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The Best Mattress for Seniors
Aging is inevitable, but waking up multiple times at night because of pain or discomfort doesn't have to be. Yes, there are a lot of other inevitabilities that come with getting older, but losing sleep because of your mattress is not something you have to endure. Whether you're managing pain because of the common ailments that come with age, or you've simply realized your mattress isn't as comfortable as it once was, there's hope. One of the best ways to find the best bed for an elderly person is to read a guide like this, and the reviews that follow – you'll find out why each mattress here is good for what ails you.
Table Of Contents
Best Mattress for Seniors Comparison
Brand | Details | Our Rating |
|---|---|---|
Saatva Luxury Firm Mattress |
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Leesa Mattress |
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Layla Mattress |
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Luxi Memory Foam Mattress |
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Amerisleep Liberty |
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The Truth About Getting Older
As you age, your body goes through a lot of changes. Your skin becomes thinner, and you lose fat and muscle. You're also losing cartilage, which is what helps protect your joints. What that could mean is pain while you're sleeping. There are also common ailments that many seniors experience simply because it comes with the territory.
Arthritis
It may easier to blame your aches and pains when you wake up in the morning on this common problem that so many older adults have to endure. Arthritis can affect anyone at any age, but it's joint pain that is usually associated with getting older. The pain can be mild to excruciating. If you're carrying extra weight, you may notice the pain more often. This sort of pain can lead to less sleep for a few various reasons:
- Hard to fall asleep
- Difficult to stay asleep
- Tossing and turning
In fact, there's a connection between a specific form of arthritis – osteoarthritis – and the next ailment on this list.
Insomnia
If you're suffering from chronic pain, it makes sense that sleep wouldn't come easily. Insomnia, a sleep disorder that prevents you from getting enough sleep, doesn't necessarily cause more paint, but it is related. Researchers discovered that while this is true, OA and insomnia are closely linked. If a person slept poorly one night, the next day was filled with more pain. Insomnia can interrupt sleep in a variety of ways:
- Difficult to fall asleep
- Hard to stay asleep
- Waking up too soon
- Not being able to go back to sleep
- Feeling tired when you wake up
Insomnia can affect all areas of your life, from increasing your pain, to making you a bit foggy or cranky, and the lack of sleep can lead to a weaker immune system, making you more susceptible to viruses, diseases, and infections.
Alzheimer's Disease
There's the over-arching disorder known as dementia that is associated with aging, and then there's Alzheimer's disease, which is the most common form of dementia. You don't have to be elderly to be affected by Alzheimer's, but it is usually diagnosed in those who are 65 and older. In addition to memory loss, Alzheimer's can affect one's sleep:
- Circadian cycle is off
- More napping during the day
- Difficulty sleeping at night
- Restlessness at night, or sundowning
Researchers don't know why those who are living with Alzheimer's experience more sleep cycle disruptions than those without it, but it's believed that patients spend about 40 percent of their time at night in bed awake rather than asleep.
Your Internal Clock
Disorders and conditions aside, your internal clock, as it were, or sleep cycles, seem to change as we get older. Some researchers claim that we need less sleep as we get older. At the least, though, there are documented changes in patterns of sleep with age:
- Sleeping earlier in the evening
- Waking earlier in the morning
- Sleeping less
- Getting poorer quality of sleep
Not everyone experiences these changes in sleep patterns the same way, so your situation may be different from another. Bottom line, though, is that your sleep has changed, hasn't it?
Can a New Mattress Help?
When you get older, sleep can seem like a luxury. After you finally fall asleep, you want to stay asleep. So, the last thing you need to feel is your partner getting up in the middle of the night for the umpteenth time, right? It seems hard to believe that a mattress could solve all your sleep problems, and you aren't wrong. However, if you buy the best mattress for older adults, you have a better chance of better sleep.
Your Sleep Position
How you sleep at night is important to know to help you buy the right mattress for you. If you're sleeping on a mattress that's too firm or too soft, it can be the difference between sleeping six full hours, and waking up three times at night.
Stomach Sleepers
According to a national sleep survey, about 16% of sleepers choose to snooze on their stomachs. Even on a good mattress, you may wake up with back or neck pain, which can be exacerbated by arthritis or other ailments. On a mattress that's too soft, you could sink into the bed too much and end up with a bowed spine, which could cause even more pain.
Side Sleepers
Most people choose to sleep on their sides – about 74% of us. This can be a good position to sleep in with the right mattress. On an old, sagging bed, though, you may wake up with joint pain like never before – especially in your hip or shoulder, in addition to back pain. These pressure points need support and softness from a firm mattress that helps align your spine.
Back Sleepers
Only 10% of people choose to sleep on their back, which may have something to do with the snoring that often accompanies that pose. Back sleepers need a particularly firm mattress to get a good night's rest. Like stomach snoozers, back sleepers risk spine curvature on a too-soft mattress.
While a mattress isn't likely to cure all that ails you, the right type of mattress for your sleeping style could help elderly people get deeper, better sleep, and wake up with less pain.
Top 5 Mattress for Seniors Reviews
Saatva Luxury Firm Mattress
Although there are many choices out there for mattresses and different materials, you may not want to compromise on the type of mattress you like. For innerspring mattress lovers, there's the Saatva mattress. You get two layers of coils in this mattress to provide more support than you've likely experienced before. The base layer is made of strong steel for support over time, and the comfort coils that are closer to the mattress surface are meant to help with relieving pressure points.
For added support and comfort, Saatva included a memory foam layer. This gives even more pressure relief for your back. The pillow top is cushiony and soft, which gives this mattress a plush feel that's not too soft. That's why this is Saatva's most popular firmness choice – it's a happy medium for those who want firm support, but plush softness.
Another benefit to this mattress is that you get to choose your mattress height level – 11.5 or 14.5 inches. They both feel the same, so it's more for aesthetic purposes. If you have a low headboard, the shorter mattress could be a better choice to show off your bed frame. It also could make it easier for you to get in and out of bed.
Pros
Cons
Whether you're suffering from a too-firm mattress, this Saatva mattress could be a good choice to help end pain associated with joint stiffness.
Leesa Mattress
Leesa combines a couple of materials to provide you the support needed to relief pressure points and keep you cool as you sleep. Memory foam is known for trapping heat and bouncing it back to you, which could cause you to wake up in a sweat. So, Leesa uses high density memory foam for its base, and then tops it with a softer layer of foam for conforming to your body. At the very top layer is Avena foam, a trademarked foam that promotes air flow, which should give you a cooler night of sleep.
Most users say the Leesa mattress is a good blend of soft and firm, but not everyone has that experience. More people complain that its firmer than they expected than those complaining that it's softer than they expected. Part of this may have to do with body weight, as memory foam is meant to conform to your shape. If you're slight of frame, you may find this mattress too firm and uncomfortable.
The layers of foam that make up the Leesa mattress are all CertiPUR-US certified, which means there's little off-gassing – that smell that comes with foam like this. It also means that your air is safer to breathe than those that do not have these certifications. Although many reported better sleep on this mattress and relieved pain in joints, back, and neck, many said they woke up a bit warm.
Pros
Cons
If you're stomach or back sleeper, this Leesa mattress could be a good choice to help relieve back pain and keep your spine aligned.
Layla Mattress
A memory foam mattress can be a tough sell if you're accustomed to sleeping on innerspring mattresses. Memory foam traditionally sleeps warmer, can make you feel as though you're sleeping in a divot, and offers little edge support. The Layla mattress uses copper-infused memory foam to help combat the heat problem, and there's a layer of raised, convoluted foam to help distribute air and heat.
It can also be tough to know whether you need a firm or soft mattress, but Layla offers you the both of best worlds. One side is softer with its cushy layers, while the other side it closer to the high-density base support foam, making it a firmer side. You get to choose which side feels better for your back, joints, and helps you rest the best.
There should be little to no off-gassing with this mattress because of the process that Layla uses for the foam. Plus, the copper is meant to help relieve joint pain on its own, so the addition of it is supposed to be helpful for those who suffer from arthritis and typical joint inflammation. You get 120 nights to try it out, or return it for a full refund. If you keep it, you get a lifetime warranty that protects you from any manufacturer defects as long as you own the mattress.
Pros
Cons
If you're looking for a mattress that gives you options of soft or firm sides, Layla could be a good choice - and as a bonus, it's made with copper, which could help with joint pain.
Luxi Memory Foam Mattress
You have a lot of choice when it comes to mattresses these days. From the traditional innerspring mattress to memory foam to latex to hybrid solutions. If you're still sleeping on the same mattress you bought when you first got married, it's been too long. Luxi's memory foam mattress proves that mattresses have only gotten better with time.
Memory foam is notorious for sleeping hot, but Luxi includes a layer of latex to help offset that heat and disperse it to give you a cool, comfortable sleep each night. The high-density foam offers firm support, which means your pressure points (shoulder, hip) are cradled, and your spine can stay aligned. This can lead to less pain in the morning.
The firmness is completely customizable, so you can switch up layers to make it firmer or softer, depending on your needs. Plus, if you prefer a softer bed while your partner prefers firmer, you can opt for split sides, which gives you both what you want. There's no need to buy a new foundation if you want to use your current platform bed or box spring – you could even just put this bed on the floor. One of the biggest complaints is the lack of edge support, so you may want to buy a larger bed size to have more space and not feel like you're going to fall off.
Pros
Cons
This is a good mattress choice for a couple that prefers adjustable beds for different levels of firmness for each side.
Amerisleep Liberty 12" Natural Memory Foam Mattress
When you share a bed with someone else, you have to compromise on a lot, such as level of firmness of your mattress and who makes coffee in the morning. Amerisleep's Liberty memory foam mattress helps you find a compromise in the firmness of your bed, at least. It's soft enough to feel comfortable, but firm enough to support your bodies.
The company claims you'll feel like you're floating on their bed. Those who've slept on it tend to agree that the Liberty is a cloud-like experience. The bed may be too soft for back and stomach sleepers, but side sleepers, or those who change positions at night are likely to be happy with this bed.
Comfort is such a subjective thing, so it's hard to say whether a mattress will feel soft or firm to you. Amerisleep's 100-night return policy makes it easy for you to try this mattress for a couple of months to find out. And if you choose to keep it, there's a 20-year warranty that protects you if any manufacturer defects pop up.
Pros
Cons
This mattress is a good blend of soft comfort and firm support, but it may be best for strictly side sleepers.
Conclusion
Finding the right mattress for you as you get older can be easy if you know what to look for. Whether you suffer from insomnia, joint pain, or back pain, one of the best choices for sleeping soundly night after night is the Layla Mattress, Queen. Not only does it offer good support and a comfortable feel, it also makes good use of copper, a material that is credited with all sorts of health benefits. In the case of this memory foam mattress, it could help with pressure point relief, joint inflammation, and keeping the mattress cool as you sleep.
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