Nothing beats the feeling of drifting off to sleep on a soft mattress. If there’s one thing the story of Goldilocks taught us, it’s that comfort is different for everyone. The softest, most comfortable mattress depends on your body size and how you sleep.
Instead of sleeping on a brick, you’ll sleep on the clouds on the best soft mattresses. A soft mattress gently contours lighter sleepers, so petite sleepers prefer it. They sink too much for larger people, so you’ll need something firmer. Side sleepers should choose soft mattresses.
Which Type of Mattress Is the Softest?
Some people like to sleep on a soft mattress. Choosing the softest mattress may provide comfort that helps you sleep. Over time, soft mattresses can cause spine alignment and joint pressure. The best soft mattresses provide enough support.
For the list below, we focused on soft mattresses, but all of our top picks excel in certain areas that set them apart. Performance criteria were durability, design, materials, temperature control, and motion isolation. Pricing and value were important because the best soft mattress has more layers and costs.
Helix Sunset
The Helix Sleep Sunset has a mixed-foam comfort system that closely fits the body. This is the best rated soft mattress that got the best reviews from side sleepers who weighed less than 130 pounds, but most back and stomach sleepers said it was uncomfortable to sink in. The Sunset is priced similarly to other luxury hybrids, and shipping to all 50 states is free.
Nolah Evolution 15
The Nolah Evolution 15 is a luxury hybrid with a foam comfort system on top of zoned pocketed coils. There are three levels of firmness, including a medium level that closely follows the shape of your body for those who like softer mattresses. The open-cell foams are made to help airflow and not hold heat, so even though the mattress is deep, you will sleep cool on it.
Brooklyn Bedding Aurora Luxe
This is another listed best soft mattresses for you. The Aurora Luxe from Brooklyn Bedding is a hybrid Euro-top bed that keeps you at a comfortable temperature. The top comfort layer and cover are made with phase-change material, which is made to get rid of body heat and help you sleep cool all year long. The mattress closely fits the shape of your body and is best for side sleepers and anyone else who wants a deep mattress cushion.
Puffy Lux Hybrid
These are all things that the Puffy Lux Hybrid has. The many layers of foam in this hybrid mattress make it very soft. The Lux Hybrid is 12 inches thick and has six full foam layers and pocketed coils. It is Puffy’s most popular mattress.
WinkBeds GravityLux
The Winkbeds GravityLux mattress is the best soft mattress for side sleepers, stomach, back, or a combination of all four, as well as for back pain sufferers and couples who want to reduce motion transfer. Winkbeds lets you pick the size and level of firmness of your mattress so that you can get the softest, most comfortable one. This mattress has several layers of thick, proprietary foam and seven support layers.
Layla Memory Foam Mattress
The Layla Memory Foam Mattress is the best mattress for back pain on a budget option for those who want a plush, pillowy bed with a few extra features for a good night’s sleep. The mattress has a soft and medium-firm side, so you can try both in your bedroom—copper gel foam firms under pressure.
The Sparrow Signature Hybrid Mattress
The Nest Sparrow Hybrid has three different levels of firmness: plush, medium, and firm. Nest also lets customers change the firmness by ordering a different top layer of foam, which can be changed at home if the bed isn’t quite right. It makes changing your mattress less time-consuming and wasteful than with other companies, and you don’t have to give up on your sleep.
Leesa Legend Mattress
The mattress has two different kinds of foam on top of a zoned layer made of foam and micro-pocket springs. This layer is meant to block out motion. Underneath is a transition layer, then a layer of “quick response” springs, and finally, a layer of support. The combination makes this the softest mattress Leesa makes, which the company says can help with back pain.
Saatva Classic Mattress
This hybrid mattress comes in three firmnesses. The “Plush Soft” version, according to Saatva, is a three on its firmness scale. It makes it feel soft and close to your body, which is excellent for people who sleep on their sides. No matter what firmness you choose, the Classic has the same spring base, so the edges are always supported.
Bear Elite Hybrid
The Luxury Plush design of the Bear Elite Hybrid has deep contouring to relieve pressure along the spine. However, zoned transitional and coil layers should keep you from sinking too much. The mattress sleeps very coolly because it has a cool cover and steady airflow through the support core. The top layer of the Elite Hybrid is made of copper-infused memory foam. Copper has natural cooling properties.
Is It Better to Sleep on a Stiff or Soft Mattress?
When buying a mattress, you want to get the right kind for your needs. After all, the right mattress is the first step to a good night’s sleep. There are so many best soft mattresses today that choosing can take time.
Choosing between a hard and soft mattress is an excellent place to start. Both are cool, but how do you pick the winner? Let’s check out the good and bad things about these two options so you can figure out which one is right for you!
Soft Mattresses
Soft mattresses have lighter springs or settings that let a person gently sink into the bed. Soft mattresses aren’t very firm, so they are great for people with sore muscles and joints. It makes it easier for the muscles and joints to stay in place. Some soft mattresses, like those made of memory foam, are easier to move around than traditional ones.
Since a softer mattress is firmer than a hard one, it wouldn’t help or improve the alignment of your spine. Since softer mattresses are newer than traditional ones, they can be more expensive. A softer mattress can make a person gently sink into them, a heavier person may find that a softer mattress wears out more quickly in the long run.
Stiff Mattresses
The coils or firm settings on a hard or firm mattress keep a person from sinking into the mattress. When you lay on a hard mattress, your body can be in the right place. It, in turn, can lessen many types of body pain and help with posture in the long run.
Like any other purchase, getting the wrong kind of mattress can be bad in a few ways. Depending on how bad a person’s lower back pain is, a firm bed may make it worse because it doesn’t offer gentle support. If someone isn’t used to a firm bed, it could take a week or more for them to get used to a hard mattress.
Bottom Line
When looking for the best soft mattresses, a person should think about their preferences and any health issues, like back pain, that they might have. You might not want a soft mattress if you sleep on your back or stomach. Also, people who weigh more may need to be more comfortable on soft mattresses.
Many mattress brands let people try them out for 100 nights or more so they can see how they feel and return them if they don’t work. If someone worries about their sleep or has back pain that won’t go away, they should talk to a doctor or nurse for advice. Visit Call-a-Mattress to learn more about best soft mattresses.
