by According to sleep experts, athletes need mattresses that are best at aiding recovery and improving their overall performance. Generally, highly firm mattresses offer amazing pressure relief and exceptional lumbar support. In addition, athletes need to get very good sleep, which comes with having a great mattress.
Let’s find out everything you need to know about the top 10 mattresses that are a good choice for athletes.
What Are the Best Mattresses for Athletes?
Top 10 Mattresses for Athletes
GhostBed Classic
- High-density support foam
- Breathable & plush knit cover
What is the best all-foam mattress with latex for athletes?
The Ghostbed Classic is a highly supportive all-foam mattress that is also very firm. It has been frequently rated 7-8/10 in terms of firmness by users of different body sizes.
This has the potential to provide excellent support to athletes, especially while lying on their backs. You will feel more like you are lying on top of the mattress and not on the mattress because of how firm this is.
Further, moving around on this bed is also pretty easy. You will not feel stuck in one place. It is not very bouncy, like a mattress with coils or springs in it, but still, it manages to give access to great mobility.
Now, if you like sleeping on your sides, you will feel the pressure build up on your shoulders, but this feeling might be different for different body types. It will work fine, however, if you are a combination sleeper and sleep both on your back and sides.
Now, sleeping on your stomachs. Most athletes would probably not prefer to sleep on their stomachs since a lot of experts do not medically recommend it. But it is worth mentioning that the Ghostbed Classic is among the few mattresses that provide good stomach sleeping support (check 10 amazing mattresses for stomach sleepers). This is mainly due to the firmness of the mattress, your hips do not sink in, and your spine stays aligned.
To further understand why this is a good choice for athletes, you should also know a thing or two about its construction. The cover is a mixture of polyester and viscose, which means it is a nice breathable material. Following that, you get latex, then gel memory foam.
The latex is soft and quickly responds to pressure, giving you mobility. And the gel memory foam gives added coolness and a slow sinking feel. So the ventilated latex layer on top defends against that sinking feeling that not all of you might like. A high-density base foam firmly supports all this.
Leesa Legend Hybrid Mattress
- Hypoallergenic cover
- For all sleep positions
What is the best hybrid mattress for athletes?
The Leesa Legend is a luxury hybrid mattress and a hot brand seller. This is a favorite amongst athletes. Let’s find out what makes it so special!
How a mattress is constructed makes a huge difference in who it fits best. The Leesa hybrid is 11 inches thick and has a thin breathable cover that encourages airflow through the mattress. Below that, the top layer is a layer of responsive poly foam that is well ventilated and adds some excellent bounce to the mattress.
Below that, you have a layer of slow-moving memory foam to give you that classic memory foam feel. In the next layer, you again have poly foam followed by supportive coils. At last, you get a small layer of poly foam that acts as a base layer for all the layers above.
How is all this good for athletes, you may ask? To start with, this mattress has good ventilation and encourages airflow, helping you sleep cool and comfortable (check 10 top rated mattresses with great comfort). Sleeping cool is very important for a night of restorative sleep. It has coils and high-density foam that will provide excellent support and the right balance of pressure relief to athletes.
Since it has a lot of foam, the Leesa Legend Hybrid is also more on the firmer side. Most users have rated it to have a firmness of 6-7.5/10, which is pretty good for athletes. If you feel that the mattress is breathable and has a lot to offer but doesn’t feel firm enough, you can always top it up with an excellent mattress topper to make it firmer for you.
Emma original
- Perfectly balanced for all body types
- Medium-firm range
What is the best all-foam mattress for athletes?
Another good mattress option for athletes is the Emma Original mattress. This is also a trusted brand amongst athletes and favored due to its overall performance, feel, and firmness levels.
To understand what makes it a good option for athletes, we must first take a deeper dive into its construction. To begin with, the Emma has a thin breathable cover that doesn’t interfere with the overall feel of the mattress.
Underneath it, the top layer is a comfort layer of Emma’s patented Airgocell foam. It has a really quick response to pressure and a medium-firm feel. It is also supposed to have this open cell ventilation system that helps with temperature regulation. With all-foam mattresses and their tendency to trap body heat, you need as much cooling and ventilation as possible.
The next layer is memory foam. Memory foam lets you sink in a little bit and provides great pressure relief, which is important for an athletic lifestyle. With the quick response to pressure combined with the sinking, firm memory foam layer, you can get amazing support and comfort in this mattress.
Lastly, you get a base layer made up of high-density poly foam. It is also firm and provides much-needed support to the top layers and the sleeper. The memory foam layer also has channels cut into specific locations in it. These are to provide zoned support to athletes, with a balance of pressure relief and support at different mattress areas.
All you need to do is put the Emma on a solid boxed frame mattress base, and you will be good to go!
Plushbeds Luxury Bliss hybrid latex mattress
- Organic
- Perfect for sensitive backs
What is the best Luxury mattress with cooling gel for athletes?
The PlushBeds is a company known for offering comfort and luxury to its customers. Suppose you are an athlete looking for this combination. You might want to stop and consider this as your option too. Plushbeds offers a variety of mattresses on the market, including the Cool Bliss.
The Cool Bliss is a hybrid mattress with memory foam and latex in its construction (check 10 great hybrid mattresses). Not only does this mattress have a nice finishing, but it also has memory foam infused with one of its kind cooling gel technology.
It is specifically designed for sleepers who need a good amount of pressure relief induced by gel memory foam. This, combined with the cooling gel, offers an amazing balance of comfort and pressure relief.
Now, let’s look at the construction to determine why the PlushBed’s Cool Bliss is a good option for athletes. The Plushbed Cool Bliss is a total of 12 inches thick. It has a high-density base layer that provides good support to the mattress and the sleepers on it. Then you have a high-density airflow layer that is perfect for giving that cooling effect.
Throw some bamboo sheets and memory foam pillows on it and have a restorative sleep your body needs after a highly active day.
Besides this, you also have natural arvika latex. Latex is a material that provides a good bounce and, in combination with the memory foam, gives you the right amount of resistance to counter the sinking feeling that memory foam has. The mattress has multiple layers designed to give you the comfort you deserve.
Layla Hybrid Mattress
- Excellent edge support
- Anti-microbial
What is the best flippable hybrid mattress for athletes?
The Layla Hybrid mattress is flippable. This means it has two sides, a softer one for those casual, relaxing days and a firmer one for your highly active days. So all you need to do is flip and enjoy a good night’s sleep.
So, the Layla Hybrid’s soft side is a 6/10 on the firmness scale. This means that it has medium firmness. As a result, it offers good contouring to your body and has a relatively softer feel.
Sleeping on your back, you will enjoy a nice sinking feel that memory foam has to offer with solid support from the coils beneath. If you prefer sleeping on your sides, you will experience good pressure relief, but sadly, this is too soft for those who like sleeping on their stomachs.
The firmer side of the Layla is a solid 7-8 /10 on the firmness scale. This means that this site is really firm and an excellent match for athletes. If you sleep on your back, you will feel some sinkage, but it will not restrict your mobility. You can easily move around the mattress without feeling stuck in it.
If you like to sleep on your side, it will feel a bit firm initially but still provides good pressure relief. As for stomach sleepers, it is better than the softer side but still not the ideal match for it.
Now, to understand what makes it a good option for athletes, let’s have a quick look at its construction. The cover is lycra, viscose, and polyester infused with cooling agents, so this will help you sleep cool. Below that, on the softer side of the mattress, you get copper-infused memory foam that is very dense and gives you a good contouring feel.
Below that, you get a zoned poly foam layer for transition; it is zoned to be firmer at the hips but softer at the shoulders, giving you good spinal alignment (check 10 amazing mattress toppers for hip pain). Below this transition layer, you get to the support center of the mattress- the pocketed coils. You then get another transition foam layer beneath that, which is another zoned layer. This one is firmer than the earlier one.
Lastly, you get another comfort layer which is copper-infused memory foam. This will be the first layer if you keep the mattress firm side up. This will work great on a boxed spring bed foundation.
Amerisleep AS5
- Pressure Relieving (great for back pain & circulation)
- 20-year warranty
What is the best soft mattress for athletes?
The Amerisleep AS 5 is a softer mattress as compared to the others in the AS series. It uses memory foam as a comfort layer, offering great contouring and pressure relief. However, it also has zoned support systems which means it will feel softer on the shoulders and firm on the hips, giving you a balanced comfort feel.
It is generally a good match for all sleeping positions except stomach sleeping. You will find it too soft for that and end up getting spinal issues because of it.
Next, let’s have a look at its constructions and see how it is a good match for athletes despite being on the softer side. The cover is made up of a sealant blend and has a nice breathable feel. Below that, you get the Amerisleep AS5 memory foam layer. You can expect to sink deep down it to this, which will be great for pressure relief and body contouring.
Generally, memory foam does trap a lot of body heat, but this has open cell technology that encourages temperature regulation and ensures a cool sleep. Below that, you get a transition layer of polyurethane foam that is firm and responds quickly. It feels exactly opposite to memory foam and is great at countering that sinking feeling you usually get with memory foam.
This layer is also zoned, ensuring spinal alignment. Next, a softer poly foam base layer gives the mattress its shape and supports the sleeper. It also has two extra transition layers and a thicker comfort layer to give that plush soft sleep.
Transformation hybrid by Diamond mattress
- Highly breathable
- Pressure relief
What is the best bed-in-a-box mattress for athletes?
The Diamond Mattress Transformation Hybrid is a popular model because of what it has to offer to athletes. The mattress is a typical bed in a box mattress that takes a good 48nhours to come into shape properly.
The Transformation Hybrid is 14 inches thick hybrid mattress. The cover is made up of breathable material. Next, you have comfort layers quilted into the cover of the mattress. You also get graphene-infused memory foam and transitional poly foam. The support core is zoned and has gauge zoned pocketed coils.
All this rests on the high-density poly foam, so you can see a lot going on in this mattress. The middle of the support core is wrapped in a foamed encasement to provide extra edge support. It has multiple firmness options, so you can choose what feels best.
It feels like a plush hybrid. You will sink into the plush comfort layers, but you won’t sink too deeply. It will give you a mixed feeling of a true hybrid mattress. Moreover, it is not particularly bouncy but does have a quick response and encourages mobility.
Molecule 2 Airtec mattress
- Antimicrobial treatment
- Cool sleep surface
What is the best all-foam mattress with open cell technology for athletes?
The Onmolecule is a brand that is a favorite amongst most athletes. This is an easy o unbox bed in a box mattress that athletes tend to love. Let us find out why.
The mattress has a cover made up of polyester and lycra treated with antimicrobial agents to keep it safe and healthy for all kinds of sleepers. Next, it has a comfort layer made up of open cell technology that encourages airflow and does not trap body heat. After this comforting memory foam layer, you have a zoned poly foam transition layer.
Zoned to provide comfort to targeted areas, support near the hips and spine to pressure relief near the shoulders. It then has a support layer of high-density foam. So, this is an all-foam mattress that is very firm and supportive.
The top layer might feel softer to some, so you can always use an appropriate mattress topper to counter that.
Spindle Organic Latex mattress
- Comfortable
- Built to last
What is the best all-natural latex mattress for athletes?
The Spindle is an all-natural Dunlop latex mattress. If you are worried about chemicals in your mattress, if you are worried about cooling, or just generally prefer all-natural products, this one might be it for you.
Let’s have a look at its construction and find out what makes it a good match for athletes. It has a thickness of 9 inches and three layers of all-natural Dunlop processed latex. Natural latex is generally very bouncy and highly responsive.
Latex is more breathable and does not trap heat, unlike memory foam, all the while providing numerous benefits like back support and comfort to athletes (also check 10 amazing mattresses for back pain). They give you three layers of latex that you can arrange and customize as you like. You can get it to be as firm or soft as possible. You can get the exact firmness that fits the needs of your athletic body.
The Spindle is a highly responsive mattress that provides amazing pressure relief and support simultaneously. If you sleep on your back or your sides, this will be amazing for your sleep. You can get the highest firmness level for stomach sleepers, and it will be a good match for you too. Regardless of your position, you will get ultimate comfort and restorative sleep. Place it on top of a solid box foundation and enjoy your sleep.
Naturepedic Chorus Organic Mattress
- Certified Organic
- Universal Comfort
What is the firmest organic mattress for athletes?
This is a really firm mattress with a rating of 9/10 on the firmness scale, so you might already know why this can be an amazing fit for athletes.
You will feel more on top of the mattress, will not sink in too much, and will be able to roll around and easily change positions on it. It gives amazing spinal alignment if you sleep on your back. It is also a very bouncy mattress that gives you amazing support with the help of pocketed coils.
Let’s have a look at its construction and determine why this is a good mattress for athletes. It has a cover with bedding material right under it that is a blend of organic cotton, organic wool, and PLA material made from sugarcanes. It has a nice soft feel to it.
Underneath that, you get micro coils which are these smaller individually wrapped coils that give you an amazing bounce and help you roll around the bed without feeling stuck. Putting it right over the pocketed coils makes it a very bouncy mobile mattress.
They are firm, provide a good balance of support and bounce to your hips, back, and shoulders. And then, the base layer is made up of the same bedding material on the top. Its construction is distinct and makes it a good match for all kinds of athletes. If you don’t enjoy its feel but want the benefits of its firmness, you can always top it up with a softer mattress topper.
Is A Firm Mattress Better for Athletes?
Yes! The firmer your mattress, the better it is for you if you are an athlete.
Research shows that people who lead an active lifestyle need a firm mattress for healthy sleep. Firmer mattresses usually offer more support, are good at relieving pressure, and help keep your spine aligned while maintaining proper body posture. All these things are necessary for athletes to stay fit and healthy during sleep.
What Mattresses Do NFL Players Use?
The NFL made a deal with a Minneapolis-based company called Sleep Number. The company makes
mattresses exclusively designed for athletes using their special SleepIQ technology. Since the deal, every NFL player is said to use these Sleep Number beds for healthy sleep.
What Mattress Do NBA Players Use?
NBA players are exceptionally tall. To accommodate their height and sleep well, NBA players are known to prefer California king beds that offer extra 6 inches.
Other than the size, like all athletes, NBA players also need firm beds to keep them well rested. In addition, they prefer mattresses that provide good lumbar support, excellent pressure relief, and body alignment.
Why Do Athletes Sleep on The Floor?
Not all, but some athletes do like sleeping on the floor without a mattress. The reason is that they need a firm area to sleep on, and nothing gets firmer than the floor itself. Sleeping on a floor for them is like getting a body massage all night long, providing excellent pressure relief to the tiny muscles that keep on developing as a result of excessive athletics.
What Kind of Mattress Is Best for Athletes?
Your body does most of its healing when you sleep at night, athletes have an exceptionally active lifestyle, and they need a mattress that helps to excel in this healing process. Some mattresses also go as far as to integrate special seep technologies in their mattresses.
What kind of mattress do Olympians use?
Olympians often use mattresses that are designed to optimize recovery and performance. Key features Olympians look for include conforming comfort for pressure relief, targeted support for alignment, cooling properties to regulate temperature, and minimal motion transfer. Many Olympians choose medium-firm mattresses around a 6-7/10 on the firmness scale. Popular mattress types used by Olympians include latex, advanced memory foam, and pocketed coil hybrids. Mattress brands designed specifically for athletes are frequently used as well.
Do I need a different mattress if I exercise regularly?
If you exercise regularly, you may benefit from a mattress tailored for athletes. Athletes exert more pressure on a mattress, so a more durable, supportive mattress optimizes recovery. Athletes also often sleep hotter, so cooling properties help. And edge support prevents “roll-off” during sleep. Look for medium-firmness, cooling features, strong edges, and materials like latex or microcoils that provide motion isolation. Zoned support relieves pressure points while reinforcing the back’s mid-section.
Verdict:
We strongly believe that there is not just one best mattress for every athlete out there. There are a few things that companies have done that can be good for athletes, but there is not just one best mattress. Different things will work for different people, so choose wisely according to your needs.