As we age, we may notice declines in both sleep quality and quantity. Many seniors also experience aches and pains, mobility issues, sleep disorders, or other conditions that affect their sleep experience. While some sleep changes are natural, the right mattress improves the overall comfort of older adults, which may lead to more restorative sleep.
Best Mattress for Seniors
WinkBed
With four firmness options, virtually any sleeper can find an appropriate balance of contouring and support with the WinkBed. Each version is zoned to promote good sleep posture, and even the softest model boasts strong edge support.
Our guide to the best mattresses for seniors covers our top picks based on in-house testing. Check out our guide to the best mattresses of 2024 for insights into our more general recommendations. If arthritis pain interferes with your sleep, read our guide to the best mattresses for arthritis.
Find Your Perfect Mattress
We know mattresses work differently for different types of sleepers. Use the filters below to help narrow down your options for your best bed.
Read on to see why the following six options made our top picks list of 2024’s best mattresses for seniors.
Sleep Doctor’s Picks
Best Overall Mattress
WinkBed
The Sleep Doctor’s Review
Our team found the WinkBed’s four firmness options offered comfort for a wide range of body weights and sleep styles, meaning most sleepers should find a model that provides excellent support. The bed’s innerspring design is durable, quiet, and regulates temperature well, allowing sleepers to sleep comfortably with minimal disturbance.
Buy From WinkBeds
Combination Sleepers
Soft, Medium Firm, Firm Options
Great
Supportive For All Sleepers
Pros
- Available in four firmness levels to better accommodate different body types and sleep positions
- Reinforced perimeter makes it easier for seniors to get into and out of bed
- Springy support simplifies position changes for those with limited mobility
Cons
- Mild motion transfer may disrupt light sleepers
- Moderate pressure relief may be insufficient for sleepers with sharp pressure points
Why We Like It
The WinkBed features a Tencel cover and quilted Euro-style pillow-top with gel-infused polyfoam, which is designed to keep the surface cool and plush. A layer of SupportCell polyfoam is engineered to provide extra support and cushioning. A thick support core of zoned, pocketed coils with a reinforced perimeter rounds out the base of the bed.
With four firmness models, testers across all sleep positions and body types found appropriate support. The reinforced perimeter provides very good edge support, which means sleepers can use more of the bed’s surface area and sit comfortably at the edge of the bed. The WinkBed is also surprisingly quiet for an innerspring, and the thick coiled support core contributes to its durability.
How Does It Feel?
Our testing team found the WinkBed offered excellent support and comfort for every body type and sleep position with the appropriate firmness level. We found the two firmest options gave the best support for stomach sleepers and people who weigh over 230 pounds. The medium firm (6) model is ideal for sleepers weighing between 130 and 230 pounds who sleep on their side and back. In contrast, the medium soft (4) WinkBed model provides better cushioning for side and back sleepers who weigh under 130 pounds.
The WinkBed models rated average to above-average in motion isolation testing, so most sleepers should only experience minimal disturbances when their partner moves in bed. Most of the models also allow for relative ease of movement. However, sleepers over 130 pounds may experience sinkage with the softest model, which can make it harder to move around on the bed.
Best Value Mattress
Nectar Mattress
The Sleep Doctor’s Review
The Nectar is an enduringly popular foam mattress with high-quality construction and an approachable sticker price. A balanced medium firm feel makes the Nectar great match for seniors across a wide range of body types and sleep positions.
Buy From Nectar
Side Sleepers
Medium Firm
Great
Good for Sleepers Under 230 Pounds
Pros
- Memory foam comfort layer contours closely to soothe sore spots and reduce pressure buildup
- Excellent motion isolation for co-sleepers
- All orders include a 365-night sleep trial
Cons
- Initial off-gassing odor can be overwhelming for the first few nights
- Back and stomach sleepers over 230 pounds may not receive enough support
- Foam layers can trap heat and sleep excessively warm
Why We Like It
Our testing team found that the Nectar’s mid-range firmness and adaptive feel are best suited to side and back sleepers weighing up to 230 pounds and stomach sleepers under 130 pounds. The memory foam molds to your figure, forming a close cradle around the shoulders, lower back, and hips. Motion isolation is another major strength. All three foam layers absorb movement well, so you shouldn’t feel much — if any — motion transfer when your partner moves in bed and vice versa.
How Does It Feel?
The Nectar’s surface is quite soft and cushy. When you get into bed, the top layer conforms to your unique curves to create a gentle “hugging” effect. The transitional and base foam layers are denser, so you’ll notice some pushback as your body settles into the mattress. This results in a firmer, more supportive build compared to many competing memory foam mattresses.
Although the top layer is infused with cooling gel, you may feel some heat retention from the foam. This can be a dealbreaker for people who consider themselves “hot sleepers,” but breathable sheets can help mitigate this issue. Off-gassing odors are strong at first, but these smells should completely dissipate in a matter of days.
Most Comfortable Mattress
DreamCloud Mattress
The Sleep Doctor’s Review
The DreamCloud Mattress’ contouring design offers a blend of support and pressure relief to a wide range of sleeper types. Side and stomach sleepers between 130 and 230 pounds on our testing team found the bed particularly supportive.
Buy From DreamCLoud
Stomach Sleepers
Medium Firm
Excellent
Good for Sleepers Under 230 Pounds
Pros
- Generous foam comfort system provides significant pressure relief for seniors with aches and pains
- Quiet design and strong motion isolation limit potential overnight disruptions
- Thicker coils stabilize the perimeter to support seniors sitting along the edge
Cons
- Stomach sleepers over 230 pounds may struggle to maintain good sleep posture
- Pressure relief is more limited for side sleepers under 130 pounds
Why We Like It
The DreamCloud’s hybrid design maximizes comfort for a wide range of sleepers. Gel-infused memory foam is designed to draw heat away from the sleeper and relieve pressure points. A pocketed coil support core makes it easy for sleepers to move across the bed and change positions. The coil support core also helps the DreamCloud isolate motion well, limiting the amount of movement felt by sleep partners.
How Does It Feel?
The DreamCloud Mattress is a 14-inch, medium firm (6) hybrid bed. A three-layer comfort system consists of contouring polyfoam, pressure-relieving memory foam, and supportive polyfoam. The bed’s support core features a thick layer of pocketed coils with reinforced edges and a final layer of dense polyfoam to reinforce the upper layers. A soft, cashmere blend cover encases the mattress.
Our sleep testers found the DreamCloud’s thick comfort system relieved pressure in the hips and shoulders, especially for side sleepers over 130 pounds. The bed’s medium firm (6) feel also provides support to stomach sleepers under 130 pounds and back sleepers between 130 and 230 pounds. While most sleeper types should find the bed suits their needs, side sleepers under 130 pounds may find it to be too firm.
Best Luxury Mattress
Saatva Classic
The Sleep Doctor’s Review
With three firmness options to choose from, many sleepers may find the Saatva Classic offers support and comfort. All of our sleep testers over 130 pounds found a model that relieved pressure points and kept their spine in alignment.
Buy From Saatva
Combination Sleepers
Soft, Medium Firm, Firm Options
Excellent
Good for Sleepers Over 130 Pounds
Pros
- Three firmness options and two heights meet varying needs and preferences
- Euro-top innerspring design balances pressure relief and ease of movement
- Free White Glove delivery eliminates the need to set up your own mattress
Cons
- Performance varies based on the firmness and height you select
- Limited motion isolation may contribute to sleep disruptions for sleep partners
Why We Like It
The Saatva Classic is an innerspring bed that comes in three firmness options: soft (3), medium firm (6), and firm (8). Sleepers can also choose between an 11.5-inch or 14.5-inch profile. An organic cotton pillow-top cover features a thick layer of polyfoam to provide extra cushioning, and a memory foam lumbar pad helps relieve tension in the lumbar region. A dual base of zoned pocketed coils and innerspring coils is reinforced for responsive support.
The Saatva Classic consists of high-quality materials like organic cotton and CertiPUR-US certified memory foam. As a result, the bed offers sleepers pressure relief while drawing heat away from the body. The dual-layer support core also contributes to the bed’s durability, airflow throughout the bed, and slight bounce that makes it easy to move across.
How Does It Feel?
The Saatva Classic’s three firmness options made it easy for our sleep testers to find a model that suited their individual needs and preferences. The bed’s more minimal comfort system surprised our testers with its ability to relieve tension at key pressure points for different sleep positions and body sizes. However, we found the mattress lacked cushioning for our back- and stomach-sleeping testers under 130 pounds.
Our testers noticed that the soft (3) model featured less robust edge support, which reduced the overall usable surface area of the mattress. The medium firm (6) and firm (8) models had below-average motion isolation, so sleepers may notice when their partners or pets move during the night.
Best Mattress for Pressure Relief
Tuft & Needle Mint
The Sleep Doctor’s Review
The Tuft & Needle Mint offers excellent pressure relief and cushioning for sleepers with aching joints. Our in-house testers found the bed’s medium firm (6) feel worked best for side and back sleepers.
Buy From Tuft & Needle
Back Sleepers
Medium Firm
Excellent
Good for Sleepers Under 230 Pounds
Pros
- Pressure-relieving foam construction is well suited to seniors with aches and pains
- Superior motion isolation limits the spread of vibrations when a bed partner moves
- Removable, machine-washable top cover makes for easy cleaning
Cons
- All-foam design may impede the movement of sleepers with mobility issues
- Stomach sleepers over 230 pounds may need more support
Why We Like It
The Tuft & Needle Mint uses three layers of polyfoam that contour to the body and relieve pressure in key areas like the shoulders, hips, and spine, especially for sleepers up to 230 pounds. Due to its medium firm (6) feel, the bed avoids some of the excessive sinkage that you’ll find in some foam competitors. It is also easier to move around on than foam beds with a plusher design. A unique highlight of the bed is the removable and machine-washable mattress cover.
How Does It Feel?
The Tuft & Needle Mint is a 12-inch model with a medium firm feel. A 2-inch layer of polyfoam cushions your body closely on the surface, followed by another 2 inches of polyfoam to enhance contouring. Both polyfoam layers are infused with cooling gel to reduce heat retention. The support core features high-density polyfoam with reinforced edges to stabilize the mattress and perimeter.
Our testers found that the Tuft & Needle Mint’s substantial comfort system offered excellent cushioning for side sleepers up to 230 pounds and back sleepers under 130 pounds. However, we found the bed’s all-foam design was too plush for all sleepers over 230 pounds regardless of sleep position. Testers in this weight group reported that they sank too deeply, causing the spine to fall out of alignment.
Despite its plusher feel, the Tuft & Needle Mint has decent edge support and is less prone to sagging than other foam beds. The contouring surface did not hamper movement on the bed during testing.
Best Firm Mattress
Plank Firm Luxe
The Sleep Doctor’s Review
With a flippable design, sleepers can choose between a firm (7) or extra firm (9) feel. The Plank Firm Luxe’s considerable support core provides additional support to the back and promotes spinal alignment.
Buy From Plank
Back Sleepers
Firm, Extra Firm Options
Fair
Best for Sleepers Over 230 Pounds
Pros
- Flippable with two firmness options for seniors with changing needs
- Responsive pocketed coil core and limited sinkage make the surface easy to move on
- Highly supportive perimeter allows seniors to sit securely before standing or lying down
Cons
- Too firm for most side sleepers
- Minimal conforming may not be ideal for seniors with pressure-induced discomfort
- Motion may spread when a sleep partner moves
Why We Like It
For sleepers who prefer a bed with minimal contouring, it can be hard to find a mattress model that’s firm enough to meet their needs. The Plank Firm Luxe does an excellent job filling this niche with its flippable design. The firm surface promotes spinal alignment during sleep and prevents stomach sleepers from sinking too deeply into the mattress.
How Does It Feel?
The Plank Firm Luxe is a flippable bed with firm (7) and extra firm (9) sides. Each side has a quilted cotton and microfiber blend cover and shares a pocketed coil support core. The firm (7) side features a thicker layer of cover quilting, a 1-inch layer of TitanFlex polyfoam, and a 2-inch layer of high-density polyfoam. The extra firm (9) side features a layer of quilting in the cover and a 2-inch layer of high-density polyfoam.
Both sides of the Plank Firm Luxe are noticeably firm and feature minimal contouring. We found the firm design offered excellent support for back sleepers over 230 pounds and stomach sleepers over 130 pounds. However, our testers under 130 pounds found the mattress lacked cushioning and made them prone to developing pressure points, especially when lying on their side.
While the Plank Firm Luxe’s firmness offers minimal pressure relief and allows for some motion to transfer across the surface, sleepers can easily move around and change sleep positions. The lack of contouring also gives the Plank Firm Luxe above-average edge support and temperature control.
Is It Time to Replace Your Mattress?
If your mattress isn’t comfortable or you’re losing sleep, it might be time to replace it. Whether your existing mattress has worn out or it’s no longer ideal for your changing needs, there are several signs that might indicate you need a new sleep surface:
- Discomfort: Struggling to find a comfortable position or waking up with more aches and pains than you experience during the day may indicate that your mattress doesn’t meet your needs.
- Indentations: If your mattress has visible sagging or indentations, you might not get the support you need to relax fully, which can exacerbate age-related aches and pains.
- Respiratory symptoms: Overnight respiratory or allergy symptoms may occur when a mattress gets older and accumulates more dust.
- Change of situation: A new health condition or different position preferences can influence your mattress requirements.
- Mattress age: Mattresses typically last 7 to 10 years, so if your bed is in this age range or above, you might want to start looking for a new model.
What Should Seniors Look For in a Mattress?
Aging and sleep have a complex relationship that seniors should take into account when choosing a mattress. Since sleep quality and quantity may naturally decline as a person ages, it’s that much more important to find an optimal sleep surface.
Firmness
Finding the right mattress firmness that relieves pressure while supporting the spine can help seniors sleep more comfortably. What’s optimal for you depends on your body type, preferred sleeping position, and other personal factors.
Many sleepers find a medium (5) to medium firm (6) mattress comfortable. However, a slightly softer sleep surface may be a better fit for side sleepers and seniors under 130 pounds. Stomach sleepers and individuals over 230 pounds frequently benefit from a firmer surface.
Support
Support refers to how well a mattress keeps your spine aligned. When a sleeper’s spine has adequate support, they can relax their muscles more fully, which may reduce aches and pains. Since many older adults already report experiencing pain, ensuring adequate mattress support is often that much more important.
Two features may be especially well suited to seniors: zoned support and adjustable support. With zoning, the mattress provides targeted support and contouring designed to accommodate the natural curvature of the spine. Adjustable support, such as an airbed with inflatable chambers or an adjustable base, allows sleepers to change the feel or angle of the bed to better accommodate changing needs.
Mobility
Mobility is often an increasing concern as people age, making it harder to change positions during the night or get into and out of bed. Several mattress factors come into play:
- Ease of movement: Firmer, more responsive mattresses are usually the easiest to move on. In contrast, models that hug the sleeper closely and are slow to regain their shape may make it harder for seniors to change positions.
- Edge support: Seniors often benefit from strong edge support that allows them to sit securely on the mattress perimeter before getting into or out of bed.
- Mattress height: Many seniors benefit from a bed height that allows them to sit down comfortably without needing to crouch down or climb up. To determine the right mattress height for you, consider your height and how tall your bed frame is.
Pain Relief
The right mattress can help relieve body pain by balancing support and contouring. While support refers to how the mattress helps maintain the sleeper’s spinal alignment, contouring means how it molds to their body. Contouring helps redistribute pressure to reduce buildup around wider, heavier body parts, which can reduce discomfort and promote good posture for seniors.
Video: Is Your Mattress Causing Hip Pain?
Watch our video to learn more about whether your mattress is the cause for your morning aches and pains.
Best Mattress Types for Seniors
Several mattress types are popular with seniors. These options vary in their construction and materials, greatly impacting overall mattress performance.
Foam
Foam mattresses most often consist of a memory foam or polyfoam comfort system with a high-density polyfoam core. All-foam designs typically excel at pressure relief and motion isolation, which might be ideal for seniors with sharp pains and those who awaken easily. However, they also frequently have weaker edge support and inhibit movement, so they might not be a good match for sleepers with mobility issues.
Hybrid and Innerspring
Both hybrid and innerspring models get their support from a coil core, but a hybrid design also includes a more robust comfort system for pressure relief. Thanks to their use of springs, most hybrid and innerspring models are bouncy, easy to move on, and have sturdy edges, making them well suited to seniors with mobility issues. The breathable designs of hybrid and innerspring models also help regulate surface temperatures, and many seniors will be more familiar with their more traditional feel.
Latex
Latex models generally use natural latex derived from the sap of rubber trees, making them popular with eco-conscious shoppers. They typically offer responsive contouring that balances support, pressure relief, and breathability. While latex models might appeal to seniors with discomfort or mobility issues, they can be cost-prohibitive for those on a budget. Additionally, vibrations may travel across the buoyant material when a sleep partner moves, potentially waking light sleepers.
Airbed
An airbed traditionally consists of a foam or latex comfort system over an air chamber core. Sleepers can adjust how much air is in the chambers via a remote or an app, thereby changing the feel of the bed. Many airbeds also allow you to adjust the feel of each side of the bed separately so that partners can select different firmness levels.
For seniors with changing firmness needs, an airbed can be an easy way to adjust the feel of the bed as often as necessary. However, airbeds tend to be pricey, they make some noise, and they are more complex to use.
Adjustable
An adjustable mattress is a model designed to work with an adjustable base. It’s important to confirm that the model you buy is compatible with your specific adjustable base, and vice versa. Foam, latex, and hybrid mattresses are most commonly paired with adjustable bases.
Adjustable beds allow seniors to change the angle of the head of the bed, the foot of the bed, or both, giving them more options to find a comfortable position. This may be particularly beneficial for anyone with a condition improved by slight head or foot elevation, such as snoring, acid reflux, or swelling of the legs and feet.
Mattress Shopping Tips Seniors Should Consider
Regardless of age, the shopping experience and company policies may ultimately impact your buying decision. We’ll explain how these key considerations may affect seniors.
Shopping Online vs. In-Store
Mattresses are widely available both online and in brick-and-mortar stores. Either shopping option carries potential pros and cons for older adults.
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Sleep Trial and Mattress Warranty
Most online mattress retailers offer sleep trials, giving buyers an opportunity to try their new mattress at home and return it within the qualifying window if they aren’t satisfied. For seniors who are unsure of their needs and preferences, sleep trials provide valuable recourse should they discover the mattress isn’t as comfortable as they’d hoped.
Mattresses also frequently come with warranty policies that offer to repair or replace the product if qualifying defects arise, giving seniors peace of mind.
Shipping, Delivery, and Setup
Online mattress companies usually include free delivery to your front door, though some also offer White Glove delivery options.
Seniors receiving a mattress purchase delivered to their door will likely need the help of one or more people to move it into their home and set it up. White Glove delivery traditionally involves a team bringing in the new mattress, unpacking it, setting it up, and removing the old mattress. Some companies include this service for free, though most charge a fee.
Discover More Mattress Solutions
If you’d like to explore more mattress options, check out our testing team’s picks in a variety of specialty categories.
How We Test
The Sleep Doctor team is made up of sleep product experts and experienced reviewers. We also follow a clearly defined testing methodology to ensure a balanced and comprehensive overview of each product.
To choose the best mattresses for seniors, we paid special attention to the performance criteria that tend to matter most to older adults, including edge support, ease of movement, and pressure relief.
Frequently Asked Questions
The best type of mattress for seniors balances pressure relief and spinal support, though the ideal design depends largely on any issues the sleeper is experiencing. Sleepers with sharp aches and pains often favor a hybrid design with a thick comfort system, a foam model, or a latex mattress. Those with mobility issues generally benefit from the responsiveness and edge support of latex, innerspring, and hybrid models.
A firm or soft mattress, or anything in between, might be right for you depending on your sleep position, body type, and overall needs. A medium (5) to medium firm (6) model can accommodate most seniors, but sleepers under 130 pounds and side sleepers might benefit from a softer model, whereas those over 230 pounds and stomach sleepers typically need firmer support.
Memory foam mattresses are comfortable for many seniors. Since memory foam molds to the body and redistributes weight to limit pressure buildup, it often helps relieve aches and pains. However, the material’s close conforming and slow response can impede movement, which could be a problem for sleepers with mobility issues. All-foam designs also frequently lack strong edge support, potentially making it harder to get into and out of bed.
The best mattress for seniors with back pain combines cradling and support. It should shape to the body to relieve pressure while keeping the spine on an even plane. Hybrid models with zoned support are often ideal, combining the contouring of foam or latex with the support of coils.
Ask the Sleep Doctor
Have questions about sleep? Submit them here! We use your questions to help us decide topics for future articles, videos, and newsletters. We try to answer as many questions as possible. You can also send us an email. Please note, we cannot provide specific medical advice, and always recommend you contact your doctor for any medical matters.
About The Author
Staff Writer, Product Testing Team
Alison is a health writer with ample experience reading and interpreting academic, peer-reviewed research. Based in San Diego, she is published in the journal PLOS Genetics and the Journal of Biological Chemistry and has been a copywriter for SmartBug media. With a master’s degree in biochemistry from the University of California, Davis, she has nearly a decade of academic research experience in life sciences. She enjoys helping people cut through the noise to understand the bigger picture about sleep and health. Alison likes to stay active with rock climbing, hiking, and walking her dog.
- POSITION: Stomach Sleeper
- TEMPERATURE: Neutral Sleeper
- CHRONOTYPE: Bear
