Best Mattress for Sex (2025): Based on Responsiveness, Cooling, and Edge Support

The Nectar is an all-foam, medium-firm mattress with an overall score of 4 out of 5 stars for sex based on its responsiveness, cooling, and edge support performance. We chose this bed as the best overall mattress for sex because it’s easy to move around on while still providing some comforting body contouring when it’s time to get some shut-eye. This construction and feel are compatible with most body types and sleeping positions, so it’s a solid choice for couples in general. When we break down the sex score, the Nectar earned 4 stars in responsiveness, 4.5 stars in cooling, and 3.5 stars in edge support.

All-foam beds don’t typically have the same buoyancy as hybrid and innerspring beds, yet the Nectar still wowed us with its mobility. Our tester, Kenny Timper, performed the switch test, which involves rolling around on the mattress and switching positions. He thought it was surprisingly easy to move around on for a memory foam bed. “When you use your hands to press down into the mattress, they don’t sink too far into the layers, which makes it easy to flip over from your back to your side to your stomach,” he said. Based on his findings, you and a partner should have no trouble switching positions.

Although memory foam has a reputation for trapping heat, we found excellent cooling on the Nectar. Kenny used a thermal gun to record the mattress’s initial temperature and then again after lying on it for five minutes. His second temperature reading showed it had heated up by just 5.4 degrees. The average temperature increase during this test is typically 7.14 degrees, which is a super result. The Nectar shouldn’t retain too much body heat during sexual activities.

When we tested its edge support, we thought it was just average. Kenny felt stable when lying directly on the edge of the mattress. The Nectar’s support layer is made from 8 inches of high-density foam, which prevents too much sinkage in this position. However, he felt a lot more sinkage when sitting directly on the edge. Kenny said, “While I don’t think it’s an issue for most sleepers, I wouldn’t recommend bearing down onto the edges to stand up.”

Considering the Nectar’s all-foam construction and medium-firm feel, we weren’t surprised that the bed wasn’t supportive enough for heavy stomach sleepers weighing over 230 pounds. These sleepers may find more support from a firmer bed that prevents too much sinkage at the hips. The Titan Plus is a better bed for these sleepers. 

For a closer look at the Nectar, read our full Nectar Classic memory foam mattress review, and you can also check out our best mattress round-up.

Helix’s luxury line consists of six luxury upgrades to its six original hybrid mattresses, with the Helix Dusk Luxe positioned as a more upscale version of the standard Helix Dusk. This model contains more high-end features, including a plush pillow top, zoned support, and a Tencel cooling cover.  We chose this mattress as the best luxury option because it contains all the upgraded features we like to see while still maintaining a fair price point. This bed has an overall score for sex of 4.6 stars based on its 5-star responsiveness, 5-star edge support, and 4-star cooling.

When our tester, Bridget Chapman, tested the Helix Dusk Luxe’s responsiveness, she thought it was very easy to move around on due to its layer of coils. This coil layer adds bounce that helps couples switch positions during sex. Further responsiveness comes from a layer of latex foam, which is bouncier than typical memory foam. When Bridget tested the responsiveness, she said, “You’ll likely get some nice sinkage from this mattress, but you shouldn’t feel ‘stuck’ in the bed.”

A bed that helps you stay cool even when you and your partner are heating up can make moments of intimacy more enjoyable. The layer of coils inside the Helix Dusk Luxe helps add space inside the bed for air to flow freely without getting trapped, thus creating a cool, breezy experience. We also found temperature regulation from the Tencel cover, which felt smooth and breathable, with no noticeable warming.  If you are a particularly hot sleeper, you can also upgrade to a GlacioTex cover at checkout for additional cooling.

Our testers were also very impressed by the Helix Dusk Luxe’s edge support. The bed’s perimeter proved sturdy when they sat and lay directly on the edges with minimal sinkage. Because of this, you should be able to use the entire mattress during sex instead of just the center.

As a luxury mattress with a plush pillow top, this mattress leans a bit softer than medium-firm, so we don’t think it’s a top match for stomach sleepers who need firmer support at the hips to achieve proper spinal alignment. Similarly, it may not be supportive enough for heavy sleepers.

For more information, read our full Helix Dusk Luxe mattress review. Try the Helix Dawn Luxe or head to our best luxury mattress roundup for a stomach sleeping option. 

Innerspring mattresses are characterized by their supportive coil layer and top layer of thin foam. The Saatva Classic, which is offered in three firmness options, takes this construction to the next level, with two layers of coils and a plush Euro top that relieves pressure at the body’s most sensitive areas. This design gives the Saatva a ton of bounce, helping it earn 4 stars for responsiveness and 4.5 out of 5 stars for sex. We also found supreme 5-star edge support and 4-star cooling. Having sturdy edges allows sexually active couples to use the whole surface of the bed without fear of the perimeter collapsing. At the same time, the enhanced airflow will help regulate your temperature even when your pulse is racing.

One layer of coils helps add bounce to a mattress, but two coil layers make for a match in responsiveness heaven. Although it contains a plush, tufted pillow top, our tester Kenny Timper’s mobility wasn’t affected. “The Saatva is highly responsive, so I had no trouble switching from my back to my side to my stomach,” he said. “It was also very easy to hop in and out of bed and roll from one side to the other.” According to Kenny, this bed is the gold standard for responsiveness, making for easy maneuvering during your sexual encounters.

When it comes to cooling, the coil-on-coil construction shines once again. When Kenny measured the bed’s temperature with a thermal gun before and after lying on it for 5 minutes, he found a 7.4-degree temperature increase. The coils add a lot of space for hot air to flow, making this bed breathable. While the bed wasn’t necessarily cool to the touch, Kenny didn’t feel it noticeably warming up as he lay there, meaning that couples can stay cool even when their bedroom activities cause them to break a sweat

The Saatva Classic has some of the strongest edge support we’ve ever seen in a mattress, which is helpful for couples looking to venture away from just the center of the bed during sex. When our tester Erin Chiles placed 198 pounds of weights directly on the edge, she only measured 3 inches of sinkage, which is fantastic. Kenny tested the edges in both the sitting and lying positions and said, “The coils make this bed feel really sturdy and stable. The edges didn’t really budge when I sat on them and pressed down and stood up.”

Since the dual-coil layer makes the Saatva extremely bouncy, it’s not the best at isolating motion to just one side of the bed. While this bed is great for sex, you might feel your partner tossing and turning next to you when it’s time to go to sleep, so we only awarded it 2.6 stars for motion isolation. The coils also give it an “on” the bed feel. This may not be the best option if you’re seeking a doughy, hug-like sensation.

For an in-depth look at the Saatva, read our full Saatva Classic mattress review. For better motion isolation, try the Nolah Evolution or check out our best innerspring mattress roundup.

When it comes to sleeping on your back, Dr. Raj Dasgupta recommends a medium-firm bed that provides a balance between support and pressure relief. The Winkbeds GravityLux meets this criteria, and is also one of the best mattresses for sex. 

It’s offered in three different firmness levels, and I tested the Medium model. Not only does this bed provide enough support to promote proper spinal alignment in back sleepers, but it also has 5-star edge support that allows you to securely have sex on the entire surface of the bed. Since it’s an all-foam mattress, it’s not overly bouncy, but its firm feel makes it easy to switch positions during intimacy, earning 4 stars in responsiveness. We also found some nice cooling, giving it 4 stars in this category. Overall, the GravityLux earned 4.3 stars for sex.

When I tested this bed, I found it to be pretty firm, which helped prevent me from getting trapped in its layers and allowed me to easily move around. Its plush top added great cushioning at my lower back, but it did require a bit more effort to move around; however, it wasn’t difficult by any means. A layer of coils might have helped the transition be more seamless, but I still think couples can move around and switch positions without issue.

To test the bed’s reaction to body heat, I used a thermal gun to record the GravityLux’s temperature before and after lying on it for 5 minutes. The temperature went from 64.8 degrees to 72.1 degrees, a 7.3-degree increase. This is surprising for an all-foam mattress, since these types of beds tend to trap heat. However, the Tencel cover and gel-infused memory foam quilted into the cover help draw heat away from the body. While the bed wasn’t cool to the touch, I think it will prevent couples from overheating during sex.

When I tested GravityLux for edge support, I was blown away. The edges were able to stand strong under my weight, and I didn’t notice any sagging. The plush pillow top compresses, but the main support system is super-sturdy. I never felt like I was about to fall off. These edges are just as supportive as the rest of the bed, so you’ll be able to use the entire mattress during sex instead of just the center.

This mattress is very comfortable for back sleepers, but I didn’t find a ton of pressure relief when lying on my side. I would recommend choosing the Soft model at checkout if you get better sleep on your side. While it’s good for heavy back sleepers, heavy stomach and side sleepers are unlikely to find the support they need.

For more information on the GravityLux, read our full WinkBeds GravityLux mattress review. For a better side-sleeping option, try the Leesa Sapira Chill or head to our best mattress for back sleepers roundup.

If you’re a side sleeper looking for the best mattress for sex, look no further than the Nolah Evolution, which offers three different firmness options: Plush, Luxury Firm, and Firm. Dr. Shelby Harris says, “Side sleepers need pressure relief at the shoulders and hips, which means that they’ll typically want to stick with a softer mattress that will contour to their body and help prevent too much pressure on their joints throughout the night.” 

We found plenty of pressure relief when we tested the Nolah Evolution Luxury Firm model in our studio. Since this hybrid mattress contains coils, it also had a decent level of bounce to help couples switch up their position during sex, so we gave it 4 stars for responsiveness. We were also wowed by the 4-star edge support that provides security during sex and the 4.5-star cooling that prevents couples from getting too sweaty. Overall, we gave it 4.3 stars for sex, making it a solid choice. 

When our tester, Sosha Lewis, performed the switch test, she found it relatively easy to move around. The soft pillow top did add some resistance, but she thinks most people should be able to reposition without issue. “When I was moving from my back to my stomach, I found it easier when I planted my foot in the bed and pushed off,” she said. “With that being said, I could change positions without doing this, and switching from my back to my side wasn’t a problem.”

Sosha also performed the thermal gun test and found a temperature increase of 4.9 degrees after she spent 5 minutes lying on it. She owns the previous version of the Nolah Evolution, which she bought specifically because she’s a side sleeper and her husband is a hot sleeper. During testing, she thought this version of the Nolah was even cooler than the version she owns. 

The organic cotton cover was cool to the touch, likely due to Nolah’s proprietary ArticTex fibers that help maintain a neutral temperature. The bed also includes foam designed to be breathable, which are supplemented by a proprietary AirBreath border gusset. A layer of coils adds a final cooling touch by allowing all the hot air to flow without getting stuck.  On her experience, Sosha said, “I had worked out right before we started testing and my temperature hadn’t regulated. I could feel the heat leaving my body as I was on the Nolah.”

When the Nolah Evolution’s edges were tested, we thought they were solid. There wasn’t a ton of sinkage to be found, even when applying our full weight to just one place. While they’re not the sturdiest edges we’ve ever tested, they’re certainly better than average and can allow couples to rely on them during sex.

While this bed is a top choice for side sleepers, we didn’t find enough support in the stomach-sleeping position. Stomach sleepers should opt for the Firm model at checkout to avoid sinkage at the hips, which can lead to back pain. This bed is also one of the pricier ones on this roundup, so it’s not the best option for shoppers on a strict budget.

For a closer look at the Nolah Evolution, read our full Nolah Evolution mattress review. For a firmer mattress, try the WinkBed Original mattress. Side sleepers can check out more options in our best mattress for side sleepers roundup.

If you enjoy the soft, contouring feel of memory foam mattresses but also seek supportive innerspring construction, consider a hybrid mattress that combines both materials. Dr. Raj Dasgupta describes hybrid mattresses as “the superheroes of sleep comfort” due to their balanced feel. When it comes to sex, the Silk & Snow Hybrid helps assist the transitions between positions and prevents both partners from overheating. Overall, this bed earned 4 stars for sex. Its 4-star responsiveness and 4.5-star cooling abilities impressed us most, creating a chilled and bouncy feel. The edge support earned 3.5 stars, so it’s a better option for couples who don’t typically place much weight on the bed’s perimeter during sex.

This hybrid mattress lands at a 6.5 out of 10 on our mattress firmness scale, classifying it as a medium-firm bed. The Silk & Snow has soft, pressure-relieving foams up top and a supportive coil below that promotes proper spinal alignment. Despite the initial softness, our tester Dan Caffrey found it to offer good mobility. Dan said, “Overall, this is a pretty responsive mattress that makes it fairly easy to move around on.”  However, sexually active couples should be aware that Dan noticed he’d slightly wobble after switching positions due to the bouncy springs.

If you’re working up a sweat during sex, the Silk & Snow should help wick away moisture and prevent things from getting overly steamy. When Dan used a thermal gun to measure the Silk & Snow Hybrid’s temperature before and after lying on it for 5 minutes, he found a temperature increase of 4.1 degrees, which indicates it excellent cooling abilities. As he lay there, he didn’t feel the bed heating up beneath him and thought it kept a cool temperature throughout the test. Because of this, we don’t think you’ll have to worry about overheating during sex.

Dan was also our edge support tester. When he lay directly on the edges, he thought the mattress cover made it slippery, making him feel unstable. However, I believe this can be easily solved with a pair of crisp sheets. Sitting directly on the edge, he felt less sturdy, saying, “The layers compressed quite a bit.” While you’re likely to sleep securely near the edges, we wouldn’t recommend incorporating them into your sex life, as you can’t lean on them and still feel supported. When we cut into the mattress, we noticed that the coils didn’t extend to the edge, which is likely why this category scored lower.

If you’re planning to roll over onto your side after sex, I want to make you aware of the pressure some of our testers noticed in their shoulders in this position. While this isn’t too concerning, I think people with sensitive shoulders or preexisting shoulder pain may want a softer mattress. 

For a closer look at the Silk & Snow, read our full Silk & Snow Hybrid mattress review. And if you have shoulder pain, try the Saatva Rx, or head to our best hybrid mattress roundup.

Fun fact: what makes a mattress good for sex also makes it great for combination sleepers. Responsiveness helps couples switch sex positions, but it also helps combination sleepers move around while they sleep. When it comes to sexually active combo sleepers, we recommend the Brooklyn Bedding Signature Hybrid mattress. This bed earned 4 stars for responsiveness because its coils added some slight bounce that helps couples move around without feeling stuck. We also gave the bed 4 stars for edge support and 4.5 stars for cooling, earning 4.1 stars overall for sex.

The Signature Hybrid contains a strong layer of coils underneath the soft layer of foam, so some comforting sinkage feels great for side sleeping while still propping the spine into neutral alignment when back sleeping. According to our tester Kenny Timper, moving from his stomach or back to the side-sleeping position was seamless, but switching from his back to his stomach was a bit more difficult. Couples shouldn’t have trouble moving around on this bed during sex, but they should be aware that they will likely sink into the mattress some.

Kenny continued finding excellent results during testing as he moved on to our cooling test. After he lay on the Signature Hybrid for 5 minutes, he felt the area where his body was. “It’s apparent that someone was there, but I didn’t feel any noticeable heating up while I was on the bed.” This is further affirmed by the thermal gun results, which showed the bed heated up by 7.4 degrees after he was done lying on it

If you plan to incorporate the edge of the bed during sex, the Signature Hybrid has you covered. When Kenny tested the mattress’s edge support, he found solid results. He said, “I felt some slight sinkage on my back but did not feel like I was going to fall off at any point.” This edge support is mainly provided by the innerspring coils that prevent too much sinkage when applying pressure.

Unfortunately, this bed is better for sexually active couples than sleeping couples due to its poor motion isolation score, which was only 3.6 out of 5 stars. If your partner plans to spend the night afterward, you will likely feel them tossing and turning next to you. Additionally, this affordable mattress has a very simple construction. If you’re looking for luxury features, you won’t find them here.

For more information, read our full Brooklyn Bedding Signature Hybrid mattress review. For couples, try the Nectar Premier or check out our best mattress for combination sleepers roundup.

When we discussed pressure relief with Dr. Raj Dasgupta, he emphasized the importance of contouring materials that help evenly distribute weight to avoid pain. At Sleepopolis, we test every mattress for pressure relief using a specialized mat that senses pressure. Three testers in different weight categories lie on the mat in both the side and back sleeping positions. The mat then creates a graphic using thermal imaging showing where pressure forms along the body. 

We found the Bear Elite Hybrid to relieve pressure in both sleeping positions across all body types. Not only is it a comfortable bed to sleep on, but it’s also great for sexually active people due to its bounce that helps switch positions, cooling that prevents sweatiness, and firm edges that will support you no matter where your sexual activities take you on the mattress. Our testing results were fairly consistent across the board, with edge support and cooling both earning 4.5 stars and responsiveness earning 4 stars. Overall, the Bear Elite Hybrid earned 4.3 stars for sex.

The Bear Elite Hybrid has a firmer feel, coming in at a 7 out of 10 on our firmness scale. This firm support provides an “on top” of the bed feel rather than an “inside the bed” feel, and our tester, Sosha Lewis, found it easy to move around on the surface. The upper layer of foam is softer than the rest of the bed, which could cause people with mobility issues to use more effort when switching sex positions, but otherwise, you shouldn’t struggle to move around.

When Sosha performed the thermal gun test, she recorded a 4.1-degree temperature increase after lying on the bed for 5 minutes. The average bed heats up by 7.14 degrees, so these results blew us away. “It felt cool to the touch when I first lay down, but not after I got up and felt the spot where my body was,” she said. “But, I didn’t notice it heating up while lying on it.” Even if the sex is hot, you won’t need to worry about actually feeling hot.

This mattress is pretty tall, measuring 14 inches from top to bottom. The mattress is even taller when placed on a base, which became an issue for 5’4” Sosha. If you’re on the shorter side, you may not be able to sit on the bed with your feet on the floor, which makes it harder to rely on the edges when standing up. However, Sosha thought the edges were very secure overall, especially when lying on her side — our testers sometimes topple over in this position if the edges are too weak. When it comes to sex, we think the edges can be relied on.

Although this mattress is a good choice for sex, it may not be the best choice for side sleeping once you’re done, especially if you’re prone to pain in your hips or shoulders. Since it’s on the firmer side, there’s not as much body contouring as we’d like to see in this position. We also think this bed might be a bit too expensive for budget shoppers.

If you want to learn more about the Bear Elite Hybrid, head on over to our full Bear Elite Hybrid mattress review. For another sturdy Bear mattress, try the Bear Star Hybrid or check out our best mattress for back pain roundup.

Cooling is one of the key factors we look for in the best mattress for sex. If you heat up after you climb in bed, a mattress designed for hot sleepers — such as the Leesa Sapira Chill Hybrid — might be your best choice. When I tested this bed’s cooling, I thought it knocked it out of the park, so I gave it 4.5 stars. Overall, this bed earns 4 stars for sex when we combine the cooling score with the 4-star edges and 3.5-star responsiveness. 

To see if this mattress keeps things chilled during sex, I put the Sapira Chill’s cooling to the test. When I measured the bed’s temperature before and after lying on it for 5 minutes, it only heated up by 5 degrees. The cover has a cool-to-the-touch feel that stayed the whole time I was lying on it. I didn’t notice the bed heating up, and I think its name (“Chill”) is pretty accurate. I would for sure recommend this bed to hot sleepers. The cooling gel-infused foam quilted into the pillow top was noticeably cool to the touch.

The Leesa Sapira Chill Hybrid is one of the softer mattresses on this roundup, providing soothing sinkage and contouring. However, this may inhibit its mobility, lowering its responsiveness score compared to other beds on this list. During testing, I noticed the pillow top has deep tufts, which made me feel as if I was stuck in the mattress. However, I did find a decent amount of bounce, which helped me move from my back to my stomach.

Since this bed contains a lot of soft, pressure-relieving foam, I expected a decent amount of compression when I tested the edges. I felt a tad unstable when I first sat down, but the strong coils kicked in and kept me lifted and secure. I felt even more secure when lying on my back and stomach near the edge. The edges felt just as sturdy as the rest of the bed. I felt less stable on my side as gravity started to kick in due to the uneven weight distribution. I think this edge support is solid and can be used during sex, but it’s not the best I’ve ever seen.

This mattress is most compatible with side and back sleepers due to its plush foams, yet it’s not quite supportive enough for stomach sleeping. I would steer these sleepers towards a firmer mattress that provides more lift at the hips to lower back strain.

Read our full Leesa Sapira Chill Hybrid mattress review for a deep dive into this bed. For an even bouncier option, try the Nolah Natural or check out our best cooling mattress roundup.

For sleepers who say their ideal bed is “as firm as possible,” the Plank Firm by Brooklyn Bedding is a perfect match. This mattress is flippable, with each side sporting a different feel. The firm side is slightly firmer than an industry-standard medium-firm mattress, coming in at a 7 out of 10 on the firmness scale. Then there’s the extra-firm side, which is the firmest bed I have ever tested — it’s a 9 out of 10 on the firmness scale. The extra-firm side earned 4.3 stars for sex based on 5-star responsiveness, 3.5-star edge support, and 4.5 stars for cooling. The firm side earned 3.8 stars for sex, earning the same score as the extra-firm side in responsiveness and edge support but only 3 stars in cooling.

Both sides of the Plank Firm are extremely easy to move around on, making it good for sex. Since this bed is so firm, think of it as sleeping on… well, a plank. There’s no bounce, but there’s also zero sinkage, so moving around was easy peasy. Both sides earned 5 stars for responsiveness because our mobility wasn’t inhibited in the slightest. 

To make sure this bed is cool enough for sweaty activities like sex, I used a thermal gun to measure how much it retains heat. The extra-firm side performed slightly better than the firm side, likely because the extra-firm side contains less foam. I tested the extra-firm side and didn’t notice it heating up too much when lying on it. It wasn’t particularly airy or cool to the touch, but its temperature only increased by 5 degrees. I thought it was pretty temperature-neutral. My colleague Sosha Lewis performed the same test on the firm side and found a 10-degree temperature increase after she was on it for five minutes. However, she also didn’t notice it heating up and thought it remained neutral– not cold, but not hot.

The edge support was average on both sides of the Plank Firm, earning 3.5 stars. Since it’s an all-foam mattress, there are no coils to reinforce the edges and provide lots of lift. However, since it is so firm, we didn’t experience a concerning amount of sinkage. The firm side was a bit less stable when sitting directly on the edge, but I felt much more secure when lying near the edge. You’ll be able to rely on the edge support — you won’t have to worry about falling off the bed during sex if you get too close to the edge. 

While the firm support makes the bed great for sex, back sleeping, and stomach sleeping, you may experience some pressure on your hips and shoulders if you plan to sleep on your side afterward. This bed wasn’t designed with side sleepers in mind, so these folks should seek a softer mattress with more cushioning to prevent joint pain.

Read our full Brooklyn Bedding Plank Firm mattress review for more information on the Plank Firm. For a flippable mattress that offers a firm and soft side, try the Layla memory foam mattress or head to our best flippable mattress roundup.