Written by Melanie Kassel, Performance Editor
Light sleepers can have a difficult time sleeping through the night. A partner stirring or getting up to go to the bathroom can wake them from a deep slumber, leaving them to a potentially challenging task of falling back to sleep again. But before you kick your partner out of bed or don a pair of noise-canceling headphones, you might be able to improve how soundly you sleep just by getting a new bed!
In this article, we share our great mattress options for light sleepers and our top recommendations for people who wake up to the slightest noise or disturbance.
Best Mattresses for Light Sleepers
- Helix Midnight – Editor’s Pick
- Nectar Premier – Best Memory Foam Mattress for Light Sleepers
- DreamCloud Premier Memory Foam – Best Luxury Mattress for Light Sleepers
- WinkBed – Best Mattress for Light Sleepers with Back Pain
- Helix Dawn – Best Mattress for Light Sleepers Who Sleep on Their Stomach
- Nolah Evolution – Best Mattress for Light Sleepers Who Sleep on Their Back
- Bear Star Hybrid – Best Cooling Mattress for Light Sleepers
- Brooklyn Bedding Essential – Best Medium-Firm Mattress for Light Sleepers
Our Video Review of Best Beds for Light Sleepers
Compare the Best Beds for Light Sleepers
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| Helix Midnight Mattress | Nectar Premier Mattress | DreamCloud Premier Memory Foam | WinkBed Mattress | Helix Dawn Mattress | Nolah Evolution Hybrid Mattress | Bear Star Hybrid Mattress | Brooklyn Bedding Essential | |
| Rating | ||||||||
| Firmness | Medium-firm: 6/10 | Medium-firm: 6.5/10 | Medium: 5.5/10 | Multiple firmness options | Firm: 7.5/10 | Multiple firmness options | Medium-firm: 6.5/10 | |
| Material | Hybrid | Foam | Foam | Hybrid | Hybrid | Hybrid | Hybrid | Hybrid |
| Cooling | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| Warranty | 10-year warranty | Lifetime warranty | Forever Warranty | Lifetime warranty | 10-year warranty | Lifetime warranty | Lifetime warranty | 10-year warranty |
| Shipping | Free shipping | Free shipping | Free shipping minus HI and AK | Free shipping | Free shipping | Free shipping | Free shipping | Free shipping |
| Trial Period | 100 nights | 365 nights | 365 nights | 120 nights | 100 nights | 120 nights | 120 nights | 120 nights |
| Best For | Couples, Back Sleepers, Side Sleepers | Side Sleepers, Back Sleepers, Hip Pain, Back Pain, Stomach Sleepers | Couples, Side Sleepers, Back Sleepers, Stomach Sleepers | Back Sleepers, Stomach Sleepers, Back Pain, Hot Sleepers, Side Sleepers, Hip Pain, Seniors | Back Sleepers, Stomach Sleepers, Couples | Side Sleepers, Back Sleepers, Hip Pain, Seniors | Joint Pain, Side Sleepers, Back Sleepers, Hot Sleepers | Back Sleepers, Side Sleepers, Hot Sleepers |
Sleep Advisor’s Testing Methodology
At Sleep Advisor, our mattress reviews are based on findings from in-person tests that give us a genuine understanding of how the mattress feels and performs.
We then take all the information we’ve gathered to rate the bed in specific categories. These results allow us to help our readers find the right mattress for their needs.
When it comes to mattresses for light sleepers, we honed in on performance features and qualities that are especially important for light sleepers and would create a bed space that leaves them less likely to wake up during the night.
What We Look for in a Mattress for Light Sleepers
Motion Isolation
Motion isolation is the bed’s ability to confine motion so that it doesn’t transfer from one side of the bed to the other. This is great if your partner is a restless sleeper since it reduces the chances of their tossing and turning waking you up.
The beds that made our list prioritize this through either an all-foam structure or if it’s a hybrid, a combination of foam and pocketed coils. You’ll find a lot of beds on this list contain memory foam, which absorbs movement well. We also made sure these beds excelled at this during our motion isolation tests; the beds on this list have either a 4 or 5 motion isolation score from our testers.
Overall Comfort
A comfy bed can certainly keep you sleeping soundly. While we all have our own comfort preferences, from our experience, comfortable beds generally have that ideal balance of both cozy pressure relief and good overall body support. These give just enough sinkage to contour the curves, but they won’t let you sink so much that it messes with your spine alignment.
With this in mind, each bed that made the cut has a 4 or 5 rating in both categories.
Medium Firmness
Going back to pressure relief and support, we typically find that beds with a medium firmness do the best at providing both support and pressure relief for most people. Our testers rate mattress firmness on a scale of 1 to 10, and a bed with a medium firmness would be between a 5 and 6.5 out of 10. All the beds on our list have firmness ratings within this range.
Best Beds for Light Sleepers Reviews
Helix Midnight – Editor’s Pick
Helix Midnight Mattress
Part of Helix’s core line of mattresses, the Midnight has a hybrid construction that’s particularly suited to back and side sleepers.
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Material
Hybrid
Trial Period
100 nights
Shipping Method
Free shipping
Firmness
Medium-firm: 6/10
Warranty
10-year warranty
Price Range
$$$$$
We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types:
Couples
This bed has great motion isolation so you will not feel your partner tossing and turning at night.
Back Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight back sleepers.
Side Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight side sleepers.Financing Options
Financing options are available for this mattress.
Helix Midnight Mattress
Part of Helix’s core line of mattresses, the Midnight has a hybrid construction that’s particularly suited to back and side sleepers.
Material
Hybrid
Warranty
10-year warranty
Firmness
Medium-firm: 6/10
Shipping Method
Free shipping
Trial Period
100 nights
Price Range
$$$$$
We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types:
Couples
This bed has great motion isolation so you will not feel your partner tossing and turning at night.
Back Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight back sleepers.
Side Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight side sleepers.Financing Options
Financing options are available for this mattress.
Helix Midnight Mattress
Part of Helix’s core line of mattresses, the Midnight has a hybrid construction that’s particularly suited to back and side sleepers.
Material
Hybrid
Firmness
Medium-firm: 6/10
Trial Period
100 nights
Warranty
10-year warranty
Shipping Method
Free shipping
Price Range
$$$$$
We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types:
Couples
This bed has great motion isolation so you will not feel your partner tossing and turning at night.
Back Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight back sleepers.
Side Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight side sleepers.Financing Options
Financing options are available for this mattress.
The Midnight, a popular hybrid mattress from Helix, contains different features that should help people who easily wake up for various reasons.
The Helix Midnight got perfect scores from our tester, Loren, for both pressure relief and support, which means it should provide optimal comfort for those struggling to sleep. Helix also aims to limit motion transfer from the coils by individually wrapping them, allowing them to move independently of one another. This is further supported by the memory foam layer, a great material for absorbing motion.
Nectar Premier – Best Memory Foam Mattress for Light Sleepers
Nectar Premier Mattress
Nectar Premier is a remarkably comfortable mattress at a reasonable price point. We think it’s an excellent buy for side sleepers and couples looking to stay cool through warm nights.
Material
Foam
Trial Period
365 nights
Shipping Method
Free shipping
Firmness
Medium-firm: 6.5/10
Warranty
Lifetime warranty
Price Range
$$$$$
We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types:
Hip Pain
This bed is perfect for anyone suffering from hip pain.
Back Pain
This bed is perfect for anyone suffering from back pain.
Back Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight back sleepers.
Side Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight side sleepers.
Stomach Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight stomach sleepers.Financing Options
Financing options are available for this mattress.
Nectar Premier Mattress
Nectar Premier is a remarkably comfortable mattress at a reasonable price point. We think it’s an excellent buy for side sleepers and couples looking to stay cool through warm nights.
Material
Foam
Warranty
Lifetime warranty
Firmness
Medium-firm: 6.5/10
Shipping Method
Free shipping
Trial Period
365 nights
Price Range
$$$$$
We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types:
Hip Pain
This bed is perfect for anyone suffering from hip pain.
Back Pain
This bed is perfect for anyone suffering from back pain.
Back Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight back sleepers.
Side Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight side sleepers.
Stomach Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight stomach sleepers.Financing Options
Financing options are available for this mattress.
Nectar Premier Mattress
Nectar Premier is a remarkably comfortable mattress at a reasonable price point. We think it’s an excellent buy for side sleepers and couples looking to stay cool through warm nights.
Material
Foam
Firmness
Medium-firm: 6.5/10
Trial Period
365 nights
Warranty
Lifetime warranty
Shipping Method
Free shipping
Price Range
$$$$$
We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types:
Hip Pain
This bed is perfect for anyone suffering from hip pain.
Back Pain
This bed is perfect for anyone suffering from back pain.
Back Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight back sleepers.
Side Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight side sleepers.
Stomach Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight stomach sleepers.Financing Options
Financing options are available for this mattress.
Memory foam is one of the most effective materials for dampening motion, so if you have a partner whose movements keep you up at night, consider an all-foam bed like the Nectar Premier. In fact, the Premier earned an impressive perfect score from our tester, Julia, during her motion isolation tests.
The Premier is designed to cradle the body and support critical areas like the shoulders, hips, legs, and lower back, all of which can help provide overall comfort.
DreamCloud Premier Memory Foam – Best Luxury Mattress for Light Sleepers
DreamCloud Premier Memory Foam
The DreamCloud Premier Memory foam mattress offers luxury pressure point relief at an affordable price.
Material
Foam
Trial Period
365 nights
Shipping Method
Free shipping minus HI and AK
Firmness
Medium: 5.5/10
Warranty
Forever Warranty
Price Range
$$$$$
We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types:
Couples
This bed has great motion isolation so you will not feel your partner tossing and turning at night.
Back Sleeping
Ideal for average weight back sleepers.
Side Sleeping
Ideal for average weight side sleepers.
Stomach Sleeping
Ideal for average weight stomach sleepers.Financing Options
Financing options are available for this mattress.
DreamCloud Premier Memory Foam
The DreamCloud Premier Memory foam mattress offers luxury pressure point relief at an affordable price.
Material
Foam
Warranty
Forever Warranty
Firmness
Medium: 5.5/10
Shipping Method
Free shipping minus HI and AK
Trial Period
365 nights
Price Range
$$$$$
We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types:
Couples
This bed has great motion isolation so you will not feel your partner tossing and turning at night.
Back Sleeping
Ideal for average weight back sleepers.
Side Sleeping
Ideal for average weight side sleepers.
Stomach Sleeping
Ideal for average weight stomach sleepers.Financing Options
Financing options are available for this mattress.
DreamCloud Premier Memory Foam
The DreamCloud Premier Memory foam mattress offers luxury pressure point relief at an affordable price.
Material
Foam
Firmness
Medium: 5.5/10
Trial Period
365 nights
Warranty
Forever Warranty
Shipping Method
Free shipping minus HI and AK
Price Range
$$$$$
We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types:
Couples
This bed has great motion isolation so you will not feel your partner tossing and turning at night.
Back Sleeping
Ideal for average weight back sleepers.
Side Sleeping
Ideal for average weight side sleepers.
Stomach Sleeping
Ideal for average weight stomach sleepers.Financing Options
Financing options are available for this mattress.
If you’re looking for a high-end mattress to help you sleep more soundly through the night, consider the DreamCloud Premier Memory Foam. As a member of the brand’s “Premier” line, it’s a step up from the core DreamCloud models.
It has no less than five layers of cushioning foam beneath its soft, cashmere blend cover, creating an oasis of pressure relief that’s also likely to stop motion transfer in its tracks. In fact, we gave it a perfect score for motion isolation: 5 out of 5.
WinkBed – Best Mattress for Light Sleepers with Back Pain
WinkBed Mattress
WinkBed is a luxury hybrid bed with a variety of comfort features that should make it a versatile pick for most sleeping positions.
Material
Hybrid
Trial Period
120 nights
Shipping Method
Free shipping
Firmness
Multiple firmness options
Warranty
Lifetime warranty
Price Range
$$$$$
We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types:
Hot Sleepers
If you often overheat while you sleep, this mattress should help you stay cool.
Seniors
This bed is perfect for senior sleepers.
Hip Pain
This bed is perfect for anyone suffering from hip pain.
Back Pain
This bed is perfect for anyone suffering from back pain.
Back Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight back sleepers.
Side Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight side sleepers.
Stomach Sleeping
Ideal for average weight stomach sleepers.Financing Options
Financing options are available for this mattress.
WinkBed Mattress
WinkBed is a luxury hybrid bed with a variety of comfort features that should make it a versatile pick for most sleeping positions.
Material
Hybrid
Warranty
Lifetime warranty
Firmness
Multiple firmness options
Shipping Method
Free shipping
Trial Period
120 nights
Price Range
$$$$$
We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types:
Hot Sleepers
If you often overheat while you sleep, this mattress should help you stay cool.
Seniors
This bed is perfect for senior sleepers.
Hip Pain
This bed is perfect for anyone suffering from hip pain.
Back Pain
This bed is perfect for anyone suffering from back pain.
Back Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight back sleepers.
Side Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight side sleepers.
Stomach Sleeping
Ideal for average weight stomach sleepers.Financing Options
Financing options are available for this mattress.
WinkBed Mattress
WinkBed is a luxury hybrid bed with a variety of comfort features that should make it a versatile pick for most sleeping positions.
Material
Hybrid
Firmness
Multiple firmness options
Trial Period
120 nights
Warranty
Lifetime warranty
Shipping Method
Free shipping
Price Range
$$$$$
We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types:
Hot Sleepers
If you often overheat while you sleep, this mattress should help you stay cool.
Seniors
This bed is perfect for senior sleepers.
Hip Pain
This bed is perfect for anyone suffering from hip pain.
Back Pain
This bed is perfect for anyone suffering from back pain.
Back Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight back sleepers.
Side Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight side sleepers.
Stomach Sleeping
Ideal for average weight stomach sleepers.Financing Options
Financing options are available for this mattress.
If you’re a light sleeper because your back pain makes it harder to doze off, a quality mattress may help alleviate your pain for a more peaceful slumber. Luckily, the WinkBed is designed to target back pain by balancing support and comfort.
One of the most important mattress components when dealing with back pain is the capability to keep the spine properly aligned. The WinkBed’s hybrid construction has zones in both its foam and coil layers to ensure lift and give in all the right places, especially when it comes to the lumbar region. The WinkBed earned a perfect 5 out of 5 for support from Loren when she tested this mattress.
Helix Dawn – Best Mattress for Light Sleepers Who Sleep on Their Stomach
Helix Dawn Mattress
This hybrid mattress was specifically designed for those who love a firm but contouring mattress.
Material
Hybrid
Trial Period
100 nights
Shipping Method
Free shipping
Firmness
Firm: 7.5/10
Warranty
10-year warranty
Price Range
$$$$$
We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types:
Couples
This bed has great motion isolation so you will not feel your partner tossing and turning at night.
Back Sleeping
Ideal for average weight back sleepers.
Stomach Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight stomach sleepers.Financing Options
Financing options are available for this mattress.
Helix Dawn Mattress
This hybrid mattress was specifically designed for those who love a firm but contouring mattress.
Material
Hybrid
Warranty
10-year warranty
Firmness
Firm: 7.5/10
Shipping Method
Free shipping
Trial Period
100 nights
Price Range
$$$$$
We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types:
Couples
This bed has great motion isolation so you will not feel your partner tossing and turning at night.
Back Sleeping
Ideal for average weight back sleepers.
Stomach Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight stomach sleepers.Financing Options
Financing options are available for this mattress.
Helix Dawn Mattress
This hybrid mattress was specifically designed for those who love a firm but contouring mattress.
Material
Hybrid
Firmness
Firm: 7.5/10
Trial Period
100 nights
Warranty
10-year warranty
Shipping Method
Free shipping
Price Range
$$$$$
We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types:
Couples
This bed has great motion isolation so you will not feel your partner tossing and turning at night.
Back Sleeping
Ideal for average weight back sleepers.
Stomach Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight stomach sleepers.Financing Options
Financing options are available for this mattress.
The Helix Dawn has a firmer feel that should accommodate most stomach sleepers. People who lie on their stomach typically feel more comfortable on firmer beds as these do a better job of preventing their midsection from sinking too far. In the case of a light sleeper, the more comfortable you are on the bed, the better your chances of sleeping through the night.
The bed’s coils should provide airflow to help keep you cool and comfy, and they’re individually wrapped to minimize motion transfer.
Nolah Evolution – Best Mattress for Light Sleepers Who Sleep on Their Back
Nolah Evolution Hybrid Mattress
Nolah’s innovative pressure-relieving abilities should be an excellent fit for side-sleepers, and if you struggle with overheating, the AirFoamICE™ technology should keep you cool all night long.
Material
Hybrid
Trial Period
120 nights
Shipping Method
Free shipping
Firmness
Multiple firmness options
Warranty
Lifetime warranty
Price Range
$$$$$
We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types:
Seniors
This bed is perfect for senior sleepers.
Hip Pain
This bed is perfect for anyone suffering from hip pain.
Back Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight back sleepers.
Side Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight side sleepers.Financing Options
Financing options are available for this mattress.
Nolah Evolution Hybrid Mattress
Nolah’s innovative pressure-relieving abilities should be an excellent fit for side-sleepers, and if you struggle with overheating, the AirFoamICE™ technology should keep you cool all night long.
Material
Hybrid
Warranty
Lifetime warranty
Firmness
Multiple firmness options
Shipping Method
Free shipping
Trial Period
120 nights
Price Range
$$$$$
We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types:
Seniors
This bed is perfect for senior sleepers.
Hip Pain
This bed is perfect for anyone suffering from hip pain.
Back Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight back sleepers.
Side Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight side sleepers.Financing Options
Financing options are available for this mattress.
Nolah Evolution Hybrid Mattress
Nolah’s innovative pressure-relieving abilities should be an excellent fit for side-sleepers, and if you struggle with overheating, the AirFoamICE™ technology should keep you cool all night long.
Material
Hybrid
Firmness
Multiple firmness options
Trial Period
120 nights
Warranty
Lifetime warranty
Shipping Method
Free shipping
Price Range
$$$$$
We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types:
Seniors
This bed is perfect for senior sleepers.
Hip Pain
This bed is perfect for anyone suffering from hip pain.
Back Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight back sleepers.
Side Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight side sleepers.Financing Options
Financing options are available for this mattress.
Back sleepers need a balance of pressure relief and support to keep the spine aligned and prevent back pain while still getting some cushioning for the lighter areas. This hybrid has medium firmness that should fit most back sleepers, even petite ones.
The Nolah Evolution mattress is good at isolating motion, which is also important for light sleepers. You can feel some movement due to the coils, but we don’t think this will disturb you unless your partner jumps on their side of the bed.
Bear Star Hybrid – Best Cooling Mattress for Light Sleepers
Bear Star Hybrid Mattress
The Bear Hybrid is an appealing product because it should cater to a wide variety of sleepers.
Material
Hybrid
Trial Period
120 nights
Shipping Method
Free shipping
Firmness
Medium-firm: 6.5/10
Warranty
Lifetime warranty
Price Range
$$$$$
We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types:
Hot Sleepers
If you often overheat while you sleep, this mattress should help you stay cool.
Joint Pain
This bed is perfect for anyone suffering from joint pain.
Back Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight back sleepers.
Side Sleeping
Ideal for average weight side sleepers.Financing Options
Financing options are available for this mattress.
Bear Star Hybrid Mattress
The Bear Hybrid is an appealing product because it should cater to a wide variety of sleepers.
Material
Hybrid
Warranty
Lifetime warranty
Firmness
Medium-firm: 6.5/10
Shipping Method
Free shipping
Trial Period
120 nights
Price Range
$$$$$
We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types:
Hot Sleepers
If you often overheat while you sleep, this mattress should help you stay cool.
Joint Pain
This bed is perfect for anyone suffering from joint pain.
Back Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight back sleepers.
Side Sleeping
Ideal for average weight side sleepers.Financing Options
Financing options are available for this mattress.
Bear Star Hybrid Mattress
The Bear Hybrid is an appealing product because it should cater to a wide variety of sleepers.
Material
Hybrid
Firmness
Medium-firm: 6.5/10
Trial Period
120 nights
Warranty
Lifetime warranty
Shipping Method
Free shipping
Price Range
$$$$$
We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types:
Hot Sleepers
If you often overheat while you sleep, this mattress should help you stay cool.
Joint Pain
This bed is perfect for anyone suffering from joint pain.
Back Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight back sleepers.
Side Sleeping
Ideal for average weight side sleepers.Financing Options
Financing options are available for this mattress.
Many folks understandably have a tough time falling asleep if their mattress feels like the Sahara desert. This is where a good cooling bed can help.
The Bear Star Hybrid provides cooling through multiple materials, including a Celliant® cover, copper-infused memory foam, and coils. However, it also has the advantage of a medium-firm feel combined with good pressure relief and support, all of which should help contribute to a more comfortable sleeping environment for light sleepers.
Brooklyn Bedding Essential – Best Medium-Firm Mattress for Light Sleepers
Brooklyn Bedding Essential
The Brooklyn Essential is an impressively affordable hybrid with a simple yet satisfying construction.
Material
Hybrid
Trial Period
120 nights
Shipping Method
Free shipping
Firmness
Medium-firm: 6.5/10
Warranty
10-year warranty
Price Range
$$$$$
We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types:
Hot Sleepers
If you often overheat while you sleep, this mattress should help you stay cool.
Back Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight back sleepers.
Side Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight side sleepers.Financing Options
Financing options are available for this mattress.
Brooklyn Bedding Essential
The Brooklyn Essential is an impressively affordable hybrid with a simple yet satisfying construction.
Material
Hybrid
Warranty
10-year warranty
Firmness
Medium-firm: 6.5/10
Shipping Method
Free shipping
Trial Period
120 nights
Price Range
$$$$$
We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types:
Hot Sleepers
If you often overheat while you sleep, this mattress should help you stay cool.
Back Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight back sleepers.
Side Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight side sleepers.Financing Options
Financing options are available for this mattress.
Brooklyn Bedding Essential
The Brooklyn Essential is an impressively affordable hybrid with a simple yet satisfying construction.
Material
Hybrid
Firmness
Medium-firm: 6.5/10
Trial Period
120 nights
Warranty
10-year warranty
Shipping Method
Free shipping
Price Range
$$$$$
We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types:
Hot Sleepers
If you often overheat while you sleep, this mattress should help you stay cool.
Back Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight back sleepers.
Side Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight side sleepers.Financing Options
Financing options are available for this mattress.
The Brooklyn Bedding Brooklyn Essential is a hybrid model with a medium firmness that should accommodate most sleepers, including couples. It incorporates several features that should help curb motion transfer for those easily disturbed by their partner’s movements, including high-density comfort layers at the top and individually encased coils. The coils also foster airflow for added cooling.
What Is a Mattress for Light Sleepers?
A light sleeper is someone easily awakened by small noises or movements, such as a dog barking outside or a sleeping partner changing positions throughout the night. One way to get better sleep is to invest in a mattress that benefits those who are easily awakened.
A good mattress for light sleepers is designed to minimize potential distractions such as movement and fosters a more comfortable sleeping experience.
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.
Motion Isolation
For light sleepers, particularly those sharing a bed, motion isolation is one of the most important factors in a mattress. 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 can also find some hybrid mattresses that do well at this, too, since they have multiple foam layers to absorb movement and individually wrapped coils to further reduce motion transfer.
Overall Comfort
An obvious one, but a comfortable mattress is going to be helpful if you’re already having a tough time sleeping. We generally consider a comfortable mattress to have a balance of good pressure relief and support.
Support
Good support is what’s going to help keep your spine in a healthy alignment to prevent or alleviate back pain. Our team tests support by lying on the mattress in different positions, evaluating whether we feel our heaviest areas, like the hips, sinking too much. A supportive bed will keep these heaviest parts lifted.
Pressure Relief
Pressure can sometimes build up around areas that come into contact with your mattress, which can quickly become uncomfortable and make it that much harder to fall and stay asleep. With this in mind, mattresses that excel at pressure relief can be beneficial to light sleepers.
Beds with memory foam are considered a front-runner for this, while still providing you with good motion isolation to prevent unwanted disturbances.
Read More: Best Mattresses for Pressure Relief
Firmness
A mattress’s firmness level is how hard or soft the bed feels, and we rate this on a 1-10 scale, with 10 being the firmest feel possible. Firmer beds should be better at supporting you in different positions, but softer ones are generally better at pressure relief. The trick is to find a balance between the two, which is why we think medium or medium-firm beds are a good place to begin your new mattress search if you’re a light sleeper.
That said, certain groups of people might benefit more from something softer or firmer than this. For example, a lighter-weight side sleeper might need a soft mattress to ensure they’re cushioned enough, whereas a plus-size stomach support person could benefit from a firmer bed that’ll keep their hips lifted.
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 sits below a thinner comfort layer, usually made of foam or fiber.
While innerspring beds can offer great benefits like support, airflow, and bounce, they also have some qualities that could be drawbacks for 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 typically have a base made from coils and several comfort layers consisting of foam that rest on top of them. 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. One reason for this is that the coils in hybrids are usually individually wrapped, and the other is that the foam on top helps absorb movement, especially if it’s memory foam.
Memory Foam Mattresses
By combining polyurethane with other chemicals, memory foam mattresses can 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.
The downside to this material is that it can more easily retain heat, but many brands incorporate open-cell memory foam or gel-infused memory foam to offset this.
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. There is also synthetic latex, which 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 well, so you’re more likely to feel movements made by co-sleepers.
Other Considerations When Shopping for a Mattress for Light Sleepers
Sleeping Position
Your mattress should work with your preferred sleeping position, not against it, and certain beds are better for some positions more than others.
- Back sleepers – This group is often a good match for medium-firm beds that’ll keep their lower back lifted while still providing some cushioning for the shoulders.
- Side sleepers – These folks put the majority of their weight in the hip and shoulder, so pressure relief is key, which is why we often recommend soft to medium-firm beds for them, depending on their body weight.
- Stomach sleepers – Stomach sleepers often run the risk of their lower back hyperextending if their hips aren’t supported enough. This is why they often gravitate towards firmer beds.
- Combination sleepers – Combination sleepers usually need a versatile medium/medium-firm feel that’s going to work better for multiple positions. That said, the bed should also be responsive enough that they can easily change positions.
Weight/Body Type of Sleepers
Your weight will impact how much pressure you put on a mattress, so you’ll want to consider this to ensure whichever mattress you get will work well for your body type. This is also an important consideration in our testing process, which is why we like to have testers of different body types try a mattress.
- Lightweight sleepers (less than 130 lbs) – Lightweight people won’t press into a mattress as much, so they usually need softer beds so that their mattress doesn’t feel so firm that it’s uncomfortable. Depending on their sleep position, we find that this group can go with either a soft or medium-firm mattress.
- Average-weight sleepers (130-230 lbs) – Average-weight folks are usually a good fit for medium/medium-firm beds, though some stomach sleepers in this weight group may prefer firm mattresses.
- Heavyweight sleepers (230+ lbs) – For plus-size sleepers, there are many great brands on the market creating mattresses specifically for heavier bodies. Often, firmer beds help keep heavier sleepers well-supported, especially if they like to lie on their stomach.
Cooling / Temperature Regulation
How many times have you woken up from feeling too warm, especially during summer nights? That’s where breathable, temperature-regulating mattresses can help.
For light sleepers, a good choice is often a hybrid mattress that also has cooling features in the foam and/or cover. This is because the coils and other cooling technologies can work together to keep the space cool and comfy.
We use a heat gun to get real data to help us see how well a bed does at this. We take an initial temperature of the mattress before lying on it. We then lie on the bed for five minutes before taking another reading. The final step is to lie on the bed for another five minutes and take a third temperature reading. If a bed doesn’t have a high-temperature jump within that time frame, that tells us those cooling mechanisms are actually working.
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.
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 might 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
Although finding a mattress that will help you fall into a deep slumber is the ultimate goal, you also need one that fits within your budget. Fortunately, there are a lot of affordable, well-made mattresses that will help light sleepers rest more soundly. Buying online direct from manufacturers can also help you save money on premium beds, 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 your partner is a light sleeper, you’ll want to be 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.
Of course, there are a slew of other factors that can keep your partner up at night, so it’s a good idea to talk about what’s distracting them and how you can help.
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.
In this case, it might help to set up alarm times throughout the night on your cell phone. This could help train your body to expect those nightly alarms, which may help you sleep more lightly. That said, we don’t recommend this as a long-term habit since it could be harmful to your health in the long run.
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 often snore and wake up throughout the night because their breathing is obstructed, and the lack of oxygen to their brain alerts them to wake up.1
Read More: Why Do People Snore? and Best Mattress for Snoring
| Mattress | Best For | Price (Queen Size) | Review |
| Helix Midnight | Editor’s Pick | $1,199 | Helix Midnight Mattress Review |
| Nectar Premier | Memory Foam | $1,499 | Nectar Premier Mattress Review |
| DreamCloud Premier Memory Foam | Luxury | $2,032 | DreamCloud Premier Memory Foam Mattress Review |
| WinkBed | Back Pain | $1,799 | WinkBed Mattress Review |
| Helix Dawn | Stomach Sleepers | $1,373.80 | Helix Dawn Mattress Review |
| Nolah Evolution | Back Sleepers | $1,199 | Nolah Evolution Mattress Review |
| Bear Star Hybrid | Cooling | $1,998 | Bear Star Hybrid Mattress Review |
| Brooklyn Bedding Brooklyn Essential | Medium Firm | $932 | Pending |
Melanie Kassel
Performance Editor
About Author
As Sleep Advisor’s Performance Editor and a certified sleep science coach, Melanie writes and edits content throughout the site to ensure it’s accurate, engaging, and up-to-date.
Combination Sleeper
Education & Credentials
- Certified Sleep Science Coach
References:
- “Sleep Apnea”. Cleveland Clinic. Last modified November 15, 2022.