Sofa bed mattresses offer a convenient solution for anyone living in a small apartment or anyone who hosts company without a guest bedroom. However, this convenience often is achieved by sacrificing comfort.
If you have ever slept on a sofa bed or pull-out mattress, you probably know what we’re talking about. Stiff necks, back pain, and fatigue are often the symptoms of spending too many nights on a poorly-made sofa bed mattress.
Thankfully, it doesn’t have to be this way. Comfort and convenience can both be achieved on a mattress for a sleeper sofa; you've just got to go custom. Here’s how to do it:
Why is my sofa mattress so uncomfortable?
Before you can begin to fix your sleeper sofa set up, first you have to understand why you aren’t getting a goodnight’s sleep in it in the first place. There could be several things causing your uncomfortable sofa bed set up and identifying the main culprit will put you well on your way toward a more comfortable and convenient bed.
The most common issues with pullout mattresses are that they’re not constructed to fold the way they need to; they’re thin; they’re innerspring; and they rarely fit the bed frame well. All these things add up to your guests being wary of sleeping on your sofa bed more than once – because it was awful.
Sofa bed frames are different - and clunky.
A sofa bed mattress’s frame could not be more different from a traditional bed frame. Not only does it have to be sturdy enough to hold multiple adults while it functions as a couch, but it also has to be flexible enough to be discreetly stored away when not in use.
Thanks to this design, the bed frame is a very common source of discomfort in a sofa bed. You might feel a bar digging into your back or a stiff metal rail prodding you while you try to find a comfortable sleeping position. The frame is definitely an issue to address if this sounds familiar to you.
You can feel the mattress coils through the mattress.
Another reason you may loathe sleeping on your sofa bed is bad coils. If you can feel metal coils sticking you in the sides when you’re trying to sleep, odds are you’re working with a poor-quality mattress that’s lacking crucial padding between you and the coils.
While simple fixes like mattress toppers and bar shields may work for some issues, they will do little to address a worn-out mattress. Plus, you often can’t add a mattress topper to your sleeper sofa bed anyway, because then it can’t fold away correctly. If this sounds like the source of your discomfort, it may be time to go mattress shopping.
An uncomfortable sofa bed mattress keeps you up at night.
While there are numerous sources of poor-quality sleep on a sofa bed mattress, sometimes it just comes down to having a bad mattress. Like any other bed if your mattress is too soft or too firm based on your personal needs and preferences you won’t be getting quality sleep.
To make matters worse, many of the problems you experience on a traditional bed frame can be exacerbated by a sofa bed. So, it should be a top priority to make sure you’re sleeping on a well-maintained and high-quality sofa mattress, which is definitely not the case if you’re still working with the mattress that came with your pullout couch.
A sagging sleeper sofa mattress doesn't offer support.
Unlike a mattress that’s too firm or too soft, a sagging mattress may have nothing to do with the mattress itself and everything to do with your sofa sleeper. While an old, beat-up mattress will sag, a brand new one can sag if your sofa bed frame is worn down.
Sagging mattresses can lead to extreme discomfort. The sag will cause the mattress to drape itself across the frame which will lead to those bars pressing against your body when you lie down. Aside from basic discomfort, this can lead to consistent aches and pains throughout your body.
The Solutions to a Sofa Bed Mattress that's a Bummer
Common issues related to sofa beds have three common solutions: a mattress topper, a sofa bed bar shield and simply buying a new mattress. It’s important to keep in mind that each of these solutions addresses different issues and some problems cannot be solved by something as simple as a mattress topper.
Mattress toppers are an ill-fitting band-aid.
The first solution worth trying is a mattress topper. It may not address all your problems or be the most reliable option, but it’s convenient and affordable. Adding a mattress topper puts more distance between your body and the frame which can alleviate some of those annoyances caused by the frame or an old mattress.
This may not be the best option if your sofa bed mattress is your primary bed, but if it’s mainly used for visiting family and friends it can be a viable choice. However, the other issue is fitting the folding mattress back into the sofa with the mattress topper on. It might not work, and then you’re stuck putting the mattress topper on and off each time you need to use your pullout bed.
A sofa bed bar shield will only get you so far.
If those symptoms of discomfort related to the frame sound exactly like your situation, a sofa bed bar shield could be the solution to your problems. A sofa bed bar shield works to shield your body and mattress from the frame by adding a vinyl sheet under your mattress.
While this may fix your discomfort, it’s not an immediate fix, it won’t make up for discomfort stemming from issues like poor mattress quality or sagging caused by a bad frame. If you have a custom-made sofa mattress or an uncommon size like a queen-sized sofa mattress it may also be incredibly difficult to find the right size.
A new, custom sofa bed mattress solves your problems.
For many of these sofa bed issues, a new mattress is ultimately the only great solution. While toppers and bar shields are good quick fixes, they aren’t often reliable long term and nothing can replace a well-made, high-quality mattress.
Even if your issue can be solved without a new mattress, if your sofa bed is serving as more than just a guest bed, the benefits of a high-quality or custom-made sofa mattress cannot be understated. With options like memory foam, latex, and features like a hinge so the mattress can fold without compromising its structure, custom is really the only way to go if your sleeper sofa bed needs a makeover.
Choosing Your Custom Sofa Bed Mattress
Our Dozy and Sleepify mattresses both come in heights as slim as 4” making them ideal choices for a sofa sleeper mattress upgrade. And the smaller depth doesn’t compromise comfort; our mattresses are made to be the best blend of cushion and support. Because there’s nothing comfier than a custom sleep!