Best Full Size Memory Foam Mattress

The AS3 is our bestselling mattress with a perfect balance of cushion and support. This medium feel is ideal for those with average weight. Usually, lightweight sleepers need softer mattresses, while plus-size sleepers need firmer mattresses. But most average sleepers weighing between 130 and 230 pounds feel comfortable on a medium mattress, leading to AS3’s immense popularity.

Even children feel comfortable on this medium mattress. Soft mattresses may disturb their spine’s neutral alignment, while firm mattresses may not contour to their body for adequate cushioning. You can share a full size AS3 mattress with your child, or make it a children’s bed if there’s enough space for a full mattress in your kids’ room.

Our AS3 includes Bio-Pur®, Affinity with HIVE®, and Bio-Core® support layer. The plant-based Bio-Pur® foam is used in all our Amerisleep memory foam mattresses. In the AS3, Bio-Pur® foam is 3 inches thick.

Traditional memory foam is made of petroleum-based products. But when making Bio-Pur® foam, we substitute a substantial portion of the petroleum with castor oils. Plant-based oils also have a cooling effect and make our mattresses more eco-friendly.

Our Certi-PUR-US® certified plant-based foams are also free of chemicals like CFCs, formaldehyde, phthalates, PBDEs and are low in volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions. Low VOCs means the off-gassing odors are minimal. If you’re environmentally conscious, you can take pride in buying our mattresses.

The 2-inch thick Affinity with HIVE® prevents the sinking feel, making it a perfect “medium”. It’s neither too soft, nor too firm. We use this Harnessing Intelligent Ventilation & Energy (HIVE®) technology in this layer to promote variable support.

The 7 inches thick Bio-Core® support foam enhances durability.

Product Highlights:

• 3-inch of eco-friendly Bio-Pur®
• 2-inch thick Affinity with HIVE® prevents mattress sinkage and balances the softness and firmness for a perfect medium feel
• 7-inch thick Bio-Core® enhances mattress durability

Our Amerisleep AS2 is a medium-firm bed good for those with back pain. It contains Bio-Pur®, Affinity with HIVE®, and Bio-Core® foam. The top comfort layer includes 2 inches of breathable Bio-Pur® material, thinner than in the AS3 and making this bed feel firmer.

Bio-Pur® foam conforms to your body, providing pressure point relief. If you are a back sleeper, the top comfort layer contours your spine’s natural curvature enhancing lumbar support. Better lumbar support alleviates lower back pain.

The second layer comprises 3 inches of the Affinity with HIVE® technology. This layer provides targeted support to different regions of the body. It contains hundreds of hexagon-shaped cutouts, customizing comfort to your head, shoulders, back, hips, and feet.

The back, head, and feet region need firmer support, while shoulders and hips need more cushioning. Hexagons placed close together leave no room for expansion when compressed, offering firm support.

The firm support beneath your back prevents mattress sinkage, enhancing your spine’s neutral alignment. This prevents straining your spine, causing or aggravating back pain.

Spacing out the hexagons allows scope for expansion when compressed. This spacing offers the cushioning you need underneath your shoulders and hips.

The supportive base layer is 7 inches of Bio-Core® foam. It’s a firm base layer increasing mattress durability in the foam model.

Product Highlights:

• 2 inches of breathable Bio-Pur® conforms to your body, relieving pressure points
• 3 inches of the Affinity with HIVE® customizes comfort and enhancing back support
• 7 inches of firm Bio-Core® foam supports top layers, preventing mattress sinkage

The Amerisleep AS1 is the firmest of all our mattresses. It’s best suited for back and stomach sleepers, though we don’t recommend stomach sleeping because it disturbs spinal alignment. Spinal misalignment triggers back and neck aches. But if you are comfortable sleeping on your stomach, the AS1 is ideal for you. The firm base layer prevents the comfort layer from sinking under your abdomen, keeping your spine in neutral alignment.

The AS1 contains two layers of proprietary foam. The top comfort layer is 2 inches of Bio-Pur® foam. The base layer contains 8 inches of firm Bio-Core® foam. All our mattresses include a cover made of soft, breathable fabric. The mattress cover wicks away moisture, keeping you cool as you sleep.

The base layer, firm Bio-Core® polyurethane foam, supports the top comfort layer. It enhances overall mattress firmness and durability. All our mattresses come with a risk-free 100-night sleep trial. They are also backed by a 20-year warranty covering sags greater than 1 inch.

Product Highlights:

• 2-inch thick, cool comfort layer called Bio-Pur®
• 8 inches of Bio-Core®, a firm polyurethane foam base layer promoting durability

Our Amerisleep AS4 has a medium-soft feel. It’s an excellent choice for those who like a soft bed with a little bit of support. Though the AS2, AS3, and AS4 have the same thickness, they feel different.

The thickness of each layer varies in the different mattresses. Each mattress layer has a specific purpose. The top comfort layer makes the bed soft, the transition layer provides targeted pressure relief, and the base layer boosts firmness and durability. The varying thickness of different layers makes the mattresses medium-firm, medium, or medium-soft.

The AS4 also includes Bio-Pur®, Affinity with HIVE®, and Bio-Core® foam layers like the AS2 and AS3. But the Bio-Pur® comfort layer is 4 inches thick in the AS4—the thickest of all our mattresses. Usually, most brands include a 2 to 3 inches thick comfort layer.

The softness in this “medium-soft” mattress comes from the thick comfort layer. Despite being soft, you don’t feel stuck or sink into this mattress. The 1-inch thick Affinity with HIVE® layer prevents mattress sinkage and offers zoned support. It keeps you “lifted” even when you change sleeping positions on a full size AS4 mattress. At the base lies 7 inches of  Bio-Core® foam, strengthening the mattress core.

Product Highlights:

• 4 inches thick Bio-Pur® comfort for a ultra plush feel
• 1-inch thick Affinity with HIVE® layer balances the plushness in this medium-soft bed
• 7 inches of  Bio-Core® foam strengthens the mattress

Our AS5 mattress balances a plush comfort layer with a responsive transitional layer. It has an additional layer, not present in our other mattresses.

The AS5 is also the tallest in all our mattresses. But it is not as tall as some of the other soft mattresses on the market, which works in your favor too. Getting in and out of tall mattresses may be difficult, especially for those with back or joint pains. Some soft mattresses are 15 to 18 inches tall because manufacturers add several layers of foam to enhance softness.

The AS5 has four layers including Bio-Pur® foam, the Active Flex layer, Affinity layer with HIVE® technology, and Bio-Core® foam. The top layer contains 3 inches of Bio-Pur® foam, followed by 2 inches of Active Flex layer. This latex-like layer tackles the common complaint of plus-size sleepers on soft mattresses.

They feel the mattress is “swallowing” them as they sink deep into the soft foam. Soft mattresses are usually not recommended for plus size sleepers. The excess weight compresses the foam causing premature sagging. That said, our AS5 has been specially designed for plus size sleepers who prefer sleeping on a soft cloud-like bed. The Active Flex layer adds a responsive bounce to the bed, eliminating the “sinking” feeling in soft mattresses. It counters mattress sinkage and increases support.

The third layer is 2 inches of Affinity with HIVE®, providing targeted comfort to different regions of your body. At the bottom lies 7 inches of Bio-Core® foam. This dense poly-foam layer prevents mattress sagging, making your bed last longer.

Product Highlights:

• 3 inches of cooling Bio-Pur® foam for a soft feel
• 2 inches of latex-like Active Flex prevents mattress sinkage despite excess weight
• 2 inches of Affinity with HIVE® for targeted support
• 7 inches of firm Bio-Core® foam prevents chances of sag

What is Memory Foam?

Memory foam is made by treating polyurethane foam with non-toxic chemicals. This process enhances the density and viscosity of the foam, making it more comfortable and durable than poly-foam. Memory foam is also called viscoelastic foam. It’s more expensive and durable than poly-foam.

Memory foam is temperature and pressure-sensitive. It softens in response to your body heat and forms to your curves, relieving pressure points. Memory foam conforms to the natural curvature of your spine, enhancing lumbar support. Better lumbar support minimizes back pain.

Sleeping on memory foam is beneficial for those prone to wool, feather, or other fiber allergies. Memory foam is hypoallergenic. Memory foam’s dense structure repels dust mites, fungi, mold, mildew, and other indoor allergens. Allergic symptoms such as runny nose, itchy throat, and breathing difficulties can cause sleep disruptions.

Memory foam is excellent at motion isolation. Its dense structure prevents motion transfer. Full size memory foam mattresses are a good option when you are sleeping with a child, or two children are sharing the bed. Changing sleeping positions doesn’t disrupt the other person’s sleep.

Compressing memory foam for packing the bed in a box doesn’t damage the foam, so they are widely available with bed in a box brands who offer the best prices. They have low online prices compared to brick and mortar stores because they cut on overhead costs. As a result you get a quality mattress at a reasonable price.

Though memory foam has many advantages, overheating can be a problem because memory foam’s dense structure traps heat. This causes overheating, adding to the woes of hot sleepers. To beat this drawback, mattress manufacturers have come up with many cooling options.

Types of Memory Foam

These different types of memory foam mattresses feel cooler than traditional memory foam beds. They are excellent for hot sleepers. All these types of memory foam mattresses are available in various firmness levels to suit different sleeper needs. You’ll find them in all standard sizes including the double or full size.

Plant-Based Memory Foam

Traditional memory foam is made using petroleum. But in plant-based memory foam, a portion of the petroleum-based products are replaced with plant oils. Natural materials in the foam keep the mattress cooler.

Off-gassing is the familiar odor of a new car or upholstered furniture. It happens when volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in foam products break down and disperse in the air. VOCs are so-called because they are unstable and break down at room temperature. Usually, memory foam mattresses have an off-gassing odor. Airing them out for a day or two eliminates this odor. But plant-based memory foam has minimal off-gassing odor.

Gel Memory Foam

A cooling gel or gel beads are included in memory foam mattresses to make them cooler. Gel foam sounds fancy, but it feels just like memory foam.

Cooling gel is either swirled into memory foam or added on top of the comfort layer to dissipate heat. This gel is made with “phase-changing materials” (PCM). PCM is a combination of non-toxic chemicals that change from solid to liquid with heat.

Sometimes, the cooling effect of the mattress may reach its threshold once the PCM changes from solid to liquid. But not all cooling gel or gel beads have the same threshold. Their cooling effect may differ because various mattress manufacturers use different chemical amounts in the PCM.

If you want to experience gel foam before investing in a mattress, try a  gel memory foam mattress topper on your mattress. Mattress toppers are 2 to 4 inches thick. They are meant to enhance the firmness or softness of your bed.

Memory Foam with Cooling Additives

Cooling additives such as copper, graphite, or green tea extracts are infused in the top memory foam layer of some mattresses. They keep sleepers cool through the night. Copper and graphite are heat conductors. Both minerals absorb heat and dissipate it away from the source. Green tea neutralizes odors and cools you down.

Benefits and Drawbacks of Memory Foam

Memory foam was introduced on the market about three decades ago. Since then, they have been the mattress of choice in many American households.  Though memory foam beds have some disadvantages, mattress manufacturers are working towards addressing these concerns.

Benefits

• Contours to your body, relieving pressure points
• Supports spine’s neutral alignment, reducing chances of neck pain or muscle stiffness
• Improves lumbar support, alleviating or preventing back pain
• Multiple firmness levels to suit all sleeping positions and body types
• Offers body conforming “hug” while providing adequate support
• Excellent motion isolation
• Hypoallergenic memory foam repels dust mites and other indoor allergens
• Lasts longer than traditional innerspring beds
• Flexes easily, making it compatible with adjustable bases
• Easily available with bed in a box manufacturers, who offer high-quality mattresses at lower prices compared to brick and mortar stores

Drawbacks

• Traditional memory foam traps body heat
• Some memory foam mattresses emit an off-gassing odor for the first few days
• Usually more expensive than traditional innerspring beds

Other Common Mattress Types

If memory foam mattresses don’t suit you for some reason, choose from one of the other common mattress types. They are available in all standard sizes, including the full. Various materials are used to make these different mattress types. Each type has a unique feel, different from the other.

Hybrid Mattresses

Hybrid mattresses are a combination of innerspring and memory foam or latex beds. Hybrid beds feel bouncy like innerspring beds, but offer better cushioning. The key features of hybrids are a coil base, topped with more than 2 inches thick comfort layer.

Coils transfer motion, but its effect is less in hybrids as compared to innerspring beds. Most high-quality hybrid mattresses use individually wrapped pocket coils. These pocket coils minimize motion transfer, making hybrids less noisy than innerspring mattresses.

Innerspring Mattresses

Springiness and bounce are typical of traditional innerspring beds. Most of us have grown up sleeping on these mattresses. They have been around for more than a century.

The coil layer is topped with a thin comfort layer. The comfort layer comprises cotton, wool, or foam. The thin comfort layer makes these mattresses feel firm.

Nowadays, most innerspring mattresses come with pillow top versions, offering variety in firmness levels. Pillow top is an extra layer of padding on top of the comfort layer, enhancing cushion. The padding may contain natural fibers, gel, wool, latex, or memory foam.

The coil layer usually contains Bonnell, offset, or continuous coils. All of these coils are cheaper than pocket coils. They transfer motion, making these beds noisy.

Innerspring mattresses are available in a wide range of prices. The price is determined by the quality of coils and the materials used in the comfort layer. Full size innerspring mattresses may be cheaper than other full size mattress types. But inferior quality coils affect mattress durability. These coils break faster causing mattress sag. A sagging mattress cannot provide a good night’s sleep.

Latex Mattresses

Latex mattresses are made of all-natural latex or synthetic latex. We do not recommend synthetic latex because these foams disintegrate faster. All-natural latex is made from the rubber tree sap.

The milky white sap is processed into foam using the Dunlop or Talalay manufacturing methods. In both these methods, liquid latex is subjected to extreme heat to harden it into a foam. Talalay foam is bouncier than Dunlop, which feels more springy. Both are available in various firmness options.

If you’re looking for an organic full size mattress, latex beds are your best beds.

Sleeping Positions

Knowing your sleeping position is crucial when deciding on the best full size memory foam mattress for yourself. Different firmness levels are suitable for different types of sleepers. Firmness levels can also determine mattress thickness.

If you are not sure of your sleeping position, remember the position you went to bed in. Then think of the position, you woke up in. If it’s the same, then you are either a side, stomach, or back sleeper. But if you wake up in a different position then you are a combination sleeper. In this section, we discuss the various firmness levels suited to different sleeping positions.

Side Sleepers

Side sleeping is the most common sleeping position. Verified Source National Library of Medicine (NIH) World’s largest medical library, making biomedical data and information more accessible. View source Side sleepers exert pressure on their shoulders and hips because these areas bear most of the body weight. Soft cushioning in these areas can help relieve pressure points. The best mattresses for side sleepers are soft, medium-soft, or medium in firmness.

Side sleeping is a healthy sleep position because it decreases the chances of snoring, sleep apnea, and acid reflux. Lying on your right side is healthier because it reduces pressure on your heart.

Back Sleepers

Sleeping on your back keeps your spine in its neutral alignment. It prevents back pain, neck ache, and muscle stiffness. Back sleepers need a medium-firm or medium mattress with zoned support for spinal alignment.

Back sleeping may not be an ideal option for those with sleep apnea or snoring issues. The soft tissues in your throat fall backward during back sleeping. This obstructs airways causing snoring and sleep apnea.

Stomach Sleepers

We do not recommend stomach sleeping because it is an unhealthy sleep position. Stomach sleeping compresses the mattress beneath your abdomen region. This causes spinal misalignment, triggering back and neck aches.

But if you feel comfortable sleeping on your stomach, it’s best to opt for a firm mattress. A firm mattress will prevent mattress sinkage beneath your abdomen. It maintains spinal alignment in the stomach sleeping position.

Combination Sleepers

Combination sleepers change positions through the night. They need a soft, or medium-soft when side sleeping, and a medium-firm or firm bed when back or stomach sleeping. Medium mattresses strike a balance across this wide spectrum. They are the best mattresses for combination sleepers.

Combination sleepers gain the advantages of different sleeping positions. But they also risk the disadvantages.

FAQs

Does the thickness of the memory foam mattress affect its quality?

No. The thickness of memory foam mattresses usually determines their firmness. Softer mattresses are thicker than their firmer counterparts. High-quality memory foam beds range from 8 to 16 inches. A thick and sturdy base layer ensures mattress durability, preventing sags and soft spots.

Which lasts longer: memory foam or spring mattresses?

Memory foam mattresses usually last longer than spring mattresses. A good quality memory foam mattress may last 10 to 15 years. A spring bed’s durability depends on the quality of its coil layers. Superior quality coils last 7 to 8 years, while inferior quality coils may last 1 to 3 years. Inferior quality coils are cheaper, but they break down faster. Broken coils cause mattress sagging.

Can you place a memory foam mattress on a box spring?

You should ideally place your memory foam mattress on a foundation, platform bed, or adjustable base. The slats in box springs may be too far apart. Slats should be at least 3 inches close to each other for proper support. More gaps between slats lead to inadequate support. Inadequate support sags memory foam mattresses, affecting its durability.

What’s the difference between a full size and queen size mattress?

A full size mattress is 6 inches narrower and 5 inches shorter than a queen. A queen size mattress is the best option for single sleepers. It gives them enough space to stretch out and sleep. But a full size is a good option when space is limited.

Is a full size mattress the same as double size?

Yes. A full size mattress is the same as a double size. They measure 54 inches by 75 inches. Full size beds were used as couple beds, before the queen, king, and California king sizes were introduced in the 1950s. While twin size mattresses were used by single adults, full size mattresses accommodated two adult sleepers. Since then full size mattresses have been called double beds.

Conclusion

Memory foam mattresses appeal to many sleepers due to their conforming feel. They can relieve pressure, align the spine, and they’re hypoallergenic. But there’s no one universal best memory foam mattress to suit everyone’s needs. Everyone needs a different firmness to be most comfortable. Carefully choose the right firmness level suited for your body type and sleeping position to enjoy a restful sleep.