all mattress types.

Platform Bed

Platform beds are basically mattress foundations made to stand on their own. A platform bed may have legs, but it could also have rails and even storage compartments underneath the bed. Typically, platform beds have a lower profile than bed frame/bed base combinations. Like mattress foundations, platform beds are compatible with all mattress types.

Bottom Line

Your mattress is one of the most important purchases you’ll ever make, so it’s vital to get it right. The most important factors in choosing your ideal mattress are firmness and material. So keep your sleep style and feel preferences in mind as you shop.

“When patients ask me about mattresses, I emphasize that selecting the right mattress is a crucial investment in your overall health and well-being,” says Dr. Jordan Burns. “As a chiropractor, I prioritize proper spinal alignment and comfort for my patients.”

“When considering a mattress, focus on finding one that supports your body’s natural curves while alleviating pressure points. For side sleepers, opt for a bed with adequate cushioning for the shoulders and hips. Remember, a mattress is a personalized choice, and what works for one person may not work for another.”