The Best Elderly Mattress

Feel

• Back pain is a common problem for people as they age. Elderly people can experience lower back pain just due to degenerative effects. Sleeping on a bad mattress that does not support the back can effect a person's spinal alignment, worsening an already existing back problem. According to The American Chronicle, elderly people with back pain should consider a mattress with a firmer feel. Unlike a soft mattress, a firmer one adds more support to the entire spine because it tends to distribute pressure evenly across the body. Plus, firm mattresses work best for back sleepers. For side sleepers, a medium soft mattress minimizes side spinal pressure, keeping the body from sagging too deep into the bed's surface.

Texture

• The temperature of a mattress can effect the comfort level of an elderly sleeper. Cooler temperatures in a room during winter months can stiffen an elderly person's muscles and joints. Warmer room temperatures tend to have a more draining effect on the body. A mattress that is breathable naturally regulates the temperature of the mattress and helps to stabilize an older person's body temperature, reducing any stiffness or feelings of drain during sleep. This type of mattress works by eliminating the build-up of body heat. Open cell structure breathable mattresses work even better by keeping the air flowing freely throughout the mattress.

Specialty Mattresses

• Advanced sleep technology has come up with new ways to correct spinal misalignment during sleep. The memory foam mattress, which was created by NASA, works to relieve spinal discomfort by contouring to the body's silhouette, giving it the proper support it needs by conforming to the elderly person's natural body shape.

Material

• Latex foam mattresses have the benefit of reducing chronic sleep disruptions, also common in elderly individuals. Latex is more resilient than traditional mattress material, eliminating body impressions and center sagging -- a common complaint in many elderly people. Latex mattresses contours to the body much like memory foam mattresses do, keeping every spinal curve supported. The latex mattress also relieves pressure points, especially at the shoulders and hips, and allows for better circulation and blood flow, reducing discomfort and tossing and turning during rest. Mold, mildew and dust mites may trigger allergies in elderly people, especially in those with weakened immune systems. Latex is a material that is naturally hypoallergenic and anti-microbial against those common triggers.