Best Mattresses for Bed Sores/Pressure Ulcers

Virtually everyone on long-term bed rest has heard about the scourge of bed sores, and many bed rest patients have likely experienced these painful lesions. Far from being just a nuisance, bed sores can become life-threatening because they can lead to conditions like septicemia and gangrene.

Fortunately, there is something you can do to prevent bed sores. A pressure-relieving mattress can help absorb the pressure that leads to bed sores (sometimes known as pressure ulcers or pressure sores). Below, we’ll talk about some of the most comfortable mattresses that can not only help you fight bed sores but give you a great night’s sleep.

Best Mattresses for Bed Sores of 2023

Those who need a balance of pressure relief and support to alleviate bed sores without sacrificing spinal alignment should check out the Amerisleep AS3.

How Lying Down Feels

Lying down on the AS3, you’ll notice it offers more pressure relief than most medium mattresses do. You’ll also notice it has fewer issues with slow response time and heat retention than traditional memory foam. This is all thanks to the highly contouring plant-based memory foam in the comfort layer!

Inside the Mattress

The AS3 starts off with a cooling and breathable cover that uses minerals to convert body heat to far infrared energy. This Refresh Cover not only diffuses body heat. It may also help improve circulation, which is vital for bed sore sufferers.

Next comes a layer of Bio-Pur® memory foam. This proprietary plant-based memory foam provides even more contouring and pressure relief than traditional memory foam while also offering more bounce and temperature control at the same time!

Next, the HIVE® transition layer provides targeted pressure relief and support to each body area. This allows the mattress to offer sufficient pressure absorption for bed sores and sufficient support for proper spinal alignment.

Finally, the Bio-Core® base foam provides tons of lift and support to keep you from sinking into the sleep surface. This layer of the AS3 also ensures the top-notch durability of the mattress. Expect it to last for at least 20 years.

SEE ALSO: Amerisleep Mattress Review

If you have bed sores but tend to toss and turn, check out the ultra-responsive Zoma Hybrid.

How Lying Down Feels

The Zoma Hybrid has two layers of bounce: the springy coils and the Reactiv® transition layer. These layers work together to make this one of the most responsive mattresses you’ve ever slept on – perfect for those who love to toss and turn.

Inside the Mattress

The Zoma Hybrid mattress starts with a plush and breathable AirCloth cover. This cover works overtime to wick away sweat and body heat to ensure a cool sleep surface.

Next, a layer of breathable and thermoconductive gel memory foam helps draw heat away from your body to improve temperature control even more. The plush memory foam also offers deep compression for optimal pressure relief.

Next, a layer of Reactiv® material helps increase the responsiveness of the mattress even more than the coils alone. So you’ll never have to worry about body impressions again.

Finally, a support core of pocketed coils offers adaptable support and pressure relief without sacrificing responsiveness or breathability.

SEE ALSO: Zoma Mattress Review

If you want a mattress that can help heal your bed sores without hurting your wallet, check out the Vaya Hybrid.

How Lying Down Feels

The Vaya Hybrid features highly adaptable coils and even more adaptable comfort foam. This means it offers an incredibly plush feel for a medium mattress, which is fantastic for those who need relief from pressure sores.

Inside the Mattress

The Vaya Hybrid features an ultra-breathable fabric cover with a layer of cotton woven underneath for added pressure relief and breathability.

Next, the ultra-porous memory foam comfort layer adds even more breathability and pressure relief to the mattress. You get all the coolness and deep compression you need to get a great night’s sleep.

Underneath the comfort foam rests a layer of supportive and flexible pocketed coils that can keep your spine aligned and your pressure points cradled all at once. And a base layer of durable foam helps increase the durability of the mattress so that it outlasts many of its more expensive competitors.

SEE ALSO: Vaya Mattress Review

If you need a great mattress for pressure relief and cooling, consider the breathable and thermally conductive Nolah Evolution 15.

How Lying Down Feels

The Evolution is designed to be cooling as well as pressure-relieving. You’ll notice right away that this coil and memory foam mattress is so good at shedding heat that it keeps your skin cool all night. It can prevent pressure ulcers and overheating all at the same time.

Inside the Mattress

The Evolution starts with an organic cotton cover with ArtcticTex™ technology to keep the sleep surface cool to the touch.

Next, the premium cooling Euro top and heat escape gusset work to draw heat away from your body and disperse it out of the mattress. The graphite-infused AirFoamICE™ below ensures that any residual heat that doesn’t escape is pushed further away.

Next, a layer of high-resilience foam and a layer of high-density foam offer deep compression and extra buoyancy before you get to the pocketed coil layer. These zoned coils provide pressure relief and support to targeted areas of your body, which can help alternate pressure and support where you need it most.

SEE ALSO: Best Cooling Mattress Toppers

Those who want a mattress for pressure sores with nothing but natural ingredients should check out the Spindle Mattress.

How Lying Down Feels

Lying down on the Spindle Mattress, you’ll notice two things: its buoyancy and its responsiveness. The Spindle is a latex mattress, which means it’s naturally bouncy and cooling without the need for infusions.

Inside the Mattress

The Spindle Mattress features a cooling organic cotton cover with organic wool batting. The cotton offers moisture wicking, while the wool provides even more pressure relief and all-natural fire protection.

Next, you’ll find three layers of organic latex: a soft layer, a medium layer, and a firm layer. These layers can be arranged in whatever order you like to create the firmness level you want. We recommend going with a more pressure-relieving firmness level, like soft or medium, to create the best mattress for pressure sores.

SEE ALSO: Best Organic Latex Mattresses

If you want the most sophisticated and durable air mattress on the market – one that can adjust its firmness at the touch of a button – check out the Saatva Solaire!

How Lying Down Feels

The Solaire is a lot more than an air mattress. It’s an air mattress hybrid with layers of foam. This means it can provide tons of pressure absorption while switching firmness on a dime. So the Solaire doesn’t have a single feel. It can have any feel you want.

Inside the Mattress

The first layer of the Solaire is the breathable and hypoallergenic organic cotton cover. This cover helps wick away moisture and heat. It also fights microbial growth to protect you from common allergens like mold and mildew.

Next, a combination of a zoned natural latex upper layer and a gel memory foam lower layer offer pressure-free support that disperses heat throughout the night. Underneath these comfort layers, a moisture barrier protects the vulcanized air chambers below.

The support layer is what makes the Solaire a high-tech air mattress. The vulcanized air chambers offer consistent edge-to-edge comfort and 50 precise firmness settings.

SEE ALSO: Best Customizable Mattresses

If you want a hybrid mattress that fights overheating and allergies all at once, say hello to the Bear Elite Hybrid.

How Lying Down Feels

When you lie on the Elite, the first thing you’ll probably notice is its cool-touch surface. Copper infusions help conduct heat away from your body, keeping you cool as a cucumber.

Inside the Mattress

The Elite starts with a hypersoft cushioned cover that uses cooling fabric to keep air flowing around your body. The cover works with the hypoallergenic and conductive copper to ensure the sleep surface doesn’t overheat at night.

Next, a layer of dynamic transition foam provides ergonomic support and deep compression to protect you from pressure exerted by the coils below. The pocketed coils offer balanced and adaptable support, with higher-gauge coils in the middle for superior lumbar support.

SEE ALSO: Best Pillow Top Mattresses

If you want all the pressure relief of plush wool and contouring latex in a medium-firm feel, check out the Birch Luxe Natural mattress.

How Lying Down Feels

The Birch features multiple layers of cashmere and wool. That means the first thing you’ll notice is probably the plushness and pressure absorption of this mattress. Yet you should also quickly note the supportive feel of the bed’s pocketed coils.

Inside the Mattress

The Birch starts with an organic cotton cover that wicks away sweat and an organic wool fire barrier to protect you from flames without harsh chemicals.

Next, a comfort layer of organic cashmere and organic wool offers a plush, body-hugging feel that no type of foam can match. A second comfort layer of pure wool adds even more softness.

Under these comfort layers, a layer of all-natural latex foam provides lots of bounce and buoyancy to fight sinkage in the wool comfort layers. Finally, a support core of zoned pocketed coils provides enhanced lumbar support and adaptable pressure relief.

SEE ALSO: Best Mattresses Without Memory Foam

If you want a hybrid mattress that features zoned coils for the perfect balance of pressure relief and spinal support, take a look at the Spartan Hybrid by Brooklyn Bedding.

How Lying Down Feels

You’ll notice the zoned pressure relief in this mattress as soon as you lie down. The Spartan has three zones in its coil support layer that offer your pressure points relief and your spine support all at once.

Inside the Mattress

The Spartan starts off with a Smart Fabric performance cover that helps diffuse heat by converting it to energy. This cover sits directly on top of a layer of copper-infused foam that draws away excess body heat.

The copper foam sits on top of a layer of premium memory foam. The firmness of this foam depends on the firmness of the mattress you order. You have a choice between soft, medium, and firm.

The transition layer depends on the firmness as well. The soft and medium options have a layer of gel swirl memory foam, while the firm has a layer of VariFlexTM material. Whatever the firmness, the transition layer will sit on top of a layer of zoned coils that target each body area with the right mix of pressure relief and support.

If you’re looking for a memory foam mattress that offers firmness options built right in, consider the Layla Mattress.

How Lying Down Feels

The feel of the Layla depends on which side you lay it on. The firm side is a true firm – around seven on the firmness scale – while the soft side is a plush to medium-soft feel (4).

Inside the Mattress

Starting with the soft side up, the Layla features a comfort layer made of copper gel memory foam. This copper-infused memory foam helps draw heat away from your body towards the Max Airflow transition layer.

The Max Airflow foam pushes hot air out and pulls cool air in to ensure the sleep surface remains cool throughout the night. Under this breathable foam rests a support layer of ultra-firm support core foam for spinal support and lift.

Then, another layer of Max Airflow foam and a final layer of copper gel memory foam bring up the firm side of the Layla Mattress.

SEE ALSO: Mattress Sizes and Bed Dimensions

How to Choose the Best Mattress for Bed Sores

When you’re checking out the best mattresses to help your bed sores, you might think that’s the only thing you have to think about. However, in order to get a comfortable night’s sleep, you’ll also need to take a few other factors into account when you’re shopping for your mattress.

What Causes Bed Sores?

Bed sores, also known as pressure sores or pressure ulcersVerified Source Medline PlusOnline resource offered by the National Library of Medicine and part of the National Institutes of Health.View source, are caused by continuous pressure on the skin that blocks blood flow. Usually, this pressure is caused by lying down in the same position for long periods of time, hence, the term “bed sore.” Bed sores can also be caused by constant friction or tugging on the skin from adjusting from one position to another in bed.

Those most at risk for pressure ulcers are those on long-term bed rest. If you’re older, have mobility issues, or have comorbid conditions that affect the skin, nerves, or circulatory system, you could be even more at risk. So for example, a good mattress for seniors should also be one that can minimize the odds of bed sores.

Bed sores are not just a painful nuisance. They can cause infections like septicemiaVerified Source Medline PlusOnline resource offered by the National Library of Medicine and part of the National Institutes of Health.View source and gangreneVerified Source Medline PlusOnline resource offered by the National Library of Medicine and part of the National Institutes of Health.View source that can threaten your limbs and even your life. That’s why they need to be taken seriously and dealt with as soon as they’re detected.

Ideal Mattress Materials for People with Bed Sores

Since pressure is the main cause of bed sores, you’ll want a mattress that can absorb large amounts of pressure. Of course, the firmness of your mattress has a lot to do with its ability to relieve pressure, but the material it’s made of has an impact as well.

There are constructions and materials that are better at absorbing pressure than others, but you shouldn’t just run out and buy the plushest mattress material you can. If you wind up with a type of mattress that relieves pressure but doesn’t offer optimal sleep, you’ll have an entirely different set of problems.

Memory Foam

Memory foam is potentially the best mattress material to fight pressure ulcers because it’s so good at relieving the pressure that causes the ulcers.  A memory foam mattress can mold itself to your shape in a way other materials just can’t. It compresses under your hip and shoulder joints, as well as under the buttocks, regardless of firmness level.

This deep compression offers the most pressure relief on the market. This is what makes memory foam mattresses so fantastic for bed sores, especially for sleepers who prefer positions that require a bit more firmness – like back and stomach sleepers. Firm mattresses with memory foam can still be highly conforming.

Memory foam might be the best for pressure relief, but it does have some issues that certain sleepers should know about. For instance, those who sleep hot might not appreciate memory foam’s tendency to retain heat. You can combat the temperature control issues with a gel memory foam mattress, but this solution is still not as cooling as other materials. An extra firm mattress can provide the necessary support to alleviate pain and discomfort caused by pressure points.

Memory foam can also be problematic for active sleepers. If you like to toss and turn, you may be annoyed by memory foam’s slow response time and tendency to develop body impressions.

Latex Foam

Natural latex foam comes from the processed sap of the rubber tree. There are two basic types of latex: Talalay and Dunlop. Each of these latex types comes from the exact same liquid sap. It’s the processing that makes all the difference. Dunlop latex is extremely buoyant and supportive, while Talalay is more flexible and contouring.

Natural latex has the edge on memory foam in two key areas: responsiveness and breathability. Latex mattresses bounce back as soon as you move without the need for springs. It can also breathe naturally to shed heat better than even gel memory foam. This makes it a better alternative for hot sleepers and active sleepers.

If you’re going to go with latex foam, we’d recommend a Talalay latex mattress for pressure ulcers because it’s lighter and more contouring than Dunlop, so it’s better at absorbing pressure. You’ll want to look for a plush feel if you’re going to go with Dunlop.

Also, be aware that both latex varieties are not as contouring as memory foam. When comparing latex to memory foam, types of latex tend to want to retain their own shape. This means latex, on the whole, is not quite as pressure-relieving as memory foam. This is the main drawback of latex mattresses for people with pressure ulcers.

Hybrid

Hybrid mattresses generally make a better alternative to pure memory foam mattresses for people with pressure ulcers. Memory foam hybrids are especially good at offering pressure relief without sacrificing bounce and cooling.

This is all thanks to the hybrid mattress’s combination of foam comfort layers and pocketed coils. The comfort foam layers and individually wrapped coils work together to adapt to your body shape and absorb pressure.

At the same time, the coils are much more breathable and responsive than base foam of any kind. This means a memory foam hybrid offers the contouring of memory foam and the coolness and bounce of coils – all in the same mattress.

The main issue with hybrids is their expense. Hybrid mattresses are almost as expensive as latex mattresses though it is possible to find hybrids among the best mattresses under $1000. However, they’re not nearly as durable as latex because their pocketed coils lose tension and wear out. This means hybrids are the most expensive mattress type over time, which can put a damper on your plans if you’re shopping on a budget.

Innerspring

Of all the mattress types out there, innerspring mattresses are the worst for bed sores. This is because they cannot contour very well, and their open coil support cores tend to exert more pressure than they absorb.

The main problem with open coils is they’re wired together into a network that stretches the entire length and width of the mattress. This means they tend to sag instead of contouring, letting your spine fall out of alignment and exerting pressure where they should be absorbing it.

Aside from this, open coils have a lot of other problems. Comparing open coils to pocketed springs, they wear out much quicker than pocketed coils, meaning you cannot expect most innerspring mattresses to last more than a decade. The fact that open coils have no encasement means they also start making noise in as little as a year or two.

Finally, innerspring mattresses are too rigid to be compatible with an adjustable bed. So if you have a hospital bed or even just a regular adjustable bed for seniors, you won’t be able to use it with an innerspring mattress. This can be a huge problem for people with pressure ulcers, as adjustable bases can help alleviate them.

Ideal Firmness Level for People with Bed Sores

If you have pressure sores, the best firmness level to help alleviate them is soft. However, even the best soft mattress may not be the ideal firmness level for you overall. You’ll need to take other factors into account when deciding on a firmness level to fit your needs.

Mattress firmness falls on a scale of one to 10, with one being the softest. However, virtually all mattresses actually range in firmness from three to eight. This is because mattresses on either extreme of the spectrum would not be comfortable. They’d have insufficient compression or insufficient support.

The best advice we can give those with pressure sores is to get a mattress as soft as possible without sacrificing the support they need for their body type and sleep position. Browsing the softer mattresses in a box is an easy way to choose a mattress from home and have it shipped to your front door.

Sleeping Position

Your sleep position has an outsized impact on your firmness needs because it decides how your spine lines up on the bed and where your pressure points are. This means you shouldn’t spring for an overly soft mattress – even if you have bed sores. You’ll just be trading one form of pain for another with a too-firm or too-soft mattress. That’s why you should still pay attention to your sleep position, even with bed sores.

Back Sleepers

Back sleepers need a mix of support and pressure redistribution that slightly favors support. Sleeping on your back means you need a mattress that can follow the natural curve of your spine. Mattresses for back sleeping must compress under your buttocks and rising to meet the dip in your lumbar region.

This usually means you need a medium-firm mattress (6) if you sleep on your back. Those with bed sores might consider going down to a medium (5), but only if it still offers sufficient lift to keep you from sinking into the sleep surface, which can lead to spinal misalignment.

SEE ALSO: Best Pillows for Back Sleepers

Combo Sleepers

Combo sleepers don’t have a strong preference for a single sleep position and like to change things up from night to night. They might sleep on their sides one night and their backs the next. Some combination sleepers even change positions a few times during the same night.

All this means combo sleepers need a mattress that’s versatile enough to offer sufficient pressure relief and support regardless of the position they adopt. Medium mattresses usually fit this bill. Such mattresses for combination sleepers should have enough support for combo sleepers’ tossing and turning and enough pressure redistribution for bed sore sufferers to get some relief.

Side Sleepers

Side sleepers need the softest mattresses of all sleepers – which incidentally works out well for side sleepers with bed sores, as softer mattresses offer the most pressure relief. When you sleep on your side, your body weight presses your joints into the mattress. A firmer mattress might push back, causing pain in your pressure points, like your hips and shoulders.

A soft (3) or medium-soft (4) mattress for side sleeping can help counter these issues by compressing deeply underneath your pressure points. This absorbs pressure and helps keep your spine aligned and your joints pain-free.

SEE ALSO: Best Pillows for Side Sleepers

Stomach Sleepers

Stomach sleepers have the opposite problem as side sleepers. Sleeping on your stomach tends to allow your pelvis to sink too far into the mattress. This, in turn, overarches the spine and causes lower back pain. This means stomach sleepers usually need firm (7) or extra-firm (8) mattresses. However, the issue is that firmer mattresses for stomach sleeping can exacerbate bed sores.

Stomach sleepers can try to go down a firmness level to a medium-firm to fix this issue. They may also try alternating pressure by switching positions from time to time. However, the best thing you can do for yourself if you sleep on your stomach and have bed sores is try to train yourself to sleep in a healthier position that allows you to have a softer mattress.

Body Type

Your body type is not as much of a factor when it comes to your firmness needs as your sleep position, but it does have an impact.

The mattress industry generally considers the average human weight range to fall between 130 and 230 pounds. Thus, they design mattresses to offer the ideal pressure relief and support to people who fall between these two numbers.

If you fall within this range, you don’t typically need to worry about your body type impacting your sleep needs. Just get the firmness that corresponds to your sleep style. If you fall outside this range, you’ll need to alter your mattress firmness accordingly.

Plus-Size Sleepers

Those who come in at over 230 pounds are considered heavier or plus-size sleepers. If you’re on the heavier side, you’ll need to go up a firmness level from the one that corresponds to your sleep position to get enough support to stay on top of the sleep surface. So for example, a heavyset side sleeper may want to look at mattresses for heavy sleepers with a medium or even a medium-firm feel.

Petite Sleepers

Those who weigh in at less than 130 pounds should do the opposite of what plus-size sleepers do. Petite sleepers should go down a mattress firmness from the one that corresponds to their sleep style. Without the right mattress for lightweight sleepers, they might get insufficient compression for adequate pressure relief.

FAQs

What is the best firmness level for people with bed sores?

The best way to prevent bed soresVerified Source Medline PlusOnline resource offered by the National Library of Medicine and part of the National Institutes of Health.View source is to relieve as much pressure as possible. This means the best mattress firmness for bed sores is as soft as your sleep position will allow.

Side sleepers and combo sleepers can generally have soft to medium mattresses, which are best at relieving pressure. Keep in mind that if you tend to sleep on your back or your stomach, you will still need a good bit of support. This means you’ll need to take your sleep position into account, as well as your bed sores. Try to go as soft as you can without sacrificing the support your spine needs to remain optimally aligned.

Can sleeping on the wrong mattress cause bed sores?

The wrong mattress can cause you to develop bed sores. Pressure ulcers are caused by long-term pressure on the same spot. When you lie in the same position for long periods of time, the pressure cuts off the blood flow to the skin and causes it to become irritated.

Changing positions from time to time while you’re on bed rest can help prevent pressure ulcers, as can getting a pressure-relieving mattress. The wrong mattress can exert pressure on your skin and worsen bed sores. The right mattress will absorb pressure and help alleviate your pressure ulcers.

Which mattress material can best help my bed sores?

To alleviate pressure sores, you’ll need a mattress that can contour to your body, following its shape to relieve pressure. This means memory foam might be the best option. Memory foam is flexible and can follow the curve of your body to relieve pressure on the areas most likely to experience pressure ulcers, as well as pressure points that may experience pain without proper contouring.

If memory foam is too hot or unresponsive for you, consider a memory foam hybrid instead. Hybrid mattresses are more breathable and more responsive than pure memory foam mattresses.

This means hybrid mattresses that feature memory foam comfort layers can offer you the cooling and bounce you want while retaining memory foam’s contouring to give you the pressure relief you need.

Can a mattress topper help with bed sores?

Mattress toppers can definitely help with pressure ulcers, especially if your bed is overly firm. If a too-firm mattress is part of the problem, a thick and plush mattress topper can help. Plush mattress toppers add lots of contouring and pressure relief to your existing mattress.

Such a soft mattress topper can help alleviate your sores without necessitating that you replace your whole mattress. Just remember, you’ll want a plush topper made of memory foam or – in certain cases – Talalay latex foam. You’ll also want a topper that’s at least two inches thick. For the most pressure relief, opt for toppers of three or even four inches.

Will an adjustable bed help heal my bed sores?

An adjustable or hospital bed can help with pressure sores, as well as many other conditions that can arise from long bouts of bed rest. Elevating the legs and head over the heart with an adjustable bed can help take pressure off of the areas of the body that are most likely to develop pressure-related sores.

What’s more, elevation can also help a common problem encountered by those on bed rest – inflammation and edema. Elevating the legs can help push fluid out of the feet, ankles, and calves to reduce swelling. There are also adjustable beds for back pain and other pain issues, as raising the body can lower pressure on the joints and other sensitive areas.

While you can achieve a certain amount of elevation with wedge pillows or even piles of regular pillows, nothing can compete with the ease, convenience, and other benefits of an adjustable bed. Being able to elevate your body at the touch of a button can be more than convenient. It might be vital for those whose medical conditions make them too weak to turn around and adjust pillows.

Bottom Line

If you’re on long-term bed rest, you don’t have to accept pressure ulcers as “just a given.” In fact, the right mattress can help you make these painful and sometimes dangerous skin lesions a thing of the past.