Best Mattress for Light Sleepers – Updated for 2023

As a light sleeper, finding a mattress that meets your needs gives you the best chance of achieving less-interrupted rest. The Midnight, a popular hybrid model from Helix, contains different features that should help people easily awakened for various reasons.

Hot sleepers who wake up frequently throughout the night because of overheating should appreciate the Midnight’s cooling features. These features include a breathable soft-knit cover and a layer of coils to foster airflow throughout the mattress. 

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.

Why we love it

• The Helix Midnight is rated at a medium-firm feel, which is usually the ideal comfort level for most sleepers. However, exclusive stomach sleepers or heavier individuals may prefer something firmer for better rest. 

Want to read more? Check out our full Helix Midnight review here.

If you’re looking for a high-end mattress to help you sleep more soundly through the night, consider the Saatva Memory Foam Hybrid.

People who sleep with a partner may find that when the other person moves, it easily wakes you up. A helpful solution to this is a bed with good motion isolating capabilities. Although it’s a hybrid, this mattress shouldn’t cause a lot of motion transfer across the bed, which means you’re less likely to be disturbed by your partner’s movements. This Saatva model includes memory foam, which is great at minimizing motion transfer, and the coils are pocketed to further reduce motion transfer.

If your pressure points frequently bother you throughout the night, a luxury memory foam mattress like the Saatva Modern Foam should do the trick.

What stands out about it?

• Your purchase comes with complimentary white glove delivery, which means you don’t have to do any heavy lifting.

Want to read more? Check out our complete Saatva brand review here.

Combination sleepers rotate among different positions throughout the night. Ideally, you want to remain asleep while your body adjusts. However, an unresponsive mattress can make repositioning more difficult, and for light sleepers, this could mean an increased chance of waking up.

Nectar’s Premier Memory Foam bed seeks to give combination sleepers a better experience with more responsive materials and to help these individuals feel less stuck in the mattress. First up, there’s the Premier’s Dynamic Support Layer, a 3-inch thick dynamically adjusting foam. This material is made to provide more bounce-back to adjust with you as you move. Secondly, the bed’s 7-inch thick support base should help ensure your body doesn’t sink too far into the mattress, which can be uncomfortable when trying to adjust. 

Why we love it

• Adding to the Nectar Premier’s appeal are its advanced cooling features, such as cooling gel, ActiveCool HD, and a breathable cover.

Need more details? Read our full review for Nectar Premier bed.

The Cocoon Chill Hybrid has a firmer feel that should accomodate 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 the bed, the better your chances of sleeping through the night.

The Cocoon Chill Hybrid also comes with additional advantages for light sleepers. First, there are the mattress’ cooling capabilities, which include the Cooling Cover, specially made to absorb moisture and get rid of heat. The bed’s coils also will also provide airflow to further keep you cool and comfy. Secondly, if you’re a light sleeper easily bothered by motion, the bed’s use of memory foam and encased coils hould help keep motion transfer at bay.

What’s worth noting?

• The foams in the Cocoon Chill Hybrid meet strict health and safety standards set by the CertiPUR-US® program.

The Bowery mattress from Brooklyn Bedding is a hybrid model with a medium firmness that should accommodate most sleepers, including couples. The Bowery incorporates several features that should help curb motion transfer for those easily disturbed by their partner’s movements. These features include memory foam at the top and individually encasing their coils. 

If you normally wake up throughout the night due to overheating, the Bowery infuses gel into its memory foam to prevent the material from becoming too warm, and the coils further below foster extra airflow for added cooling. 

Why we picked it

• The Bowery’s middle-ground feel should be great for most sleepers as it can deliver firm support needed for good body alignment while giving ample pressure relief to achy joints. This design should provide a more comfortable bed space to help you get a better night’s rest.

Want to read more? Check out our full Brooklyn Bowery review here.

Light sleepers who sleep hot usually struggle to find a comfortable position. Overheating and hot flashes can make it difficult to fall asleep, but a cooling mattress should help mitigate this.

The Bear Star Hybrid has a unique construction that starts with a Celliant® cover. Celliant® is a performance textile designed to convert kinetic energy into infrared light, which should improve oxygen levels in the blood. Below the surface is a copper memory foam foam that helps prevent overheating by pulling the heat away from your body. The coil unit features 8-inch coils that give this bed some bounce while improving airflow and breathability.

Why did we pick it?

• The Bear Star Hybrid features a GREENGUARD Gold certification, which may interest those looking for a more eco-conscious mattress.
• The Bear Star Hybrid has good edge support thanks to the coils that go from edge to edge. This design prevents the edges from sagging.

Want more details? Read our full Bear Star Hybrid review.

Light sleepers sometimes struggle to stay asleep due to motion transfer, so it’s important to have a mattress that can isolate movement. In addition, light back sleepers need support for proper spine alignment and some pressure relief for the lower back. These folks should consider the Nolah Natural, a hybrid mattress with Tri-Zone™ coils offering targeted support, excellent for dedicated back sleepers. 

The Nolah Natural features eco-friendly and hypoallergenic Talalay latex, an organic cotton cover, and GOTS-certified organic wool. In addition, the bed provides pressure relief in the most sensitive areas, such as the hips, shoulders, and lower back, so it’s equally good for those who sometimes sleep on the side. 

What stands out?

• Light sleepers should like the bed’s ability to absorb motion. The mattress has Talalay latex layers that isolate movement so that partners don’t wake each other up when tossing and turning. 
• The Nolah Natural is designed and made entirely in the USA.

Looking for more info? Read our full Nolah Brand overview here.

Hybrid mattresses offer excellent light sleepers, and the Layla Hybrid is no exception. The Layla stands out because of its dual-sided design, which comes with two firmness options. One side of the Layla has a soft feel, while the opposite side has a firm feel. The customized firmness means you’re more likely to have a mattress to meet your specific needs and preferences for sounder sleep.

Lightweight and side sleepers will likely find the softer side to their liking, but people who carry more weight or sleep on their back or stomach should find the firmer option more appealing. The good news is that you can test out each side and see what you like best.

What else should you know?

• The coils in the Layla Hybrid are individually pocketed to help limit motion transfer, and the foams should also help eliminate disruptive motion.

Interested in exploring further? Visit our in-depth Layla Hybrid bed review.

Back pain is highly uncomfortable and can make trying to sleep through the night a challenge. However, a quality mattress can help alleviate back pain for more peaceful slumber. 

Puffy’s flagship model contains premium proprietary foams, including Cooling Cloud™ Foam and Climate Comfort™ Foam. The bottom of the mattress is a 6-inch thick Firm Core Support Foam. 

One of the most important mattress components when dealing with back pain is sufficient support to keep the spine well-aligned. Conversely, poor spinal alignment could worsen back pain. Light to average-sized sleeps should find the Puffy’s medium firmness provides them with adequate support, but heavier individuals with back pain should consider a firmer option.

Why should you buy it?

• Puffy’s proprietary foams also include cooling features for those who tend to overheat when they sleep.
• The Puffy is a memory foam bed and should deliver motion isolation, which is helpful for couples. 

Interested in exploring further? Visit our in-depth Puffy Original bed review.