Looking for a better way to catch up on your Zzzzz’s? Look no further as we provide you with this buyer’s guide on flippable mattresses and a Top 5 list on which brand is the best for every type of sleeper.
While sleeping 8 hours a day is vital for your health and well-being, there’s no use for all that adequate sleep regimen if you’re not even restfully sleeping on a proper bed. And a good bed always begins with the right mattress.
According to this article from The Joint Chiropractic, a telltale sign that back pain is brought about by a poor quality mattress is when you feel tension in that area upon waking up. Sleeping should be an activity that makes your body feel relaxed and refreshed, not achy and worn out. So the moment you start to notice your body becoming even more tired and sore after sleeping, it’s probably time to consider changing your mattress. A flippable mattress could be your best bet.
What’s A Flippable Mattress?
There’s a rule of thumb within the bedding industry that a standard mattress should be replaced every 8 years. Thanks to rapid advancements in mattress technology and design, that rule has shifted to a much longer time frame. One particular type of mattress that helps curb the frequency of having to change your mattress is the flippable mattress.
A flippable mattress simply means a double-sided mattress, wherein each side of the mattress is comfortable for sleeping. This duality is mainly meant to preserve the mattress, wherein the mattress is easily flipped over to lessen pressure and wear and tear on the same side.
Another unique feature of a flippable mattress is that each side of the mattress can often have different firmness levels. For instance, side A, the front surface, would have a soft layer of foam while side B, the flipped surface, would have a firmer layer. This feature ensures durability for the mattress and provides distinct comfort levels that can tailor to the sleeper’s needs.
Flippable mattresses also notably excel well in other mattress features namely:
- Motion isolation – How well a bed stops motion. This means that if you rolled on your bed, how much will this motion of rolling affect areas on the opposite side of the bed. Motion isolation should be highly considered for couples shopping for a mattress.
- Edge support – This is the frame part of your mattress and is usually made up of a steel rod wrapped in foam. Edge support is what helps in preventing sagging edges of your mattress as well as protecting sleepers from falling over.
- Pressure relief – You’ve probably noticed that the longer you sleep unmoving in the same position, eventually, that side of your body starts to feel some pain. A great quality flippable mattress can aid in lessening the pressure points in your body whenever you lie dormant, perhaps sleeping on the same side throughout the night.
In 2007, however, the popularity of flippable mattresses declined after the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission required mattress manufacturers to make all their products fire-resistant. To save cumbersome costs on product testing, these manufacturers decided just to produce one-sided mattresses, thus, double-sided mattresses were hardly made.
Recently, however, flippable mattresses have made a comeback, regardless of their costlier price. It’s still worth noting that more buyers select one-sided mattresses, but the deeper question lies, is cheaper really better?
Should You Flip It Up or Pivot It Around?
A mattress can either be rotating or flippable, depending on how many usable sides it has. A one-sided mattress can only be rotated.
This means that since only the front surface of the mattress is comfortable for sleeping, there’s no way to flip it over because the back surface would be too hard to sleep on. Therefore, when it’s time to give the one-sided mattress a break from being overused, you simply rotate it on a 180-degree angle, so the head of the bed now becomes the foot and vice versa.
For a two-sided mattress, however, you not only rotate it around, but you can also flip it over. Flipping a mattress means rotating it on a 90-degree angle, so it hangs over one end. Then you raise the mattress on its edge and lower the mattress over so that the back surface is now what you’ll use for sleeping.
Rotating and flipping your mattress gives it a longer lifespan as it relieves pressure from overuse on just one side. While both techniques are helpful, flipping a mattress over has more advantages as it gives you a combination of rotating it on either side and flipping it on either surface. This ensures lesser deterioration on your mattress, guaranteeing you more restful sleep cycles for a more extended period.
For the most part, the only downsides to a double-sided mattress than a one-sided one are that it naturally costs more and is obviously a lot heavier to handle manually. But for the two-in-one value you get with a flippable mattress, it’s no surprise that this type is regaining back its popularity again in the bedding industry.
Who Can Benefit Most From Having a Flippable Mattress?
Generally speaking, pretty much everyone can benefit from a flippable mattress. While we instantly correlate sleep with a mattress, there are so many more activities on the bed that go beyond sleeping, like meditation, eating, reading, watching TV, and getting a massage, to name a few. All these activities call for a sturdy surface to rest upon. That’s why two-sided mattresses are so flexible.
More importantly, flippable mattresses can also greatly aid those who have chronic aches and pains, mainly borne from bad posture, genetic spinal conditions, and other musculoskeletal disorders.
Flippable mattresses are also perfect for pregnant women as different stages in their pregnancy may call for increasing or decreasing firmness levels. So, having a flippable mattress can help them change their options, so to speak, as they carry their baby for the next 9 months.
Another target market that can reap many benefits from a flippable mattress is the elderly. As our age progresses, our muscles and bones, however, depreciate in quality and strength. Therefore, the firmness level you desire in a bed at age 50 can significantly differ at age 60. So a two-sided mattress would be perfect for this circumstance. Just always bear in mind though, when flipping mattresses for the elderly, always ask for assistance, so they don’t have to do it for themselves.
Bed Basics
If you’ve already decided by now to change your current one-sided mattress to a flippable type, or upgrade your two-sided mattress to another brand that suits your needs better, it’ll help you a lot if you thoroughly know what to look out for in a unit. Let’s get you primed with the basics so that you can make a better choice to ensure sweeter dreams at night.
What Makes a Flippable Mattress So Comfy?
A flippable mattress is like having the mattress’s front surface be a mirror image to the back surface of the mattress so both can be equally used. This sandwich-like design calls for the primary support of the mattress to be in the center, wherein there is a coil innerspring with each side cushioned by several layers of cotton or wool padding. These layers of cotton, wool, or cotton and wool combinations are what make flippable mattresses provide cushioning, coil support, and breathability, which in turn allows for it to be continuously turned over from time to time.
Size Options
The standard sizes for most mattresses are the following:
- Crib (27” x 52”) – measured for a baby or toddler, and will generally fit in most cribs.
- Twin (39” x 75”) – measured for children who have not yet entered their early teens. This size also suits mattresses for a guest bed or daybed.
- Twin XL (38” x 80”) – measured for teenagers and pre-adults. This is also the standard size for bunk beds or other smaller beds in college dorm rooms.
- Full (54” x 75”) – measured for adults. Ideally, this is intended for one adult sleeper to maximize comfort and space.
- Queen (60” x 80”) – measured for couples. This is the most widely-used mattress size in the U.S. as it allows two adult sleepers the right amount of personal space without crowding up the bedroom.
- King (76” x 80”) – measured for couples or single sleepers who prefer a little more space. This size can also be seen as each couple sleeping on a twin mattress that’s just paired with another twin mattress.
- California King (72” x 84”) – measured for couples who value extra space overall. This size also suits much taller sleepers who need more legroom.
Of course, mattresses are just one-half of the equation. Other important components to a good bed include the right accessories, such as pillows, bedsheets, comforters, and blankets. It is always helpful to also have these in mind when considering buying or upgrading a double-sided mattress so that you can get the good kind of rest that refreshes you for the next day.
Best Mattresses For Every Sleeper For 2020
We know how important the sleep cycle is to our minds and bodies. That’s why we took a considerable amount of time to study the top 20 reversible mattress brands that are outperforming in the market today and rounded it out to our Top 5 leading brands. Our study process involves thorough online research of product websites, customer review forums, and consumer bureau articles that assess each mattress brand and its specific features. Here’s what we have discovered:
Best Overall – Layla Memory Foam Mattress
Layla has mastered the mattress game with its 4 layers of foam – Copper-Gel Memory Foam, Max Airflow Support Foam, Support Core Foam, and a second Copper-Gel Memory Foam – sandwiched between a Soft Side Cooling Cover on the front surface and a Firm Side Cooling Cover on the back surface.
This two-sided firmness option makes Layla a top choice, especially among side sleepers who need a plushier feel when they sleep. The copper component in its Copper-Gel Memory Foam layers also gives an added feature of comfort, in that it conducts heat away from your body, making your mattress a lot cooler to sleep on.
Layla offers a 120-night trial and lifetime warranty for its flippable mattress. Its standard queen-sized mattress can cost about $999, which is slightly higher than similar products out on the market. Regardless, the value and benefits from a flippable Layla Memory Foam Mattress outweigh its price and can guarantee you the most restful sleep ever.
Best Flippable Hybrid Mattress – Idle Sleep
When it comes to acing the crossover feature, Idle Sleep’s Hybrid Mattress wins the game. The hybrid aspect comes from the fact that Idle Sleep has perfectly meshed memory foam and spring coil components into one reversible mattress. These pocketed innerspring coils are what made beds of decades past what they were back then. While it may seem odd considering the advent of memory foams, there are a lot of people who still prefer to sleep on mattresses made of spring coils.
Unlike most double-sided mattress brands, Idle Sleep offers you an option of choosing between two sides of differing firmness levels or two sides of the same firmness level. This makes complete sense, especially for those who are already satisfied with sleeping on either just a soft, medium, or firm surface night after night.
Idle Sleep Hybrid Mattress is ideal for those who prefer to sleep on their stomachs and backs and is ideal for more heavyweight sleepers. The prices can range from $833 for a twin mattress, with its queen-sized mattresses going for around $1,136 for a unit. Idle Sleep also offers the most prolonged trial period for any brand, giving you 18 months or 540 nights to test it out at home. They also offer lifetime warranty and flexible financing options.
Best Firm Mattress – Plank by Brooklyn Bedding
As its brand name implies, Plank by Brooklyn Bedding is the clear winner in the firmest two-sided mattresses in the market. Albeit soft mattresses may lure more buyers naturally, firm mattresses are more popular among people dealing with back pain and other spinal issues as the firmness allows for the muscles, veins, and arteries to relax.
When you get a Plank flippable mattress, you’re given 2 levels of firmness – firm and extra firm. To know which side of the mattress you’re sleeping on, just let the logo be on the right side up, then you’ll know the extra firmer side is facing you. Plank has 5 layers of material – a cooling panel, extra firm support foam, and a firm support Titanflex foam in between two quilted layers.
This reinforced firmness levels will suit well for back and stomach sleepers who need additional support for their hips and spine. For those who sleep on their sides all through the night, the Plank may not be within their preferred plushness levels, but Plank’s firm side still offers a good quality of pressure relief.
For a queen-sized, reversible Plank mattress, expect to shell out around $999. If you wish to try it out first and see if a firm mattress is suitable for you, Plank gives you a 120-night trial, with free shipping, free returns, and a 10-year warranty.
Best Pressure Relief – Nolah Signature 12”
While we’ve explored the best choice for a firm, flippable mattress, now it’s time to select a reversible mattress that specializes in pressure relief for those with specific needs. Lightweight sleepers, those who weigh 130 pounds or less, for example, tend to gravitate toward softer mattresses that contour to their body’s shape. The best brand for such type of bodies, we’ve found, is the Nolah Signature 12”.
Lightweight sleepers need a great mattress that can relieve the pressure and pain in target areas after lying motionless for a good 8 hours or more. For side sleepers, they need something that can improve spinal alignment as they curl up sideways for most of the night.
Nolah Signature 12” caters to these particular needs with its signature AirFoam, proprietary padding that is similar to a memory foam, but with added pressure relief for the hips and shoulders. AirFoam also provides a cooling feature that keeps you more rested at night, and doesn’t trap you in the mattress, unlike substandard memory foams do.
The Nolah Signature 12” queen-sized flippable mattress costs about $1,177 and can be paid in monthly installments at $71 per month. They offer a 120-night sleep trial and, once purchased, will give you a lifetime warranty for your mattress. A great thing that they’re doing now is their For Our Heroes campaign, wherein for every purchase of a Nolah Signature 12” reversible mattress, $10 goes to health care workers who are on the frontlines battling COVID-19.
Best Value – Amore 2-Sided 11”
What’s not to love with this value for your money brand? Amore 2-Sided 11” flippable mattress provides the most affordable choice for cost-conscious buyers without sacrificing the essential requirements for a good night’s sleep.
Amore’s reversible surfaces consist of a softer side and a firmer side. Impressive enough is Amore’s 10-layer components that make up the entire mattress. A balanced combination of cotton and wool fabrics, their proprietary FusionFlex Foam, and the rest a stack of specialty foams that have specific tasks. FusionFlex is their signature foam that reduces pressure points and repels body heat for sounder sleeps.
For a limited time ongoing, opting for a copper ion-infused fabric instead of the standard organic cotton fabric is free of charge upon checkout (a $200 savings).
Copper ions give the mattress anti-microbial and anti-fungal properties that will aid your skin in warding off harmful elements. Additionally, it’s bonus rayon and bamboo materials can help absorb moisture like sweat and tears easily.
You can avail of a queen-sized Amore 2-sided 11” flippable mattress for a friendly price of $725. Amore gives you a 100-night risk-free trial and a 10-year warranty upon purchase.
Where To Buy Flippable Mattress?
When you’re out to buy a mattress, think of it as if you’re buying a car. It’s always better to check it out physically at the store at first and give it a ‘test drive.’ Since mattresses can make or break one’s sleep cycle, it’s always advisable to test out various brands and firmness levels in person.
However, with all the shelter in place regulations going on because of COVID-19, it seems that buying a flippable mattress online might be the safest option to go for now. While it’s good that you’re reading this article to help you make an informed decision, don’t hesitate to test out which brand appeals to you the most when you make an online purchase. That’s what trial periods are for, and with flippable mattresses, you’re in luck as all of the abovementioned brands offer risk-free trial periods of more than 40 nights’ winks. Now would also be an excellent time to start shopping for a reversible mattress as most of these brands are offering large discounts for their Memorial Day sales.
Editor’s Pick – Layla Memory Foam Mattress
Layla has only been around in the bedding industry starting 2016, and in just 4 years they have managed to top almost every best mattress listicle since. That speaks of the strength of the company really knowing what the customer needs and wants. We selected the Layla Memory Foam Mattress as our Editor’s Pick for flippable mattresses because it has seamlessly melded the most essential elements in quality bedding – ergonomic design and functions, body benefits, customer service accessibility, and affordability.
This Sleepopolis interview with Layla’s founder, Akrum Sheik, proves just how forward-thinking and customer-motivated Layla is, which is why we selected them as the top brand for flippable mattress in 2020. As per Akrum Sheik, “Yes, a good night’s sleep is essential. But as we transition into 2019, Layla has decided to change its entire brand image, voice, look and feel to move towards being awake to life (and sleeping better) so that you can do all the things during the day that make you happy.”
