I have been researching different types of mattresses but there is so much conflicting information out there. I do not know what type of mattress I need or like. I am a 56 year old female who is 5’7 and 137 pounds and I am strictly a side sleeper and usually right on the edge. I do not move much other than side to side and it does take me a long time to go to sleep. I have Spondylolisthesis with lower end of grade 2 and how much it bothers me depends on my workouts. I am starting to have more neck and hip pain and I am sure that is due to my age and mattress, it is old and worn out, I really can’t say I have ever really slept good on it. I do not know what kind of feeling I would like; memory foam, hybrid, latex or what. I honestly do not know what kind to even try. I work a lot and do not have a lot of time to visit stores to even try mattresses as most are closed on Sunday, which is my day off. My initial research sent me in the direction of memory foam and hybrids, so that is mainly what I have been looking at. I understand everyone is different and have different wants and needs. However, I would truly appreciate any advice on where to start and what mattresses might be good for me take a deeper look at. Thank you for any advice and suggestions.
How to go about this is, for pressure relief plush is necessary. That gives you the initial feeling of stress relief. And then you need to reach support. Which will hold your body up and keep you from feeling pain because it keeps your body aligned.
My favorite mattress is the Nest and Wild hybrid because it uses a breathable hybrid foam on the top, and has the quad coil pocket spring system from texas pocket springs. The best kind of bed is one that feels both soft and firm and thats how this one feels. It’s also very affordable, and has full strong edge support.
There really are many many options, i think most people on this site experienced the same thing as you are right now.
Thank you so much. I will check those 2 out.
Awesome. Just keep in mind that a well built bed can take a bit of adjustment if it’s very supportive. My dad loved it instantly, and his back pain has gone away, my mom (who is small) said it was a touch firm but she got used to it and the structure settled in a bit and now she loves it.
There really are so many options. I didn’t like memory foam because of how you sink into it and it feels sluggish, but latex is the opposite, it’s very responsive. Companies often place wool on the top of the latex to mitigate that. Same as how some companies who make memory foam beds use standard foam and quilting in their top layers to negate the smushy feel.
Ultimately, I realized that my favorite foam in a top layer of a mattress is either a standard high density foam, a very soft layer of latex so there is no pushback, a custom foam that’s designed to be quick responding and breathable, or a hybrid foam like latex blended with memory foam (not very common).
When you make the foam a hybrid of memory foam and latex, which nest and wild produces in-house, you get the best of both worlds. The conforming pressure relief of memory foam, and the resilience of latex so you dont feel stuck in the bed. It’s also open cell where standard memory foam is closed cell. Which means air can flow directly through it so you stay cool through the night. They also pre stress the foams so you dont have to worry about sagging.
I am not affiliated with nest and wild or commissioned in any way. Did visit the owner at the factory and it was awesome to see the process of building the beds, but that’s not why i recommend the bed. I recommend it because i actually believe it’s the best package you could get for such an affordable price.
Whatever you pick, i hope it works well for you and you get lots of fantastic comfortable rest.
Hi Deja.
Welcome to our Mattress Forum. 
It is completely normal to feel paralyzed by all the “mattress math” out there, especially when you’re managing something as specific as Grade 2 Spondylolisthesis, but your weight is actually the biggest clue here. At 137 lbs, you are relatively light, which means most mattresses that shops call “medium” are going to feel stiff as a board to you.
When you’re a side sleeper, that “brick” feeling is exactly what causes hip and shoulder pain because your body isn’t sinking in far enough to let your spine stay neutral. With Spondylolisthesis, the goal is to keep your spine from arching or sagging, which is tricky for side sleepers; you need something soft enough to let your shoulders and hips “nest” but supportive enough to fill in the “gap” at your waist so your spine doesn’t bow.
Since you mentioned sleeping right on the edge, an all-foam mattress might feel a bit unstable, so a hybrid is likely your best bet. Hybrids use pocketed coils for support, and many high-spec builders use reinforced steel coils specifically around the perimeter so you don’t feel like you’re rolling off. Memory foam hybrids are great if it takes you a long time to fall asleep because they “cradle” you and dampen movement, while latex hybrids feel more “buoyant,” almost like you’re floating on the bed.
Since you can’t get to stores on Sundays, you are actually in a great position to look at high-quality online manufacturers like @DLX Mattress, @Arizona_Premium or @CST. These are all experts who are very transparent about their materials and can talk you through a build that specifically accounts for your back. Testing a mattress in your own home for a few months is way more effective than a five-minute sit test in a showroom anyway.
Also, since you mentioned neck pain, check your pillow loft. If your mattress is old and sagging, your pillow might be trying to over-correct for a bed that isn’t doing its job.
NikkiTMU
It sounds like you’ve already put a lot of thought into this, and your situation is exactly the kind we design for. Based on what you shared—side sleeping, lighter body weight, minimal movement, and dealing with spondylolisthesis along with increasing hip and neck pain—you’ll want a mattress that delivers strong pressure relief at the shoulders and hips while still maintaining proper spinal alignment so your lower back isn’t aggravated. That balance is where many traditional memory foam and standard hybrids can fall short, either feeling too “stuck” or not relieving enough pressure for side sleepers. At Back Science, our mattresses were designed by a Doctor of Chiropractic specifically for people dealing with back pain and alignment concerns. Our design is a hybrid, but instead of traditional memory foam, we use a Hypergel material, which is more buoyant and responsive (so you don’t feel stuck, especially when sleeping near the edge) while still providing deeper pressure relief than latex—something that tends to work very well for side sleepers with hip and shoulder discomfort. Another important difference is that we offer a 365-night modification period, so if the initial firmness you choose isn’t quite right, you have the ability to adjust to a different comfort level—this can be especially helpful since your needs may change depending on activity levels or flare-ups. The construction also emphasizes consistent support and strong edge stability, which can make a noticeable difference in both comfort and confidence when sleeping near the edge. If you’re unsure where to start and don’t have much time to visit stores, focusing on a mattress that combines pressure relief, support, and the flexibility to fine-tune firmness if needed—like what we offer at Back Science—can be a very practical and low-risk approach.