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Key Takeaways
If you’re one of the estimated 10.6% of older adults with restless leg syndrome (RLS), you’re probably tired of feeling uncomfortable in bed with leg movements that keep you awake. In fact, people whose RLS develops after age 45 tend to experience more severe symptoms that worsen faster.
But waking up groggy, sore, or brain-fogged doesn’t have to be your new normal. According to experts, the best mattress for you may help you feel more comfortable at night, supporting a better night’s sleep with RLS.
Below, discover our choices for the best mattresses for people with restless leg syndrome. Plus, get firsthand insight from our testers and advice from medical and sleep experts.
We spoke with Bryan Wright, PT, a physical therapist based in Idaho, and Paul Daidone, MD, a board-certified internal medicine specialist based in Arkansas, to determine what to look for when choosing a mattress for people with RLS. Based on their responses, we identified the following criteria:
A medium-firm mattress is often ideal for people with RLS because it can help ensure your spine stays straight and supported while you sleep.
Since RLS involves involuntary leg movements, a mattress with good motion isolation can help if you sleep with a partner so your movements will be less likely to affect their sleep.
Memory foam mattresses may reduce pressure in the legs, so we included a selection of memory foam and hybrid mattresses so you can fully enjoy the foam’s cradling effect.
RLS symptoms may worsen in higher temperatures, so we included mattresses with cooling features (like breathable covers and gel-infused foam), to ensure your comfort while sleeping.
In this video, Vicki Tilley, a physical therapist and certified geriatric clinical specialist, encourages sleepers to stretch before bed to relieve tension from the stress of the day while improving flexibility. Since stress and tension can increase the symptoms of restless leg syndrome, we feel that performing the stretches demonstrated in this video is a great habit to have in your toolbox. Learn more about stretching before bed in the video below.
If you’re looking for a mattress that offers pressure relief for your legs, the Saatva Rx may fit the bill. This mattress is specifically designed for people with chronic back and joint pain. But we believe it could also work well for people with RLS.
For starters, the mattress offers a true medium-firm support level. Our tester gave it a 6.5 out of 10, with 10 being the firmest.
The Saatva Rx achieves this support through a base of pocketed coils, each with 2 inches of memory foam on top. The coils are followed up with a layer of 1-inch-tall “micro coils” that contour the body and offer pressure relief—a perk for anyone who wants to take the pressure off their restless legs.
A layer of memory foam offers further comfort, while a thin strip of lower back support toward the center of the mattress provides back support for side and back sleepers. An organic cotton cover tops the mattress and provides a plush sleep surface. During testing, we found it comfortable for all sleep positions.
Thanks to the coils, the Saatva Rx is very bouncy. We found it easy to move around on this mattress, which is ideal if you often change positions to soothe your RLS. Yet at the same time, the Saatva Rx also scored high marks for motion isolation. When one person crawled around on the other side of the mattress, our tester faintly felt the movement.
Additionally, we were impressed by the Saatva Rx’s cooling features. The mattress includes multiple design elements that promote cooling, such as graphite-infused foam and open-cell coils for better airflow. We found that the surface felt cool to the touch and only heated up slightly near the lower back area.
While the Saatva Rx comes at a higher price tag, we believe these features will create the ideal combination of comfort and support for sleepers with RLS.
“It feels like I’m lying ‘on top’ of the mattress rather than inside of it, almost like a waterbed. It’s easy to move around on.”
Who may love it
Who may want to avoid it
On Saatva’s website, the Saatva Rx has an overall rating of 4.9 out of five stars, with 72 total reviews. Many reviews praised the mattress’s pressure-relieving qualities and enjoyed the convenience of white-glove delivery; although one two-star reviewer experienced an extended delay on shipping, which led them to cancel their order.
“Our new Saatva Rx mattress is either magic or a miracle! I haven’t slept comfortably for a very long time due to chronic, severe hip issues and low back pain… but the very first night was a godsend!”
– KM, verified buyer on 06/07/24.
“The first night I slept on the RX mattress I knew it was a winner. Soft, but supportive. Zero hip pain sleeping on my side. First time in a decade. I’m sleeping more soundly than I have in years. No longer do I wake up at 2:30 a.m. with hip pain.”
— GJo., verified buyer on 5/14/2024
For more information, see our in-depth Saatva review.
If you want a mattress that will cradle your restless legs, the DreamCloud Memory Foam mattress offers an excellent option. Instead of coils, the mattress gets support from an 8-inch tall foam base. Our tester gave it a true medium-support score of 6.5 out of 10.
Four more layers of foam follow the base: a transition layer that promotes spinal alignment; a gel-infused foam layer for pressure relief, and two quilted foam layers that offer further support and comfort. This variety of foam layers is capped with a quilted cashmere cover that combines plushness with breathability.
Our testers found that the DreamCloud Memory Foam offered a gentle cradling effect, and their body created a slight “divot” in the mattress surface. It was still easy to roll over and change positions despite the lack of bouncy coils. Average-weight sleepers (130–250 pounds) and higher-weight sleepers (more than 250 pounds) should find all sleeping positions comfortable, but lighter-weight side sleepers (under 130 pounds) may prefer a softer surface.
Additionally, the DreamCloud Memory Foam earned top marks for motion isolation, an excellent distinction if your leg movements wake your partner. Our tester slightly felt the motion when one person jumped on the other side of the mattress.
And while pure memory foam mattresses are known for harboring heat, the DreamCloud Memory Foam scored high marks for cooling, even with multiple people on the bed. You should be able to rest easily if your RLS symptoms otherwise worsen on hot nights.
That said, the edge of the mattress wasn’t particularly supportive, which could be a drawback for anyone who has difficulty getting in and out of bed.
“The DreamCloud (Memory Foam) offers contour closer to the surface level. It takes about one to two seconds for the mattress to ‘pop back’ to its original shape.”
Who may love it
Who may want to avoid it
On Google, the DreamCloud mattress has a 4.2 out of five-star rating with nearly 2,200 total reviews. Five-star reviewers generally found the mattress comfortable and easy to set up. But some one-star reviewers reported problems with shipping and fulfilling their warranties.
On DreamCloud’s website, their original memory foam mattress has 4.6 out of five stars with more than 8,900 reviews. Some verified buyers report fewer RLS symptoms and more restful sleep. But some reviewers found it difficult to set up, due to its heavy weight.
“I have tried many different mattresses, but the Dream Cloud is BY FAR the best mattress I’ve ever slept on. I have restless leg syndrome, and it has completely subsided since sleeping on the Dream Cloud. I cannot recommend it enough!”
– Lisa, verified buyer on 03/14/22.
“This mattress has helped tremendously with my leg and hip pain. The only negative side is it weighs a ton, and tucking in bedding is difficult for an older person. I love my DreamCloud.”
– Anita B., verified buyer on 11/19/22
“Yeah this bed is the one. I have nerve issues in my back and legs, and this bed doesn’t even cause me issues.”
– Isaac O., verified buyer on 03/10/24
For more information, see our in-depth DreamCloud review.
Back sleepers with RLS may want to take extra care when choosing a mattress. Even without RLS involved, some research associates back sleeping with more restless nights and poorer overall sleep quality compared to other sleep positions.
Luckily, The Winkbed features a base of coils organized into zoned support areas, offering extra comfort for your back. The individually wrapped coils are firmer toward the center of the mattress. This provides targeted lower back support while keeping pressure light in other parts of the mattress.
Beyond being supportive, The WinkBed also hits other criteria that sleepers with RLS should enjoy. For example, it offers a layer of gel-infused foam to offer pressure relief for your legs. The mattress also scored high marks for motion isolation. Our tester barely felt another person crawling on the other side of the bed.
Also, The WinkBed felt cool during sleep, thanks to its cashmere cover, which the company claims is more breathable than cotton. But The WinkBed doesn’t offer in-home delivery or setup, which can be a problem if you’d rather not set up your mattress alone.
“I could feel the mattress contouring to my lower back, and my spine felt neutral.”
Who may love it
Who may want to avoid it
The WinkBed has a 4.8 out of five stars on the brand’s website with more than 8,600 total reviews.
“Feels great. Firm, but not too firm and comfortable. I was having back issues with our 11-year-old memory mattress. I did my research and your bed was recommended for older people with back issues.”
— Michael, O., verified buyer on 05/22/24.
“I love this bed! It is just the right balance of firmness and soft comfort. The company has been fantastic about communicating and offering support. Can’t recommend highly enough..”
– Sarah S., verified buyer on 02/14/24
For more information, see our in-depth WinkBed mattress review.
Our experts generally recommend a medium-firm mattress for people with RLS. But you may prefer a firmer mattress model if you weigh 250 pounds or more or can only find comfort when sleeping on sturdier surfaces. If that sounds like you, consider the Nolah Signature 12″.
The Nolah Signature 12″ came in at a seven out of 10 on our firmness scale, making it slightly more supportive than average without being too rigid. The mattress comes in both hybrid and foam versions, but we tested the foam version.
The foam Nolah Signature 12″ starts with an 8-inch layer of sturdy foam, followed by multiple layers of AirFoam, which Nolah claims offers four times the pressure relief of standard memory foam. While we can’t verify the exact numbers, we found that the Nolah Signature 12″ lived up to our expectations for pressure relief: it scored 4.75 out of five with our testers.
While the mattress doesn’t have springs to aid in changing positions and rolling over, our tester still found it easy to move around on the mattress due to the firm base. And the Nolah Signature 12″ featured excellent motion isolation for anyone worried about disturbing their partner with restless leg movements. Our tester didn’t even feel it when someone rolled a 10-pound ball on the other side of the mattress.
While the Nolah Signature 12″ has a breathable organic cotton cover and claims that its AirFoam technology is cooler than regular foam, we found that its cooling effects were only average. In fact, the mattress warmed up the longer our tester laid on it. Although it wasn’t unbearably hot, people whose RLS symptoms are triggered by heat may prefer a mattress with more significant cooling capabilities.
“It has pretty good motion isolation. When the person on the other side of the mattress rolled over, I couldn’t feel much.”
Who may love it
Who may want to avoid it
The Nolah Signature rates 4.8 out of five stars on the brand’s website with more than 450 total reviews. Reviewers generally find the mattress comfortable and enjoy its pressure-relieving qualities.
“I love my Nolah. I’ve tried several different mattresses to reduce pressure point pain for side-sleepers, and the Nolah was the only one to achieve this.”
– Julian A., verified buyer on 10/5/2023.
“Great all foam mattress. The mattress has good stability for an all foam mattress and [is] just firm enough to sink in a tiny bit. Very comfortable!”
– Chris N., verified buyer on 10/5/2023.
On Google, the Nolah Signature also has 4.8 out of fivestars with more than 300 total reviews. Some reviewers mentioned finding relief from back and hip pain, although one reviewer noted that it took two people to set the mattress up.
For more information, see our in-depth Nolah mattress review.
Since RLS symptoms can worsen during hot weather, you’ll likely want a mattress that prioritizes cooling effects if you sleep warm or live in a hot climate. If that sounds like you, let us introduce you to the Leesa Sapira Chill Hybrid.
This mattress is specifically designed to pull heat away from the body. It has multiple cooling features, including airflow and gel-infused foams as well as a quilted cover infused with cooling fibers. It earned a solid five out of five for cooling in our book. Even with multiple people on the bed, we found that it still remained cool to the touch.
Beyond its cooling upgrades, the Leesa Sapira Chill Hybrid has a medium firmness of 6.5 out of 10 and zoned supports for your back. The cover also felt very soft and plush.
We found this mattress comfortable for back and side sleeping, but our tester noted that their hips did sink slightly when lying on their stomach. While they think this might be comfortable for stomach sleepers with hip pain, other stomach sleepers may prefer a mattress model that keeps the hips higher.
Also, the Leesa Sapira Chill Hybrid had solid motion isolation for couples. Our tester only felt faint movements when another person crawled around on the other side of the mattress. It was also highly responsive, making it easy to change sleeping positions.
That said, we did notice an odd “creaking” sound when changing positions on the mattress. This could be a problem if you or your partner are sensitive to sounds.
“This mattress is very soft with a super plush top. I can tell it is breathable and ventilated.”
Who may love it
Who may want to avoid it
The Leesa Sapira Hybrid Chill has a 4.2 out of five-star rating on Leesa’s website with 59 total reviews. Some reviewers found the mattress comfortable and easy to set up, but other reviewers found it softer than advertised and also experienced sinking.
“My wife sleeps on her side, I sleep on my back, and we both heat up easily. We both sleep so well. It’s so, so, so comfortable. Easily worth the price.”
– Nicholas, verified buyer on 10/29/23.
“It offers dependable support to us as side sleepers, while also allowing for a little cushy sensation as we settle in.”
– Pamela L,.verified buyer on 02/12/24.
On Google, the Leesa Sapira Hybrid has a 3.7 out of five-star rating with more than 40 total reviews. Some reviewers found it provides a good mix of support and plush comfort. Others found it too soft, with only average cooling effects. Like our tester, one reviewer also heard creaking sounds when changing positions on the mattress.
For more information, see our in-depth Leesa mattress review.
We spent more than 2,000 total hours researching mattress brands and models, interviewing sleep experts and medical professionals, and conducting surveys to develop our mattress testing system. We also consulted with medical experts to determine the specific criteria that makes a good mattress for people with RLS.
We personally tested every mattress on our list to gather firsthand insights into each model’s performance and ranked them in the following categories:
We use a one-to-10 scoring method for firmness; one is the least firm, while 10 is the firmest. We mainly selected mattresses that fall in the middle of our scale since our experts recommended a medium-firmness level for RLS.
We score pressure relief on a scale of one to five, with five being the best. We selected mattresses that earned a 3.5 or higher to take pressure off your legs and joints during sleep.
We rank motion isolation on a scale of one to five, with five being the best. Most mattresses in our lineup earned high marks on this metric for people with RLS who sleep with a partner.
We rank a mattress model’s cooling qualities on a scale of one to five, with five being the coolest. Every mattress model in our roundup features some type of cooling feature, like a breathable cover.
To learn more about our testing and scoring methods in-depth, review our sleep methodology.
We continuously test new mattress models every month to find the best options on the market. When we find a new mattress that fits our criteria, we update our content to ensure our recommendations are as up-to-date as possible.
Each of the mattresses on our list contains material providing unique benefits to either help reduce nighttime movement or provide pressure relief to help relax your legs. Here are some of the different mattress types and how they can affect sleep for those with RLS:
When a mattress is too soft, the sleeper’s body may sink deeply into it, leading to improper spinal alignment and increasing pressure on the legs. On the other hand, too firm of a mattress can create pressure points, increasing the urge to move. Experts say a medium-firm mattress is the Goldilocks zone for RLS since it’s neither too rigid nor too plush. Ultimately, the ideal firmness level may vary based on individual preferences and body weight.
Look for mattresses that provide ample pressure relief, especially for your legs. When a mattress evenly distributes weight, it can alleviate pressure points, especially around the hips and legs, where the tension often builds for those with RLS. Materials like memory foam and latex are especially good at contouring to the body and reducing pressure buildup. The cushioning effect of these mattresses can ease the constant urge to move the legs, allowing for mroe restful sleep.
Couples may want to look into a mattress with motion isolation to prevent one partner’s RLS spasm from disturbing the other’s rest. Materials like memory foam and latex are very good at absorbing movement and minimizing the ripple effect caused by involuntary leg movement. For individuals with RLS, this can lead to a more peaceful sleeping environment, as the mattress cushions the jerks that often accompany RLS. Option for a mattress with strong motion isolation helps prevent unnecassary waking.
Hot sleepers with RLS may enjoy mattresses with cooling tops or gel-infused foams to stay comfortable on hot nights. Many people with restless leg syndrome experience restlessness when they feel too warm, so a mattress with cooling properties can help manage temperature throughout the night. Look for materials like gel-infused, memory foam, latex, and hybrid designs with breathable coils to promote better airflow, keeping the body cool and preventing overheating.
Restless leg syndrome (RLS) is a neurological disorder that causes an irresistible urge to move your legs. You may feel aching, tingling, crawling, or throbbing sensations in your legs that only subside when you move them.
People can develop RLS at any age, although symptoms tend to become more severe with age. The underlying cause of RLS is unknown, but there seems to be a genetic component, and it often overlaps with the following health conditions:
RLS isn’t specifically a sleep disorder. But symptoms usually intensify at night and when someone is resting, making it difficult to fall or stay asleep. This can result in symptoms of sleep
deprivation, like daytime sleepiness, trouble concentrating, mood changes, and more.
While RLS isn’t contagious, you may inadvertently inflict restless nights on your partner if
your leg movements disturb their sleep. According to Chelsie Rohrscheib, PhD, a neuroscientist and sleep expert with Wesper, some couples may choose to sleep apart because of this.
In general, our experts recommended memory foam or hybrid mattresses since they may relieve pressure in the legs. People with RLS may also experience lower back pain, and research suggests that a medium-firm mattress may be the best mattress for back pain.
Also, a recent study suggests that RLS symptoms can worsen in hot weather, which could make mattresses with cooling features an ideal choice. If you sleep with a partner, a mattress with good motion isolation may prevent the need to sleep apart.
There isn’t any research that investigates how sleeping positions impact RLS symptoms. Both Wright and Daidone told us it’s best to choose the position that you find the most comfortable. That said, some positions may offer perks for people with RLS over others.
For example, Wright explained that side sleeping with a pillow between your legs may help reduce pressure on your body. Daidone added that a pillow may also prevent your knee bones from rubbing together, which can be a source of discomfort.
And Daidone recommended placing a pillow under your knees if you prefer to sleep on your back to help stop leg movement.
Our pick for the best mattress for side sleepers, the Saatva Classic, could also be a good choice for people with RLS.
People with RLS can experience poor circulation in their legs. Elevating your legs with a pillow may help improve circulation and ease discomfort, according to Wright. But you can also accomplish this with an adjustable bed. See our pick of the best adjustable bed for more information.
| Mattress type | Hybrid Lifetime | Memory Foam | Hybrid | Memory Foam | Hybrid |
| Mattress height (inches) | 15″ | 12″ | 13.5″ | 12″ | 14″ |
| Cooling | 4.5/5 | 4/5 | 4/5 | 3.5/5 | 5/5 |
| Warranty (years) | Lifetime | Lifetime | Limited lifetime | Lifetime | 10 |
While RLS can leave you feeling uncomfortable and fidgety in bed, the right mattress may help you find a comfortable position and relieve pressure in your legs.
According to experts, the best mattress for restless leg syndrome contain a combination of medium firmness and pressure relief, with memory foam and hybrid mattresses both providing good options. We like the Saatva Rx for its pressure-relieving capabilities, DreamCloud Memory Foam for those who like a cradling, all-foam mattress, and Leesa Sapira Chill Hybrid for those who sleep hot and need extra cooling at night.
According to Wright and Daidone, activities like stretching, meditation, leg massages, and warm baths may all aid RLS symptoms before bed. Alcohol and caffeine intake are also associated with RLS. Limit or avoid them altogether to potentially ease your symptoms.
Daidone recommends seeing a doctor for your RLS if:
It’s unclear why RLS symptoms worsen at night. But some research suggests that people with RLS have better circulation in the morning than at night.
A mattress with good motion isolation can help prevent your partner from feeling your restless leg movements, potentially leading to a better night’s sleep without the need for separate beds.
Have questions about this review? Email us at reviewsteam@ncoa.org.
