Best Mattress for Athletes (2024)

What to Look for in a Mattress for Athletes

There are multiple factors you should take into account when trying to find a great mattress for athletes. Whether you’re a high-level athlete or someone who leads an active lifestyle, you can use this guide to help you find a suitable mattress.

Learn More: How an Athlete Sleeps May Affect Their Game

Type of Mattress

Innerspring Mattresses

Innerspring mattresses have a layer of steel, innerspring coils, as well as a thin comfort layer on top. These are considered more of a “traditional mattress” style, and they feel bouncy and supportive and come in a variety of firmness levels.

The benefit of traditional innerspring beds for athletes is that they tend to sleep cooler than beds that include memory foam, which can be a plus for those who work up a sweat during the day. They also tend to be supportive, meaning, they should keep your spine in neutral alignment through the night, and spinal alignment is vital for those who are active. On the flip side, though, they don’t offer much pressure relief for sore muscles because they lack the thicker comfort foams of other mattress types.

Read more about innerspring mattresses here.

Hybrid Mattresses

Hybrid mattresses include a layer of innerspring coils, as well as several comfort layers on top, usually made out of foam. Hybrids combine the benefits of both traditional innerspring mattresses with foam mattresses, so they can be both supportive for the spine and relieve pressure on the joints. This combination can make them a great pick for athletes of any size or weight.

Memory Foam Mattresses

When you lie down on a memory foam mattress, you can expect to sink down into the bed to some degree. You might feel a “deep hug” and more in the bed than not, or you might feel just gently cradled by the foam.For athletes with joint pain or certain injuries, memory foam could provide great relief.

However, memory foam tends to trap heat, so if you’re a hot sleeper, you’ll want to find a memory foam mattress that has some sort of cooling features. It can also feel less supportive for certain sleepers, especially those who weigh over 230 pounds or so. In this case, we’d recommend a hybrid that contains memory foam so you can still access memory foam but also get highly-supportive coils.

Learn more about memory foam here.

Latex Mattresses

Latex is made from the sap of rubber trees and is naturally breathable, cool, and bouncy. Plus, natural and organic latex is a more eco-friendly material than, synthetic poly and memory foam, and it’s a very durable material.

Latex tends to work well in providing spinal support, and softer latex, such as a Talalay blend, can still deliver good pressure relief. That being said, It doesn’t have the same “sinking in” feeling of memory foam, so those who need extra pressure relief may not like latex as much. However, it is a good choice for those looking for a bouncier, more responsive bed that should last at least 10 years.

Read More: Best Latex Mattresses

Other Considerations When Shopping for a Mattress for Athletes

Sleeping Position

If you consistently sleep on your side, you’ll want a mattress that feels softer and pressure relieving beneath your shoulder and hip. If your mattress is too firm or unyielding, it will create tension in the hip and shoulder – a big problem for athletes.

If you sleep mostly on your back, you’ll want a bed that isn’t too soft and isn’t too firm. This way the spine will stay in neutral alignment through the night, and you won’t wake up with lower back pain.
If you sleep on your stomach, your mattress will need to be firmer to keep the hips from dippping so that spine remains in neutral alignment.

Weight/Body Type of Sleepers

Body weight is another factor in choosing a mattress. You’ll want to make sure that your body t is supported on your bed. This means, your spine should be neutral and comfortable, whether you’re lying on your back, side, or stomach.

For most body types, this means a medium-firm mattress. However, heavier-weight sleepers may need more support in the form of a firm mattress, and lightweight sleepers may feel better with a softer mattress.

Additionally, heavyweight sleepers may need the additional support of materials like springs, whereas average and lightweight sleepers may feel comfortable enough on an all-foam bed.

Firmness

Mattress firmness is subjective, meaning two people may lie on the same mattress and feel it differently. One might come away saying it was too firm; the other might think it was just right.
The reason for this is the combination of body type and preferred sleep position. Heavier weight people will tend to feel a mattress is softer than a lighter-weight person on the same bed. This is because heavyweight sleepers sink down into the bed more than lightweight sleepers.

This is also true for sleep positions. If you sleep on your side, for example, you’ll be more sensitive to a firm mattress. In this position, you’ll want something softer and more cushioning.

Most athletes will do well with a medium-firm mattress, but again, it depends on your preferred sleep position and body type.

Cooling

Some research^[1] indicates that athletes can be prone to waking up hot or sweating during the night. According to Harvard Health^[2] , this could have to do with doing an intense workout too close to bedtime, or it may also be that you’re overtraining without eating enough. According to the University of Michigan^[3], this sort of overtraining can result in hypoglycemia, which can cause night sweats.

Whatever the reason, for many athletes, finding a cooling bed is important. Typically memory foam mattresses are going to retain the most heat, whereas innerspring and latex beds are the coolest. That said, you can find memory foam mattresses that incorporate cooling features, and hybrids with memory foam should allow for extra breathability.

Motion Isolation

If you sleep next to somebody, be it a partner or a furry friend, motion isolation is going to matter to you. This measures how much you’ll be able to feel somebody moving on the other side of the bed. As such, we recommend that those who share a bed get one with great motion isolation for less-disturbed rest.

Sex

When it comes to choosing the best mattress for sex, it is all down to personal preference. That said, many sexually-active people prefer a bed that has some bounce to it, rather than something with more motion isolation and sinkage, like a memory foam mattress.

This can be good news for athletes because many of the beds with bounce (in other words, beds that include springs or latex) are also supportive and should keep your spine in good alignment while you’re sleeping.

Pressure Relief

Athletes’ joints can take a beating. In fact, in a study^[4] published in 2022, one in four former Olympic athletes were later diagnosed with osteoarthritis. It’s not just elite, professional athletes who experience joint pain, either; athletes of all ages can experience joint pain and injury, particularly those who play impact sports^[5] or do high-impact workouts.

This is where a mattress with good pressure relief can come in. A mattress with pressure relief will gently cradle the joints and sensitive areas of the body like the hips and shoulders. Memory foam mattresses tend to offer the best pressure relief.

Read More: Best Mattresses for Pressure Relief

Edge Support

When a mattress’s edges are reinforced, either with extra coils, thicker coils, extra foam, or thicker foam, it should often provide edge support. This is an important feature for athletes, because these sturdy edges mean that the entire surface of the bed is usable. Athletes will benefit from being able to stretch out, and feel like their weight is well supported no matter where they are on the bed.
Edge support is also beneficial for couples who want more useable surface space.

Budget

Typically, innerspring mattresses and all foam beds are less expensive, where hybrids and latex mattresses cost more. Additionally, some eco-friendly models may run higher in price as they incorporate more natural and organic materials.

While ultra-budget beds can be very cheap upfront, they often aren’t as durable or well-made, so don’t just go for the lowest price you find. That benefit to shopping online, too, is that you can access more high-end mattresses at lower prices because they’re sold directly from the manufacturer.

What Causes Sleep Problems in Athletes?

It is common for athletes to experience more disturbed sleep – especially elite or professional athletes^[1]. At he same time, though, athletes actually need more sleep than an average person for a multiple reasons^[6], including muscle recovery, carbohydrate metabolism, appetite, food intake, protein synthesis, and even fast-thinking and reaction time.

Some of the external factors^[7] that can cause sleep problems in athletes include competition schedules, travel, stress, academic demands (in student athletes), and overtraining.

Overtraining^[8] can cause insomnia and trouble sleeping in athletes. In fact, insomnia is considered one of the first signs that you might be overtraining. If that’s the case, be sure you’re taking at least one to two rest days per week, and eating enough calories and getting the right macros to support the training you’re doing.

Doing an intense workout one hour before bed has also been shown to decrease sleep quality^[2].

Learn more: Sleep and Exercise – How Timing These Two Can Improve Your Health

How Can A Mattress Help with Athletic Performance?

According to research, sleep helps with recovery^[9] after exercise. This means that you should look for a bed that’s going to make you feel the most comfortable to sleep on so that you can get a good night’s sleep for optimal recovery.

• Muscle recovery and growth – When we sleep, we go through two sleep phases: Non-REM and REM sleep. During Non-REM sleep^[10], your body builds bone and muscle, repairs tissues, and strengthens your immune system. Therefore, a good mattress can help ensure you sleep better so your body is able to function to the best of its ability.
• Pressure relief – Additionally, see that the mattress you’re picking out provides great pressure relief – especially if you’re a side sleeper. This will help your hips and shoulders sink into the mattress and stay relaxed throughout the night.
• Better spinal support – When you’re sleeping on a mattress that supports you well, your spine will be comfortable and straight whether you’re on your side, stomach, or back. Regardless of whether you’re an athlete or not, good spinal alignment is important for preventing back pain^[11].

What is the Best Sleeping Position for Athletes?

Back Sleeping

Back sleeping is the best position^[12] for athletes who have any shoulder, hip, back, or joint issues. In this position, your spine should be straight and well-supported, and your pillow should be just low enough to keep the natural curvature of your spine – just as it would be when standing up straight. Back sleeping can also allow your hip flexors and core to straighten and relax, which are often trouble areas for runners and lifters.

The only real downside to back sleeping is it can increase snoring and sleep apnea. If you deal with either of these, side sleeping is a good second choice for athletes.

For More Information: Best Mattresses for Back Sleepers

Side Sleeping

For side sleepers, experts recommend^[13] tucking a firm pillow in between your knees to keep the spine in good alignment and minimize tension on the lower back and hips. They also advise pulling your legs up slightly toward your chest.

Learn more: How to Sleep On Your Side and Best Mattresses for Side Sleepers

Combination Sleeping

Combination sleeping is when you move between two or more sleep positions throughout the night. If you’re an athlete who has joint pain or deals with insomnia, it makes sense that you’d switch positions at some point in the night, trying to get comfortable. If you’re a combination sleeper, you’ll want to make sure your mattress is responsive enough that you can change positions easily, without feeling “stuck” in the bed.

Stomach Sleeping

We don’t recommend stomach sleeping if you can help it. It can create tension and pain in the neck and back, which certainly won’t help your athletic performance.

That said, if you can’t get comfortable in any other position, we recommend using a low-loft pillow so that your neck and head aren’t very elevated. This will help decrease the strain on your neck. It will also be important to sleep on a firm mattress in this position, so your stomach doesn’t dip down into the bed and throw your spine out of alignment.

Learn more: How to Sleep On Your Stomach and Best Mattresses for Stomach Sleepers

Tips for Better Sleeping as an Athlete

• Eat more complex carbs – Stick with complex carbs like whole grains or sweet potatoes, rather than simple carbs like bread or pasta. These complex carbs raise serotonin levels and lower cortisol levels, which can help you sleep^[14].
• Make sure you’re getting enough calories – Athletes need more calories than the average person, because they’re burning more calories on a day-to-day basis. It is recommended that competitive athletes eat anywhere from 3,000 to 5,000 calories^[15] per day.
• Take a rest day – Research shows that overtraining, especially without compensating with enough calories, is linked to insomnia^[8]. Experts recommend^[16] that you rest a minimum of one day per seven to 10 days, though many athletes who engage in high-intensity exercise will need more.
• Don’t work out one hour before bed – Research from Harvard Health tells us that high-intensity exercise just before bed can negatively impact sleep quality^[2]. Instead, move your training earlier in the day and at night, do some gentle stretching.
• Develop a regular sleep schedule – Going to bed and waking up at the same time each night and morning can do wonders for getting your body on a good sleep schedule, and if you’re an athlete, sleep is vital to your recovery, so we recommend giving this a shot.
• Get outside first thing in the morning – Exposing yourself to morning sunlight when you start your day is a simple hack to resetting your circadian rhythm. Going out for a morning walk is a great way to get sunlight exposure while still remaining active.
• Practice meditation before bed – If you’re experiencing anxiety or stress, this can make it harder to relax at night, which is important for facilitating sleep onset. Meditating before bed could be a great way to help wind down and calm your mind for better sleep.
• Take magnesium before bed – Not only is magnesium nature’s calming agent, helping reduce anxiety and insomnia, but research shows it is also great for muscle recovery^[17]. Read more about magnesium and sleep here.
• Reduce your intake of caffeine and alcohol – Studies show that consuming caffeine even up to six hours^[18] before bedtime can negatively impact your sleep. Likewise, consuming alcohol can not only negatively impact your sleep quality^[19], but it can also negatively impact your athletic performance^[20].
• Make your room like a cave – Keep your room dark, quiet, and cool, much like a cave. This is the best environment to get a good night’s sleep. If you live in a noisy area, a white noise machine could do you wonders.

Best Mattress for Athletes FAQs

Melanie Kassel

Performance Editor

About Author

As Sleep Advisor’s Performance Editor, Melanie writes and edits content throughout the site to ensure it’s accurate, engaging, and up-to-date.

Combination Sleeper