10 Best Mattress Alternatives to Sleep in Your Home

Sleep is an essential part of our day to day lives. The quality of your sleep has a significant impact on your overall health and productivity during the day.

Getting some much needed rest at home is therefore very important. However, many people today suffer from sleeping disorders such as insomnia (lack of sleep), excessive sweating at night, restlessness, and many others.

Some, if not most, of these sleeping disorders are caused by sleeping on poor beds and mattresses.

Moreover, there are people in this society that cannot afford to buy a mattress. Students, unemployed people etc cannot spend several hundred dollars for getting a quality mattress, therefore they are looking for alternatives.

If you are tired of sleeping on a regular mattress or simply can’t afford to buy one and wish to try something new, then this brief guide on mattress alternatives is for you.

Below are 10 common alternatives to mattresses that people can sleep on at home.

1) Daybed

A day bed is basically a stretched out arm chair that you can sleep on whenever you want to rest or relax.

Day beds are extremely convenient as they can be kept in almost any room in the house. This mattress alternative does not take up too much space.

A day bed is also portable, and can be moved around your home with ease. The downside of this mattress alternative is that is can only fit one individual at a time.

Two adults cannot comfortably sleep on a typical day bed. All in all, a day bed is pretty good piece of furniture to have.

2) Japanese Futon

A Japanese futon looks like a really beefed up blanket or mattress topper.

Yes! Some people even call Japanese futons oversized blankets. Japanese futons are very classy, unique and elegant. You will not find them in most homes in the west.

As their name suggest, Japanese futons are originally from Japan. Japanese people still sleep on these wonderful mattress alternatives up to today. This futon type can be rolled up and kept in storage when not in use. It is usually laid down on a flat surface like a floor and does not need to be placed on a bed or platform.

3) Regular Futon

A regular futon is very similar to a sofa bed. The only difference between the two is that a regular futon can be rolled up and folded, while a sofa bed is pulled outwards to form a mattress-like surface.

Regular futons are very comfortable to sleep on. They have excellent back support and many people love them for their versatility and flexibility. If you are looking for a fun and creative mattress alternative, a regular futon may just be what you need.

4) Sofa Bed

The name says it all. A sofa bed is a hybrid piece of furniture that has characteristics of both a bed and a sofa.

It’s basically a sofa that can transform into a bed during the night and back to a sofa during the day.

This mattress alternative offers a high level of versatility and flexibility. A sofa bed is one of the very few multi-purpose furniture items you can get in your local store.

This piece of furniture is a wise investment that can serve you diligently for many years. A sofa bed is excellent to sleep on as it offers great back and neck support. The bed can fit multiple adults with ease as well.

5) Camping Mattress

Who said you can’t camp at home? Well, if you want to enjoy an outdoor sleeping experience in the comfort of your home or property, then getting a camping mattress could be a good alternative to a regular mattress on a bed frame.

Camping mattresses are made for outdoor use but this does not mean that they cannot be used indoors.

Where you choose to use your camping mattress is solely your decision. Depending on the quality and density, a camping mattress can be fairly comfortable and relaxing.

The only downside of camping mattresses is that they come in small size that fit one person only. So, nothing should stop you from pitching tent in your backyard and sleeping like a baby all night long.

6) Home Hammock

A hammock is a very unique and trendy mattress alternative that is gaining popularity in todays world.

Millenials are particularly fascinated with hammocks because they seem so blissful, classy and fun to sleep on.

Conventional hammocks are typically installed outdoors in resorts and luxury hotels. They have ropes that are usually tied to trees but poles can also work perfectly as well.

A home hammock is different from a conventional hammock as it is installed inside your house.

Because you don’t have trees in your home, special poles are used to support the hammock. We also don’t advice to hang the hammock on the house walls. Its better to use the special poles.

The hammock is great because it does not require any floor space. This means you can place stuff beneath it and save on some valuable space in your home or apartment.

7) Air Mattress

An air mattress is basically an inflated and deflated mattress. Think of it as a bouncing castle that you can sleep on.

An air mattress can be a temporary or permanent replacement for your regular mattress. It can be placed on a bed or a floor.

This mattress alternative is great as it is both portable and flexible. When inflated, sleeping on an air mattress gives you the feeling of floating on water.

When deflated, an air mattress can be easily kept in storage for later use. Investing in an air mattress is definitely not a bad idea.

Of course, you should keep the mattress away from sharp objects that can damage it. You should also invest in a good air pump so that you don’t have to waste all your breath inflating the mattress.

8) Sleeping Bag

Sleeping bags are simply fun and exciting. The remind most people of their young and youthful days. Like camping mattresses, sleeping bags are also commonly used in the outdoors.

Sleeping bags are favorites for campers and hikers who like to move around and explore the great outdoors.

Sleeping bags are also suitable for home use. They can come in really handy if you are hosting a massive party where you will have tons of friends sleeping overnight.

A few sleeping bags can make sure that everyone gets a good night’s rest. The only downside to this mattress alternative is that sleeping bags are not thick enough and do not provide good back support.

9) Sleeping on the Floor

Not many people would consider sleeping on the floor as an alternative to sleeping on their mattress.

However, sleeping on the floor is quite practical sometimes. Human beings have slept on the floor or ground more than they have slept on any other surface.

Our ancient ancestors used to just lie down on the ground and fall asleep without any problems. Surprisingly, sleeping on the floor is known to have some health benefits as well.

People who suffer from overheating, back pain, high blood pressure and many other conditions can benefit from sleeping on the floor.

You don’t have to sleep on the cold, hard, naked floor. You can place some form of padding between you and the floor like a carpet, rug or mat.

10) High-Density Foam Sleeping Mats

Last but not least, another mattress alternative worth trying out is high-density foam sleeping mats. This option is similar to a regular mattress but a lot more portable and thinner.

The main difference between the two is that a regular mattress must be placed on a bed frame or a platform while a high-density foam sleeping mat can be placed on any surface.

High-density foam sleeping mats also don’t come in predefined shapes and sizes like normal mattresses.

These sleeping foam options are basically mats that have been beefed up with high-density memory foam to make them more comfortable to sleep on.