If you sleep exclusively on your back, side, or stomach, it shouldn’t be too difficult to find the right mattress for you. You can find the perfect firmness to give you the support or comfort you desire in a specific position.
But what if you move around at night? What if you sleep on your back and stomach or on your side and back? If this is the case, it might not be so easy to find a mattress to meet your needs.
The good news is there are some mattresses that are a great fit for combination sleepers. These six mattresses offer a great balance of comfort and support for a variety of sleeping positions.
Even if you sleep in multiple positions, one of these mattresses should be a good match for you. But which one will it be? Read on for my list of top picks.
MOST DURABLE | ||
 | Purple The Purple employs a hyper-elastic gel polymer that is both firm and pressure relieving at the same time. This gel grid is very durable, making this a good long-term investment. | Doesn't expire |
BEST FOR BACK PAIN | ||
 | Level Sleep The LevelSleep TriSupport mattress is a great fit for combination sleepers. In addition, its zoned construction is designed to alleviate and prevent back pain. | Doesn't expire |
BEST VALUE | ||
 | Casper The Casper is a great value mattress with a zoned construction. It is a good match for numerous sleeping positions. | Doesn't expire |
BEST PRESSURE RELIEF | ||
 | Nolah The Nolah is an all-f0am mattress with great pressure relief. It is a great match for back and side sleepers. | Doesn't expire |
BEST INNERSPRING MATTRESS | ||
 | Saatva The Saatva features two layers of coils and a pillow top. It is a great match for all three sleeping positions. | Doesn't expire |
BEST LUXURY MATTRESS | ||
 | WinkBeds The WinkBeds is a luxury innerspring mattress with a pillow top. It offers a great balance of comfort and support. | Doesn't expire |
Top Picks Explained
Purple
The Purple mattress features a very unique hyper-elastic gel polymer in its comfort layer. The polymer is made into a gel grid that stays flat and supportive until you apply a certain amount of pressure. When this happens, that area of the gel grid collapses, while the rest of the mattress is not affected.
Because of this design, the Purple is a great match for combination sleepers.
When you are on your back, the mattress collapses under your butt and hips. They sink in just the right amount, but the rest of the mattress supports you.
When you are on your side, it only collapses under your shoulders and hips, relieving pressure in these areas. And when you sleep on your stomach, the mattress stays firm, and your hips don’t sink in. You stay in proper, neutral spinal alignment.
This gel material is also very responsive, so it shouldn’t be difficult to move around. This is particularly great for combination sleepers, as the sleeping surface quickly responds to your new sleeping position.
What Makes The Purple Stand Out?
- It features a proprietary gel grid that is designed to retain its shape until you apply enough pressure. This makes it a good fit for all three sleeping positions.
- The material is also very fast to respond. As you change positions, you should feel the mattress snap back into place.
- The gel grid leaves a lot of room for airflow. It is a very breathable mattress, and hot sleepers shouldn’t have to worry about overheating on this temperature-neutral mattress.
- The hyper-elastic gel polymer is a very durable material as well. This means the Purple should be a longer-lasting mattress. It should stand up to years of use.
Read the full Purple mattress review.
Level Sleep
The Level Sleep has a TriSupport zoned construction, where each zone has a different firmness. The shoulder area is very soft, the lumbar area is firm, and the hips and knee areas are medium-firm. This design makes the Level Sleep a good match for all three sleeping positions.
When you are back sleeping, the mattress supports your lumbar area, and your hips sink in just a bit. When you move to your side, the mattress should relieve pressure on your shoulders. When you sleep on your stomach, the firm lumbar area ensures you don’t bow into the mattress.
The Level Sleep is also designed specifically for sleepers with back pain. The company has done years of design work to make a mattress that should alleviate and prevent lower back pain.
What Makes The Level Sleep Stand Out?
- It has a TriSupport zoned construction, where each zone has a different firmness. This means it should be a good match for different types of sleepers.
- The mattress is made to help with back pain. The lumbar area ensures you stay in proper alignment, and it could prevent and alleviate lower back pain.
- The memory foam used in this mattress is designed to be breathable and dissipate heat. You shouldn’t be sleeping hot on the Level Sleep.
Read the full Level Sleep mattress review.
Casper
Like the Level Sleep, the Casper mattress features a zoned construction. However, with the Casper, the differences between the zoned firmnesses are not quite as stark. The shoulder area and knee area are similar in firmness, and the center lumbar area is firmer.
On the Casper, you should feel great while back sleeping. Your hips sink into the mattress, but the firmer center area keeps them from sinking in too far. When you are on your side, you should feel great pressure relief, especially in the shoulder area. When you move to your stomach, the center area also keeps you properly supported.
The Casper is also very responsive. The top layer contains a latex-like foam with a good amount of bounce. This makes it easy to move around on the mattress without getting stuck. Even if you change positions often throughout the night, the mattress should quickly respond.
What Makes The Casper Stand Out?
- The transition layer is zoned, meaning the center part of the mattress is firmer than the rest. This means the heavier parts of your body will have proper support, while the rest of the mattress will stay softer and pressure-relieving.
- The top layer of foam is open-celled and breathable. You get a foam feel without the heat-trapping effects of some memory foams. Hot sleepers should feel comfortable on the Casper.
- The Casper is a great value. Considering the complex design, it’s surprising how affordable it is. If you want a value combination sleeper mattress, the Casper should work for you.
Read the full Casper mattress review.
Nolah
If you are a combination sleeper who likes a softer foam mattress, the Nolah might be for you. It incorporates proprietary AirFoam, which is a soft, pressure-relieving alternative to memory foam.
While the mattress is a bit too soft for stomach sleepers, combinations sleepers who switch between their back and side should find what they need on the Nolah. When you are back sleeping, your hips sink into the soft top layer, but then they find support on the firmer layers beneath. When you are on your side, the mattress feels very comfortable. You should feel great pressure relief on your shoulders and hips.
However, I will note that heavier people might feel some pressure when they are on their side. They could press through the thinner comfort layer and hit the support layers. If you are a heavier person, consider the Nolah 12″ model, which features a much thicker comfort layer.
What Makes The Nolah Mattress Stand Out?
- Even though it’s a softer mattress, the Nolah is a great match for back and side sleepers. It is supportive enough when you are on your back, and pressure-relieving when you are on your side.
- The Nolah is a very affordable foam mattress. Considering how durable its components are, this is a value, long-lasting mattress.
- The AirFoam is designed to dissipate heat, and the cover is also cooling. Hot sleepers should be sleeping cool on the Nolah mattress.
- Heavier sleepers also have the Nolah 12″ model as an option.
Check out the Nolah mattress review.
Saatva
The Saatva mattress is an innerspring mattress with a Euro-style pillow-top. This type of mattress is usually a good option for combination sleepers because you get the support of two sets of coils and the comfort of a pillow-top.
When I lie on my back on the Saatva, my hips sink into the pillow-top just the right amount. While sleeping on my side, the pillow-top relieves pressure on my shoulders and hips. While stomach sleeping, I feel great support.
The mattress is medium-firm, which is typically a perfect firmness for combination sleepers. In the end, this mattress has a fantastic balance of comfort and support.
What Makes The Saatva Stand Out?
- It features two layers of coils so it is a very supportive mattress. Back and stomach sleepers of many sizes should feel properly supported by the Saatva.
- The Euro-style pillow-top is plush and very soft. This gives the mattress a good amount of pressure relief.
- The two sets of coils leave quite a bit of room for airflow. This mattress should sleep cooler than many foam bed-in-a-box mattresses.
- The coils and other high-quality materials make this a durable mattress. It is quite affordable and should last you for a good amount of time.
Read the full Saatva mattress review.
WinkBeds
Like the Saatva, the WinkBeds is an innerspring mattress with two layers of coils and a Euro-style pillow-top. Also like the Saatva, it offers a great balance of comfort and support. Because of this, it should be a great match for combination sleepers of many sizes.
While back sleeping, you should feel your hips sink into that soft pillow-top. At the same time, the two coil layers should keep you well supported. When you are on your side, the pillow-top will relieve pressure on your shoulders and hips. While on your stomach, those coils will also support you.
While the WinkBeds is similar to the Saatva, it has even more of a luxury feel. The Tencel fabric in the cover, the Hypersoft foam, and the premium gel foam make this my luxury pick.
What Makes The WinkBeds Stand Out?
- It has two coil layers and should be a very supportive mattress, even for larger people. There is also a WinkBeds Plus model that is designed specifically for heavy sleepers.
- The mattress also balances support and comfort. The coils are high-grade and supportive, while the pillow-top is plush and pressure-relieving.
- The coils promote airflow throughout the mattress. Hot sleepers should be sleeping cool on the WinkBeds.
- It has a plush, luxury hotel mattress feel.
Read the full WinkBeds mattress review.
Marten’s Take
Marten is a staff writer for us. He has a much different body type than me: He is 6’7″ and weighs about 230 lb; I am 5’9″ and 160 lb. Here is what he thought about these mattresses:
I think three of these mattresses could be a great choice for heavier combination sleepers.
First, we have the Purple mattress. This mattress is a great fit for all three sleeping positions. The hyper-elastic gel polymer only collapses under the heavier parts of my body. When I’m on my back, the gel grid collapses under my hips and butt but stays supportive everywhere else.
When I’m on my side, I feel great pressure on my shoulders and hips. When I’m on my stomach, the grid doesn’t collapse at all. If you are even larger than me, you can also choose the Purple 2, 3, or 4.
The Saatva is great because it is an innerspring mattress with a pillow-top. You get a nice balance of comfort and support. When I am on my back, my hips sink in but not too far. On my side, I feel surprisingly good pressure relief on my shoulders and hips. While I don’t feel quite enough support on my stomach, there is a firm option as well.
The WinkBeds is also an innerspring mattress with a pillow-top. When I’m on my back, my hips sink in just the right amount. On my side, there is great pressure relief. I don’t feel quite enough support when I am on my stomach, but the WinkBeds Plus model is also available for larger people.
If you are looking for a combination sleeper mattress, your weight and size should play a major part in your decision. Given that Marten is a larger person, these three mattresses might be a better choice if you are also larger. Also, as he mentioned above, the WinkBeds Plus and Purple 2, 3, and 4 mattresses might be a good fit for much larger people.
What Should You Consider When Buying A Mattress For Combination Sleeping?
There are a few things you should think about when purchasing a combination sleeper mattress. There is no one mattress for everyone, but if you take the following criteria into account, you should be able to find the best mattress for you.
- Your weight and size. When you are choosing any kind of mattress, you should always take your weight and size into account. If you are looking for a combination sleeper mattress, it is even more important. Your weight affects how far you sink into the mattress and also how much support you require. If you are lighter, a medium-firm memory foam mattress could be a good fit for numerous sleeping positions. However, if you are heavier, you might need a more supportive hybrid or innerspring mattress with a softer top layer. With a combination sleeper mattress, you are always seeking a balance of comfort and support. So, think about your weight and just how much comfort and support you really need.
- The mattress’s firmness. If you sleep in one position all night, it shouldn’t be too difficult to find the right mattress firmness for you. Soft mattresses are usually best for side sleepers; medium-firm mattresses are better for back sleepers; and firmer mattresses are typically a good fit for stomach sleepers. When it comes to combination sleeper mattresses, you should be looking for something in the medium-firm range. This should ensure the mattress is soft enough for side sleeping and supportive enough for back and stomach sleeping.
- Your sleeping positions. If you are a combination sleeper, you also need to think about which positions you switch between. Are you a side and back sleeper, or are you a back and stomach sleeper? These positions will affect the firmness you should be looking for. You want to make sure the mattress is a good fit for all your preferred sleeping positions. For instance, if you sleep on your side and back, you might want something that is pressure-relieving and supportive. If you sleep on your back and stomach, you want something more supportive. If you sleep in all three positions throughout the night, you want to find that perfect balance of comfort and support.
- The mattress type. There are a few types of mattresses that are usually a better fit for combination sleepers. Hybrid and innerspring mattresses with a pillow-top are often a great choice for combination sleepers. You get the support of coils and the comfort of a pillow-top or foam layer. If you want a foam mattress, consider one with a zoned construction or a thinner comfort layer. You don’t want to sink too far into the mattress when you move to your back or stomach.
- The responsiveness of the mattress. When you move around at night, you want to know if your mattress will immediately respond to your new sleeping position. If you choose a slow-moving memory foam mattress, it might take some time for the mattress to conform to the shape of your body. However, if you choose a bouncier mattress with responsive foam or latex in its comfort layer, you should be able to move around without feeling stuck or uncomfortable.
- Motion transfer. If you sleep with a partner, it is especially important to consider how your mattress will handle motion transfer. If you or your partner are combination sleepers, will your movements disturb one another, or will the mattress absorb this motion? When it comes to dealing with motion transfer, memory foam mattresses are usually the best. However, pure memory foam mattresses aren’t always the best choice for combination sleepers. You want to find a mattress that will cut down on motion transfer while also meeting your other combination sleeper needs.
Overall
If you have been looking for that perfect combination sleeper mattress, one of the six listed above should be a good match. Just keep these criteria in mind and you should find a mattress to fit you no matter how many positions you sleep in.
Joe Auer
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