Best Mattress For Combination Sleepers

One of the key pieces of information any potential shopper needs to know before buying a new mattress is their sleep position, whether they’re a side sleeper, back sleeper, or stomach sleeper.

But what about people who are combination sleepers?

A combination sleeper shifts between 2 to 3 sleep positions each night— they need a mattress that can adjust to each sleep position without losing support.

In this article, we share our best mattresses for combination sleepers and include a comprehensive guide on what to look for in a mattress for combination sleepers.

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

Best Mattresses for Combination Sleepers

The construction of the Amerisleep AS3 creates an ideal blend of comfort and support for combination sleepers. The AS3 is the medium mattress in Amerisleep’s collection. It provides a balanced response to a sleeper who shifts positions for long periods of sleep.

Amerisleep offers a 20-year warranty— the first 10 years include replacement of your mattress under covered damages. The second decade of the warranty offers a prorated replacement. The warranty also covers sagging in the mattress past an inch.

The Amerisleep AS3 offers a 100-night sleep trial. This means you can feel comfortable ordering the mattress online and trying it out for the first time at home without risk. If you’re unsatisfied with the AS3 after a month, you can contact Amerisleep for a refund.

How Lying Down Feels

The AS3 is a responsive medium feel mattress, the ideal firmness for many combination sleepers. What gives the AS3 an edge over many other medium beds is its special targeted support that creates variable firmness across the mattress. By feeling soft and firm as needed, a combo sleeper is less likely to wake up with aches and pains.

Inside the Mattress

The AS3’s soft, breathable cover encourages air to flow throughout the mattress so your body heat doesn’t become trapped in the mattress. Made with specialty Refresh fabric, the minerals inside the cover also take body heat and convert it into infrared energy, which can promote greater body recovery.

The 3-inch top layer of the Amerisleep AS3 is made with Amerisleep’s eco-friendly Bio-Pur® layer. This layer is plant-based, providing more breathability than traditional memory foam. Bio-Pur® is also great for sleepers sensitive to bad smells—because it’s a plant-based foam, it emits few, if any, off-gassing odors.

The advanced open-cell technology of Bio-Pur®  promotes the best airflow possible to avoid trapping body heat. Advanced open-cell technology also creates a stronger “bounce back.” This allows the Bio-Pur® layer to regain its shape quicker than traditional memory foam and assists combination sleepers who shift their bodies during sleep.

Combination sleepers need support in many areas, especially the shoulders and hips. The second layer of the AS3, the Affinity layer, features 2 inches of extra compression to balance comfort and support using HIVE® technology (Harnessing Intelligent Ventilation & Energy).

HIVE® features hexagon-shaped cutouts to provide 5-zone support, with firmer support to the head, back, and legs, and softer support to the shoulders and hips.

The 7-inch Bio-Core® is the third and final layer of the mattress. This is what supports the entire bed and ensures the mattress won’t sag.

SEE ALSO: Amerisleep Mattress Review

Zoma’s online brand of foam mattresses is aimed specifically at athletes, but it works for anyone with an active lifestyle. The Zoma Mattress is a versatile, highly supportive mattress built to withstand movement and motion transfer. Because movement is common in combination sleepers, Zoma is a great choice.

You can sleep on a Zoma for 100 nights during their sleep trial offer. Zoma will refund you in full if you aren’t satisfied after the first 30 days of your mattress purchase. Zoma mattresses also feature a standard 10-year warranty— they offers a replacement for any defects in construction or materials.

How Lying Down Feels

The medium feel creates a balanced feel that cushions combination sleepers’ bodies, while the buoyant transition foam helps the surface react swiftly to movements. Aside from the near-universally comfortable feel, the Zoma Mattress stays cool, maintaining a chilled surface until well into the morning after a full night’s sleep.

Inside the Mattress

The Zoma Sports Mattress starts with 2 inches of gel-infused Triangulex™ foam offering cushioning and contouring to ease chronic pain areas. Zoma does this with pressure-relieving triangle cut-outs in the foam at varying degrees of frequency for a zoned support system.

The second layer is 2 inches of Reactiv™ foam designed to react like latex. This transitional layer between the top and support layers prevents your body weight from sinking too far into the mattress and aligns the spine. The 7-inch Support+ layer is built to reinforce the top layers and prevent sagging.

SEE ALSO: Zoma Mattress Review

The Vaya Mattress is made right here in the USA with CertiPUR-US® certified foams, ensuring the highest quality for an unbeatable price. Standing at 12 inches tall and boasting a universally-appealing medium feel, the Vaya Mattress will work for almost any sleeper and any budget.

The Vaya Mattress is backed by a 10-year warranty, plus a 100-night sleep trial so you can try out the mattress in your own home. Every mattress purchase also comes with free shipping and free returns.

How Lying Down Feels

As we noted, the Vaya officially has a medium feel. Some reviewers were surprised by just how soft this medium feel surface can be, though.

For most, it was a pleasant surprise, as they weren’t expecting such a luxurious plushness from an affordable mattress. Still, we do want to note this for combo sleepers who prefer a firmer feel.

Inside the Mattress

The top layer, called Vaya Comfort Foam, sits beneath a breathable, stretchy cover. This comfort layer is bouncy and responsive like latex, but soft and conforming like memory foam. It keeps you from sinking down and getting trapped, which can lead to pain and discomfort.

The open-cell design of the Vaya Comfort Foam also easily circulates air. So, unlike traditional memory foam, the Vaya Comfort Foam won’t trap heat.

A thick layer of Vaya Base Foam acts as a sturdy foundation. By supporting the soft layer above it, the Vaya Base Foam keeps your spine aligned and prevents pressure build-up.

SEE ALSO: Vaya Mattress Review

Combo sleepers who like to switch positions throughout the night should consider this latex hybrid from Nolah. The Natural 11 can spring back into place as soon as you move, making issues like body impressions and slow response time things of the past.

How Lying Down Feels

This mattress combines highly adaptive zoned coils and highly contouring Talalay latex to create a mattress that can conform to your body no matter which position you choose. It can also bounce right back underneath you. So if you like to change from one position to another throughout the night, you can expect it to change shape with you at your pace.

This mattress is also a great choice for hot sleepers who don’t want a bunch of synthetic infusions. Latex is naturally breathable, so it can help keep your mattress from overheating without the need for gels,  and microbeads, and other unnatural ingredients.

Inside the Mattress

If you’re sensitive to Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) that give new mattresses that chemical smell, you need a little GOTS. The Global Organic Textile Standard covers the first two layers of this mattress: its breathable cotton cover and its natural wool fire barrier. That way, you don’t have to worry about indoor air quality or smells that can give you a headache.

The pure and natural Talalay latex layers offer you even more synthetic-free comfort. The perforated plush comfort layer provides perfect pressure relief. Meanwhile, the firmer latex transition layer balances out the comfort layer to fight sinkage and increase buoyancy.

Finally, the HDMaxTM coils bring in their own adaptability. They’re 25 percent stronger than most other coil systems. So they provide superior spinal support. They also encourage alignment because they’re arranged into three distinct zones to offer the right lift to each body area.

Combo sleepers who can’t give up the innerspring feel should check out the Saatva Classic. Unlike traditional innerspring mattresses, which are terrible for combo sleepers, this absolutely nontraditional innerspring hybrid can adapt to whatever position you choose, thanks to its adaptable dual-support core design.

How Lying Down Feels

You’ll notice the difference between the Classic and your average innerspring mattress right from the get-go. The Classic can follow the shape of your body like a regular hybrid, thanks to its combination of memory foam and pocketed coils. Yet it doesn’t lose its traditional innerspring bounce due to the open coil system underneath.

Inside the Mattress

The Classic starts off with a three-inch plush Euro top that provides the bulk of the pressure relief present in the mattress. Underneath, a high-density memory foam layer offers buoyancy and enhanced lumbar support. The extra support in the middle of your body can help combo sleepers alleviate back pain no matter what position they adopt.

Next, the first coil support core is made of adaptable and motion-isolating pocketed coils. This is the support layer that makes the Classic so contouring.

The open coil bottom support layer is what’s responsible for the Classic’s traditional bounce. But while innerspring mattresses that only have a single open coil support layer transfer motion, the dual-core Classic isolates it with its adaptable pocket coils.

SEE ALSO: Which Hotel Mattress Is Best?

Sleepers who have sensitivities to microbes like mold spores and dust mites should take a look at the antimicrobial Aurora Hybrid by Brooklyn Bedding. This mattress sports copper infusions that fight tons of different microbes that cause all sorts of allergy symptoms. Copper infusions also have the added benefit of fighting overheating for a cool night’s sleep.

How Lying Down Feels

You’ll notice the contoured feel of this mattress the second you lie down on it. The copper infusions don’t mess with the adaptability of the memory foam. So you still get the full monte of contouring power.

The second thing you’ll notice is the fact that the Aurora doesn’t lose its cool feel no matter how long you sleep on it. This is because the copper infusions push heat down into the mattress and away from your body on a continuous basis.

Inside the Mattress

The first layer of the Aurora is its copper-infused comfort foam. This comfort layer is the layer that fights microbial development. The copper particles in the foam create a hostile environment for microscopic life that makes it difficult for it to thrive. So sleepers with allergies can sleep easy on this bed.

The next layer is the TitanFlexTM foam. Depending on the firmness level selected, this layer will be either soft, medium, or firm. We recommend the medium feel for combo sleepers because it will be versatile enough to handle multiple sleeping positions.

Next comes a layer of gel swirl memory foam to help increase the Aurora’s pressure relief and cooling power.

Finally, the support core of up to 1,032 AscensionTM coils is arranged into zones to ensure each body area gets the right balance of support and pressure relief to keep the spine aligned.

SEE ALSO: Best RV Mattresses

Combo sleepers who want a mattress that boasts some serious durability should look into the Puffy Lux. This sturdy hybrid was built for the long haul, so you don’t have to worry about it not being able to handle your lifestyle – whether you move a lot or have kids who just won’t quit jumping on the bed.

How Lying Down Feels

Despite its toughness, the Puffy Lux offers a luxurious and comforting feel. It features multiple layers of contouring foam. So you can expect tons of pressure relief. At the same time, its robust coils and supportive transition layer keep you lifted onto the sleep surface.

The Puffy Lux also offers tons of cooling technology in the form of gel memory foam, sweat-wicking foam, and breathable pocketed coils. So you won’t ever have to worry about overheating again!

Inside the Mattress

The Puffy Lux hits hard right off the bat with its zippable, stain-resistant cover. If you like to eat and drink in bed, all you have to do if you spill is unzip the cover, wash it, and slap it back on the mattress. No mess, no problem!

The next layer of the Puffy Lux is its Cooling CloudTM foam that breathes deep and pulls body heat away from you. Underneath this foam, you’ll find a plush layer of Dual Cloud foam to enhance pressure relief. The last layer of foam is the Climate ComfortTM foam. This humidity and sweat-resistant foam ensures your mattress never develops moisture buildup issues.

After all these layers of foam, you’ll find the layer of firm contour-adapt coils that keep you lifted onto the bed. These coils are surrounded on all sides by a set of high-density foam perimeter rails. These rails offer superior edge support and lasting durability. That’s why the Puffy Lux comes with a lifetime warranty!

The Bear Pro is a memory foam mattress designed to be firm, making it easier to switch sleep positions. Since every sleep position requires good back and hip support, the Bear Pro is a great choice for combination sleepers.

How Lying Down Feels

With its thermoreactive mattress cover and its dual comfort foam layers, the Bear Pro is a mattress that prioritizes coolness. The surface has a touch of pleasant firmness, so while it cushions the body it does so with minimal sinkage.

Still, some combination sleepers may prefer a softer mattress, particularly if they’re a lightweight sleeper or if they rest primarily on their sides.

Inside the Mattress

Each Bear mattress starts with a cover using FDA-determined Celliant® technology, which studies have found can promote a rejuvenating rest.

The top layer of the Bear Pro is 2 inches of copper-infused graphite memory foam, offering pressure relief and comfort with excellent cooling properties by pulling heat away from the body.

Underneath the top layer is a 1.5-inch layer of gel memory foam designed to offset heat absorption which is a problem in so many other memory foam mattresses.

The 2.5-inch transition layer is a poly-foam designed to prevent sinking and provide balanced support. Finally, the 7-inch high-density poly-foam creates a strong support structure, giving the Bear Pro its firmness— strong foam helps support sleepers as they shift their body weight.

Bear offers a 120-night sleep trial— if you aren’t satisfied with the support of the Bear Pro after a standard 30-day trial period, send it back for a full refund. They also offer a lifetime limited warranty covering physical or manufacturing flaws and any sagging of 1 inch or more.

SEE ALSO: Bear Mattress Review

The Original Purple Mattress is one of the most unique mattresses on the market today. The Purple Mattress focuses on contouring the body while creating firmness strong enough to hold up any type of weight without sagging. It’s great for combination sleepers looking to improve their sleep quality.

The Purple Mattress offers a 100-night sleep trial. This trial exists so combination sleepers can try out the mattress over a period of time without risk. If you aren’t satisfied with the mattress after 30 days, Purple® will refund you the full amount.

Purple mattresses also come with a 10-year warranty that protects against any manufacturing defects, cracking or splitting of materials, and sagging up to 1 inch.

How Lying Down Feels

The comfort layer of the Purple Mattress is a high-quality elastic foam intended to provide support while contouring to your body’s shape. By collapsing under the body’s weight and regaining its shape when weight is removed, the GelFlex Grid™ relieves pressure points without losing support.

Inside the Mattress

The Purple Mattress measures 9.5 inches tall and features three specific layers, starting with 2 inches of the GelFlex Grid™.

Underneath the GelFlex Grid™ are 3.5 inches of poly-foam transitional layer, providing pressure relief while aligning the spine. 4 inches of a high-density poly-foam support layer offer extra support and durability. The mattress is also covered with a durable blend of Lycra® for a soft, plush sleep surface.

SEE ALSO: Best Purple Mattress Alternatives

The Tuft & Needle Original mattress offers an affordable memory foam mattress for combination sleepers or anyone looking for a great mattress while on a budget. Tuft & Needle mattresses feature a special proprietary layer of foam designed specifically with pressure relief in mind. According to their official site, this special design covers the support needs of every type of sleep position.

Tuft & Needle offers a 100-night sleep trial and a 10-year warranty. This covers both manufacturing and material defects of every aspect of the mattress, including each foam layer and the mattress cover.

How Lying Down Feels

Overall, the original Tuft & Needle is considered to have a lightly firm surface. This medium to medium-firm feel can be good for combination sleepers who prefer feeling supported. However, combination sleepers who enjoy a touch more softness may want to try the Mint mattress from T & N.

Inside the Mattress

Each mattress starts with a polyester polyamide blend cover designed for durability first and airflow second. This is great for combination sleepers who regularly shift positions throughout the night— the material holds up to tossing and turning and a sleeper’s shifting body weight over time.

The comfort layer of T&N’s Adaptive® foam includes a combination of graphite and cooling gel to dissipate heat. It’s also built to avoid the overly soft and sinking feeling of traditional memory foam. A 7-inch layer of high-density poly-foam support gives the mattress a firm base and provides the overall shape of the bed.

SEE ALSO: Mattress Size and Dimensions Guide

Considerations Before Buying A Mattress

Before choosing your best mattress, keep the following factors in mind— mattress type, sleep position, body weight, budget, and possible sleep trials, warranties, and return policies. Considering these factors beforehand will narrow down mattress options and determine the best choice.

Types of Mattresses

Since combination sleepers switch between sleep positions, a mattress that can adjust to shifting weight for consistent comfort and support is the best choice. Each mattress type offers its own set of benefits and drawbacks— be sure to examine each type to determine which is best for you.

Memory Foam Mattresses

Memory foam mattresses offer body contouring and pressure point relief. A memory foam mattress contains a memory foam comfort layer and a high-density poly-foam support layer. The downside of memory foam is its heat retention properties; however, this can easily be avoided through cooling features incorporated into the foam, like gel, copper, and graphite.

Latex Mattresses

Latex is made from the sap of rubber trees, then whipped up into foam. Latex replicates many of the support and comfort functions of memory foam, including body contouring and pressure point relief. Unlike traditional memory foam, latex mattresses naturally sleep cooler.

Innerspring Mattresses

Innerspring mattresses contain coil springs with a thin comfort layer. These “traditional” mattresses can provide great support and very strong airflow through their open structure. However, innerspring beds are known for creating pressure points.

Hybrid Mattresses

Hybrid mattresses combine attributes of memory foam and innerspring beds, and therefore they come with both the benefits and drawbacks of each mattress type. A hybrid mattress may offer pressure relief and better cooling, but this type of bed also has a higher risk of pressure buildup and overheating. A true hybrid mattress should contain the gentle contouring of memory foam and the support of pocketed coils.

Sleeping Position

Combination sleepers switch between two to three sleep positions each night. Because of this, it can be hard to choose a comfortable mattress. If you know you’re prone to particular positions, try to match the support features for each of these sleep styles with your mattress selection.

Side Sleeping

Side sleeping is one of the most common and most popular sleep positions. Side sleepers typically breathe better at night and place less pressure on their vital organs, but they also face more pressure on their shoulders and hips. The best mattress for side sleepers is medium-soft to medium-firm mattresses.

Back Sleeping

Back sleepers are able to better align their spines because their backs come into direct contact with the sleep surface. Back sleepers can breathe better in this position but are at greater risk of developing sleep apnea due to the collapse of soft tissue from weakened muscles and gravity. Back sleepers need a medium to firm mattress to evenly support their bodies with a slight sinking of the hips to align the spine. “Back sleeping also puts the least amount of pressure on the shoulders, hips, and knees which may be the most comfortable position if you have had an injury or surgery,” says Dr. Bhavik Sheth, Physical Therapist.

Stomach Sleeping

Stomach sleeping is the least common sleep position and comes with the most health risks. “Sleeping on the stomach for long periods of time places more stress on the lower back from the combined force of gravity and weight forcing the spine to arch at the lower back. It can also cause neck pain from rotating the head to the end range of motion to breathe,” says Dr.Bhavik Sheth, Physical Therapist. Stomach sleepers should look for a medium-firm to firm mattress to keep the body on top of the sleep surface and prevent deep sinkage which could misalign the spine.

Body Weight

Always consider your current body weight when buying a new mattress. Weight is divided into three categories:

• Lightweight: less than 130 pounds
• Average Weight: 130 to 230 pounds
• Heavyweight: 230 pounds or more

Body weight affects a bed’s support. A lightweight, side sleeper may find a medium-firm mattress too hard because it’s not soft enough to allow the body to slightly sink into the mattress to relieve pressure points.

Budget

Setting a budget will help you in finding a quality mattress without breaking the bank. The average price of a good-quality mattress is between $1,500 to $2,000, depending on the type of mattress. Latex and hybrid beds cost more (latex because of its all-natural materials, and hybrids because of the number of materials the bed contains).

Where you buy a mattress also influences how much you pay. Generally, an online mattress is less expensive because web-based mattress brands have fewer overhead costs to meet.

Sleep Trials, Warranties, and Return Policies

Sleep trials, warranties, and return policies are features offered by mattress companies as assurances to their customers that their product is high-quality and long-lasting. Always read through the fine print for each policy before committing to a mattress.

Sleep Trials

A sleep trial allows customers to try out a new mattress within the comfort of their own home, without pressure to buy. Sleep trials last between 90 to 120 nights, depending on the brand. Should a customer not be happy with their purchase, the company will issue a full refund.

Warranties

Warranties cover manufacturing defects and sagging greater than 1-inch, though this can vary depending on the brand. Most mattresses come with a standard 10-year warranty. Read through the warranty to know what to expect from the manufacturer and what the manufacturer expects of you.

Return Policies

If a sleep trial isn’t available, customers should look at the return policy. Return policies last 30 days— about the same time it takes for the body to adjust to a new mattress. If the customer isn’t satisfied with their mattress, they can receive a full refund.

Other Things to Consider

What is a combo sleeper?

Combination sleepers, or combo sleepers, switch sleeping positions throughout the night. They may start out on their stomach, switch to their side, and wake up on their back, and since most of us tend to toss and turn throughout the night, it’s safe to say the majority of us are combination sleepers.

What is the best pillow for combination sleepers?

Combination sleepers should look for a mid-loft shredded memory foam pillow because the shredded foam in these pillows can adapt to changing sleeping positions. Pillows that are 3-5 inches thick usually fit comfortably below the head even if you toss and turn. Plus, shredded foam pillows are extremely moldable, so they can be fluffed or flattened to meet your sleep needs.

What mattress is best for a combination sleeper with back pain?

When dealing with back pain as a combination sleeper, look for a mattress with extra for the spine and back. Generally, foam or hybrid mattresses with a medium medium-firm feel are best for sleepers with back pain. Several mattresses we suggest looking into include the Zoma Mattress, Bear Pro, and Original Purple®.

What mattress is best for a combination sleeper with neck pain?

Combination sleepers with neck pain should look for mattresses that keep the shoulder neutral with the spine without being overly compressed because shoulder alignment directly correlates with neck pain. Consider medium mattresses such as the Amerisleep AS3, Vaya Mattress, or Tuft & Needle Original.

Remember your pillow plays a vital role in whether or not you have neck pain. As a combo sleeper, it’s best to have a mid-loft pillow with a medium feel to support your head and neck in all different positions.

Is a soft or firm mattress best for a combination sleeper?

Soft and firm mattresses aren’t better than the other since it comes down to your personal needs. As a combination sleeper, deciding between a soft or firm mattress gets a bit tricky, so consider your primary sleeping positions.

If you generally switch between back and stomach sleeper, a firmer mattress is ideal. If you switch between side and back or stomach sleeping, a medium mattress may work better. For combo sleepers who cycle through all types of sleeping positions, medium bests are often best.

Conclusion

Look for a mattress featuring balanced support and comfort— both will help you achieve better sleep. Hybrid mattresses are a good choice, but memory foam is also an excellent mattress choice capable of providing a restful experience for combination sleepers.