Looking for a mattress that when you sit on the edge of the bed, the mattress stays firm and even and does not sag down towards the floor. We bought a Queen Sealy mattress in August from Costco for $1100. It is the Sealy Redwood Lake memory foam mattress. I cannot sleep along the edge of the bed or I slope downwards toward the floor. We have the bed on a platform of slats. Costco will let us exchange or return the mattress. I’d like to exchange it for a mattress that will remain even when you sit or lie along the side of the bed. Any suggestions. Customer service suggested the Sealy Introspection. We like a firm mattress.
Hi DonnaE,
The first place I would start when you are looking for a new mattress is post #1 here and the information it links to. This will help you avoid most of the worst choices (including the ones you are looking at from Costco) and help you focus on and find the best possible choices that are much higher quality and value.
There are many ways that the edge of an innerspring mattress can be made firmer to help counteract the fact that many innerspring mattresses have softer edges that can cause a feeling of “roll off” if you sleep close to the edge or that can help those that sit on the edge of their mattress. This includes innersprings or foam support cores that use firmer polyfoam around the edges, steel re-inforcements attached to the border rods, lower gauge firmer coils around the edges, polyfoam or other inserts into the coils on the edge and other ways as well.
A polyfoam “surround” (either with innersprings or with a foam core) which is the most common type of edge support can be among the least desirable of these because the material can sometimes either soften too quickly if you sit on it on a regular basis if the foam is lower quality/density (so you will have areas that are softer than the innerspring or foam core) or it can stay firmer and you will be sleeping in a “well” where the foam that you are sleeping on has softened and compressed. It is also a way to reduce the cost of steel or other higher quality materials used in the mattress and replace it with a less costly material that “tells and sells” a good marketing story but leaves out all the potential negative parts of the story. In general terms … edge support systems that rely on steel will be stronger and more durable than edge support systems that rely only on polyfoam.
With polyfoam edge support systems I would use the same foam density guidelines as for the mattress itself and foam edge support should be a higher density firmer foam. This means at least 1.8 lb polyfoam for one sided mattress and 1.5 lb density in a two sided mattress and higher density would be better yet because your weight is more concentrated and puts more stress on the mattress materials and components when you sit on the edge of a mattress and it should also be well glued so that it doesn’t delaminate or separate from the spring. While it needs to be firmer it should also be “in balance” so that there isn’t an obvious or uncomfortable difference between the edge and the inside areas of the mattress and it’s enough to prevent the feeling of “roll off” or keep the edges from softening or sagging for those who sit or sleep on the edges of their mattress.
The goal of any mattress is to make sure that no matter how the mattress is designed or how it feels … that it uses high quality materials that will stay the way it felt in a showroom (including any method used to make the edges firmer) for much longer than lower quality materials and designs. This is why it’s important to only deal with people who have the knowledge and experience to be able to tell you layer by layer exactly what is in any mattress you are considering and tell you the difference between the quality of the materials in different mattresses.
Who you deal with can be even more important when it comes to buying a suitable mattress with great quality and value than trying to decide what to buy if you end up making a blind purchase where you don’t know what is in your mattress or how long you can reasonably expect it to last (and a warranty has nothing to do with this).
Once you’ve read some of the more basic information you need to make great choices … if you let me know your zip or the city you live in I’d be happy to let you know about the better options or possibilities I’m aware of in your area.
Phoenix
Thanks for this info. I live in San Diego.
Hi DonnaE,
Some of the better options or possibilities I know of in the San Diego area are in post #2 here.
Phoenix
I’ve read most everything here and still don’t know where I can find a mattress that will not sag too quickly if I sit on the edge. Because I spend many hours a day in the bed, I’m changing positions but essentially at the corner by my pillow to use my notebook computer. I don’t know if brand or price have mattered. I had a moderately priced Sealy for almost 18 years and little problem. I next bought an expensive Stearns and Foster which sagged immediately. This has been the worst mattress ever for me. I am in Philadelphia, zip code 19146 and the options to buy a mattress seem limited. Macy’s is the most likely place for me to go these days. I know the chain furniture stores and some appliance stores also sell mattresses but this seems an unlikely fit. The Stearns and Foster I must replace asap is from Sleepy’s and even though they sold a large variety of mattresses, the sales people had little information of value. I like a firm mattress and prefer no top cushion because if it wears out it seems to be an early end to the mattress. Other than being firm and decent quality, I truly need a mattress that will hold up a little better than most when I sit on the corner using my computer. When the mattresses had 2 usable sides, I had 4 corners to flip to. now I am dependent on just 2 corners. I just need a recommendation of a mattress and/or a store.
Thank you very much.
Hi stephen714,
Welcome to the Mattress Forum! 
While I can certainly help with “how” to choose, the focus of this site is not to make specific suggestions or recommendations for either a mattress, manufacturers/retailers, or combinations of materials or components because the first “rule” of mattress shopping is to always remember that you are the only one that can feel what you feel on a mattress and there are too many unknowns, variables, and personal preferences involved that are unique to each person to use a formula or for anyone to be able to predict or make a specific suggestion or recommendation about which mattress or combination of materials and components or which type of mattress would be the best “match” for you in terms of “comfort”, firmness, or PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and your own Personal preferences) or how a mattress will “feel” to you or compare to another mattress based on specs (either yours or a mattress), sleeping positions, health conditions, or “theory at a distance” that can possibly be more reliable than your own careful testing (hopefully using the testing guidelines in step 4 of the tutorial) or your own personal sleeping experience (see mattress firmness/comfort levels in post #2 here).
I’m not sure what you’ve read since you found the site but just in case you haven’t read it yet … the first place to start your research is the mattress shopping tutorial here which includes all the basic information, steps, and guidelines that can help you make the best possible choice … and perhaps more importantly know how and why to avoid the worst ones.
Two of the most important links in the tutorial that I would especially make sure you’ve read are post #2 here which has more about the different ways to choose a suitable mattress (either locally or online) that is the best “match” for you in terms of “comfort”, firmness, and PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and your own Personal preferences) that can help you assess and minimize the risks of making a choice that doesn’t turn out as well as you hoped for and post #13 here which has more about the most important parts of the “value” of a mattress purchase which can help you make more meaningful quality/value comparisons between mattresses in terms of suitability (how well you will sleep), durability (how long you will sleep well), and the overall value of a mattress compared to your other finalists based on all the parts of your personal value equation that are most important to you (including the price of course and the options you have available after a purchase if your choice doesn’t turn out as well as you hoped for).
While again nobody can speak to how any specific mattress will “feel” for someone else or whether it will be a good “match” in terms of comfort, firmness, and PPP because this is too subjective and relative to different body types, sleeping positions, and individual preferences, sensitivities, and circumstances and you are the only one that can feel what you feel on a mattress … outside of PPP (which is the most important part of “value”), the next most important part of the value of a mattress purchase is durability which is all about how long you will sleep well on a mattress. This is the part of your research that you can’t see or “feel” and assessing the durability and useful life of a mattress depends on knowing the specifics of its construction and the type and quality of the materials inside it regardless of the name of the manufacturer on the label or how a mattress feels in a showroom or when it is relatively new so I would always make sure that you find out the information listed here so you can compare the quality of the materials and components to the durability guidelines here to make sure there are no lower quality materials or weak links in a mattress that would be a cause for concern relative to the durability and useful life of a mattress before making any purchase.
Regarding edge reinforcement, as you are using your mattress as a bit of a chair during the day and a place to perform work, personal testing will tend to be quite important. You’ll want to look for the interior specifications, specifically the design of the support core with the particular type of edge reinforcement system built into the perimeter. As you’re using your mattress like a chair at times, you might end up being best served with something using a stronger innerspring unit that has a high-density and firm polyfoam edge encasement tub built around the edge of that spring unit. Some of the newer pocketed spring unit using a few rows of firmer springs around the perimeter do provide a good edge system that prevents roll-off when sleeping upon the side of the mattress, but I’m not sure if they would feel as you desire for your specific application as a firm edge-seating surface.
You’d also want to make sure that whatever product you were choosing uses higher quality comfort materials (as linked to earlier in this reply), as you’re sitting up in your mattress and placing a very specific weight concentration on the mattress, using it more as a seating surface in that instance.
As for some of the companies you mentioned, unfortunately many of the major brands such as Sealy/Stearns & Foster, Simmons, and Serta all tend to use lower quality and less durable materials in their mattresses than most of their smaller competitors that will tend to soften or break down prematurely relative to the price you pay, which is why I would generally suggest avoiding all of them completely (along with the major retailers that focus on them as well) regardless of how they may feel in a showroom along with any mattress where you aren’t able to find out the type and quality/durability of the materials inside it (see the guidelines here along with post #3 here and post #12 here and post #404 here).
For a better option to consider, the closest vetted site members to your area (within two hours or so) are:
Magic Sleeper
Shovlin Mattress Factory
Urban Natural Home Furnishings
They would certainly be worthy of at least a phone call to see if they have, or could custom manufacture, something that suits your specific needs.
You can also perform a forum search on Philadelphia (just click on the link) to see what stores have been discussed in your area previously, but I have discontinued the provision of listings of potential retailers in various geographic regions (unless they are already approved site members), because of the difficulty in maintaining such lists in a retail landscape that is constantly changing, and most importantly the confusion it was creating with the consumer members who incorrectly assumed that these businesses had indeed gone through the strict qualification process and were approved as members of The Mattress Underground. Such an assumption is unfair to both the consumers seeking assistance, as well as the very businesses and manufacturers who have indeed qualified the be members here of The Mattress Underground.
Aside from that, I would always confirm that any retailer or manufacturer that you wish to visit is completely transparent (see this article) and also make sure that any mattress that you are considering meets the quality/value guidelines here.
If you have any questions about specifications or certain products, feel free to post back on the forum and I’ll do my best to provide answers.
Hopefully that gives you a good start on your search.
Phoenix
I live in zip code 20191 and would like a mattress that will hold up if I sit on the sides. The last matttress sagged so badly you almost fall off when you sit on the edges. Thanks for any assistance,
Hi raices2,
Welcome to the Mattress Forum!
You can perform a forum search on Alexandria or Washington DC or Baltimore and see what other businesses have been discussed in those regions which may be helpful to you.
I have discontinued the provision of listings of potential retailers in various geographic regions (unless they are already approved site members), because of the difficulty in maintaining such lists in a retail landscape that is constantly changing, and most importantly the confusion it was creating with the consumer members who incorrectly assumed that these businesses had indeed gone through the strict vetting and qualification process that is part of becoming an approved member of The Mattress Underground. Such an assumption is unfair to both the consumers seeking assistance, as well as the very businesses and manufacturers who have indeed qualified the be members here of The Mattress Underground.
Whatever business you’re considering, I would always confirm that any retailer or manufacturer that you wish to visit is completely transparent (see this article) and also make sure that any mattress that you are considering meets the quality/value guidelines here.
If you have any questions about specifications or certain products you discover, feel free to post back on the forum and I’ll do my best to be assistive.
The only way to know for certain whether the edges of a specific mattress will be suitable for your specific body type and sleeping style or your preferences will be based on testing the mattress in person (or a mattress that is fairly similar) before a purchase or by actually sleeping on it (if you can’t test it in person before a purchase) and if you are uncertain whether you are one of the few that may “need” firmer edge support then a good return/exchange policy may be a more important part of your personal value equation just in case you are one of the few that needs or prefers a firmer edge. While an edge support system can make for a firmer seating edge, the most important reason is to allow for sleeping to the edge of the product and minimizing roll off. Even the firmest edge support system will break down over time if used as a chair.
There are various types of edge reinforcement systems available, and what type is used depends upon the type of support core used within the mattress. The most common type of support core in an innerspring, and there are various edge reinforcement systems used with innersprings. A foam edge encasement “tub” is commonly used around all types of innerspring units. Some newer pocketed spring units are using firmer springs along the edges of the mattress while still retaining the ability of the mattress to flex and be used with adjustable bed baes. These edge systems are not as firm to sit upon, but work quite well at preventing roll off. There are still other types of form inserts or extruded pieces that are placed along the edges or within the center of spring around the perimeter of spring units, and even extra steel reinforcement units that can be clipped in between the border rod of certain spring units around the perimeter. You’d want to confirm with any retailer you’re considering what specific design they use.
Also, realize that thicker comfort layers within a mattress may mask the benefit of any edge support although it would still have some effect … particularly for sitting which compresses the mattress more.
Phoenix
It’s a little late but better late than never. The Magic Sleeper listed above is the most comfortable mattress I have ever owned. It’s hard to describe the feeling of from support with total comfort but this is it for myself. I sleep better on this mattress to start. It is amazing how different a mattress can be and comfortable.
There is a general difficulty that I had to come to terms with regarding sitting all day on the edge of a bed. In my particular circumstance, I have a dog that needs attention throughout the day. I am on the third floor of my house and also need to get up often to answer the doorbell for many deliveries, mail, etc. I continue to sit in this position almost all day and night except when sleeping because it allows easy access to the laptop and to the puppy and to answer the door.
Between my experiences with doing this and extensive reading, it appears there really is not a mattress made for this purpose. The mattresses can be cheaper or better quality, none are designed as all-in-one desks. They are made to sleep on. There may be reasons for this or maybe no one has thought there might be a market for this. I’m moving soon to an apartment where I will not be jumping up to go down three flights of steps and the puppy is growing up and will need less attention. I also realize I need to lose some weight if I expect any mattress to hold up to any sitting on the corner.
I can confirm that the mattresses made by Magic Sleeper are awesomely comfortable. The people there are easy to deal with and helpful with any problem. I will definitely buy a new mattress there again.
Hi stephen714,
Thank you for taking the time to write about your experience with one of our fine members Magic Sleeper. It is nice to hear about a good experience with any mattress company, but certainly always nice to hear when they are a part of our mattress membership listing.
Thanks again for the update, I agree with you that many companies have not “marketed” toward this all in one use. I can see how it could be really useful for some people.
Sensei