Best Mattress for Adjustable Beds (2022): Reviews and Buyer’s Guide

Adjustable beds have been around for decades, most often used in hospitals for patients. The ability to elevate the head and feet makes it easier for doctors to examine patients and more convenient for both healthcare workers and patients with less mobility.

These days adjustable beds aren’t just in hospitals— many people use them in their own homes. Adjustable beds’ therapeutic properties help individuals fall asleep and stay asleep with fewer disruptions at night. In our article, we discuss our favorite adjustable bed options and offer tips on what to look for in the best mattress for adjustable beds.

Our Top Mattress Recommendation

View on Amerisleep

AS3 Highlights

• 100-night sleep trial
• 20-Year Warranty
• Designed to reduce pain points
• Heat reducing mattress cover
• Comes in King, Queen, Twin, Full, and Splits

Our Runner-Up

View on Zoma

Zoma Highlights

• 100-night sleep trial
• 10-Year Warranty
• Designed for faster recovery
• Triangulex™ technology promotes healthy posture
• Comes in King, Queen, Twin, Full, and Splits

9 Best Mattresses for Adjustable Beds

One of the best mattresses for adjustable beds is the Amerisleep AS3. With a medium feel, the Amerisleep AS3 is an ideal option for side and combination sleepers. The standard AS3 is a memory foam mattress, but people looking for a little extra bounce may consider the Amerisleep AS3 Hybrid.

It’s available in twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, California king, and split king sizes, and comes with a 100-night sleep trial and a 20-year warranty.

How Lying Down Feels

The AS3 provides a balance of cushioning and support which works well for lots of people. The bed is cushiony but won’t cause you to sink or feel unable to move in bed. With cooling air channels, a moisture-wicking cover, and plant-based memory foam, the AS3 doesn’t trap body heat so you stay asleep at night.

With zoned, ergonomic support, the AS3 provides extra support under your spine and cushions achy pressure points. The mattress’s design creates a cloud-like sensation when you rest, so you don’t feel trapped. 

Inside the Mattress

The Amerisleep AS3 is an excellent choice, and one of the best mattresses for adjustable beds on the market. It’s 12 inches tall and contains 3 inches of Bio-Pur®, 2 inches of Affinity, and 7 inches of Bio-Core®. The soft, breathable cover encourages airflow throughout the mattress and helps you sleep cooler.

This memory foam mattress has three unique layers for the perfect adjustable bed. Bio-Pur® is plant-based memory foam—castor oil partially replaces petroleum during the manufacturing process. As a result, Bio-Pur® is more breathable than traditional memory foam. Bio-Pur® conforms to the body but allows the sleeper to feel like they’re sleeping on the mattress instead of inside it.

The Affinity layer uses HIVE® technology for 5-zone support. Hexagonal-shaped segments make up the surface structure, with firmer segments for lighter sections of the body, like the head, back, and legs, and softer segments for heavier areas, like the hips and shoulders. 

Like Bio-Pur®, Bio-Core® is created through eco-friendly methods. Bio-Core® is the support foam that reinforces Bio-Pur® and Affinity with no risk of sagging for consistent support.

SEE ALSO: Amerisleep Mattress Review

The Zoma Mattress is specifically designed for athletes and those who lead an active lifestyle, and it’s one of the best mattresses for back pain. Each foam layer provides full-body support while pulling heat away from the body and preventing overheating.

The Zoma Mattress is available in twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, and California king sizes, and comes with a 100-night sleep trial and a 10-year warranty.

How Lying Down Feels

With zoned support and cooling gel, the Zoma Mattress offers excellent support and cushioning for your pressure points. The Zoma Mattress is built to help with chronic pain while keeping you cool all night long.

The Zoma Mattress is springy and snaps back into place when you move positions or get out of bed. This prevents you from sinking into your mattress and feeling “stuck”

Inside the Mattress

The Zoma Mattress is 12 inches thick and contains 2 inches of Triangulex™, 2 inches of Reactiv™, and 8 inches of Support+. The mattress cover is made of a polyester blend to wick away moisture.

Zoma’s Triangulex™ provides sleepers with special 3-zone support, made of triangular segments. Firmer segments support the back while softer segments support heavier sections of the body, like the shoulders and hips. Triangulex™ is also topped with cooling gel for additional cooling in drawing heat away and evenly dispersing it into the air.

Reactiv™ has a latex-like feel— it conforms to the body to relieve pressure and has a responsive bounce, making it easier for sleepers to move at night. Reactiv™ aligns the spine and allows sleepers to feel like they’re sleeping on top of the mattress instead of inside it.

SEE ALSO: Zoma Mattress Review

With how costly an adjustable bed can be, shoppers may have to look around at budget-friendly mattresses to make the most of their funds. There are many hidden gems among the plethora of lower-priced mattresses on the market. However, the Vaya Mattress continues to be a top recommendation.

The Vaya Mattress comes with a 100-night sleep trial period and a 10-year warranty.

How Lying Down Feels

The Vaya Mattress was designed to have as near-universally a comfortable feel as possible, to better maximize the mattress’s value. Still, while it’s intended to have a buoyant medium feel, the Vaya Mattress hews more toward softness than firmness. Many customer reviewers praised the plush surface, but that may not be to the taste of sleepers who enjoy a firm mattress.

Inside the Mattress

The Vaya Mattress is a simple, flexible two-layer design, with a comfort layer and a support layer.

The top layer is 3 inches of Vaya Comfort Foam, a material engineered to be a basic yet innovative alternative to traditional memory foam. Vaya Comfort Foam has a lightweight foam structure, yet its cushion is supportive and cradles the body in any position.

The support foam is 9 inches of sturdy polyfoam, capable of taking on a sleeper’s body weight and distributing pressure evenly. The supportive lift of the base foam keeps the spine in its neutral position and enables the Vaya Mattress to withstand nightly wear and tear. No need to worry about premature sagging or soft spots.

These two foam layers are wrapped in a breathable fabric cover.

SEE ALSO: Vaya Mattress Review

Natural materials are a huge plus for many shoppers who are sensitive to synthetic materials or want to shop with the environment in mind. Latex mattresses like the Nolah Natural 11 offer eco-friendly materials with bouncy coils for responsive, durable comfort.

The Nolah Natural 11 comes with a 120-night sleep trial period and a lifetime warranty.

How Lying Down Feels

The Nolah Natural 11 has a medium feel like many of our other recommendations, but the natural materials it uses gives its surface a mildly distinct feel. Latex does contour to the body, but not as closely as memory foam would, so sleepers will experience reduced sinkage with the Natural 11. For sleepers who prefer an “on top of the mattress” feel, it’s an ideal fit.

Inside the Mattress

The top of the Nolah Natural 11 is an organic cotton cover, certified as organic by the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS).

The comfort layer is pressure-relieving Talalay latex foam, 2 inches thick. The Talalay latex foam is more conforming and pressure-relieving than Dunlop or synthetic latex foam. Our Dunlop vs Talalay latex foam guide covers the two in detail for anyone curious.

Underneath this first layer of Talalay latex foam is a second layer, this one 1 inch thick. This thinner Talalay latex foam layer creates a supportive transition for more responsive full-body support.

The support core is a series of pocketed coils arranged to create three zones of targeted support, increasing the bed’s overall comfort.

The coils’ base is a foundation of organic cotton and wool, placed to boost the mattress’s stability and durability.

The bottom of the mattress is extra-sturdy organic cotton fabric, also GOTS-certified. Not only does this fabric increase the mattress’s expected lifespan, but Nolah has added handles to make carrying and moving the mattress easier.

SEE ALSO: Nolah Mattress Review

While all of our recommendations on this list are flexible enough to move with an adjustable bed and can be set up in any position, the Saatva Solaire is easily the most customizable mattress on our list. It is an airbed with foam layers that has 50 firmness options you can choose from with a simple remote control.

Saatva notes the Solaire pairs exclusively with their adjustable bed, the Lineal Adjustable Bed Base. So if you’re looking for a mattress that will work with your pre-existing adjustable bed, this may not be the one for you. However, shoppers who are shopping for an adjustable bed and a new mattress may find this combination is just what they seek.

The Saatva Solaire comes with a 180-night sleep trial and a 25-year warranty.

How Lying Down Feels

It’s difficult to describe how lying down on the Solaire feels, simply due to the range of how it can feel. Given that the Solaire has an average rating of 9.7 out of 10 on the Saatva website, though, it’s easy to conclude that once you find a firmness that works for you, you may never want another mattress.

Inside the Mattress

The comfort layer of the Solaire is a 3-inch thick Euro pillow top with an organic cotton cover and an antimicrobial botanical treatment to limit mold and bacterial growth. The cotton itself is hypoallergenic and works to move heat and moisture away from the body.

Underneath the pillow top is natural latex constructed to find five zones of support. Latex foam is durable, hypoallergenic, and also resists dust mites, mold and mildew, ensuring the mattress will remain in good condition for a long while and providing enduring comfort for years and years.

Next is gel memory foam for better dispersion, followed by a moisture barrier to ensure the mechanical components of the bed will remain in usable condition.

The base of the mattress is an air inflator that operates at a whisper-quiet volume, with a reinforced enclosure. On top of the inflator is the no-sink vulacanized air chambers with a baffle box design. These air chambers ensure the chosen firmness is consistent across the mattress surface.

While adjustable beds may have many features, many of them don’t have anything to contribute toward cooler sleep, leaving that task to the mattress itself. For any hot sleepers or individual in warmer climates seeking a cooling mattress that feels cool at first touch and stays cool throughout the night, we recommend the GhostBed Luxe.

The GhostBed Luxe comes with a 101-night sleep trial and a 25-year warranty.

How Lying Down Feels

Lying down on the GhostBed Luxe is like sinking into a personal cloud, with a cool and plush surface that promotes a weightless feel., The mattress stays cool to its core thanks to its wealth of innovative materials that maximize heat dispersion.

Inside the Mattress

The GhostBed Luxe has a cover with phase change material, placed to react to body heat and create a cooler feel. Cooling fibers are also woven into the cover to promote airflow for extra heat dispersion.

The first foam layer is gel-infused memory foam, while underneath it is a layer of exclusive GhostIce foam and a thicker gel foam layer. These three layers further limit heat retention while provided the cushion needed for full-body pressure relief.

The transition layer is a responsive material named GhostBounce to reflect its springy nature, while the base foam is structured for dense, sag-free support.

The Nest Bedding Sparrow Signature Hybrid Mattress comes in three firmness options— plush, medium, and firm. This way, all types of sleepers can enjoy the restorative qualities of Nest Bedding’s most popular bed.

This mattress is available in twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, split king, California king, and split California king sizes, and comes with a 365-night sleep trial and a lifetime warranty.

How Lying Down Feels

The firmness you choose affects how the Sparrow Signature Hybrid feels. 

The plush firmness offers immense cushioning excellent for side sleepers, petite people, and people struggling with pressure point pain. 

The medium firmness has an excellent balance of cushioning and support. This feel is suited for combo, back, and side sleepers. It’s also popular amongst couples with differing firmness needs. 

The firm model works best for stomach and back sleepers. If you struggle with back pain, the firmer variation provides extra lumbar support and prevents you from sinking in pain.

Inside the Mattress

The Nest Bedding Sparrow Signature Hybrid Mattress is 12 inches tall and contains 3 inches of Blue Energex™ foam, 1 inch of SmartFlow, 8 inches of pocketed coils, and 1 inch of base foam. The quilted phase change fabric covers gel-infused memory foam on the top of the mattress for a breathable, soft surface.

By infusing gel into memory foam, Nest Bedding created the Blue Energex™ foam that effectively pulls heat away from the body. The SmartFlow foam contains punched ventilation holes to improve airflow inside the mattress. Its responsiveness also makes it easier for sleepers to move at night.

The support layer is made up of pocketed coils, which serve to reduce motion transfer but still provide a responsive bounce. Pocketed coils also offer good edge support, so there’s less risk of sleepers rolling off the bed. The base support foam reinforces the shape of the mattress.

SEE ALSO: Pocket Coil Mattress Buying Guide

Another latex hybrid mattress that works well with an adjustable bed is the Natural Escape from My Green Mattress, noted by the brand to be their most luxurious option. The Natural Escape mattress has a medium-firm feel and is available in twin, twin XL, full, full XL, queen, king, and California king sizes.

The Natural Escape mattress comes with a 100-night sleep trial and a 20-year warranty.

How Lying Down Feels

As we mentioned, the Natural Esacpe has a medium-firm feel, bolstered by the latex’s inherent buoyancy. Sleepers can also enjoy the plush and pleasantly chilled surface, established by the shared heat-wicking capabilities of the mattress’s cotton and wool.

Inside the Mattress

The Natural Escape mattress is 11 inches thick and consists of 3 inches of Dunlop latex and 7.25 inches of pocketed coils. The quilted organic cotton cover includes a 0.75-inch wool pillow topper that also acts as a natural flame retardant.

Dunlop latex is a natural material that sleeps cooler than memory foam. Dunlop latex adds extra support and softness due to its dense and durable structure and prevents sleepers from overheating.

The pocketed coil support layer contains a 3 zone lumbar system—the top and bottom sections of the mattress contain thinner coils (15.5mm), while the middle section is made of thicker coils (14.5mm) for full-body support. Pocketed coils also reduce motion transfer and provide good edge support.

SEE ALSO: Best Medium-Firm Mattress

The Spindle Mattress is an organic bed great for people looking to shop sustainably. Made entirely of natural latex, this bed is known for its customizability and breathability. You can rearrange the layers in the Spindle Mattress to suit your personal needs and sleep peacefully.

The Spindle mattress is available in twin, twin XL, full, queen, and king sizes and includes a 365-night sleep trial and a 10-year warranty. 

How Lying Down Feels

The way you arrange the Spindle Mattress affects how it feels beneath you. The Spindle Mattress starts with a medium feel, which provides a great balance of support and cushioning. You can make the bed feel firmer and have more lumbar support based on the layer arrangement.

Inside the Mattress

The Spindle Mattress is 10 inches tall and contains two layers of 3-inch medium Dunlop latex and 3 inches of firm Dunlop latex. The organic cotton cover includes a 1-inch wool topper to wick away moisture and act as a natural flame retardant.

Dunlop is a natural latex that sleeps cooler than traditional memory foam. Its durable material offers a responsive bounce, making it easier for sleepers to switch positions at night.

What makes the Spindle mattress unique is the switchable layers. The mattress arrives at a medium setting, but by switching the layers the Spindle mattress can be altered to have a soft, medium, firm, or extra firm feel. 

If customers have tried switching the latex foam layers and are still unsuccessful in reaching the right comfort level, Spindle will send a soft or firm latex foam layer to the customer free of charge (within the sleep trial).

SEE ALSO: Best Organic Latex Mattress

The Novosbed is another memory foam mattress with multiple firmness options. The mattress comes in three different firmness levels: soft, medium, and firm. This means all types of sleepers have an option right for them!

If customers are struggling to find the perfect balance of comfort and support in the mattress during the sleep trial, Novosbed will send a soft or firm layer free of charge. Customers only need to unzip the cover and place the new layer on top of the mattress.

The mattress is available in twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, and California king sizes and includes a 120-night sleep trial and a 15-year warranty.

How Lying Down Feels

Beyond the feel of the different firmnesses, the Novosbed has a distinctly breathable feel. The memory foam cushions your curves to soothe pressure without causing you to sink into your mattress. 

It’s easy to switch positions and get in and out of bed without trouble. If you share a memory foam mattress with someone, the foam isolates motion so you don’t disrupt each other when getting up for a midnight snack. 

Inside the Mattress

The Novosbed is 11 inches tall and contains 2 inches of memory foam, 2 inches of transitional foam, and 7 inches of support foam. The machine-washable cover is made of stretch knit Tencel® for a soft, breathable sleep surface.

To combat heat retention, Novosbed uses open-cell technology in their memory foam— as a result, the top foam layer is cooler with less risk of overheating. The transitional foam contours to the body’s natural curves for exceptional pressure relief and isolates motion transfer. The support foam evenly distributes body weight for consistent, balanced support with little risk of sagging.

SEE ALSO: Best Cooling Memory Foam Mattress for Hot Sleepers

The Tuft & Needle Hybrid is a luxury mattress with a medium feel. Made from five layers of foam and pocketed coils, this advanced mattress works well for all types of sleepers! It’s popular amongst couples who are looking to compromise on a comfortable mattress.

The mattress is available in twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, and California king sizes, and includes a 100-night sleep trial and a 10-year warranty.

How Lying Down Feels

The T&N Hybrid is cushiony without feeling uncomfortably soft or unsupportive. With two types of coils, the mattress provides lots of bounce and spinal support so you sleep peacefully. 

The extra bounce and responsiveness also prevent the bed from forming indentations over time so you can use the bed for as long as possible. Air can flow in the spaces between all the coils, which stop heat retention and ensure you don’t wake up feeling sweaty or hot.

Inside the Mattress

The Tuft & Needle Hybrid Mattress is 12 inches thick and consists of 2 inches of T&N Adaptive® foam, 1 inch of microcoils, 1 inch of transitional poly-foam, 6 inches of pocketed coils, and 1 inch of high-density foam. The polyester and polyamide blend cover includes a 1-inch quilted poly-foam pillow top infused with carbon fiber for extended durability.

T&N Adaptive® foam is a special gel poly-foam infused with graphite. This material is only available through Tuft & Needle. The foam absorbs and disperses heat evenly and offers a responsive bounce to the sleep surface. Graphite is used to cool down high-heat machines, like PCs— when infused with gel poly-foam, graphite effectively pulls heat away from the body for excellent cooling.

SEE ALSO: Tuft & Needle Mattress Reviews

The Avocado Green Mattress is a sustainably-sourced latex hybrid mattress. It’s made from organic and natural materials built to last. This is a great option for people looking to reduce their carbon footprint or who struggle with allergies!

The Avocado Green Mattress is available in twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, and California king sizes, and comes with a 365-night sleep trial and a 25-year warranty.

How Lying Down Feels

The Avocado Green Mattress has a medium-firm feel, but if customers want something a little softer, they can pay an extra charge for a 2-inch Dunlop latex Euro-style pillow top. The topper alters the surface of the mattress to a medium feel. 

The medium-firm option works well for back and stomach sleepers. It’s also a good choice for people dealing with back pain or who weigh over 230 pounds. The pillow-top variation with medium firmness is best suited for side and combination sleepers. 

Inside the Mattress

The Avocado Green Mattress is 11 inches tall and contains 2 inches of Dunlop latex, 8 inches of pocketed coils, and 1 inch of Dunlop latex. The mattress cover is made of organic cotton.

Natural Dunlop latex sleeps cooler than traditional memory foam and provides a responsive bounce, making movement easier at night. Dunlop latex conforms to the body’s curves, relieving pressure and reducing aches and pains.

The pocketed coil layer not only isolates motion and reinforces the latex comfort layer, but it’s designed as a 5 zone support system. Thicker coils are placed in lighter sections of the body for softer support, like the head, back, and legs, while thinner coils provide softer support to heavier sections, like the hips and shoulders.

SEE ALSO: Avocado Green Mattress Review

The Puffy Mattress is a memory foam mattress and has a medium to medium-firm feel. It’s built for all types of people in search of reliable full-body support and a breathable bed. It’s a good choice for allergy sufferers as well because it’s resistant to collecting dust, debris, and other allergens. 

This bed is available in twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, and California king sizes. The mattress includes a 101-night sleep trial and a lifetime warranty.

How Lying Down Feels

Made entirely of foam, the Puffy Mattress provides incomparable comfort and cushioning. The mattress is optimized for temperature control so you won’t overheat or wake up feeling sweaty. 

For people who share a mattress, the Puffy Mattress doesn’t cause motion transfer. This means that if you switch positions or get in and out of bed at night, you won’t disrupt your partner. This way, you can both sleep peacefully all night long. 

Inside the Mattress

The Puffy Mattress is 10 inches tall and consists of 2 inches of Cooling Cloud™ foam, 2 inches of Climate Control™ foam, and 6 inches of high-density support foam. The polyester cover is stain-resistant, making cleaning easier.

Cooling Cloud™ is a gel-infused foam that absorbs and disperses body heat while improving air circulation. Climate Control™ foam uses open-cell technology to better regulate body temperature and prevent overheating. This high-density foam provides consistent, even support to the body without the risk of sagging.

SEE ALSO: Best Mattress for Couples

What Is An Adjustable Bed?

An adjustable bed is a mechanical bed frame where the head and foot of the bed can be adjusted through a remote. Adjustable beds used to feature manual controls, but thanks to advancing technology, adjustments can be made through a remote and/or wireless apps. Some adjustable beds include special features like alarms and preset positions. Adjustable beds contain benefits and drawbacks— take a look at both to see if an adjustable bed is right for you.

Benefits of an Adjustable Bed

Health

By elevating the upper body, sleepers can reduce snoring and alleviate sleep apnea symptoms. Elevating the legs and feet can improve blood flow, helping those with poor circulation. The zero-gravity position (both head and feet are elevated), reduces snoring, alleviates aches and pains in the back and hips, and eases heartburn and acid reflux.

Comfort

An adjustable bed makes it easier to adjust sleep positions and get in and out of the bed— this is especially beneficial to those with limited mobility.

Adjustable beds are a great option for couples with differing sleep preferences. A split mattress allows each person to choose a mattress with their preferred firmness level and lets them adjust the bed accordingly without disturbing the other person.

Another nice feature of some adjustable beds is a massage option. Vibrations in the mattress relax muscles and reduce discomfort, inducing sleep.

Convenience

Adjustable beds provide added comfort while reading in bed or watching TV. Remotes and app controls allow sleepers to adjust the angle of the bed and activate special features— some brands are even Bluetooth-compatible. Some adjustable beds include USB ports so you can easily charge your devices in bed.

Drawbacks of an Adjustable Bed

Price

Adjustable beds come at a higher price tag, ranging between $900 to $2000 for a queen size. The price also depends on what types of special features are included in the bed frame— the more features included, the higher the cost.

Noise

Depending on the brand, some adjustable beds may produce noise, mostly due to the electrical equipment. If you are a light sleeper, an adjustable bed may not be the best option since the sound may increase sleep disruptions.

Also, if not properly taken care of, mechanical parts break down easily. Costs for repairs can range, depending on the problem, but most adjustable beds are non-returnable.

Weight

Adjustable bases are heavy and can be hard to move. Most normally weight at least 100 pounds or more.

Best Mattress Types for an Adjustable Bed

Before purchasing an adjustable bed, always double-check with the manufacturer to make sure your current type of mattress is compatible with an adjustable base. Some mattress types perform better with an adjustable base, while others may have little to no mobility and could cause damage to the mattress.

Memory Foam

A memory foam mattress contours to the shape and weight of the body for even pressure and weight distribution. Memory foam provides excellent pressure point relief and bounces back for great conformability. A memory foam bed has superior comfort and support when paired with an adjustable base.

Latex

Similar in feel to memory foam, latex also contours to the shape and weight of the body. But while memory foam provides close contouring, latex offers more rounded contouring for more air exposure and less risk of heat retention. Latex is slightly firmer and more durable than memory foam and has a responsive bounce to the sleep surface.

Latex is a great option for an adjustable base, though a latex mattress under 12 inches would be ideal for best performance because of it’s firmer feel.

Hybrid

A hybrid mattress combines the comforting pressure relief of memory foam with the coiled bounce of an innerspring. A true hybrid mattress has a 2-inch thick comfort layer of foam or latex with a coiled support system. Hybrids are more expensive than other types of mattresses due to the number of materials they contain. Hybrid mattresses are usually good options for an adjustable bed but check with the manufacturer before purchasing.

SEE ALSO: Hybrid Mattress Buying Guide

Innerspring

Also known as the “traditional bed,” innerspring mattresses contain mostly coils with a thin comfort layer or pillow top. Innersprings are not very compatible with adjustable frames because of the coiled structure— the flexibility of an adjustable bed could damage coils and risk losing support.

Some companies are coming out with more flexible innerspring models specifically for adjustable bases. Check with the manufacturer before purchasing an adjustable bed base for your innerspring bed.

SEE ALSO: Open Coil vs Pocket Spring Mattresses: What’s The Difference?

Airbed

For an airbed to be compatible with an adjustable base, it must contain multiple air chambers to more effectively flex with the base. Single air chambers are too rigid, and can’t be adjusted without causing damage. An air mattress lacks the flexibility of memory foam and latex mattresses— angles will be limited on an adjustable bed.

Other Considerations When Buying an Adjustable Bed

In addition to understanding the benefits, drawbacks, and mattress types, customers need to consider the size of the adjustable bed, mattress thickness,  preferred sleep position, and the type of sleep trials, warranties, and return policies available when purchasing an adjustable bed and mattress.

Size

Adjustable beds are available in corresponding standard mattress sizes, including twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, and California king. Some brands offer split sizing in queen, king, and California king sizes, great options for couples. Most adjustable beds are available in queen size and larger— adjustable beds may cause support issues in smaller, narrower mattresses like twin, twin XL, and full sizes.

Thickness

An ideal mattress for an adjustable bed falls between 10 to 14 inches tall. Mattresses that are too thin may lack support, and beds that are too tall are less likely to be flexible enough for an adjustable frame.

Sleeping Position

Sleeping position has a large impact on the type of mattress you buy. Each sleep position requires a certain level of support to keep the spine in neutral alignment— mattress firmness could help or hinder spinal alignment.

Side Sleeping

Side sleeping is one of the most common and healthiest sleep positions. Side sleepers breathe easier and sleeping on your right side may improve heart health. Side sleeping reduces snoring and lowers the risk of sleep apnea.

Back Sleeping

Back sleepers are better able to keep their spine in neutral alignment because of the spine’s direct contact with the mattress surface. There is some risk of snoring and developing sleep apnea for back sleepers, but for those who already suffer from this condition, an adjustable base can be a huge benefit in relieving symptoms.

Read more: Best mattresses for back sleepers

Stomach Sleeping

Stomach sleeping is the least common sleep position with a higher health risk. Because we keep most of our weight in our midsection, gravity pulls that weight down, straightening the spine and causing lower back pain for stomach sleepers. Stomach sleeping can also cause neck strain because sleepers twist the head at an unnatural angle to breathe better at night.

Sleep Trials, Warranty, and Return Policy

Features like sleep trials, warranties, and return policies help to reassure customers of their purchase. Mattresses are an expensive investment, but a quality mattress will come with a sleep trial and a 10-year limited warranty with a flexible return policy if a sleep trial isn’t offered.

Sleep Trial

Sleep trials allow customers to try out a new mattress within the comfort of their own home, taking away pressure from salesmen. This trial period can last between 90 to 120 days. If the customer isn’t happy with the mattress, the company will arrange to have it picked up and donated before issuing a full refund. Sleep trials are especially beneficial to customers who purchase a bed-in-a-box brand.

Note that adjustable beds don’t usually come with sleep trials.

Warranty

Most mattresses come with a standard 10-year limited warranty—  beware of companies who don’t offer a warranty. Warranties cover manufacturing defects and sagging greater than 1 inch (this depth varies based on brand). Always double-check the warranty to make sure your new mattress can be used with an adjustable base.

Return Policy

If a sleep trial isn’t offered, take a look at the return policy. Return policies last about 30 days— about the same amount of time it takes for the body to adjust to a new mattress. If the bed doesn’t live up to expectations, customers can initiate a return and the company will have the mattress donated or recycled.

Other Things to Consider

Do you need a special mattress for an adjustable bed?

No, but there are some types of mattresses that do better on an adjustable base than others. Memory foam and latex beds are the best options. Hybrids do okay, but to use an innerspring with an adjustable base,  you’ll need to check with the manufacturer first. Generally, innerspring and air mattresses do poorly with an adjustable base.

Can you put a mattress topper on an adjustable bed?

If the mattress you have paired with your adjustable bed isn’t as comfortable as you’d like it to be, you can certainly add a mattress topper to increase comfort. That said, be careful with choosing a topper that’s too thick. If your mattress is over 14 inches thick, it may not be able to bend as easily. Before buying a topper, look at the thickness of your mattress and determine how thick the topper can be. It’s best to ensure your mattress is no taller than 14 or 15 inches thick.

Do adjustable bases ruin mattresses?

As long as the mattress you’re placing on your adjustable bed is designed to pair with one of these bases, then you shouldn’t have to worry about damage. Almost all foam mattresses pair with adjustable beds and the majority of the hybrids made today are also designed to pair well with these bases. The only mattress type that could get damaged with one of these bases would be innerspring.

How much does an adjustable base cost?

There are a variety of bases on the market today, and each base has different features. Depending on the number of bells and whistles your base includes, you could spend anywhere between $1000 to $3000. These bases should be viewed as an investment, too, so it’s important to find one with a good warranty.

Does a hybrid mattress work with an adjustable bed?

Yes! Most hybrid mattresses function well on adjustable beds. With this in mind, overly thick hybrid mattresses may not fold as well under an adjustable base, so look for a hybrid bed 14 inches thick or less.

Always double-check your bed’s warranty and make sure the manufacturers say it’s okay for the bed to have an adjustable foundation. Otherwise, using the wrong foundation will void your bed’s warranty.

Conclusion

An adjustable bed frame offers many benefits to sleepers, from reducing snoring to alleviating aching muscles. Adjustable beds aren’t for everyone due to their high cost and heavy structure, but if you find one that’s right for you, it’s time to get out there and buy one.