Best Mattress Toppers: Top 5 Pads, According To Sleep Experts -

Is your mattress leaving you feeling like Goldilocks — constantly searching for one that’s not too hard or soft? Before giving in to restless nights and investing in a costly new bed, consider the magic of a mattress topper. Crafted from materials like memory foam, cotton, feather, or latex, these toppers, which you can easily take on and off the mattress, add just the right amount of comfort. They’re the perfect solution to rejuvenate an aging mattress or fine-tune your sleeping surface to “just right.” Shopping for a mattress topper can be a dizzying experience. But don’t worry; we have a list of the best mattress toppers, so you won’t lose any sleep over all the choices.

Your temperature at bedtime indicates to your body that it’s time to go to sleep. That’s why researchers are creating a mattress that tricks your body into drifting off to dreamland, according to a new study. It cools the central areas of the body while warming the hands, feet, and neck. So, if you struggle to sleep, mimicking this effect with a heating pad or warming pillow may be something you want to consider.

If it’s more than just the comfort of your mattress keeping you up at night, you may want to change what runs through your mind when you get into bed. A study found good sleepers experience mainly visual sensory images as they drift to sleep, while people with insomnia have pre-sleep thoughts more focused on planning and problem-solving.

Speaking of problem-solving, how do you choose the right mattress topper? Experts say first understand your sleeping style (i.e. side, back, stomach), then consider allergies and sensitivities, and finally balance cost with durability and comfort. After scouring the internet, StudyFinds compiled a list of the top five best mattress toppers that might be your ticket to a good night’s sleep. Is there a cushy topper you love that’s missing from our list? Let us know in the comments below. Sweet dreams!

woman sleeping on her stomach — Woman sleeping on her stomach (Photo by Vladislav Muslakov on Unsplash)

The List: Best Mattress Toppers, According to Experts

1. Tempur-Pedic TEMPUR-Adapt Topper

Tempur-Pedic knows a thing or two about mattresses. It is the first company to use foam, and now it offers the material in a variety of sleep products. This topper is “tops” with many reviewers, including Logan Foley, Sleep Foundation’s editorial director. He writes, “This topper performed very well during our pressure relief and motion isolation tests. Thanks to its thick profile, the topper should improve the feel of most mattresses, which goes a long way toward alleviating sleep-related back pain.” Foley adds it’s a “Best Bet” if you have hip pain.

This topper is not only number one on our list, but on New York Magazine’s list as well, with a “Best Overall” rating. “At three inches thick, the Tempur-Adapt topper will add noticeable plushness to any mattress. Zoë Ettinger, a sleep science coach and the editor of Sleepopolis, says the foam Tempur-Pedic uses in its mattress toppers ‘contours around your body almost as if it’s hugging you,’ noting that because it is denser than others on the market, it is more durable.”

“This memory foam topper is ideal for beds that may be starting to sag, innerspring mattresses that have too much bounce, or couples that want to reduce the feel of motion transfer,” says Good Housekeeping magazine. “It’s also suitable for back pain sufferers and side sleepers because it offers pressure relief and conforms to the shape of your body. This luxury topper can change the feel of your bed by adding a supportive surface to increase comfort and pressure relief.”

2. Saatva Graphite Mattress Topper

Saatva is an online luxury mattress company, known for its premium American-made mattresses, but its mattress toppers are also getting rave reviews. Tom Ryan, the head of product testing at Sleep Foundation states, “We recommend the Saatva Graphite Mattress Topper for sleepers who enjoy the feel of foam toppers but don’t enjoy the heat retention that often happens with foam. This topper runs cooler than many of the other foam toppers we’ve tested.”

Good Housekeeping notes, “The biggest highlights according to our testers were the pressure relief and the fact that it made their beds feel much more substantial.” They were also excited to find out the topper’s secure straps worked, with one noting, “It stays put without sliding around, and I’m so impressed by it!” If you sleep with a partner, this topper also “offers good motion isolation so you’re less likely to feel your sleeping partner move.” This topper is pricier than others, but if you don’t like it after the 180-trial period, you can send it back for a full refund.

Chiropractor Matthew Cavanaugh, DC recommended this topper to NBC News because “It’s infused with graphite for cooling purposes and its memory foam construction keeps you from disturbing your partner if you toss and turn. The breathable cotton cover is treated with an antimicrobial solution to prevent the growth of bacteria, plus it has four elastic corner bands to keep your mattress from shifting, according to the brand’s website.”

3. ViscoSoft Select High-Density Mattress Topper

This topper comes in three different heights, depending on how much softness and support you need and it’s machine washable. “The ViscoSoft Select High-Density Mattress Topper strikes the right balance between close contouring and even support,” according to Tim Ryan, head of product testing at Sleep Foundation. “It’s plush enough to cushion sensitive pressure points, but we don’t expect uncomfortable sinkage to be an issue for most people.”

New York Magazine rates this as the “Best Overall” based on price. Keith Cushner, co-founder and general manager of Tuck told the magazine, “It’s really solid in terms of durability, the quality of the foam, and the experience all of our testers have had with it. Even at the lower price, it has premium features like a machine-washable bamboo rayon cover and straps that hold the topper in place on your mattress. And to help with cooling, the topper is infused with pockets of gel that absorb and disperse body heat.”

If you get warm while sleeping, Good Housekeeping declares, “This one has ventilation in the foam that makes it more breathable. The foam also contains cooling gel that’s designed to pull heat away from your body. And because it’s foam, you still get the benefits of pressure relief and motion isolation.”

4. LUCID Down Alternative and Gel Memory Foam Mattress Topper

Can’t decide whether you want a foam or fiberfill topper? With the Lucid, you get the best of both worlds because it’s a hybrid model offering “both support and pillowtop comfort.” Cosmopolitan writes, “The bottom layer is memory foam infused with gel to help keep it cool, while the top is pockets of down alternative for plush padding. It goes onto your bed like a fitted sheet to help everything stay in place.

Good Housekeeping believes, “This topper is good for anyone on a budget who wants to improve the feel of their bed without spending several hundred dollars. It’s also ideal for people who aren’t sure whether to choose a pillow-top or a memory foam topper since it contains both materials. This hybrid mattress topper combines pressure-relieving support and pillow-top comfort by using both foam and fiberfill. Even better: It costs significantly less than other top-tested options.”

“It’s a luxurious four inches high,” says ELLE. It comes in two layers, but the magazine points out that “the foam layer doesn’t come with its own cover, the down alternative top layer that holds it together is machine washable and dryer safe.”

5. Parachute Down Alternative Bed Topper

The New York Times recommends Parachute’s Down Alternative Feather Bed if you want to add comfort to your bed. “This topper adds a soft layer, but won’t give you much additional support or pressure point relief. The model was the loftiest fiber-filled topper we tested and it stayed fluffy for longer than the competition. As with any filled mattress topper, you’ll need to fluff this topper semi-regularly to keep up its loft.”

“Designed to feel like down, down-alternative toppers (which are typically made from microfiber) are a good alternative to the real thing if you have allergies or want to save some money,” according to New York Magazine. “Experts love this topper from Parachute for many of the reasons they recommend the brand’s down style: marshmallow softness, baffle-box construction, and a 100 percent cotton shell.”

ELLE loves the feathered version of this topper saying “This featherbed is three inches thick with layers of down and feathers in a baffle box construction that keeps the fill evenly distributed. The outer fabric is a cotton sateen, which prevents feathers from poking out. If you’re looking to save a bit or have allergies to down, the brand also sells a down alternative version made with microfiber fill. Besides the fill, it has the same overall construction.”

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Note: This article was not paid for nor sponsored. StudyFinds is not connected to nor partnered with any of the brands mentioned and receives no compensation for its recommendations.

Tags: mattress, sleep