Best Mattress For Athletes 2024

Our Expert’s Take

All of Bear’s mattresses stand out for their Celliant covers, which offer some unique benefits for athletes and active sleepers. Celliant is designed to improve blood flow and also speed up muscle recovery. It’s also good for cooling. This could be good news for athletes looking to get rest between workouts.

In addition to the Celliant cover, Bear mattresses each have their own individual strengths, too. In the case of the Bear Elite Hybrid, it layers slow-moving gel foam atop a layer of individually wrapped coils at the bottom of the bed. This gives the mattress a combination of comfort and support that should work well for most sleepers.

What We Love About the Bear Elite Hybrid

• Celliant fibers have cooling properties that could be attractive to all types of sleepers. There’s also an infusion of graphite in the Bear Elite Hybrid’s top comfort layer.
• The Elite Hybrid is available in three firmness levels: Soft, Medium, and Firm. The Medium option is a good option for most side sleepers, but if you’re looking for extra pressure relief and contouring , opt for the Soft model. 
• Its pocketed coils give the Bear Elite Hybrid fantastic edge support, so you should feel supported when sleeping near the edge of the bed.

What to Keep in Mind About the Bear Elite Hybrid

• Unless you’re a back sleeper, sleepers who weigh over 230 lbs probably won’t find enough support on this mattress.
• Since the Elite Hybrid has a responsive feel, it doesn’t isolate motion as well as other all-foam mattresses. 

Other User Reviews

The Bear Elite Hybrid has a 4.6/5 star rating based on 3,702 reviews on the Bear website. Many customers enjoyed how comfortable, supportive, and temperature-regulating the Elite Hybrid is. A few customers who purchased the Medium model thought it was softer than medium-firm.

Read our full Bear Elite Hybrid mattress review for more information. Or check out our list of Best Mattresses for more great options.

Our Expert’s Take

If you’re coming home from the field or gym and want to sleep in the lap of luxury, the Saatva mattress is a great way to go. The Saatva is a hybrid mattress that features two sets of coils, topped with foam, a plush pillow top, and an organic cotton cover. This design will give you the experience of sleeping on a luxurious hotel mattress. 

Besides looking and feeling fancy, the Saatva is also great for athletes in a few ways. First off, it comes in multiple firmness options, so you’ll likely get the comfort and support you need, no matter what position you sleep in. In addition, the combination of two sets of coils and a breathable cover will prevent the mattress from trapping heat. A cool night of sleep may help even the most exhausted athlete will get the rest and recovery they require.

What We Love About the Saatva

• It is available in multiple firmnesses. Side sleepers may prefer the Plush Soft model, back sleepers may opt for the Luxury Firm, and stomach sleepers will probably choose the Firm model. 
• Its two layers of innerspring coils allow for a great deal of airflow. We’ve named the Saatva Classic as one of the best cooling mattresses. 
• The bed’s zoning makes it a good option for people with pain issues. Back, neck, and shoulder pain are common problems for athletes, but the zoned Saatva will keep you in good alignment to prevent and ease joint and back pain.

What to Keep in Mind About the Saatva

• The Saatva doesn’t offer the best body contouring. While it does feature some foam in its construction, you aren’t going to feel the mattress hug your curves. If you like to feel like this after a workout, consider a memory foam mattress instead. 
• It costs more than some mattresses on this list. You get a lot for your money, but if you are on a tight budget, you may need to keep hunting for a different mattress.

Other User Reviews

The Saatva Classic has a 4.8 out of 5 star rating from 3,297 customer ratings on the Saatva website. Customers praise Saatva for their quality customer service and white glove delivery experience and how well-made the Saatva Classic is. Some customers who left negative reviews found the Saatva Classic to be too firm, regardless of what model they bought.

Read our full Saatva mattress review for more information. Or check out our list of Best Luxury Mattresses 2024 for more great options.

Our Expert’s Take

The Nectar Luxe not only may promote deep sleep for athletes — it can help them stay cool all night long with advanced cooling features. Its soft, copper-infused cover helps pull heat away from the body during post-workout slumbers. Plus, its memory foam comfort layer has gel running throughout it, which also likely helps sleepers stay cool.

It has a fairly simple construction, but it’s made entirely from sustainable CertiPUR-US certified foams. All Nectar mattresses also come with a Forever warranty and free returns.

What We Love About the Nectar Luxe

• Its soft comfort layers offer a ton of pressure relief, which makes it potentially appealing to side-sleeping athletes, especially if they experience joint pain.
• The Nectar Luxe isolates motion well and works great for couples.
• Nectar mattresses come with a 365-night sleep trial and a forever warranty for the lifespan of your mattress. 

What to Keep in Mind About the Nectar Luxe

• Although this is an all-foam mattress, the Nectar Luxe does not have a traditional slow-moving foam feel. Its high-density base foam gives the mattress a decent amount of bounce. 
• Since Nectar is a bed-in-a-box company, you may observe some initial off-gassing that should dissipate after 48 hours. 

Other User Reviews

On the Nectar website, the Nectar Luxe mattress has received over 2,000 customer reviews and has an average rating of 4.5/5 stars. Side sleepers and hot sleepers love the Luxe’s soft gel-infused memory foam that keeps them comfortable and cool. A few negative reviews mention that this mattress does not have the best edge support.

Read our full Nectar Luxe mattress review for more information. Or check out our list of the best cooling mattresses for more great options.

Our Expert’s Take

If you’re a back sleeper, you’ll likely need a particularly supportive mattress. The DreamCloud mattress definitely fits the bill. This mattress is a whole point firmer than the industry standard, offering potentially ample lumbar support.

This budget-friendly hybrid mattress has many high-end features, such as cashmere-blend cover and durable spring coils. Its breathable construction allows tons of room for airflow, so you shouldn’t overheat at night. However, it’s important to note that this mattress doesn’t isolate motion very well. If you share a bed with a partner, you may want to consider getting one of the best mattresses for couples.

What We Love About the DreamCloud

• The DreamCloud mattress is built with several layers of CertiPUR-US Certified foams. That means that its foams are made without harmful chemicals and materials and have low volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions.
• This mattress is very breathable. The cashmere cover is thin and stretchy, and the innerspring coils allow room for airflow. It could be a good option if you tend to feel hot at night. 
• The DreamCloud is slightly firmer than the industry standard of medium-firmness. Its supportive feel and touch of plushness on top is great for back sleeping. 

What to Keep in Mind About the DreamCloud

• The DreamCloud mattress might not be the best option for couples. It doesn’t isolate motion well, and it lacks good edge support.
• It may not offer enough pressure relief for side sleepers. Because it’s firmer than average, side sleepers may feel some tension along their shoulders and hips.

Other User Reviews

The DreamCloud Hybrid mattress has a 4.6/5 star rating based on 8,715 customer reviews left on the DreamCloud website. Customers love how supportive the DreamCloud is and how it has helped alleviate users’ back pain. Some customers were not pleased with how firm the DreamCloud mattress felt, especially for side sleeping.

Read our full DreamCloud mattress review for more information. Or check out our list of Best Mattresses for Back Sleepers for more great options.

Our Expert’s Take

Larger athletes may need mattresses that offer plenty of support, just like the Helix Midnight. On our firmness scale, this bed feels like a 7/10 — a half point higher than the industry standard. This means the mattress potentially works well for heavier back and side sleepers. Plus, when our heaviest 6’7″ tester rested on the edge of the bed, the periphery only sank 2.25″ — another good indicator of the bed’s support. If you want a more customized recommendation, however, you can always take the sleep quiz on Helix’s website.

What We Love About the Helix Midnight

• The individually wrapped coils promote airflow and responsiveness — testers gave the bed a 4/5 response score for the bed’s ease of movement.
• In addition to coils, the bed has other cooling features, like a soft cover that feels especially breathable and gel-infused memory foam. When measuring the bed’s surface temperature with our heat gun before and after a sleeper laid there, the bed’s surface rose more than a sliver (3.4 degrees F), but far less than a bed without cooling features, earning a 4/5 cooling score.
• Even with the innerspring layer adding bounce, the Helix Memory Plus Foam has a slightly slow-moving feel that conforms to your body and provides excellent pressure relief. 
• Athletes 230 lbs or slightly over should get the proper amount of support from the coils. However, folks closer to 300 lbs might want to look at some of the other mattresses on the Helix site.

What to Keep in Mind About the Helix Midnight

• The Helix Midnight won’t offer enough support to heavyweight stomach sleepers. 
• Because the Helix Midnight is a bed-in-a-box mattress, you might notice a slight chemical smell after you unbox its. This is called off-gassing, and should disappear after 48 hours. 

Other User Reviews

On the Helix website, the Helix Midnight has a 4.5 out of 5 star rating based on 6,634 reviews. Several customers said the Helix Midnight has improved their sleep quality and feels like the perfect combination of comfort and support. A few reviews mention the Helix Midnight was slightly softer and not as supportive as the reviewers expected.

Read our full Helix Midnight mattress review for more information. Or check out our list of Best Mattresses for Heavy People for more great options.

Our Expert’s Take

Memory foam is a material known for its contouring properties, and it can be especially comfortable for athletes who are looking for recovery. With this in mind, athletes should consider the Bear Original mattress. Its thick layer of memory foam offers some of the best contouring around and will hug your body when you lie down. 

While memory foam is extremely comfortable, it can also trap body heat and make you overheat during the night. However, this should not be an issue with the Bear. Its memory foam is gel-infused which will help dissipate heat, and both the Tencel cover and optional Celliant cover will also keep the top of the mattress nice and breathable.

What We Love About the Bear

• The medium firmness makes it a good choice for back sleepers. Athletes will lie down on their back and may feel good support while the memory foam hugs their bodies. 
• Its slow-moving foam feel should offer most sleepers ample pressure relief while still being very supportive. 
• While it is an all-foam mattress, the Bear shouldn’t make athletes sleep hot. If you sleep particularly hot, you could opt for the Celliant cover, which will help you sleep even cooler.

What to Keep in Mind About the Bear

• If you just sleep on your stomach, the Bear Original probably won’t be firm enough for you. You may want to find a firm mattress to give you more support under your hips. 
• Heavier athletes likely won’t get the best pressure relief while side sleeping. They might press too far into the mattress and feel more pressure build up around the shoulders and hips.

Other User Reviews

On Bear’s website, the Original Bear mattress has a 4.7/5 star rating from 10,595 customer reviews. Many people found the Bear mattress super comfortable and said it helped relieve their shoulder, back, and hip pain. Some negative reviews mention the Bear mattress did not meet their firmness expectations, which can be subjective based on your sleep position and body type.

Read our full Bear Original mattress review for more information. Or check out our list of Best Memory Foam Mattresses 2024 for more great options.

Our Expert’s Take

The WinkBed mattress contains high-quality coils and a luxurious tufted pillow top. But the best thing about this mattress is its versatility. It’s available in four firmness levels: Softer, Luxury Firm, Firmer, and Plus (for heavier people). The Luxury Firm model feels slightly firmer than average, which likely works well for many back and stomach sleepers. If you often rest on your side, the Softer model may be a good match. 

No matter which option you choose, you can rest easy knowing this mattress is durable and long-lasting. Thanks to its sturdy coils, it should last at least a decade. However, it’s important to note that this mattress has a traditional innerspring feel. If you want something slow-moving and plush, you may want to consider the Nolah instead.

What We Love About the WinkBed

• The Luxury Firm model is great for combination sleepers, thanks to its supportive feel and comfy pillow top.
• The WinkBed’s cover is made from moisture-wicking Tencel, and underneath is a layer of gel-infused memory foam. The WinkBed is a great pick for hot sleepers.  
• Its pocketed coil layer is zoned to provide extra lumbar support to help keep your spine in proper alignment. 

What to Keep in Mind About the WinkBed

• If you prefer a slow-moving feel, you may want to consider getting an all-foam mattress. The WinkBed mattress feels particularly bouncy.
• The WinkBed is not the most budget-friendly mattress on this list, but if you wait for a holiday sale, you could buy a queen size WinkBed for under $1,500.

Other User Reviews

On WinkBed’s website, The WinkBed mattress has an impressive 4.8/5 star rating from over 8,500 customer reviews. Many customers were impressed by the WinkBed’s quality construction, bouncy feel, and easy setup. A few people said the mattress felt either too soft or too firm for their liking.

Read our full WinkBed mattress review for more information. Or check out our list of Best Mattresses for Combo Sleepers for more great options.

Our Expert’s Take

While the Brooklyn Bedding Spartan comes in three firmnesses, the soft mattress will work well for athletes who may need pressure relief in their shoulders and hips while they sleep.

This bed has coils for support and three foam layers for comfort. The slow-moving comfort layers cushion joints and help alleviate pressure for side sleepers. Plus, this mattress has a Smart Fabric Performance Cover, which helps promote blood flow and muscle recovery.

What We Love About the Spartan

• The Spartan is offered in multiple firmness levels. The Soft model will be ideal for side sleepers who need a bed that won’t cause pressure build-up in shoulders and hips.
• The cooling cover helps promote muscle recovery, which is great for athletes.
• It’s very affordable, especially if you shop during a holiday sale period.

What to Keep in Mind About the Spartan

• The foam comfort layers make this mattress very plush and slow-moving, so if you would rather sleep “on top of” your mattress, rather than “inside it,” you may want to look elsewhere.
• This bed doesn’t offer the best edge support. If you’re sleeping with a partner and tend to sleep towards the edge of this mattress, you may not feel very supported here.

Other User Reviews

The Brooklyn Bedding Spartan has a 4.7/5 star rating from over 10,000 customer reviews on the Brooklyn Bedding website. Many side and combination sleepers found the Spartan very comfortable and pressure-relieving. A few negative reviews claimed that the mattress started to sag after a few years of consistent use. 

Read our full Brooklyn Bedding Spartan mattress review for more information. Or check out our list of Best Mattresses for Side Sleepers for more great options.

Our Expert’s Take

Hybrid mattresses balance the support of durable innerspring coils and the comfort and responsiveness of foam or latex. The Nolah Evolution Hybrid mattress is made with several layers of pressure-relieving foam and an 8” zoned coil support system. This zoning is designed to provide extra firmness in the lumbar region for sleepers to maintain spinal alignment. 

This hybrid mattress comes with advanced cooling features to prevent heat from trapping and regulate body temperature. The Nolah Evolution’s comfort layer is made with AirFoamICE infused with graphite to potentially keep athletes sleeping cool and comfortable. This high-end mattress may be ideal for most back and side sleepers and is built to last at least 10 years.

What We Love About the Nolah Evolution

• The Nolah Evolution is available in three firmness levels: Plush, Luxury Firm, and Firm. We reviewed the Luxury Firm model which is medium-firm and a good option for most back and side sleepers. 
• This hybrid mattress boasts several cooling features including a heat-dissipating cover, graphite-infused memory foam, and a heat escape gusset. 
• Its innerspring coil layer is zoned to provide extra lumbar support and is less firm around the head and foot of the mattress. 

What to Keep in Mind About the Nolah Evolution

• This is one of Nolah’s more luxurious models, and it may be out of some shopper’s budgets. 
• The Luxury Firm option might not be firm enough to support stomach sleeper’s hips. Stomach sleepers may want to opt for the Firm model.

Other User Reviews

On Nolah’s website, the Nolah Evolution 15” has an impressive 4.9 out of 5 star rating. Top reviews mention how customers wake up feeling well-rested and have fewer aches and pains in the morning. Keep in mind that visitors to the Nolah website cannot sort or filter through all customer reviews for a given product. 

Read our full Nolah Evolution Hybrid mattress review for more information. Or check out our list of Best Hybrid Mattresses for more great options.