Best Mattress for Light Sleepers Updated for 2024

What is a Mattress for Light Sleepers?

Light sleepers may be easily awakened by small noises or movements, such as a dog barking outside or a sleeping partner changing positions throughout the night. Consistent, non-interrupted sleep is a crucial factor for brain function¹, and poor sleep habits are linked to severe health issues such as obesity, heart disease, and hypertension. One way to get better sleep is to invest in a mattress that is beneficial to those who are easily awakened.

A good mattress for light sleepers is going to be one that’s designed to minimize potential distractions such as movement, as well as something that fosters a more comfortable sleeping experience for the individual.

One way for light sleepers to get deeper sleep is by procuring a mattress for light sleepers. Mattresses for light sleepers should have excellent motion isolation. This means that the movements made by partners or pets will not easily transfer across the bed. Light sleepers will likely sleep best on a bed that makes minimal noise. Although memory foam mattresses are typically known to have minimal motion transfer and low noise levels, there are other types of mattresses that can work well for light sleepers.

What to Look for In A Mattress for Light Sleepers

Considering that light sleepers are more prone to waking up in the middle of the night, there are specific mattress characteristics that could help them sleep more soundly.
may wake up if a partner moves in bed or if the bed squeaks with each position change, mattresses that isolate the motion made by a co-sleeper, as well as those that are quiet should be at the top of most light sleepers lists. However, there are other factors that light sleepers will want to consider as well, these include cooling, edge support, and pressure relief.

When your bed keeps you from getting overheated, you tend to fall into a deeper sleep. This is because the circadian rhythms that regulate your sleep cycles are affected by temperature. Your body temperature begins to fall² as bedtime approaches and continues to do so until the early morning when it starts to warm back up to signal that it is time to get up. Selecting a bed with cooling elements is likely to help keep your body temperature from rising too quickly.

Mattresses that provide adequate support for your body weight and sleep position, as well as those that have pressure-relieving properties can also keep sleepers more comfortable and thus better rested. However, support and pressure relief are largely dependent on your preferred sleep position and body weight, and we will go into this in more detail later in this article.

Additionally, if you are a light sleeper who tends to track toward the outside of the bed, you will want to make sure that your mattress has excellent edge support. Without proper edge support, you may feel that you are falling off the bed when sleeping on the puter portion. This may startle light sleepers and cause them to wake abruptly.

Type of Mattress

Innerspring Mattresses

When you picture a “traditional bed”, an image of an innerspring mattress is most likely what comes to mind. The base of innerspring mattresses is made of a coil support system that is covered by a comfort layer that is usually made of foam or fiber. The coils are typically made of steel, but you can find individually-wrapped coils, as well as Bonnell, and offset.

While innerspring beds can offer great benefits like support, airflow, and bounce, they also have some qualities that could be a drawback to light sleepers, such as high motion transfer and minimal pressure relief. Another factor to be mindful of is how noisy the coils may become over time.

Hybrid Mattresses

Hybrid mattresses blend features from innerspring mattresses and those made from foam into one. Typically, these beds have a base made from coils and several comfort layers consisting of foam that rest on top of the coils. Many people are drawn to these beds because they offer the supportiveness of innerspring beds with the pressure-relieving comfort of foam mattresses.

They also can reduce motion transfer better than traditional innerspring models.
Although the combination of memory foam and innerspring coils is the most common combination of these beds, there are iterations that use latex, polyfoam, and even proprietary materials.

Memory Foam Mattresses

By combining polyurethane with other chemicals, memory foam mattresses are able to contour your body to provide pressure relief. This contouring happens through a process called viscoelasticity, which allows the foam to move slowly, change shape, and then return to its original form. Not only does this allow memory foam mattresses to shape and cradle your body, but it also typically makes these mattresses good at isolating motion, which often makes them a great fit for light sleepers.

There are three types of memory foam mattresses: traditional, open-cell, and gel.

• Traditional – This type of memory foam mattress was the first type to be introduced to the market and is made of one solid block of foam. It causes many people to heat up during the night, though, because air can’t circulate through it.
• Open Cell – Open cell memory foam was developed to combat the memory foam heating issue. This variation has “open pockets” that allow air to flow freely through the mattress.
• Gel – By infusing memory foam with gel (and, other naturally cooling materials such as copper), the surface temperature of the mattress is lowered and body heat is drawn away from the sleeper.

Latex Mattresses

Mattresses made from latex, especially natural latex, tend to be responsive. This means that, unlike memory foam, when you press your hand into a latex mattress and then take it away, the bed will regain its original shape very quickly. In addition to natural latex, which is derived from rubber trees, there is also synthetic latex. This material is made from various products, including petrochemicals. Synthetic latex does not respond as fast as its natural counterpart.

Latex tends to have better temperature regulation than memory foam, and natural latex is a great hypoallergenic option (although those with latex allergies should be mindful when purchasing these kinds of mattresses). However, latex does not isolate motion as well as memory foam. This means that you are more likely to feel movements made by co-sleepers.

Other Considerations When Shopping for a Mattress for Light Sleepers

Sleeping Position

Your sleep position² can affect your ability to sleep in negative and positive ways. If you’re easily awakened because of lower back pain, you may find that sleeping on your back may help alleviate this pain, whereas those who snore loud enough to wake themselves up could find deeper sleep by turning on their side. If it is heartburn and reflux that don’t allow you to sleep deeply, try sleeping on your left side2. Other times, it may be best to find the position that feels most natural and comfortable to you.

Weight/Body Type of Sleepers

Light sleepers may be more at risk for obesity³. If you are someone who struggles to get quality sleep, this can affect the bodily systems that regulate appetite and energy. Sleep deprivation is often associated with stress, and the body feels as if it needs extra energy to handle this, we receive energy from calories. Furthermore, being overweight can lead to issues such as sleep apnea or reflux, issues that may keep you from restful sleep.

When choosing a mattress, your weight and body type should be considered. For plus-size sleepers, there are many great brands on the market creating mattresses specifically for heavier bodies. Lighter and average-weight sleepers should also look at how certain beds could work for their weight. Petite sleepers, for example, may feel more comfortable on softer beds, particularly if they sleep on their side.

Firmness

If you are a light sleeper, the firmness of your mattress should be based on your personal preference. However, if you decide on a mattress that is either too hard or too soft, you could find yourself uncomfortable and waking easily.

When seeking out the firmness level that will work best for you, you will want to consider your preferred sleep position and your body type. Medium-firm mattresses tend to work for the widest range of body types and sleep positions. If you are a lighter-weight person, you will most likely sleep best on a softer mattress, and if you’re on the heavier side or someone who likes to sleep on your stomach, you may want to consider a firm mattress to help ensure a solid night’s sleep.

Cooling

Staying cool throughout the night is an important factor in sleeping well. Your sleep cycles are based on circadian rhythms that are affected by body temperature. To sleep well, the body starts lowering its temperature⁴ before bedtime and continues to do so throughout most of your sleep cycle. As morning approaches, your body will start to warm back up which signals that it is time to wake.

Breathable mattresses and beds with cooling technology help keep us from becoming too warm throughout the night. Allowing our body heat to dissipate through our mattress is one way that we can regulate our temperature and sleep more soundly.

Although memory foam has been known to sleep hot in the past, there are now many cooling options for these beds. Innerspring mattresses tend to allow for plenty of airflow, and natural latex is an airy material that helps keep temperatures down.

Motion Isolation

For light sleepers who sleep with partners, motion isolation is one of the most important factors when it comes to the type of mattress that you choose. Mattresses that isolate motion to the area where it originates can help keep light sleepers from being disturbed by their bedmate’s movements.

Memory foam beds typically do an excellent job at not allowing motion to transfer from one side of the bed to the other, but you will also be able to find some hybrid mattresses that do well in this category too since they have multiple foam layers to absorb movement and individually-wrapped coils to further reduce motion transfer.

Sex

Sexually-active couples typically enjoy beds that are more quick-responding for intimacy.

However, that can also mean the bed transfers movement more easily, which can quickly become distracting. A helpful solution is to seek out a mattress that’s going to have some bounce and responsiveness to it but one that also has motion-isolating capabilities for when it’s time to sleep. Hybrids are often a good chance because the coils create bounce while the foams on top help absorb movement.

If you are a sexually-active couple, take a look at our best mattresses for sex.

Pressure Relief

Pressure can sometimes build up around areas that come into contact with your mattress, which can lead to discomfort and prohibit light sleepers from getting adequate sleep by waking them throughout the night. Therefore, mattresses that provide pressure relief are likely to be beneficial to light sleepers.

Beds with memory foam are considered a front-runner for pressure relief, though it’s also important they’re not too firm for your body type and sleep position. Latex beds, particularly those with softer Talalay latex, can also relieve pressure well, though they’re not as slow-moving as memory foam.

Traditional innerspring models, which typically just have a thin comfort layer on top, won’t give much in terms of pressure relief though. In this case, a hybrid is a great alternative.

Read More: Best Mattresses for Pressure Relief

Edge Support

If you’ve ever had a dream where it feels like you’re falling out of bed, you know how unnerving that experience can be. As unpleasant as this sensation may be, actually falling out of bed is considerably worse, and if your bed lacks edge support, you may actually do this.

A mattress with proper edge support will allow you to utilize the whole bed without feeling as if you may fall out when you are close to the edge. This is a particularly important factor for light sleepers so they can remain comfortable along the sides of the bed, especially if spreading out from their partner means they’re less likely to wake up.

Budget

Budget is a consideration for everyone. Although finding a mattress that will help you fall into a deep slumber is the ultimate goal, you will need to do this as it pertains to your budget. Fortunately, there are a lot of quality mattresses that will help light sleepers rest more soundly that fit in a host of price ranges. Buying online direct from manufacturers can also help you save money on premium mattresses, and look for special deals around holidays throughout the year for extra savings.

Read more about our top-rated budget mattresses here.

Best Mattress for Light Sleepers FAQs

What should I do if my partner is a light sleeper?

If you’re continuously waking up your partner, there are a couple of things you can do to help them rest easier.

The first is to be more mindful of how you get into bed and whether you toss and turn during the night. If you know your partner is the type of person to wake up at the slightest disturbance, you’ll have to do your part to be less disruptive.

In this case, investing in a mattress that has superior motion isolation could be very helpful. These are the types of mattresses where you can drop a bowling ball on one side of the bed, and the glass of red wine you put on the other side won’t tip over.

The best mattresses for motion isolation are memory foam, which is a type of foam that retains the shape of your body when you lie on it. This helps decrease the experience of motion transfer because the viscous surface muffles movement across the surface of the bed.
View Our Full Guide: Best Mattresses for Couples

How do I learn to become a light sleeper?

While restful sleep is important for your overall health, there are some instances when you may want to be more of a light sleeper. New parents, for example, often wake up to care for their infant and know they must stay alert.

Along with training yourself to sleep lightly, you might also consider using a sleep app that tracks your sleeping cycles. After a number of nights, the app suggests the ideal times for you to go to sleep and wake up. It makes sense that going to bed at the right time can help train your body for better sleep.

Can light sleep cause snoring?

It’s actually the other way around. Snoring can wake you up, even if you don’t realize it. People with sleep apnea, in particular, often snore and wake up throughout the night because their breathing is obstructed and the lack of oxygen⁵ to their brain alerts them to wake up.
Read More: Why Do People Snore? and Best Mattress for Snoring