Getting the recommended 7-8 hours of sleep is important for everyone, from toddlers to adults. But it’s even more important for older people, suggest experts. Why? Because their physical and mental abilities start deteriorating, impacting their daily life drastically. With proper sleep, they can rejuvenate and recover better, slowing down the deterioration and maintaining their independence.
That said, research reveals that many seniors find it challenging to get the restful sleep they need due to changes in sleep patterns, chronic pain, and various medical conditions. According to the National Council on Aging, 30% of older adults report getting less than the recommended seven to nine hours of sleep each night.
Often, the right mattress can make a significant difference in promoting better sleep for seniors, allowing them to enjoy the restorative sleep they once had. But with so many options on the market, choosing the best mattress for seniors in 2024 can feel overwhelming.
In this blog, we have compiled a list of the best mattresses for older people so that you can buy the best one for your senior loved ones. But first, let’s see why sleep matters for them:
Why Quality Sleep Matters for Seniors
While many older adults tend to sleep fewer hours per night compared to younger people, they still need just as much, if not more, sleep. Getting 7-8 hours of sleep each night can help improve their memory, sharpen concentration, and lower the risk of developing chronic conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, and depression.
Deep sleep also strengthens immunity, which could mean faster recovery from illness and injury for seniors. On the flip side, not getting enough sleep can interfere with their daily life, reducing overall quality of life and increasing the risk of serious health issues.
Sleep Challenges Seniors Face
Despite the importance of quality sleep, many seniors worldwide struggle to get the recommended seven to nine hours each night. Research suggests there are some common factors contributing to this challenge:
Changes in the Body’s Internal Clock
As we age, our body’s internal clock, controlled by the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) in the brain, starts to go south. This disturbs our circadian rhythms, which changes not only how well we sleep but also at what time we wake up and go to bed. One of the best ways to maintain or restore these rhythms is exposure to light. But many older adults, especially those in assisted living facilities, nursing homes, or those with Alzheimer’s disease, don’t get enough daylight, which is often the cause of poor-quality sleep.
Changes in Sleep Patterns
You may have heard your grandparents saying they can’t sleep like they used to as adults. This is somewhat true as ageing often brings shifts in sleep patterns, such as lighter sleep and more frequent awakenings during the night. This leads to fragmented sleep and a decreased overall duration of restful sleep. That doesn’t mean seniors don’t need seven to eight hours of sleep.
Chronic Pain
Have you ever suffered an injury and writhed in pain all night? This is what old injuries and conditions like arthritis and back pain can do for older people. The constant agony and the excruciating ordeal can make finding a comfortable sleeping position difficult for them, resulting in disrupted sleep. A good mattress for seniors can help alleviate this discomfort and promote better sleep.
Medical Conditions
Health issues like sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome, and insomnia are common among seniors. These issues may keep them awake all night or lead to disrupted sleep. If you or your senior loved one has any of these issues, you should seek medical help to promote better sleep.
Temperature Regulation
In a tropical country like India, almost everyone finds themselves tossing and turning all night because of sweaty back. For seniors, this can be even more distressing as they experience fluctuations between feeling too hot and too cold, making it hard to maintain a comfortable sleep environment. Mattresses for senior citizens often come with cooling technologies, dissipating heat to create a cooler environment for them.
Top Mattresses for Old Age In India
When it comes to choosing the best mattress for seniors, it’s crucial to look at its features and material, ensuring it is designed for superior comfort and addresses the sleep challenges seniors face. The top mattresses are as follows:
Ortho Pro Spring Mattress
Marketed and manufactured by Sleepwell, the Ortho Pro Spring Mattress is known to offer ultimate support and comfort for older adults. This mattress features innovative triple-zone technology, which aligns your spine to its natural state, promoting better posture and reducing discomfort.
Designed with a medium-firm feel and a substantial 15 cm (6.0″) thickness, the Ortho Pro Spring Mattress delivers the ideal balance of plushness and support. It ensures complete spinal adaptation, offering enhanced support that adjusts to your body’s unique contours. This feature is particularly beneficial for seniors, as it helps reduce pressure points and improve sleep quality. Its advanced breathability ensures a fresh and airy sleeping environment, crucial for maintaining a comfortable temperature throughout the night.
With six support layers that include three-zone pocket springs, the Ortho Pro Spring Mattress supports the body’s spinal alignment and posture with its anatomical design. These engineered zoned pocket springs adapt to specific pressure points and body curves, offering exceptional pressure relief that’s essential for seniors who may suffer from chronic pain or discomfort.
The corner foam wall provides superior edge and corner support, ensuring the mattress retains its shape and stability over time. Plus, the anti-skid bottom keeps the mattress securely in place on the bed, preventing any unwanted movement during the night. The Ortho Pro Spring Mattress is the ultimate sleep solution for seniors, combining advanced technology and thoughtful design to deliver unparalleled comfort and support.
Spinetech Mattress
Another popular senior mattress is the Spinetech Mattress, which is manufactured by Sleepwell. It is designed to offer relaxing sleep, thanks to its enhanced three-zoned back support, making it an excellent choice for seniors. This mattress features a medium-firm feel and a substantial 15 cm (6.0″) thickness, providing the perfect balance of support and comfort. The plush top feel ensures a soft and cosy sleeping surface while maintaining the necessary firmness to support your body effectively.
The Spinetech Mattress is equipped with five support layers, including the innovative 3-Zoned Sleepwell Profiled Resitec® foam. This ingenious foam features a unique three-zoned profiling with special contouring, ensuring even pressure distribution and improved ventilation. This design helps alleviate pressure points and promotes better airflow, keeping the mattress fresh and comfortable throughout the night.
Additionally, the mattress includes Sleepwell Air-O-Fresh® foam, which ensures uniform firmness for optimal body support. This foam’s unique cell structure promotes air circulation, offering dry comfort even in humid weather. This is particularly beneficial for seniors, as it helps maintain a cool and comfortable sleep environment, preventing overheating and night sweats.
The enhanced firmness and zoned support of the Spinetech Mattress provide a massage-like feel, promoting relaxation and easing back pain. Its thoughtful design ensures that your spine stays aligned and supported, reducing discomfort and improving overall sleep quality. With its advanced features and exceptional comfort, the Spinetech Mattress is a top choice for seniors looking to enhance their sleep experience and overall well-being.
Durafirm 1.0 Mattress
Surprisingly, the Durafirm 1.0 Mattress is also a Sleepwell product that offers firm back support, making it an excellent choice for seniors seeking a basic ortho-care mattress. With a firm feel and a thickness of 11.5 cm (4.5″), this mattress provides the sturdy support needed to maintain proper spinal alignment and reduce discomfort.
This mattress features three support layers that work together to deliver gentle comfort and adequate back support. The top layer consists of premium knitted fabric, known for its smooth texture, high strength, and plush feel. This fabric is tear-resistant and easy to maintain, ensuring long-lasting durability and comfort.
Beneath the knitted fabric is the Sleepwell Quiltec® foam quilting, an ingenious foam that enhances airflow and heat dissipation to eliminate humidity. This foam provides a plush surface feel and superior loft compared to other quilting foams, promoting a comfortable and cool sleep environment.
The core of the Durafirm 1.0 Mattress is made of rebonded foam, a technology that results in extra firmness and body support. This foam layer ensures zero wastage of different types of foam, promoting environmental friendliness while delivering the firm support needed for optimal back care.
With its combination of firm support, gentle comfort, and eco-friendly design, the Durafirm 1.0 Mattress is a top choice for seniors looking to enhance their sleep quality and overall well-being. Its thoughtful construction ensures that you get the firm back support you need for a restful and rejuvenating night’s sleep.
Conclusion
Given that seniors need as much sleep as adults, they should pay attention to the surface they sleep on. Fortunately, there are mattresses designed specifically for seniors, keeping their unique health needs and sleep preferences in mind. The top three mattresses for senior citizens are Sleepwell’s Ortho Pro Spring, Durafirm 1.0, and Spinetech mattress, all of which promise quality sleep for seniors.
