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As we age, changes in our sleep cycle and lifestyle make a peaceful, refreshing good night’s sleep progressively more difficult.
And this makes the role of a good mattress all the more important, as the right one can prevent all the struggles a senior adult faces when trying to sleep. Mattresses can help elders suffering from joint and back pain, as well as neurological and cognitive conditions like Alzheimer’s disease.
Although there are plenty of options on the market to choose from, choosing the best mattress can be a daunting challenge, especially if you don’t have a lot to spare.
That’s why we have shortlisted the top 5 mattresses that will suit different needs and budget. So, let’s jump right in and explore them without further delay!
Emma’s Comfort mattress is a pressure-relieving mattress that has three layers of foam to keep your elders comfortable and cool through the night. It features a cover layer with moisture-wicking and heat diffusing properties, followed by a layer of reactive Airgocell foam that adapts to the body’s shape. Moreover, its high-density base is designed to support the hips and shoulders while aligning the spine properly, and the open cell technology makes for extra airflow.
This unit scores 6.5 out of 10 on the softness-firmness scale, thereby providing enough responsiveness for elders while being soft enough to prevent back pain. The medium-firm quality of the mattress makes it ideal for all kinds of sleeping positions. Besides, it’s made from premium-quality materials, ensuring that it will last a long time. Overall, the Emma Comfort mattress provides the all-around comfort that an elder needs.
Despite being excellent in nearly all areas, the edge support could have been slightly better.
With its well-balanced sleeping experience and comfort, Emma Comfort Mattress is sure to strike a chord with nearly everyone. Its superb cooling system, adaptive foam, excellent support and high build quality makes it one of the best mattresses to go for.
Combining Dunlop latex foam with high-density visco-elastic memory foam and high-density polyurethane foam, the Onebed Mattress brings a fresh experience to the world of mattresses. All the three layers are interchangeable, thanks to a removable cover, allowing you to customise your sleeping experience. The latex and memory foam mattress layers are both 1.5 inches thick, while the polyfoam base is 7 inches. Its plush cover has a dimpled pattern all over it and is made from polyester.
The Onebed mattress has excellent spinal support in all three layers and being one of the firmer mattresses on the list, it feels reasonably robust. Each layer ranks between 7 and 8 on the softness-firmness scale, which suits back sleepers the best. The materials used to craft the mattress are high-quality as well, adding to its durability. It is priced quite reasonably and the sleeping experience it provides is reasonably comfortable as well.
Since it has three layers of dense foam, you may have trouble moving it around.
For those who prefer a firmer bed, the Onebed Original is a superb choice for the back support and feel it offers. Its high build quality and customisable sleeping experience elevate it above most of its competition, securing its place comfortably in the top five.
The Emma Diamond mattress is the flagship model of its mattress range, which also includes the aforementioned Emma original mattress. Being a hybrid mattress, the Emma Diamond is crafted with three layers that work in tandem to provide a cool and comfortable sleep experience. The three layers consist of a graphite layer for heat diffusion, comfort layers for pressure relief and a zoned HRX high-density foam for back and joint support.
Ranking a 7 out of 10 on the softness-firmness scale, the Emma Diamond has a firm feel to it. It has a superb response to sleep movements with adequate support and durability. The pocket springs in its support layer are encased in comfort foam to add to your overall experience. Not only that, but the support layer also reduces motion transfer quite effectively, which will come in handy for couples.
Just like the Emma Original mattress, this unit also lacks proper edge support.
The Emma Diamond hybrid mattress has a leg up on its competition simply by virtue of being a hybrid mattress. Its pocket-coil spring and comfort foam mattress layer, the support offered by the zoned HRX layer and the graphite layer combine to give you a cool and comfortable sleep.
The Origin Hybrid features six layers, including a cover, to maximise the comfort and relaxation elders need and enjoy their sleep. But what impressed us the most is its lightweight yet high build quality that is even across each of the five layers. And a novel addition to the Origin Hybrid over other mattresses is the inclusion of reinforced sidewalls for extra edge support.
Scoring a 6.5 out of 10 on the softness-firmness scale, the Origin Hybrid is a medium-firm mattress that targets everyone’s preferences. The pocket-coil springs perform up to expectations and the support it offers is consistent across the mattress. Its firmness is ideal for back and side sleepers, providing excellent spinal alignment and joint support. Plus, it manages to achieve all of this while keeping heat away from the body, resulting in a cool, good night’s sleep.
The cover of the Origin Hybrid is not machine washable, which can make maintaining it difficult.
The Origin Hybrid Mattress manages to be soft enough to retain a plushy feel while being firm enough to relieve pressure from the sensitive joints of the body. This makes it one of the best mattresses for your elders, thanks to the excellent blend of comfort and support.
Koala’s all-foam mattresses is a new entry by the company in the segment that promises to provide everyone with a relaxing sleep. Thanks to the detachable comfort layer, you can customise the firmness level of the mattress to suit what your elders need. This double-sided comfort layer is topped with a breathable blend of polyester and TENCEL Lyocell fabric. Underneath, the polyfoam base will support the back and prevent the body from sinking into the mattress.
The Koala Mattress ranks 6 and 8 out of 10 on the softer and firmer sides, respectively. You can switch between the two by simply unzipping and flipping the top layer. But no matter the side, your elders will have a peaceful night’s sleep, especially with the Zero Disturbance feature implemented in the mattress. The motion transfer is minimal and so, your parents or grandparents will have an unbothered sleep, no matter how much their partner moves.
The Koala Mattress has a break-in period that lasts a week, making the first few nights a little less comfortable than what would be ideal.
Koala is a reputed mattress brand in Australia, and the Koala Mattress lives up to the expectations that come with such a reputation. Maintaining a nice balance between comfort and support, its customisable firmness caters to different needs effectively.
Buying a mattress is a significant investment, one that you may not want to make very often. So, making sure that you purchase the right mattress is important to the comfort of your elders.
For your seniors, a good mattress can reduce body and joint pains that they may be facing repeatedly. The right mattress will also allow them to move in and out of bed easily while remaining supportive and comfortable.
Here’s a list of notable criteria you can keep an eye on while purchasing a mattress for them.
The build quality of a mattress will ensure the kind of comfort it provides, and it influences its longevity as well. A well-made mattress will, naturally, provide superior comfort and support.
Most of the mattresses on the market designed for seniors are either made entirely from foam or are hybrids. The comfort of hybrid mattresses is largely dependent on the kind of foam used, making it a significant factor in its performance.
Broadly speaking, there are three kinds of foams used in mattresses: memory foam, latex foam and polyfoam. Each of these provides a unique experience to the user and caters to different kinds of people.
Edge support is a critical feature to ensure that the edges don’t sag over time. A good mattress should be able to hold the weight of the user evenly on the edges as well.
With good edge support, your seniors will have an easier time getting on and off the mattress when they need to.
Generally, the firmness of a mattress is determined by ranking it on a scale from one to 10. A medium-firm mattress is typically a favourite among most people, while some may prefer a more plush or firm bed.
For seniors, a slightly firmer mattress makes for a more optimal level of support and will keep their mobility a simpler task.
A mattress ought to last a long time, and its durability is an important part of its performance. So, you may want to consider how durable a mattress is before purchasing it.
Refer to testimonials and reviews to understand if the mattress will show signs of losing shape to better judge it.
Mattresses can be quite expensive and while high-quality mattresses are often more expensive, you can seek options that have a better price-to-quality ratio. After all, it is a significant expense, one that you’ll likely only make once a decade.
Seniors are often light sleepers, and the slightest of disturbances may be enough to wake them from their slumber. While most sources of disturbances may be out of your control, you can limit one source: movements of their partner.
Motion isolation makes it so that the movement on the other end of the mattress is limited to a small area. No longer will your seniors have to worry about waking their partners or being awoken by them.
Most mattresses come with a 7-10 years warranty, but some companies offer a lifetime warranty on their products. A company’s confidence is best shown on the warranty it provides, and the longer it lasts, the more assured you can be of its durability.
A removable, machine-washable cover goes a long way in maintaining a mattress easily. The mattress itself needs to be easy to clean, requiring no more than a cloth and detergent.
However, some mattresses may require professional care that may take a few days at the very least, making them less than ideal.
The most prominent types of mattresses on the market include airbed, memory foam, latex, hybrid and innerspring mattresses. There are distinct advantages and disadvantages to each, and the sleeping preference of your seniors will determine which is the best of them.
Hybrid mattresses strive to be the best of all worlds by combining memory or latex foam with springs. Typically made of three layers, hybrid mattresses contain comfort layers made with foam, a support layer with pocket-coil springs and a high-density foam base. The result is a comfortable, supportive mattress that can be a fantastic choice for your elders.
These mattresses offer a multitude of features for seniors, such as superior airflow, limited or no motion transfer and pressure-relieving contouring.
Innerspring mattresses have been a longstanding part of the segment and have only recently seen something of a downturn in popularity. These mattresses primarily provide support with a layer of springs that work together as a unit. The idea behind it was to spread weight evenly across the mattress and provide support and comfort.
Over time, these springs may break or not provide enough support, making them unsuitable for seniors.
Memory foam is one of the most popular mattress materials in recent times, as it compresses and adapts to the body. The superior contouring allows for comfort along with pressure relief in sensitive joint areas like the hips and shoulders.
Some memory foam mattresses may make you sleep a little warm, which brands try to work around by increasing the airflow. They are often built to last a long time as well, making it a great option for the elderly. The comfort these provide is unmatched and their lightweight and convenient nature keeps it in people’s good graces.
The newcomer of the segment, latex is a firmer material that is excellent for spinal alignment and pressure points relief. As it is derived from the sap of the rubber tree, a natural latex foam mattress often lasts longer than most other kinds. Moreover, they have superb resistance to moulds and mites.
The best latex mattress has no issues with temperature regulation, owing to the comparatively higher air circulation. While currently not as common a material as others, natural latex shows promise for the future in this segment.
Airbeds are mattresses made with support cores containing pockets of air. You can inflate or deflate this bed at the press of a button on your remote control or smartphone app and have a customised sleeping experience. Airbeds are a deviation of the traditional hybrid mattress, containing a comfort layer made from memory foam or natural latex, and replacing the pocket-coil springs with air pockets.
Some airbeds have the added flexibility of zoned air chambers, allowing you to change the firmness of your bed further. It is excellent for seniors who face issues such as arthritis and joint pain.
Factors such as body weight, sleeping position and sensitive areas all play into making a mattress good for pressure points and pain relief. Everyone has a different preference due to these aspects, making the choice of a good mattress more difficult.
As the body ages, joint and hip pain becomes more and more common. However, the right kind of mattress can alleviate back and joint issues, as it can reduce the pressure on the affected areas.
Hybrid and foam mattresses offer the best support to the body, making them ideal for seniors. The layers of foam and pocket-coil springs in hybrid mattresses and the multiple layers of foam in a memory foam mattress offer different kinds of support. While the former offers a greater degree of joint and back pain relief, the latter is ideal for pressure relieving.
Medium mattress firmness, no matter hybrid or foam, is good for support and comfort. Placing a mattress protector can also reduce the pain on pressure points further. The less the body sinks into the mattress, the more preferable it may be for seniors.
Emma’s Comfort Mattress as well as the Onebed Mattress are both recommended for seniors suffering from arthritis and joint pain.
Sleep quality deteriorates with age, from infancy to adulthood and beyond. There are a few unique challenges that make it difficult for an elder to sleep each night properly. And mattresses play as important a role in the sleep quality of a senior as the surrounding environment.
Interrupted sleep becomes more commonplace as we age, and seniors often have a difficult time falling back asleep. This results in a shortened sleep duration, resulting in them spending more time awake through the night and less time in the deep sleep phases.
You may have observed your parents or grandparents falling asleep during the day without being aware. This is the unfortunate result of the above, as they could not sleep through the night properly.
These changes make our older friends and relatives more susceptible to sleep conditions, such as:
The right kind of mattress can help make a difference, and with it, they will have a better sleep environment.
An orthopaedic mattress is specifically designed to offer targeted support for the back and joints. First developed in the 1950s, orthopaedic mattresses are a great alternative to traditional ones for those suffering from chronic joint and back pain.
You can find a wide selection of orthopaedic mattresses on the market that can cater to your specific needs. The fillings in these mattresses vary, ranging from standard springs to memory foam and reflex foam, each made to target a particular sleep-related problem.
Orthopaedic mattresses are firmer than traditional foam or innerspring mattresses, thanks to their focus on providing optimum push-back. This quality is especially beneficial for the elderly, as it can help them reduce tossing and turning in sleep, resulting in improved sleep quality.
Besides, they enable appropriate weight distribution, spinal alignment and help the elders maintain a healthy sleeping posture.
High quality medium-firm mattresses can help resolve a lot of sleeping issues that a senior may face. Since different people face different kinds of ailments and have a preference of their own, picking the right kind of mattress becomes a challenge.
However, the Onebed and Emma’s Diamond Hybrid mattresses manage to stand out among their peers with the excellent support that they offer. However, there are minor nitpicks that keep these from taking the crown for the best mattress for seniors.
Emma’s Comfort Mattress delivers on every front, with its well-balanced sleeping experience and comfort. Its adaptive foam contributes to a great sleeping experience and the back support it offers is excellent. The mattress does not sleep hot and the adaptive foam works exceptionally well, making it the best mattress for the elderly.
And with that, our review-based guide comes to an end, hopefully giving you valuable insight into what new mattress you should pick. Until next time, take care!
