Highest Quality Beds for Elderly (Senior) Citizens in 2021 – Guide & Reviews

Sleeping well is one of the most important activities in our lives. With oxygen, love, and food, it is what keeps us going and going for as long as we live. Nighttime rest relaxes the muscles, joints, and heart. Getting enough quality sleep strengthens the immune system, improves our mood and maintains emotional equilibrium.

And the benefits become even more critical as we age. As an elderly person, you have the chance to live up to all of the dreams you had when you were younger, and the best things are, you most probably have the savings to do precisely that. But if you do not get enough quality sleep, chances are that you won’t have the energy to improve that golf swing or take that dream cruise around the Caribbean.

Not sleeping enough and waking up during the night are completely normal for seniors, and it is nothing to worry about – the latter part is just not correct. Many elderly people do complain about lousy sleep, but they shouldn’t have to take it in their stride.

If when you are a certain age, quality sleep should be a part of your life. With this article, we aim to help you find the best mattresses for the seniors so that you can sleep like a baby again.

Importance of Having a Great Mattress for Older People

Arthritis

Arthritis, it is often referred to as joint wear-and-tear, which is a part of our natural aging process.

This is only partially true!

In many, inherited cartilage susceptibility causes the disease. There are also factors that can trigger arthritis at a young age – even in children and adolescents. Physical malformations, such as X and O legs, or unhealed injuries can stress the joints. Unilateral stress due to sitting for hours on end, regular stress due to too much strenuous exercise, and overweight and heavy physical work also increase the susceptibility to arthritis.

In the beginning, the disease is often only manifested by slight tension and stiffness in the joints. If it has progressed, more symptoms may occur:

• Pain even at night or in rest periods
• Stiffness of the joints
• Weather-dependent pain (especially in wet or cold weather)
• Swelling and redness
• Pressure sensitivity of the joints
• Crackling bones

And most of us including the elderly go to the doctor too late!

Remember that you may need a specific bed type, go to: Highest Rated Beds for Arthritis Sufferers – Reviews & Guide

Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis. Painful knees and stiff joints are the central part of it: More and more people are affected by it the older they get. The disease develops over a more extended period of time and is therefore difficult to diagnose.

Even if it only involves constant mild pain and symptoms in the joints, it’s essential to take it seriously.

If osteoarthritis is detected in time, you can significantly slow down the disease’s process, in some cases even stopping it.

Osteoarthritis develops when the soft tissue around the bone in the joints, called the cartilage, suffers from use due to aging or damage as a cause of injury or illness. What happens is that the boney outgrowth thickens making the joint appear visibly knobbly. The space between the joints narrows causing the often associated stiffness.

For the elderly and anyone who suffers from it knows the life-changing effects. 

Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia is often described as ‘pain everywhere.’ The chronic illness causes not only muscle and joint complaints, but also sleep disturbances, exhaustion, and depressions. Even for doctors, the soft tissue rheumatism is not easy to recognize because of the many ailments. The treatment, which combines several approaches, can often bring back the quality of life.

Patients with fibromyalgia do not see their condition, but they still have to endure unbearable pain. They are plagued by severe muscle and joint pain in several regions of the body, especially in the arms, legs, back or neck. Some sufferers are unable to pinpoint the location of their discomfort. They say they have ‘pain everywhere.’

Exact causes of fibromyalgia are still unclear, and it’s not curable. It’s sneaky and silent. No matter whether you are a senior citizen or younger, it can hit you anytime, and you probably won’t even know it’s coming.

Read our in-depth guide: Highest Rated Beds for Fibrositis Sufferers – Quick Guide

Others (Back, Hip, Neck Pain)

As we age, our bodies suffer from wear-and-tear over time. Of course, neck, hip (read our bed hip buyer’s guide), and back pain are not only reserved for senior citizens; those ailments can strike at any time during our lives for the most diverse reasons.

It’s important to know that if you are older than you must treat your body with the utmost care. The best way to do that is to refrain from overexerting yourself. One wrong pull of a muscle or a ligament because you decided to lift something too heavy can have a knock-on effect on any of the aforementioned body parts.

The back runs the entire length of our body from the hips area up the head. It is also important to note that the central nervous system forms a part of our spinal column. Anything that causes strain along this line can spread to the neck and hips and even involving sciatica (go here) and bring your legs into the equation.

The neck can be affected by man things (see our top picks for people with neck pain), and if you are elderly, you are more susceptible to strain and drafts of any kind. The same goes for the hips. The wrong posture or injury can damage the cartilages in the joints, resulting in agonizing pain. It gets worse if you are a senior because the elderly need more time to recover.

Do you have back problems? See Our Highest Rated Beds/Mattresses for a Lower Bad Back

Choosing a Bed for Senior Citizens

Materials

When deciding on a material for your mattress as an elderly citizen, it is essential to be aware of the various options available to you. Our bed recommendations at the beginning of this article touch upon three different types of bedding we deemed suitable for your needs.

Let’s start with the memory foam type of mattress that Casper uses. If you are older, your body needs even more support so that you will not suffer from any pain. The viscoelastic material in memory foam takes pressure off of the muscles and joints ensuring for a comfortable night’s sleep.

Zenhaven is our latex bed version. It is all natural rubber. Although you can choose a synthetic material from other brands, we preferred something organic for the top-quality bed support and sinkage.

Last but not least the hybrid from Helix that combines coils and foam. It is an excellent choice if you want foam’s contouring ability and coils superior edge properties for getting in and out of bed – see the rest of our hybrid top picks here.

Firmness

As a senior, you do not require anything too firm. The wrong level of stability could aggravate back, neck and joint pain. In some cases, you might even wake up with muscle aches. We cannot give you a concrete answer as to what mattress to choose. It’s the safest bet to say that you need something that provides firmness where it is required and sinkage too.

In other words, a mattress that adheres to the shape of your physique so that pressure is taken off the joints and muscles. Latex, hybrid and memory foam achieve that. Just be sure to take your weight into consideration and if you are sharing your bed with your partner.

As a rule of thumb we say the more weight applied to the bed, the firmer it has to be.      

Adjustability

Adjustable beds are trendy in Europe. And no! Just because you are elderly, it does not mean that you have to convert your bedroom into a hospital ward. Movable frames don’t have to look like something hideous. With the top-grade mattress and adjustable bed frame, you will not know the difference.

We decided to raise the topic of adjustability because as you get older and enter the golden realms of senior citizenship, your back needs to be supported and the pressure spread over the entire body to avoid weight concentration on one spot.

The zero-gravity position is the best option for optimal circulation in the legs because they are slightly raised and less pressure to the lower back because the head is lifted above the heart. It will make you feel as if you are floating in the air.

Looking for adjustable bed? See: Our top picks of an adjustable bed and buying guide here.

Sleep Benefits for Elderly

Heart Functions Better

Getting the right amount of sleep has so many benefits for both the young and the elderly. For one the heart functions better. The right mattress makes catching those ZZZ’s a lot easier as you will feel more supported and cozy in your bed.

When our bodies are at rest, the heartbeat slows down into an even and regular beat. Blood pressure is lower, thus reducing the risk of heart-related illnesses such as a heart attack for example. Blood flows to the brain and the legs. All in all, you are working at peak condition.

If you do not sleep enough and the quality is terrible, chances are that your immune system will suffer and you will feel more stressed. And we all know that stress is severe for the heart in the longer term. Be sure to take the first step in improving your night by investing in the highest-quality mattress.

Diabetes Risk Reduced

Sleep has a significant impact on our blood sugar levels. Blood glucose also plays its part. It these levels are elevated, you may discover that you will feel tired all of the next day. Of course, there are ways to make sure that it doesn’t affect you. Make sure that your room is cool and that the lighting is optimal. Also, a good bed can make all of the difference.

When we are asleep, our hormones that regulate appetite are kept in check. If you do not get enough everything goes out of whack. Our insulin resistance levels get all wonky due to sleep deprivation, and that is one of the precursors to diabetes.

A lack of sleep naturally leads to feeling less energetic. When that happens, we tend to compensate by eating sugary things in the hope of increasing blood sugar levels and consequently energy. However, it is a vicious circle. The higher the sugar intake, the more likely sleep will suffer even more. 

Lower Stress

Feeling less stressed is one of the biggies. When the body is rested, no matter if we are elderly or not, we are better able to deal with daily issues such as emotional and physical stress. It is also linked to our mood, but we will look into that in the next section.

To understand how sleep affects our stress levels, we need to take a look at what happens to the body during the night. For one, our brains process all of the information accumulated during the day and stores it into memories, some of which are easy to recollect and others not so much.

We already mentioned that the heartbeat is measured and consequently blood pressure is reduced. All of this leads to an overall sense of wellbeing. We all know what it is like to wake up refreshed. Nothing can get in our way.

Improvement of Mood

The state of our mood is directly correlated to the quality of our sleep. If you are older, you may feel more tired than a person half your age. But time will also take its toll on young people if they do not get enough rest.

As people, we are very good at reading other people’s emotions. But if you do not sleep well the chance that you will fail to recognize any nuance in facial expression change will grow. Sleep deprivation has a huge impact on our social lives. If you are elderly and maybe a proud grandparent, your offspring will escape your presence with their little ones in tow to get away from your grouchy mood.

Over time, sleeping poorly can lead to depression. So, it is perfect you think about a good mattress and some pillows because to stay happy and confident.

Our Top 3 Senior Mattress Reviews

The Helix mattress is ideal for seniors because the company offers entirely custom-made solutions to cater to every sleeper type. This brand has created the highest-rated hybrid mattress solution of various foams and individually pocketed coils to allow for excellent breathability – smooth airflow throughout transporting moisture and heat away from your body.

The memory foam and coil mix are made to your individual specifications so that your body gets the support and pressure it needs on the mattress. The mattress does not work against you but with you. In time, you will realize that the advanced personalized bedding technology will make you feel as if you are floating. Nothing could be better when you have entered the ranks of the elderly.

So, say goodbye to pressure point aggravation on the joints and muscles. And you won’t have to wait long. The Helix bedding company makes your bed and ships it all within six to ten business days. Customization at its best and its fastest.

Get more information on Helix by going to our in-depth review here.

We all know that latex mattresses are the most expensive type in the bedding industry. Saatva’s Zenhaven brings the highest-level of value and quality to your bedroom for a fraction of a price for a regular latex bed.

And no – you will not surrender any amenities; on the contrary, you even gain some. The mattress is one hundred percent crafted in the USA from the highest quality all-natural Talalay latex sourced directly from trees. Combined with one hundred percent New Zealand wool and organic cotton, you will be getting the high-end luxury that it has to offer.

When it arrives at your home, you will most probably have to spend some time just staring at the bed because of the meticulous design. But when you lie on it for the first time, you will notice new heights in comfort and support. The Zenhaven bed is anti-microbial too so that you get the most out of your bed’s lifespan.

Need some more information on their latex model? We have completed a full review and analysis of this model here.

Casper is the forerunner in the online bedding industry. When there were once only stores on the high street with irritating salespeople and too many poor choices, the five Casper founders decided it was enough. So they came up with the idea to bring the mattress shopping experience to your home. And boy did they make it better.

Casper is memory foam at its very most beautiful. The all-in-one interior technology promises breathability and optimal airflow throughout the bed. Included is viscoelastic memory foam with cooling properties that adapts and shapes to the contours of your body making it perfect for every sleeper type.

And not only the young order Casper; the elderly are jumping on the bandwagon too for their mattresses. It’s so comfortable from the moment you order online to the moment your bedding arrives at your front door and that no matter how old you are. It’s easy. The company belongs to the top-rated, and they have the reviews to prove it.

We have fully evaluated Casper here if you did like to see how their bed performed.

Our Final Thoughts

The best-rated mattress is essential for people of any age. But as an elderly person it can make all the difference to your joints and muscles – As a senior, they have probably done enough work over the years, so it is time to give them a rest.

We hope that we were able to convey the message of how important good sleep is in this article and which mattresses are best for elderly. And no matter what many people claim, it is not entirely accurate that as an elderly person you automatically need less shut-eye. The medical community has dispelled that myth. It is a personal issue. But maybe the top-grade bed might keep you in dreamland a little longer.

Resources:

• A Good Night’s Sleep – National Institute on Aging – https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/good-nights-sleep
• Sleep disorders in older adults – https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000064.htm