Most Comfortable Mattresses
Here’s our roundup of super comfy mattresses for your unique sleep needs.
Sep 8th, 2023 •
Just about any high-quality bed can give you a pleasant sleep experience, but some mattresses go above and beyond. Today’s most comfortable mattresses use top-of-the-line features to help you get your most restful sleep—premium memory foam for extra pressure relief, advanced cooling materials, ergonomic lumbar support, cushiony pillow-top layers, and more.
We’ve selected a list of most comfortable mattresses for various sleep positions, body types, and firmness preferences. Compare our top-rated picks and find out which factors to look for in our buyer’s guide. A more comfortable bed could be just a few clicks away.
Most Comfortable Mattress: Our Top Picks
- Most Comfortable Mattress for Combination Sleepers – WinkBed
- Most Comfortable Mattress for Side Sleepers – Nectar
- Most Comfortable Mattress for Hot Sleepers – Helix Midnight Luxe
- Most Comfortable Pillow Top Mattress – Saatva Classic
- Most Comfortable King Size Mattress – Brooklyn Signature Hybrid
- Most Comfortable Soft Mattress – Nolah Signature
- Most Comfortable Mattress for Athletes – Bear Star Hybrid
- Most Comfortable Mattress for Heavy People – Emma Hybrid Comfort
- Most Comfortable Firm Mattress – Titan Plus
- Most Comfortable Memory Foam Mattress – Puffy
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We hold ourselves to the highest standards of integrity in our product reviews and other content by incorporating real customer feedback, empirical testing and objective evaluations. Our results and recommendations are never influenced by the commission we may receive from brands, and products we receive are never guaranteed a positive review.

WinkBeds Luxury Firm
Best Mattress for Combination Sleepers
Best for
- Combo sleepers
- Hot sleepers
- People with back pain
customer rating
our score
firmness
Medium firm: 6/10
trial period
120 days
Why this is a comfortable mattress:
Depending on your sleep style, tossing and turning may be a normal and accepted part of your nightly routine. If you’ve found this to be difficult or uncomfortable in the past, then your mattress may not perform well when it comes to responsiveness. The WinkBed mattress keeps up with your movements, no matter how restless you are, so you should be able to change positions easily instead of struggling to switch from side to back to stomach.
The WinkBed offers four firmness options, but we recommend the luxury firm option (6.5/10 on the firmness scale) for combination sleepers. A medium-firm feel lets your hips and shoulders dip in slightly when you’re on your side while providing enough support to keep you feeling stabilized when you switch to your back or stomach. The core layer of pocketed coils provides a springy boost to the WinkBed’s responsiveness performance, while the Euro pillow top supplies a top layer of cushion and contouring.
Pros:
- Next-level edge support: The WinkBed has phenomenal edge support (9.75/10). A high edge support score means that the perimeter of the mattress can maintain its structure under a great deal of weight, so you can spread out to the far edges of the WinkBed’s surface without them sagging.
- Good spine alignment: If you tend to wake with back pain, you’ll be well served by the WinkBed—we gave it an 8.75/10 for spine alignment due to its ability to hold your back in a comfortable neutral position while you sleep.
- Sleeps cool: The mattress does a good job of thermo-regulating and transferring body heat due to its cooling cover and breathable coil layer.
Cons:
- Unimpressive motion isolation: If you’re a restless sleeper and you sleep with a partner, you might be awakened by their movements. We weren’t impressed by the WinkBed’s sub-par ability to isolate the effects of movement.
Read our full WinkBed mattress review. You can also check out our selection of best mattresses for combination sleepers.

Nectar
Best Mattress for Side Sleepers
Best for
- Discount shoppers
- Combination sleepers
- Edge-of-the-bed sleepers
customer rating
our score
firmness
Medium-firm: 5.5-6/10
trial period
365 days
Why this is a comfortable mattress:
The Nectar is a quality memory foam mattress at a more accessible price point for the average shopper. It combines four layers of foam and even includes a base layer that keeps your mattress in place. The quilted cover incorporates memory foam for a plusher feel. Beneath that, gel memory foam contours around your body’s edges and provides pressure relief, which is especially important for side sleepers.
The layer of adaptive hi-core memory foam prevents motion transfer from one side of the bed to another. It also works with the base layer of foam to provide ample support. The Nectar rates 6/10 on the firmness scale, which is another reason it works well for the average sleeper.
Pros:
- Excellent terms: Nectar offers one of the longest trial periods in the industry—a full year. Only 3% of buyers decide it wasn’t the right mattress for their needs. That indicates that a broad range of sleepers are satisfied with their Nectar bed. It also offers a lifetime warranty, plus free shippings and returns.
- Good edge support: Foam mattresses aren’t known for their standout edge support, but the Nectar defies the stereotype. You should feel stable and supported, even while sleeping at the far edge of this bed.
- Solid pressure relief: The Nectar provides plenty of soft contouring for your hips and shoulders, which helps disperse tension before it can build up. This makes it a good option for side sleepers.
Cons:
- Sup-optimal spine alignment: If back pain is your top concern, this mattress might not be your best option. We found that it performed slightly below average at holding your back and neck in a neutral position.
Read our full Nectar mattress review, or check out our roundup of best mattresses for side sleepers.

Helix Midnight Luxe
Best Mattress for Hot Sleepers
Best for
- People prone to night sweats
- Combination sleepers
- Those looking for support and durability
customer rating
our score
firmness
Medium firm: 6/10
trial period
100 days
Why this is a comfortable mattress:
The team at Helix knows that even hybrid mattresses with memory foam can run hot. That’s why they created the Helix Midnight Luxe—a hybrid mattress that prioritizes cooling without sacrificing the pressure point support of memory foam. It even scored 9.5/10 on our cooling evaluation.
The mattress has a total of six layers that create a medium-firm feel. That’s ideal for combination sleepers who need the lumbar support of pocket coils and the cushion of memory foam. The quilted pillow top has an ultra-breathable Tencel cover that keeps heat from trapping in the foam below. Helix combines a comfort layer of gel-infused memory foam with a higher-density support layer. Each Midnight Luxe includes up to 1,000 pocket coils hugged by a layer of transition foam and base foam.
Pros:
- Solid spine alignment: We gave the mattress a 9/10 score on spine alignment due to its ability to maintain your back’s natural curve and help prevent the buildup of back pain.
- Great pressure relief: Further solidifying this mattress as a good option for back pain sufferers is its 8.5/10 pressure relief score. The mattress provides good contouring so tension doesn’t build up at your pressure points.
- Responsive: The mattress earned high marks for responsiveness due to its ability to adapt to your movements and supply unfailing support, no matter how you position yourself on it.
Cons:
- Sub-par motion isolation: We gave it a below-average score for motion transfer, which suggests that you might be awakened by your partner’s movements if you’re a restless sleeper.
Read our full Helix Midnight Luxe mattress review. To compare other cooling beds, see our roundup of best mattresses for hot sleepers.

Saatva Classic
Best Pillow Top Mattress
Best for
- Multiple sleeping positions
- Eco-conscious shoppers
- Shoppers looking for a luxury mattress
customer rating
our score
firmness
Customizable
trial period
365 days
Why this is a comfortable mattress:
Saatva’s Classic luxury hybrid mattress comes in three firmness levels—plush soft, luxury firm, and firm—so you can pick the model that works best for your sleep position. We’ve chosen it as a top choice for side sleepers due to its excellent pressure relief and spine alignment in this position. That mattress is even chiropractor-approved for its ability to support good back health.
Durable steel coils make up the Saatva Classic’s base, improving airflow and stability. Next, strategically placed Lumbar Zone wire and memory foam pads cushion and support your back’s natural curves. A top layer of individually wrapped coils improves responsiveness to movement while you sleep and decreases motion transfer. A quilted Euro pillow top adds a luxurious level of coziness.
Pros:
- Amazing spine alignment: The Saatva scored a titanic 9.5 on spinal alignment in our evaluation. Healthy spinal posture during sleep contributes directly to the improvement of back pain.
- Luxury perks: Saatva provides free white-glove delivery, meaning they deliver your bed and set it up in the room of your choosing. You get to spend 365 nights testing out your bed, and a lifetime warranty helps ensure you can enjoy the Saatva Classic for a long time.
- Eco-friendly: The mattress is made using high-quality, organic materials and certified as free from harmful chemicals and emission-causing foams.
Cons:
- Pricey: The Saatva Classic is a luxury mattress, and its price tag reflects this.
Read our full Saatva Classic mattress review. You can check out similar beds in our roundup of best pillow top mattresses.

Brooklyn Signature Hybrid
Best King Size Mattress
Best for
- Affordable price for king size
- Shoppers who want firmness options
- Cost-conscious shoppers
customer rating
our score
firmness
Choose your preference: Available in soft, medium or firm
trial period
120 days
Why this is a comfortable mattress:
Brooklyn Bedding’s Signature Hybrid scored a near-perfect 9.5/10 on our pressure relief test. That’s music to the ears of achy side sleepers. Layers of memory foam and pocket coils cushion hips and shoulders and keep your spine aligned through the night. Brooklyn Bedding also lets shoppers choose from soft, medium, and firm mattress options.
The memory foam topper incorporates gel to promote cooling from the moment you lie down, so you sleep at a comfortable temperature throughout the night. The comfort layer also uses gel-infused foam to reduce heat and reduce motion from sleeping partners. The support layer forms to your body’s curves, and helps transition to a layer of wrapped coils that support your weight.
Pros:
- Good value: Due to Brooklyn’s start-to-finish manufacturing and elimination of middle-man costs, the brand sells its high-quality mattresses at a nice discount.
- Superior pressure relief: The mattress earns a 9.5/10 for pressure relief. It does an excellent job of contouring to your body’s curves and preventing tension from building up.
- Across-the-board excellence: The Signature Hybrid scores at least an 8/10 in all of our categories except one (motion transfer). This means we found it to be a responsive, durable, pressure-relieving, spine-aligning, edge-supporting, cooling mattress, among other standout qualities.
Cons:
- So-so motion isolation: As mentioned, the bed’s motion transfer is the only area in which it scores below average (7.25/10). This means light sleepers might be awakened by a partner’s movements.
Read our full Brooklyn Signature Hybrid mattress review or see our roundup of best king mattresses.

Nolah Signature 12''
Best Soft Mattress
Best for
- Side sleepers
- Those wanting lots of pressure relief
- Combination sleepers
customer rating
our score
firmness
Medium-Soft
trial period
120 days
Why this is a comfortable mattress:
The cushiony feel of the Nolah Signature 12″ mattress starts at the top, with a soft cover made with organic cotton. Below the cover is the key ingredient: a 2.5″ comfort layer of Nolah’s trademark AirFoam, which is designed to provide more pressure relief, cooling, and durability than traditional memory foam. Deeper core layers use higher-density foam for support and stability.
The Nolah Signature has a medium-soft feel (4.5/10 on the firmness scale) and works best for side sleepers. Nolah calls it the company’s most pressure-relieving mattress, and our reviewers give it a 9.25/10 pressure relief score. It also earns high marks for responsiveness with a 9.5/10 score that rivals many innerspring mattresses.
Pros:
- Excellent for side sleepers: The Nolah’s generous pressure relief and medium-soft feel make it a great option for side sleepers who need a mattress with contouring and cushion to support hips and shoulders.
- Excellent responsiveness: We gave the Nolah a 9.5/10 for responsiveness, which is stellar for a memory foam mattress. It’s easy to move around on this bed—you shouldn’t feel like you’re stuck or sinking into the foam.
- Good terms: The Nolah comes with a lifetime limited warranty and a 120-night sleep trial, so you have some time to try it out.
Cons:
- Disappointing alignment and motion isolation: Lower scores for spine alignment (7.75/10) and motion transfer (7/10) mean the Signature might not be the ideal choice for back sleepers or couples, respectively.
Read our full Nolah Signature 12″ mattress review. Also, see our roundup of best soft mattresses.

Bear Star Hybrid
Best Mattress for Athletes
Best for
- Hot sleepers
- Seniors
- Athletes and active lifestyles
customer rating
our score
firmness
Medium-firm: 6/10
trial period
120 days
Why this is a comfortable mattress:
Bear aims to provide comfortable, restorative sleep to a wide range of customers, including athletes and people with active lifestyles. The Bear Star Hybrid incorporates some of the company’s trademark features, starting with a cover that includes Celliant fiber designed to boost recovery. The cover also uses HydroCool fabric for cooling and breathability, a vital consideration for active people whose core temperature tends to run hotter than average.
In terms of overall cooling performance, our reviewer gives the Bear Star Hybrid an 8/10 score. The mattress is 13″ thick, but a layer of copper-infused gel memory foam and an airflow-friendly coil layer add breathability. We found the mattress to be about a 6.5/10 on the firmness scale, which makes it a good option for a wide range of sleepers—back sleepers, in particular.
Pros:
- Excellent spine alignment: The mattress earns a 9.5/10 in spine alignment, which is further good news for back sleepers. It should help maintain the natural curve of your spine as you sleep.
- Very responsive: Restless sleepers will appreciate the Bear’s 8.75/10 in responsiveness. It’s easy and comfortable to move around on this bed.
- Good cooling: Due to its combination of pocket coils, gel-infused memory foam, and a Cellian cover, the mattress sleeps cooler than most.
Cons:
- Disappointing pressure relief for smaller sleepers: Side sleepers in the 130-lb range or lower might not find that it provides quite enough pressure relief (7.5/10 score).
Read our full Bear Star Hybrid mattress review. You can also see our roundup of best mattresses for athletes.

Emma Hybrid Comfort
Best Mattress for Heavy People
Best for
- Couples
- People over 230 lbs
- Combination sleepers
customer rating
our score
firmness
Firm, 8/10
trial period
365 days
Why this is a comfortable mattress:
The Emma Hybrid Comfort is designed to appeal to heavier sleepers, with an 8/10 firmness and multiple layers of supportive foam that can support more weight than your average mattress. At the Hybrid Comfort’s base, a layer of pocketed coils provides bouncy responsiveness and zoned support for a sense of customized comfort.
At the same time, the Emma Hybrid Comfort has several features aimed at providing a comfortable night’s sleep regardless of your size—provided you prefer your mattress on the firmer side. It has a hypoallergenic plush cover, a comfort layer made of soft, open-cell foam, and a transition layer for even weight distribution. The coil layer has seven ergonomic support zones. As a result, the Hybrid Comfort does a good job of keeping your spine aligned.
Pros:
- Super-responsive: It’s easy to move around on this bed—you should feel more like you’re floating on top of it than sinking into it.
- Good edge support: We gave the mattress high marks for edge support—you should feel supported all the way to the edge of the bed, and you can sit or lie on it without feeling like you might sag off.
- Cooling: The mattress sleeps comfy and cool due to its open-cell foam and pocketed coils, which allow for more breathability and airflow.
Cons:
- So-so pressure relief: If you’re a lightweight or average-weight side sleeper, you might not get the pressure relief you need for optimal comfort. The mattress doesn’t allow for much cradling of the shoulders and hips.
Check out our picks for best mattresses for heavy people.

Titan Plus
Best Firm Mattress
Best for
- Stomach sleepers
- Back sleepers
- Heavier people
customer rating
our score
firmness
Firm: 7/10
trial period
120 days
Why this is a comfortable mattress:
A super-plush mattress might seem like the obvious choice for comfort, but certain sleepers prefer something more substantial. If you’re a stomach sleeper, back sleeper, or heavier sleeper who appreciates extra-firm support, check out the Titan Plus by Brooklyn Bedding. It has a firmness rating of 8/10, making it one of the firmest mattresses on the market.
The Titan Plus gets much of its firmness from its industrial-grade coil core and high-density base foam, but support is only part of the story. The foam/coil hybrid also has a top layer of gel-infused memory foam that helps it earn an 8.5/10 cooling score in Mattress Advisor testing. You can add an optional cooling panel for even more cooling.
Pros:
- Highly responsive: Underneath the mattress’s top layer is a foam transition layer designed to provide a responsive feel—our reviewers give it a 9.5/10 responsiveness score. This makes it easy to move around or change positions on the bed.
- Good spine alignment: The Titan’s performance in spine alignment (9.5/10) is a great sign for back sleepers and stomach sleepers. In our testing, we observed it did a good job of holding our spines in a nice neutral position.
- Solid motion isolation: If you sleep with a partner, you shouldn’t be awakened by their nighttime tossing and turning—in our testing of motion transfer, we found the bed does a good job of isolating the ripple effects of movement to one area of the bed.
Cons:
- Pressure relief: Unless you prefer the feel of a firm bed, side sleepers likely won’t enjoy sleeping on this one. We found that it doesn’t provide sufficient pressure relief in the hips and shoulders.
Read our full Titan Plus mattress review, or check out our picks for the best firm mattresses.

Puffy Mattress
Best Memory Foam Mattress
Best for
- Fans of contouring memory foam
- Side and back sleepers
- Couples
customer rating
our score
firmness
Medium-firm: 7/10
trial period
101 nights
Why this is a comfortable mattress:
The Puffy original mattress is a great choice for people who love the pressure-relieving, body-contouring feel of memory foam. A medium-firm mattress, it has a pair of 2″ memory foam layers, a Cooling Cloud layer designed to cradle your body and a Climate Comfort layer designed to increase airflow while resisting humidity. It’s also a good mattress for couples or families with pets and kids, because of its strong results in testing for motion transfer. You’ll find that loved ones can slip in and out of bed without disturbing your beauty rest.
Another feature we discovered with this product was its superior pressure relief. This is a quality you’ll want if you tend to sleep on your side or if you have hip or shoulder pain. Although this is a memory foam mattress, attention has been given to ensuring this product doesn’t sleep hot.
Pros:
- Solid edge support: If you like to spread out to the edge of the mattress, you’ll feel secure on this one—we found it maintained its support and structure well all the way to its corners.
- Near-perfect spine alignment: The mattress supports the natural curve of your spine well. For those who sleep on their backs and suffer from back pain, this is a must in a mattress.
- Good terms: The Puffy is supported by a lifetime warranty, so you’re covered against any defects and you know that the brand backs its quality.
Cons:
- Some sagging complaints: Some customers have reported that the mattress’s comfort layer loses some of its support over time. This wasn’t an issue we found during our test period.
Read our full Puffy mattress review. Also, check out our roundup of best memory foam mattresses.
How to Choose the Most Comfortable Mattress
A lot of consumers don’t know where to begin when searching for the perfect mattress. The good news is that finding a mattress to meet your needs is fairly simple, and most mattress companies offer generous trial periods for customers.
When beginning your search, reflect on what affects your comfort level. Do you prefer a firm feel or like the structured sinkage of memory foam beds? What is your body type and sleep position? With a little thought, you’ll discover your top mattress needs. We make your search easier by helping you think through your options.
In this guide, we’ll explore:
How Comfortable Are Different Types of Mattresses?
While certain standards of comfort are more or less universal, individual preferences can and do vary greatly. Every type of mattress has one or more unique qualities that make it ideal for certain tastes but a deal-breaker for others. Here’s a look at the benefits and drawbacks of the most common types of mattresses:
Memory Foam Mattress
Memory foam mattresses have become a popular choice for people seeking relief from pressure point pain. The polyurethane foam blend evenly distributes body weight and adjusts to your body’s shape, but quickly bounces back when you move. Many foam mattresses are offered in different firmness levels.
Open-cell technology has made memory foam much cooler. Instead of trapping your body heat, tiny pockets in the foam make it breathable. Additions of gel or cooper also improve temperature regulation. People who sleep especially hot may still find memory foam beds too warm, but hybrid mattresses often strike the right balance of coolness and cushion.
Memory foam is a favorite among side sleepers because it cradles protruding shoulders, hips, and knees. It’s also popular with couples because it absorbs motion and is quieter than innerspring beds. Back and stomach sleepers may find that it doesn’t provide enough support, but can try extra firm foam options.
Latex Mattress
Latex mattresses are made from either natural or synthetic latex sources. Natural latex comes from rubber trees, while synthetic latex is created from petrochemicals. Some mattresses are a blend of both natural and synthetic latex. They are favored for their pressure relief, responsiveness, and cooling properties.
People also love these beds because they provide the softness of foam with a less cradled feel. Your body’s curves are supported, but you don’t feel like you’re sinking into the mattress. This bounciness also improves motion isolation, which is applauded by couples everywhere. Additionally, latex naturally repels fleas, mold, dust mites, and mildew.
Latex mattresses are great for all sleep positions. They are firmer than memory foam, so they provide enough support for back and stomach sleepers, but are responsive enough for side and combination sleepers. Many mattress brands also offer firmness level options for their latex beds. These mattresses can cost a little more than other mattress styles, but they also typically last up to 15 years, so they’re a durable investment.
Hybrid Mattress
Hybrid mattresses tend to be a universal choice because they combine the support and responsiveness of coils with the cushion and contouring of memory foam. Luxury brands even add extra elements such as plush pillow tops and high quality fabric covers. Hybrid mattresses are generally medium-firm, but are widely available in soft and extra firm options.
Sleepers appreciate that hybrid beds are cooler than all-foam beds. The space around the coils improves airflow and breathability. Coil layers enhance mattress bounce, which improves responsiveness. They are also durable and firm, which improves spinal alignment. Upper foam layers improve the comfort level of the bed. Who doesn’t love feeling like they’re sleeping on a cushy cloud?
Because hybrid beds combine the best of multiple materials, they appeal to a wide range of sleepers. Side sleepers need the contouring that memory foam layers provide. Back and stomach sleepers need the support of coils. Finally, combination sleepers will benefit from the responsiveness of bouncy coils and density of memory foam. Hybrid mattresses aren’t the best budget option, but they are a dependable crowd pleaser.
Innerspring Mattress
Most people have slept on an innerspring mattress at one point in their life. They are constructed primarily of coil systems, or springs. This makes them bouncy and relatively firm.
The quality of an innerspring mattress depends on the material and construction of the coils. Steel coils are the most durable, and encased coils, also known as pocket coils, are the most comfortable. Pocket coils are individually wrapped in polyurethane foam or fabric, which reduces sagging and motion transfer and improves contouring. Innerspring mattresses are usually topped by comfort layers of foam and a quilted cover.
People love these mattresses because they are generally cooler than other beds on the market. The space between springs promotes airflow, so heat doesn’t get trapped beneath you. They’re also popular for their responsiveness. You don’t need to worry about sinking too far into an innerspring bed, and you’ll have plenty of bounce-back for activities like sex. Unfortunately, metal coils tend to fall short in pressure relief and motion transfer.
Airbeds
Airbeds are distinct from air mattresses in that they’re higher quality beds with multiple components. They sit on a bed frame like standard mattresses. Whereas air mattresses typically cost less than $100 for a standard size, airbeds can sell for hundreds or thousands of dollars. They often combine foam with air chambers that can be customized to softer or firmer levels.
Couples love that airbeds have air chambers on each side of the mattress, enabling the firmness level to be adjusted to the partner’s comfort level. An example of this kind of bed is the Saatva Solaire. This also means that side, stomach, and back sleepers can adjust the air pressure to their desired firmness.
Key Traits of a Comfortable Mattress
Pressure Relief
Certain parts of the body tend to sink into the mattress, depending on your sleeping position. Mattresses made with memory foam and latex help relieve pressure in these sensitive areas, including the hips, lower back, and shoulders. Pressure relief is also important for people who have joint pain, sciatica, and similar conditions.
Cooling
Night sweats, or the general sensation of feeling overheated, can ruin a good night’s sleep. The best mattresses for hot sleepers use materials such as gel-infused memory foam and aerated latex to reduce the amount of heat that gets trapped in the mattress. A hybrid mattress that includes a layer of coils adds another measure of airflow and breathability.
Spine Alignment
The most comfortable mattresses help you maintain a healthy sleep posture by promoting neutral spine alignment. Ideally, your alignment should follow a gentle arc from the base of your neck to the base of your spine: not ramrod-straight or sharply curving at pressure points. Good spine alignment helps you sleep comfortably and wake up without aches and pains.
Motion Transfer
Mattresses that effectively isolate motion are particularly good for couples (and people who occasionally share the mattress with their young kids or pets on stormy nights). A mattress with good motion transfer properties can make the tossing and turning of your sleep partner less noticeable, leading to more restful sleep.
Firmness
It might seem like the comfiest mattress would have an ultra-plush feel, but sinking in too deeply can cause pressure to build up in your neck, hips, and lower back. On the other hand, an ultra-firm mattress could feel like sleeping on a board. Mattresses in the medium-firm range typically provide average-weight sleepers with the most comfort. People below 130 lbs can go a little softer, and people above 230 lbs can go a little firmer.
Edge Support
A comfortable mattress should be supportive across the entire surface, not just in the middle. Mattresses with solid edge support provide stability to help prevent a sinking sensation when you put weight on the edges of the mattress. It’s a hallmark of good mattresses for couples, seniors, and restless sleepers, and it can improve overall durability by resisting sagging away from the center.
Most Comfortable Mattress for Your Sleeping Position
Side Sleepers
The most important mattress feature for side sleepers is pressure point relief. When a person is on their side, their body is supported by their shoulders, hips, knees, and ankles. Without sufficient contouring around these joints, they will bear the full weight of your body. That leads to stiff and achy mornings.
All-foam or hybrid mattresses are typically soft enough to hug your joints while lying on your side. The top foam layers fill in the curves of your body where an innerspring mattress would leave space. When your joints are cushioned, your spine is more likely to be aligned, which is important for keeping away back pain.
Another factor in keeping the spine aligned is preventing one part of the body from sinking further into the foam than another. Latex foam does a particularly good job evenly spreading your weight across the surface of the mattress. It’s natural buoyancy ensures that the mattress surface adjusts to your body’s movements during the night. That’s also good news for side sleepers who shift to back or stomach sleeping during the night.
Another important factor for side sleepers is firmness. Soft to medium-firm mattresses offer the best combination of cushion and support. Firm mattresses won’t contour well enough to provide a comfortable night’s sleep, so side sleepers should avoid innerspring mattresses or hybrid mattresses that are firm. Extra soft beds also may not be the best choice for side sleepers, because they don’t provide enough structure to keep your body aligned on its side.
Back Sleepers
Sleep experts consider back sleeping to be the healthiest position. It keeps your spine in the ideal neutral position. Beds that are too soft will push your back into a dramatic curve, whereas beds that are too firm will feel prohibitively uncomfortable. That’s why back sleepers should look for mattresses that are medium-firm to firm.
Most innerspring or hybrid mattresses offer the right firmness level. Coils create a sturdy support system for your body’s weight without too much give. A layer of dense memory foam on top can add just the right amount of contouring for your body’s less dramatic backside curves. Latex foam is also a good option for side sleepers because it is buoyant. The foam curves around your body while also preventing too much sinkage.
Stomach Sleepers
Stomach sleepers are a rare bunch. Only 7% of adults sleep face down, which is good because it causes a lot of strain on your body, especially with the wrong mattress. Still, we get the appeal—sleeping with your front against a plush mattress can feel like a big hug. If you’re one of the few, it’s extra important for you to find the right mattress.
While a thick, plush pillow top may sound cozy, it can cause your neck to contort in ways that put strain on muscles, ligaments, and nerves. It also puts pressure on your chest, which can affect breathing and spinal alignment. Instead, opt for a medium-firm mattress.
Hybrid mattresses are great for stomach sleepers because they often combine the support of coils with the pressure relieving properties of foam. Medium-firm memory foam mattresses also relieve pressure on the chest, hips, knees, and feet while preventing your from falling into the mattress. Innerspring mattresses can also be a good fit with a soft enough top layer.
Combination Sleepers
Combination sleepers alternate between sleeping positions during the night, so finding a mattress that checks all their boxes can be tricky. However, one particular quality is universal: responsiveness. A responsive mattress reacts to your movements and makes it easier to move around. For combination sleepers, responsiveness helps ensure they don’t have to exert too much energy as they flip from their side to their back, their back to their side, and so on.
Combination sleepers also need to choose a firmness level that can accommodate their different sleep positions. In most cases, a mattress in the medium to medium-firm range (between 5/10 and 6.5/10) offers the right combination of comfort and support.
Many hybrid mattresses match up well with combination sleepers. The memory foam or latex in the comfort layers provides a responsive, pressure-relieving surface, while the coils in the core layer provide an extra measure of responsiveness.
Ways to Make Your Mattress More Comfortable
If you have a bed that’s a bit too firm or an older bed that you’d like to give a mini-makeover, mattress toppers and pads are an easy solution. They’re also cheaper than buying a whole new bed.
Mattress Topper
Mattress toppers are extra layers of padding you can add on top of your mattress. They’re typically made of foam and anywhere from 1 to several inches thick. Consider a mattress topper if you’d like to adjust the firmness level of your mattress or upgrade an older or cheaper mattress.
Memory foam toppers can add pressure relief and motion isolation to any bed. They can also increase the lifespan of your mattress by reducing wear on the actual mattress layers. They provide a barrier layer between spills and stains and your mattress cover. Plus you can easily adjust your mattress firmness by switching out the topper.
Mattress Pad
Mattress pads attach to the top and sides of your mattress like a fitted sheet. In some cases they rest on the top of the mattress and are secured by elastic straps that stretch around your mattress’s corners. Unlike mattress toppers, they are a thinner layer of quilted fabric, often with a little extra padding.
Most people use them as a less expensive way to add an extra layer of cushion to their bed. As a bonus, they also protect your mattress from spills and stains and can usually go right in your washer and dryer. They do wear out like sheets, but are an easy way to add just a little more comfort to your bed.
Recap: Our Top Picks for Most Comfortable Mattresses
Mattress | Award | Our Score (Out of 10) |
WinkBed | Best for Combination Sleepers | 8.6 |
Nectar | Best for Side Sleepers | 8.7 |
Helix Midnight Luxe | Best Cooling Mattress | 8.7 |
Saatva Classic | Best Pillow Top Mattress | 9.0 |
Brooklyn Signature Hybrid | Best King Size Mattress | 8.8 |
Nolah Signature 12″ | Best Soft Mattress | 8.6 |
Bear Star Hybrid | Best Mattress for Athletes | 9.0 |
Emma Hybrid Comfort | Best Mattress for Heavy People | 8.7 |
Titan Plus | Best Firm Mattress | 9.2 |
Puffy | Best Memory Foam Mattress | 9.0 |
Conclusion
We hope that this collection of our most comfortable mattresses gives you clarity about the right mattress for your sleep needs. Check out the individual mattress reviews for more in depth scoring, customer reviews, and the results of our evaluation lab tests.
Most Comfortable Mattress FAQs
What is the most comfortable mattress?
The idea of what’s comfortable varies significantly from person to person. However, if we had to choose one mattress as the most comfortable across the board, it would be the Casper Wave Hybrid. This mattress combines the support and responsiveness of pocketed coils, the bounciness and cooling of latex, and the pressure relief of memory foam. In addition, the Casper Wave Hybrid has zoned support, so you get extra support where you need it and improved contouring where you don’t.
Casper offers a 100-night sleep trial for all mattresses, so you can see risk-free whether this mattress meets your comfort standards.
What type of mattress is the most comfortable?
Hybrid beds win our vote for the most comfortable type of mattress. Comfort is subjective, so it’s essential to consider your unique needs and wants to find the most comfortable bed for you. Hybrid mattresses are unique because they combine elements of other mattress types to give you the best of all worlds.
Every mattress style is the perfect fit for someone out there, but hybrids are the most likely to please all types of sleepers. For back and stomach sleepers, the base layer of springs provides support and responsiveness. For side and combination sleepers, the top comfort layers provide pressure relief. The comfort across sleeping positions also makes them an excellent choice for couples.

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