Chosen By Experts And Advocates
Our team of mattress testers and certified sleep science coaches takes all kinds of shoppers into account when reviewing mattresses. For seniors, we know that some performance factors are more important than others namely, good pressure relief, edge support, and responsiveness.
Pressure relief helps mitigate or prevent achiness in sensitive areas, edge support measures the strength of a beds perimeter to ensure that it wont buckle under weight, and good responsiveness makes moving around on and getting in and out of bed a breeze. We measure these factors in order to determine whether or not a mattress will provide seniors with a comfortable, safe sleeping environment. For more information, check out our review process.
What Firmness Level Is Best
Tied into this conversation of support and neutral spine alignment is firmness, a measure that refers to how soft or hard a bed is . Its important to note that soft mattresses can be just as supportive as firm ones, so dont get support confused with firmness itself.
All that being said, senior sleepers will likely prefer a mattress that ranges from medium firm to firm . Why is this level of firmness ideal for elderly folks? Well, it implies that the bed will have more of a traditional vibe wherein the sleeper is positioned squarely on top of the structure. Many of these sleepers likely grew up snoozing on innerspring mattresses, so may be used to something with a bit more heft.
Firm mattresses are also great at setting the spine in a neutral alignment, which helps to alleviate aches, pains, and discomfort at the joints. This, in turn, should set up the sleeper for some solid sleep hygiene, and bring optimized comfort to the hips, shoulders, and lower back.
How To Choose The Best Mattress For Elderly Seniors
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As we age, our bodies tend to go through many changes in our sleep patterns and physical health changes. Sometimes, these changes can make it hard to achieve a full, restful night of sleep. A mattress that can provide relief and support for seniors can become an essential item to have. Seniors with back pain, especially, tend to need more pressure relief and temperature regulation than regular mattresses can provide.A low-quality mattress can only cause more damage to your body, which could lead to countless sleepless nights and heavy exhaustion. Thankfully, there are many mattresses that can provide just the right amount of support and comfort that seniors will need. In this guide, we’ve tested and narrowed down the best mattresses for seniors. We also cover some of the most important qualities to pay attention to when looking for a mattress.
Expand Table of Contents
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Is Memory Foam Good For The Elderly
Memory foam can relieve pressure for those with joint pain issues and provide some excellent overall comfort. However, it can make it more difficult to move around on a mattress, which isn’t ideal for those with mobility issues. Also, memory foam is known to sleep hot and could cause some seniors to overheat at night.
High Quality Of Material Used
Puffys mattresses both include high quality memory foams in their mattreses, with suppleness rankings that are suitable for side sleeping. Recently, they boosted their mattresses with added layers of cooling technology for those that have difficulty with cozy resting. Best Memory Foam Mattress For Elderly
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How To Choose The Best Mattress For Seniors 2022
Finding the best mattress for seniors 65 and older is particularly difficult for a few reasons. First, its normal for older adults to sleep less deeply than younger people. Second, with age comes various sleep disorders like sleep apnea and insomnia as well as chronic back, neck and shoulder pains.
That said, a good mattress for elderly people needs to improve their quality of life by promoting restorative sleep while offering pain relief. No mattress manufacturer designs beds purposely for the elderly. So, youll need to compare the options available in the online space and choose a mattress that perfectly suits your preferences.
This guide takes you through the major considerations when buying the best mattress for seniors.
Best Mattresses Of 2022
Gone are the days when there was only one type of mattress to choose from. Nowadays, between memory foam, innerspring, and hybrids, there are multiple options available to you to ensure a great night’s sleep. We compared and ranked the best mattress companies and brands online to bring you detailed mattress reviews and our top mattress picks available today.
Proprietary Foam + Dual-Phase Cooling Technology
Made in America Sale | 12% off orders $1,000+
- Sizes: Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, California King
- Firmness: Plush Soft , Luxury Firm , Firm
- Material: Memory foam
- Trial Period: 365-night home trial with a full refund
- Delivery: Free in-room delivery and setup
- Warranty: Lifetime Warranty
Proprietary Foam + Dual-Phase Cooling Technology
Made in America Sale | 12% off orders $1,000+
- Sizes: Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, California King
- Firmness: Plush Soft , Luxury Firm , Firm
- Material: Memory foam
- Trial Period: 365-night home trial with a full refund
- Delivery: Free in-room delivery and setup
- Warranty: Lifetime Warranty
25% off Sitewide & $499 Bundle with Mattress Purchase
- Sizes: Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, and Cal king
- Material: 8 Layers of premium materials with cutting edge technology
- Trial Period: Risk-free 365-night home trial
- Delivery: Free shipping, White Glove Delivery, Installation, Mattress Removal
- Warranty: Lifetime warranty
25% off Sitewide & $499 Bundle with Mattress Purchase
- Sizes: Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, and Cal king
- Firmness: Medium firm
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Choosing Orthopedic Mattresses For Seniors With Bad Backs
Osteoarthritis and spinal stenosis are two of the most common causes of lower back pain in seniors. While struggling with a bad back requires professional diagnosis and special treatment, you can relieve pain by choosing an orthopedic mattress that offers enough support for your body.
Seniors with bad backs should buy mattresses made of high-density memory foam, latex, or reflex foam, with medium-firmness.
When choosing an orthopedic mattress for a bad back, memory foam and latex mattresses should be considered first. The main reason for this is that memory foam and latex offer excellent support and promote optimal spinal alignment which is essential for elderly sleepers with bad backs.
You should select a medium-firm orthopedic mattress for spinal support and pressure relief. You can also go for a firm mattress for more support, but you will no longer get as much pain relief. While latex mattresses are already firm enough, memory foam mattresses are available in multiple density variants. A high-density memory foam orthopedic mattress like this is suitable for elderly sleepers who suffer from back pain.
High-density memory foam orthopedic mattresses offer a medium-firm feel and promote adequate spinal alignment for elderly sleepers with bad backs. Image Source:
Stick To A Constant Sleep Schedule
While it may be tempting to sleep on the weekends, sticking to a regular sleep schedule will help ensure that seniors fall asleep almost as soon as their head hits the mattress. The body gets used to waking up and sleeping at a regular hour, and diverting from this can lead to oversleeping or exhaustion the next day.
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Mattress Topper Thickness Is Thicker Always Better
Youll see mattress toppers anywhere from an inch thick to 4 inches thick or more. The thicker the topper is, the plusher it will feel too.
But, for seniors and elderly people, toppers can be too thick. A thick topper raises the height of the bed, which may or may not be a good thing depending on your current mattress height. Also, thick memory foam mattress toppers can be hard to climb out of if you have limited strength.
I recommend going with a 2 thick model for a good balance of comfort and support.
Healthy Alternatives To Get Good Sleep
In addition to having a good memory foam or firm mattress, there are a number of practices that can help a senior get fall asleep more quickly and stay asleep in their bed. Many of these are easy fixes to a senior’s routine that can eventually improve their unhealthy sleeping habits and have them dreaming in next to no time.
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Sleep Challenges For Seniors
The Golden Years sound downright idyllic and relaxing, dont they? No worries from work, playing with the grandkids, time to work on the golf swing, and the leisure and money to travelseems like the perfect recipe for fun-filled days and restful nights.
Youd think that seniors would have no trouble at all sleeping at night. But ask any person over 65 how they sleep and chances are youll hear a host of complaints.
Trouble falling asleep, difficulty staying asleep, and sleep disturbances are more common among the elderly than any other age group. And even though retirement may mean less stress from the challenges of achieving a healthy work/life balance, other stressors that come with age can make a good nights sleep increasingly elusive.
Sleep difficulties are so common among the elderly that we often assume its just a normal part of aging. While changes in sleep architecture are normal as we age, sleep deprivation is not.
Believe it or not, a change as simple as finding the best mattress for seniors could make a world of difference in your or a loved ones sleep performance. But since there is no one mattress that will address all the various sleep challenges that seniors face, its helpful to understand just what is keeping older people up at night.
Why Do Some Seniors Have Sleeping Problems?
- Joint pain caused by arthritis
Changes in sleep architecture due to aging
How Does Age Affect Sleep
When choosing the best mattress for seniors, its important to consider how age affects sleep. A common belief is that our sleep needs decline as we age. While its true that the amount of time we need to sleep each night declines from infancy onwards, this trend levels off once we reach adulthood.
That means seniors still need around eight hours of sleep for optimal health. However, the process of aging introduces some unique challenges that can make it more difficult to get the right amount of sleep each night. So how exactly does age affect sleep?
While the amount of sleep we need stays the same during adulthood, our sleep patterns change as we age. Age-related changes in sleep patterns include:
In addition to the natural changes in sleep patterns, seniors are also more likely to suffer from health conditions that disturb restful sleep.
- Arthritis: This chronic condition can cause stiffness, swelling, and pain in the joints.
- Sleep apnea: Older adults are more likely to suffer from sleep apnea, a sleep disorder in which breathing stops and starts throughout the night and affects the quality of sleep.
- Neurological and cognitive conditions: Alzheimers disease, Parkinsons disease, and other forms of dementia have been linked to higher rates of insomnia, sleep apnea, and other sleep disorders.
- Diabetes and prostate problems: These and other conditions that seniors commonly experience can lead to frequent nighttime urination, thereby interrupting regular sleep.
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Things To Consider When Looking For A Good Mattress For Seniors
Do a lot of research before deciding on the mattress to buy. Allow each mattress a 15 minutes test. While youre on the mattress, experiment with different sleeping positions. After all, the preferences of side sleepers and back sleepers may differ.
Youll most likely be sleeping on this mattress for up to 15 years, so be sure its the proper one before you buy it!
Consider the following things when purchasing a mattress for elders:
Is A Memory Foam Mattress Good For Elderly People
Memory foam contours to a persons body shape and often provides medium-level support. This may benefit older people with aches and pains.
Some people find memory foam too hot, although many mattresses include cooling technology to mitigate this.
The best memory foam mattress for older people will keep the spine aligned and relieve pressure from points such as the hips and shoulders.
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Memory Foam/ Gel Mattresses
Were big fans of memory foam and gel foam mattresses, mainly because we used to design and manufacture them ourselves, and know the recipes and formulations that provide the ideal pressure relief, buoyancy, and balance to help get you to sleep and keep you there.
The key consideration with memory foam and gel foam components is the density and thickness of the materials used to make them. To learn more about memory foam mattresses, you can visit our memory foam mattress page for details.
Top 10best Hybrid Mattresses September 2022
Hybrid mattresses offer consumers with the best of both words, foam and coils. Below you can find the best hybrid mattresses in 2022
Advertising Disclosure: We receive referral fees from the brands listed below.We receive referral fees from the brands listed below.
MattressVerdict.com is a mattress & sleeping products reviews website. Our website compares leading brands, provides detailed reviews about the product construction, warranty, return policy and more. We do not list all mattress brands out there, nor do we cover all aspects of brands we list. We do our best to keep the information accurate, but we can’t promise you that it is. Companies often change their product as well as their prices, warranty periods and more.The best way to get accurate information is to go to their respective official websites. We receive referral fees from the brands on the website. We do our best to provide accurate information. Fees impact rankings, rating and reviews.
For more information on how we rate
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Nectar Memory Foam Mattress
Another competitive choice is the medium-firm Nectar mattress, which is one of the best memory foam mattresses on the market. In a randomized survey, many respondents found that it relieves pressure points. 9 out of 10 back pain sufferers said their Nectar mattress helped alleviate pain.
It’s also a relatively affordable option, coming bundled with two free pillows, free sheets, and a free mattress protector in the $799 price for a queen. A major selling point is the 365 sleep trial period, along with the “forever” warranty they offer. However, their memory foam options may not be great for heavy individuals that need support from innerspring mattresses or hybrid mattresses.
Multiple Zone Toppers Help Reduce Pressure In Critical Areas
Elderly people who spend much time in bed are more likely to get pressure sores. Especially on their bottom, back, and heels. The best mattress toppers for elderly people are zoned to have less pressure in these critical areas.
So, I recommend a zoned product to reduce pressure in these critical areas for people who spend a lot of time in bed.
Note that none of the products I am promoting above are considered clinical pressure relieving products. So if the user has a history of pressure sores, discuss this with your doctor.
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Best For Relieving Pressure Points: Dreamcloud Luxury Hybrid
| Price | |
|---|---|
| affordable, may promote back support and spinal alignment, comes with bedding and pillows | |
| Con | some reviews claim the mattress feels too hard, not suitable for vegans |
This mattress consists of a base layer, followed by an innerspring layer, which the manufacturer claims can provide targeted support.
There are three layers of foam, which aim to contour to a persons body and provide a gentle sinking feeling, enhancing the comfort of the mattress.
The mattress cover uses quilted foam topped with cashmere.
According to the manufacturer, the design of this mattress may help relieve pressure points. As a result, it may be best for people who prefer to sleep on their sides.
This mattress also comes with free pillows, a sheet set, and a cooling mattress protector.
Due to its cashmere cover, this product is unsuitable for people following a vegan lifestyle.
DreamCloud offers a 365-night sleep trial, a lifetime warranty, and free shipping and returns.
Choosing An Accessible Mattress For Seniors
As we age, its common for mobility and flexibility to decline. That means its important to think about accessibility while shopping for a mattress for elderly folks.
- Look for a shorter mattress: Tall mattresses can look elegant, but they may not be the most practical choice for seniors. As a general rule, many elderly folks will prefer a shorter mattress that makes it easier to climb in and out of bed.
- Prioritize edge support: Edge support refers to how comfortable a sleeper feels while sitting or lying down near the edge of a mattress. The edge support is strong when a person feels secure in these positions its poor if the person feels like theyre going to tip off or out of the bed. Seniors will want to prioritize edge support, because they may be more likely to use the edge of the bed to support themselves while climbing in and out.
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Best For Spinal Alignment: Nolah Evolution 15
| Price | |
|---|---|
| choices of firmness, promotes spinal alignment for all sleep styles | |
| Con | larger models are expensive |
This 15-in hybrid mattress is available in plush, luxury firm, and firm feels. The mattress has seven layers: a comfort top layer, a high-density foam grid, and a recycled plant fiber foundation layer.
The manufacturer states that the coils in this mattress are individually wrapped and respond to movement and changes in weight distribution. This means the mattress can enhance spinal alignment for side, back, and stomach sleepers.
There are three coil sections, one specifically aiming to support the lumbar region.
As a result, this mattress may be best suited to those who need extra support for their lower back.
Nolah offers a 120-night sleep trial, lifetime warranty, and free shipping.
The following table compares the features of the different mattresses in this article.
| Mattress type |
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