Best Mattress for Combination Sleepers

Mattress Nerd consulted Dr. Ravi Pandey, MD to ensure that this article met our editorial standards.

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Combination (restless) sleepers are individuals who tend to change their sleeping position throughout the night. Not committed to a single sleeping position, these sleepers may doze off in any of the three primary sleep positions—stomach, back, or side—and wake up in a different position. Just like sleepers who have a single preferred position at night, combination sleepers must consider their unique needs when selecting a new mattress. But if you want to widen your scope, our best mattresses guide will surely help you out.

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Best Mattresses for Combination Sleepers 2022

• Best for Couples– Saatva Classic
• Best Medium-Firm Mattress – Helix Midnight Luxe
• Best Mattress for Sex – DreamCloud Premier Rest
• Best Value Mattress – Nectar Memory Foam
• Best Hybrid Mattress- Brooklyn Bedding Signature Hybrid
• Best Latex Mattress- WinkBeds Ecocloud
• Best Luxury Mattress – Nolah Evolution
• Best Mattress for Heavy Combo Sleepers – Titan Plus
• Best Mattress for Active Combo Sleepers – Bear
• Best Memory Foam Mattress – Leesa Original

Chosen by Experts and Advocates

The best mattresses for combination sleepers should excel in a few essential qualities; responsiveness for easy shifting, the provision of comfort in any sleeping position, and adequate spinal support in any sleeping position. Our team at Mattress Nerd runs every mattress through a series of tests, including pressure relief, spinal alignment, and responsiveness. High scores in one or more of these fields indicate a product that may work very well for combination sleepers, thus earning it a spot on this list.

Video: Best Mattresses for Combination Sleepers

Saatva Classic: Best for Couples

As one of the most well-known online mattress brands, the Saatva Classic provides motion isolation for couples and a wide array of other benefits. An affordable luxury, one of the Saatva’s firmness options (Plush Soft, Luxury Firm, and Firm) should provide enough support and contour for all sleeping positions.

With the ability to choose between Firm and Luxury Firm, the Saatva Classic can accommodate heavier combination sleepers or couples looking to satisfy both sleepers. Both versions should provide lumbar support and keep the sleeper on top of the mattress, instead of feeling stuck in the layers. The hybrid construction makes it a very responsive mattress, changing shape as you change positions. We also found it to be cooler than an all-foam model, which is good news for those who sleep hot.

Read our full Saatva Classic mattress review to learn more. If you aren’t interested in the Saatva Classic mattress, check out our list of the best mattresses for couples for more great options.

Helix Midnight Luxe: Best Medium-Firm Mattress

 

The Helix Midnight Luxe is made to keep your spine aligned in any sleeping position with the specialized zoned support and medium-firm (6/10) firmness level. Because combination sleepers change positions throughout the night, the award-winning Helix Midnight Luxe is a hybrid mattress made for those who sleep on their back, stomach or side.

For combination sleepers that struggle to stay cool throughout the night, the Helix’s breathable construction should promote airflow through pocketed coils and while memory foam contours around the sleeper’s body. The zoned lumbar support coils can prevent back pain and keep the hips from sinking when sleeping on the stomach or back. While the Helix Midnight Luxe comes with a hefty price tag, we think it is well worth the investment.

Read our full Helix Midnight Luxe mattress review to learn more.

DreamCloud Premier Rest: Best Mattress for Sex

When you and your bed partner are searching for a mattress, sex should also be a consideration. A good mattress for sex is quiet, responsive, and temperature-regulating. The DreamCloud Premier Rest is super responsive thanks to the bouncy coils in the center, and those coils are virtually silent under the foam layers.

Additionally, the coils add a bit of breathability to the mattress. As another plus, it does a great job at isolating motion, so you and your partner shouldn’t wake each other up while changing sleeping positions throughout the night.

Read our full DreamCloud Premier Rest mattress review to learn more.  Not interested in the Leesa Mattress? Check out our best mattresses for sex for other great options. 

Nectar: Best Value Mattress

The Nectar is a medium-firm, all-foam mattress that provides a nice balance of conforming comfort and pressure relief. This bed embodies qualities that are ideal for combination sleepers because of its built-in responsive layer and “perfect” 6 out of 10 firmness level, which feels comfortable in a variety of sleeping positions. Despite its affordable price tag, the Nectar comes with luxury features like a comfort layer of cooling gel-infused memory foam, a high-density polyfoam support core, and a moisture-wicking quilted cover. As for who would benefit most from this value purchase, after testing this bed for ourselves, we found it to provide optimal spinal alignment for most average and heavyweight sleepers in any sleeping position.

When you go to buy, the Nectar Memory Foam Mattress comes with free shipping, White Glove delivery, a 365-night sleep trial, and a lifetime warranty!

Read our full Nectar mattress review to learn more! Not interested in the Nectar Mattress? Check out our other best mattress for the money page for other great options.

Brooklyn Signature Hybrid: Best Hybrid Mattress

When we think of a great hybrid mattress, our first response is the Brooklyn Bedding Signature Hybrid. Its combination of foam and coils helps combo sleepers stay on their mattress. We think this gives minimal cradling but maximum comfort, which is ideal for combination sleepers as they change sleeping positions throughout the night.

It’s also worth mentioning that the Brooklyn Bedding Signature Hybridcomes in multiple firmness options: firm, medium, and soft. The combination sleepers who are primarily stomach or back sleepers should appreciate that the lower back and hips don’t sink into the mattress, especially with the firm version. If you’re a combination side sleeper, it’s likely that you’ll love the soft version, because it has excellent contouring and pressure-relieving properties.

See our Brooklyn Bedding Signature mattress review to learn more. Not interested in the Brooklyn Bedding Mattress? Check out our list of the best hybrid mattresses for more great options. 

The WinkBed EcoCloud: Best Latex Mattress for Combo Sleepers

The WinkBed EcoCloud features a mix of natural, breathable Talalay Latex and zoned supported coils. Latex is known for being a bouncy and hot sleeper friendly material. It’s perfect for combination sleepers who tend to switch positions throughout the night since the responsive surface will make transitioning from one position to another seamless— unlike memory foam which can have you feeling engulfed and sunken into the bed. 

After testing the EcoCloud out for ourselves, we placed the firmness at our “medium-soft” level of a 5 out of 10 on our scale. But don’t let its soft surface fool you, this bed is also very durable. The hybrid construction of latex and supportive coils help to elevate your body so you can maintain spinal alignment, and it also comes with reinforced edges so you can sleep right up against the edge of the bed without feeling like you’re slipping off. We think this bed will feel best for combination sleepers of all body types. 

Although this model is one of the pricier options on our list, WinkBed frequently offers discounts and promotions, which can cut a few hundred dollars off of the final cost. Plus, the EcoCloud also comes with great policies to ensure the value of your purchase like free shipping and returns, a 120-night trial period, and an impressive lifetime warranty! 

Read our full WinkBed EcoCloud mattress review to learn more. For other latex mattress options, check out our best latex mattress page.

Nolah Evolution: Best Luxury Mattress for Combo Sleepers

The Nolah Evolution is a hotel-quality mattress made with a plush pillow top, cooling foam layers, and a base of bouncy coils. We gave it a near-perfect score for ease of movement, so it’s an excellent choice for combination sleepers. We especially recommend it to side and back sleepers under 230 lbs.

It’s an expensive option, but we think it’s worthwhile for combination sleepers who want a mattress that’s responsive, pressure-relieving, durable, and temperature regulating. Plus, the Nolah Evolution comes with high-end touches like a Cashmere cover.

Check out our Nolah Evolution mattress review to learn more!

Titan Plus: Best Mattress for Heavy Combo Sleepers

The Titan Plus was designed specifically with plus-size sleepers in mind. It comes with top-of-the-line support, while still offering a plush, medium feel. The hybrid construction offers pressure relief, cooling gel to keep hot sleepers cool, responsiveness, and an 8” core of over 1,000 individually wrapped coils for ultimate durability. 

Obviously, this bed is made for heavyweight folks, but the responsive comfort foam layer and encased coils make this bed a great choice for combination sleepers who need to be able to easily switch between sleeping positions, as well as couples who need exceptional motion isolation. 

As for policies, the Titan Plus comes with free shipping and returns, a 120-night sleep trial, and a 10-year warranty. 

To learn more about Titan models, see our Titan Mattress review! For more mattress models that’ll work for heavyweight individuals, check out our best mattresses for heavy people page.

Bear: Best Mattress for Active Combo Sleepers

The Bear Original Mattress is an affordable, all-foam bed that caters to the needs of combination sleepers with an active lifestyle. Unlike most standard foam beds, the three different levels of foam on this model give it a dynamic feel that’s supportive, bouncy, and cooling, yet pressure-relieving at the same time. I can’t stress enough how uncommon that is. The last big feature to point out is the biggest benefit for athletes— the Celliant cover! This converts body heat into infrared energy to prompt muscle recovery. So your sleep can go further than just getting good quality rest, but rather simultaneously help your body recover. 

After testing out this bed for ourselves, we gave the Bear Mattress an overall score of 7 out of 10 on our firmness scale, which means it’s medium-firm. Once again, this option works great for those who switch between different sleeping positions throughout the night, so it’s comfortable any way you choose to sleep.  

When you go to buy, the Bear Mattress ships for free, comes with a 120-night sleep trial, as well as a lifetime warranty! 

For more information on this mattress, read our full review on the Bear mattress. To see more mattress models that’ll work for athletes, check out our best mattress for athletes roundup. 

Leesa: Best Memory Foam Mattress

The ideal memory foam mattress should be pressure-relieving yet supportive, and if possible, cooling. We think the Leesa pretty much checks all of the boxes, and that’s why we recommend this all-foam mattress. Beneath a soft twill cover, its construction includes three different memory foam layers: 2″ of responsive foam, 2″ of memory foam, and a thick 6″ layer of high-density foam. With the responsive and high-density foundation foams, sleepers should get the support they need. The cushy cover and slow-moving memory foam, on the other hand, contribute to the mattress’s overall comfort and pressure-relieving qualities.

The overall responsiveness in the mattress is impressive too, which means that you shouldn’t feel like you’re sinking too  far into the bed. This also makes it great for combination sleepers, who should be able to easily switch sleeping positions in the night. Even so, it still isolates motion relatively well. We were especially impressed, however, with the mattress’s cooling abilities, which is something all-foam beds tend to struggle with.

Read our full Leesa mattress review to learn more. Not interested in the Leesa Mattress? Check out other great options on our best memory foam mattresses guide.

Mattress Buying Guide for Combination Sleepers 

The majority of sleepers are technically combination sleepers, even if they prefer one sleeping position. Combination sleeping isn’t better or worse than singular sleeping positions, but finding a mattress that provides adequate support and comfort can be tricky. This is because combination sleeping allows for more variety by its very nature, making it more difficult to provide a one-size-fits-all mattress recommendation for multiple sleeping types. This guide will share the most important considerations for combination sleepers and tips for finding the right mattress.

Pros and Cons of Each Sleeping Position

No matter your primary sleeping position, or even if you split your night evenly between the three main sleeping positions, spinal alignment is key. Of the three main sleeping positions, some positions are healthier for the body and improve the chances of maintaining spinal alignment throughout the night. Here’s a look at the pros and cons of each primary sleeping position for combination sleepers. For more information, check out our article: What Is the Best Sleep Position?

• Side sleeping is the most popular sleeping position, as it most closely mimics the fetal position that most people find comforting regardless of their age. This is also widely preferred among people with back pain and pregnant women. Side sleepers place the weight of their bodies on one shoulder and one hip, helping to alleviate pain in the back, stomach, and neck. People who experience snoring or acid reflux may also fare well on their sides. The downside of side sleeping is that it may cause premature facial aging on the sleeper’s preferred side, and can require additional pillows and sleep accessories to keep the spine in alignment. Our best mattresses for side sleepers roundup has more great information.
• Back sleeping is the number one recommended sleeping position by doctors and sleep specialists. This is because back sleeping naturally promotes spinal alignment. However, those who carry weight in their mid-section, including heavyweight individuals and pregnant women, can experience lower back pain in this position. Also, back sleepers may experience more snoring and acid reflux. If you’re a combination sleeper but spend the majority of your nights on your back, you might consider one of our best mattresses for back sleepers.
• Stomach sleeping is not recommended by doctors, physical therapists, or chiropractors because it creates a high potential for pain, discomfort, and poor spinal alignment. This position can cause strain on the low back and neck and does not technically provide adequate support, regardless of the number of pillows or healthy sleeping techniques employed. Most stomach sleepers also sleep with their head to one side every night, which can cause neck pain during the day. However, we have a list of recommended mattresses for stomach sleepers to protect their spines and prevent pain buildup. 

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What Mattress Firmness is Best for Combination Sleepers?

Spinal alignment is essential for all sleeping positions, but it’s especially key for combination sleepers. The spine should be aligned from the shoulders all the way down to the pelvis whether they’re sleeping on their side, back, or stomach. A misaligned spine can cause pain at high pressure points, such as your shoulders or hips. A mattress’ support, which is its ability to provide a flat sleeping surface that conforms to certain areas to properly align the spine, is largely dictated by the mattress’ firmness level.

Firmness levels fall on a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being the softest and 10 being the firmest. The right firmness for any sleeper is also determined by their weight and body type. Here’s an overview of the different firmness levels and which ones are ideal for combination sleepers by body type.

Body Type/Weight	Ideal Firmness	Reasoning
Lightweight Sleepers	Soft to Medium Soft	Petite and lightweight combo sleepers have less body weight to impress upon any mattress surface, so even a medium mattress might feel very firm to them. Softer mattresses conform more closely to their bodies and allow for greater hugging and increased comfort.
Average Weight Sleepers	Medium to Medium Firm	Combination sleepers in this weight group almost always prefer mattress firmness levels that fall in the middle range, providing a balance of contouring and support.
Heavyweight Sleepers	Firm to Very Firm	Heavyweight combination sleepers need firmer mattresses, as their body type may sink excessively in a soft or medium firm mattress, which can cause the spine to be thrown out of alignment.

Why Responsiveness is Key

The responsiveness of a mattress can be measured visually by pressing one’s hand into the bed and seeing now how long it takes the mattress to “refill” the indentation. A responsive mattress is often preferred by combination sleepers, as this quality makes changing positions throughout the night much easier. Memory foam mattresses, for example, tend to have low responsiveness, causing combination sleepers to feel “stuck” in the mattress as they attempt to change sleeping positions. Alternatively, hybrid, innerspring, and latex mattresses tend to have higher responsiveness levels, making it easy to switch from back sleeping to side sleeping to stomach sleeping seamlessly throughout the night.

The Best and Worst Type of Mattress for Restless Sleepers

There are four primary mattress types in the mattress industry, and each type is known for excelling in certain performance categories. For example, some mattress types conform closely and alleviate pain exceptionally well, while others are more breathable and have better airflow for hot sleepers. 

Below we will outline a few key characteristics of each mattress type and provide notes on how they can benefit or detract from combination sleepers’ sleeping experience. 

Foam Mattress 

Pros for Combination Sleepers

• Motion isolation
• Excellent conforming and pressure relief
• Widely available
• Noiseless
• Average price point

Cons for Combination Sleepers

• May sleep hot
• Minimal edge support (sagging may occur)
• May be difficult to change positions on

Our Recommendation: Look for memory foam mattresses with a more responsive comfort layer in order to change positions easily. Those with thinner comfort layers that still provide pressure relief may be ideal. Take a look at our best memory foam mattresses roundup. 

Latex 

Pros for Combination Sleepers

• Durable
• Close conforming and pressure relief
• Sleep slightly cooler than foam mattresses
• No noise
• Motion isolation

Cons for Combination Sleepers

• Higher price point
• Odor potential
• Limited availability

Our Recommendation: Look for latex mattresses with a mid-range price point. Some synthetic latex mattresses are priced lower than their natural alternatives. Our best latex mattresses article has some great options that fit any budget.

Innerspring

Pros for Combination Sleepers

• Affordable
• Widely available
• Responsive for changing positions
• Sleep cool
• Different firmness options

Cons for Combination Sleepers

• May be noisy
• Longevity
• Minimal cushioning (conforming)

Our Recommendation: Look for innerspring mattresses with more than one foam layer for better conforming. Our list of best innerspring mattresses is sure to have something that appeals to you.

Hybrid

Pros for Combination Sleepers

• Conforming and supportive
• Long lifespan
• Responsive for changing positions
• Sleep cool

Cons for Combination Sleepers

• May be noise
• Higher price point
• Longevity

Our Recommendation: Look for hybrid mattresses that combine conforming and pressure relief while maintaining higher responsiveness than a memory foam bed for ease of changing positions. Head over to our list of best hybrid mattresses for more info.

Considerations for Restless Sleepers 

Now that you understand why certain aspects of mattress construction and performance are more essential for combination sleepers, here’s a list of factors to take into account as you decide on the best new mattress for you.

Body Type

Your body type and weight will directly influence the firmness that’s appropriate for you. As mentioned above, lightweight sleepers do best on softer mattresses, average-weight sleepers do well on medium and medium-firm mattresses, and heavyweight sleepers do best on firmer mattresses that can support their weight. We recommend basing the firmness level you choose on both your body type and your dominant sleeping position.

Dominant Sleeping Position

Prior to shopping, we recommend taking note of what your preferred sleeping position is at night. It’s fairly rare for a sleeper to divide their time equally between each of the three primary sleeping positions. Even if you find that you split your time roughly 50/50 between two of the primary sleeping positions, this can help determine the mattress type and qualities that will be more likely to provide a healthy night’s sleep for your body.

Motion Transfer, Edge Support, and Co-Sleeping

If you sleep with a partner or a pet, motion transfer, noise reduction, and edge support should be mattress qualities on the top of your list. A mattress that minimizes motion transfer to a great extent will ensure that, as you or your partner (or pet) change positions throughout the night, you won’t wake one another. A mattress that’s virtually silent when pressure is applied will increase the chances that both partners achieve a good night’s sleep. For couples and individuals who are elderly, lightweight, or have disabilities, choosing a mattress that provides excellent edge support will make getting in and out of bed or sitting on the edge of the bed significantly easier. We compiled a list of the best mattresses for couples as a helpful resource.

Warranty and Sleep Trial Policies

Like we’ve mentioned, there’s no one-size-fits-all mattress for combination sleepers. This is due to the greater variety allowed by this sleeping style, which incorporates several sleeping positions in addition to the other primary factors, such as body weight, budget, and personal preferences. Most of the best online mattress companies have a 100-night sleep trial or longer. Further, a mattress that’s backed by a warranty will ensure that your investment is protected. A mattress is no small purchase, so a warranty (most mattress companies offer 10-year warranty policies or longer), will ensure you’re covered if the bed is delivered damaged or reveals a defect within the warranty period.

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FAQ

Recap of the Best Mattress for Combination Sleepers 

Mattress	Award
Saatva	Best for Couples
Helix Midnight Luxe	Best Medium-Firm Mattress
DreamCloud Premier Rest	Best Mattress for Sex
Nectar	Best Value Mattress
Brooklyn Bedding Signature Hybrid	Best Hybrid Mattress
WinkBeds EcoCloud	Best Latex Mattress
Nolah Evolution	Best Luxury Mattress
Titan Plus	Best Mattress for Heavy Combo Sleepers
Bear	Best Mattress for Active Combo Sleepers
Leesa Original	Best Memory Foam Mattress

Dr. Ravi Pandey is part of our panel of medical expert contributors on the subject of sleep health. They provide important perspectives on the topics we discuss to help make our content as accurate and dependable as possible. They do not personally endorse any products, nor are they associated with any brands featured in our review content.