Preparation
If you’ve been struggling to get a good night’s sleep, a hybrid mattress might be exactly what you need to start resting a little easier. Utilizing aspects of both old and new-wave technology, these mattresses are known for their sturdiness, pressure-relieving abilities, and cooling properties. “This [type of] multi-layer bed combines memory foam, latex, or gel along with an innerspring system,” explains Russell Jelinek, the senior engineering and compliance director at Casper, of the hybrid mattress category. “Sleepers can experience both the pressure relief of the foam layers and the sturdy feel of a classic spring mattress.”
With the addition of coils underneath the supportive foam, hybrid mattresses “push back on the sleeper’s body weight to help keep the spine aligned,” notes Drew Miller, a sleep specialist and director of marketing at Sit ’n Sleep. Ahead, we asked industry experts what makes a hybrid mattress so uniquely beneficial for different sleepers and rounded up some of their recommendations.
Tuft & Needle Hybrid MattressPurple Hybrid Premier 3Casper Original HybridResident DreamCloud
According to Chris Allen, director of mattresses at Purple, the benefits separating hybrid mattresses from conventional foam-only models can be narrowed down to increased airflow (or heat dissipation), greater durability, and a “responsive, springy feel.” Since many hybrid models are infused with cooling gels, in addition to those inherent temperature regulating abilities, Miller says they’re an especially good option for anyone who sleeps hot. And while hybrid mattresses offer enough support for most consumers, side sleepers will reap the most benefits from their design: The combination of foam and coils creates a “cradling effect on key pressure points,” explains Melanie Huet, CCO of Serta Simmons Bedding. “They’re also a great option for people who sleep with partners, kids, and pets in the bed. The pocketed coil system helps eliminate motion transfer.”
