Best Mattress Topper for College

If you have recently headed off to college and moved to your dorm room, you might have noticed that not everything is so comfortable as it should be and this is especially true when it comes to dorm room mattresses.

Resting well is crucial to your successful college career, but it may be hard to get any rest with the sagging and lumpy college dorm mattress.

While you might not be able to get a new one, there is a solution to your problem. You can buy a mattress topper, place it over your dorm mattress and make it more comfortable.

No matter how old or worn a mattress is, a mattress topper can refresh it so it will feel like it is brand new. It can soften up a firm mattress and improve your sleep at a low cost.

However, there are a few things you should consider when choosing a perfect mattress topper for your college dorm mattress.

In this guide we will tell you something more about them so you can pick the best mattress topper for your needs and will also give our top choices for the best mattress topper for college.Last updated Mar 10, 2022 @ 3:20 pm

 

 

How to Choose a Mattress Topper?

To choose a perfect mattress topper for your dorm room mattress, you will need to pay attention to several important factors such as:

The Size of the Dorm Room Mattress

To get the right mattress topper for your dorm room mattress, you will have to know the exact size of the bed.

Most dorm rooms have the same twin sized beds, but this isn’t always the case which is why you have to measure the mattress first before buying anything.

The Thickness of a Dorm Room Mattress

The thickness of your dorm room mattress plays an important role in choosing the best mattress topper as well. The thickness of the mattress will determine the style, thickness, and type of mattress topper you will need.

Thinner mattresses usually tend to be harder, sag more, have more compression issues and they require thicker toppers that will provide better support and cushioning.

If the dorm room mattress is old and worn out, a one-inch or two-inch mattress topper won’t be so effective in providing you with the comfort and support you need as you will still feel the mattress beneath.

However if the mattress is relatively new, a one-inch topper will allow you to adjust it a bit to provide just a little more support, make it firmer or softer, or add more breathability and coolness.

A three and four-inch mattress toppers will work better in this case as they will provide everything that the dorm room mattress lacks and allow you to get a restorative night’s sleep that you need.

Material

There is a great variety of mattress toppers made of different materials and depending on the condition of your dorm room bed, its thickness and your personal preferences, you may find that one type of mattress topper works better for you than another.

Here are some types of mattress toppers:

Memory Foam Mattress Toppers

Memory foam mattress toppers are the most common and it is hard to go wrong with them. Memory foam will conform well to your body, cushion it and relieve pressure points and provide you with enough support to keep your spine properly aligned and eliminate any discomfort or pain.

However, mattress toppers made entirely of the classic memory foam may retain some heat. So if you are a hot sleeper, these may not be the right pick for you. In such case you should consider getting a gel foam mattress topper.

Gel Foam Mattress Toppers

Gel foam mattress toppers are improved versions of memory foam mattress toppers. They will provide you with all the benefits of classic memory foam mattress toppers, but won’t retain so much heat and cause that sticky sweaty feel that traditional memory foam is known for.

Gel foam mattress toppers sleep significantly cooler than memory foam mattress toppers as the gel-infused foam dissipates excessive body heat and prevents its build up. This means that you will still get that cozy, cushioning feel of memory foam but won’t wake up from overheating.

Latex Mattress Toppers

Latex mattress toppers are usually made of all natural latex that offers a luxurious feel while at the same time it provides enough support to keep your spine properly aligned all night long.

Although they may feel a bit too firm due to the bouncy and responsive nature of latex, they will have enough give to cushion your hips and shoulders and prevent the appearance of pressure points.

Besides this, latex is known for its natural cooling properties, which means that a latex mattress topper won’t retain heat and cause you to sleep hot. It is also hypoallergenic and, therefore, perfect for those susceptible to different allergies.

Feathers and Down Mattress Toppers

Feathers and down mattress toppers are extremely soft and luxurious and can turn a firm mattress into a comfortable and cozy one, but they don’t provide much support, can be quite costly and require frequent fluffing to retain their original shape.

Wool and Cotton Mattress Toppers

These are great options because they are versatile and come in a variety of thicknesses with a range of different prices.

They are also easy to take care of and are great at providing excellent heat regulation. Wool and cotton are just like latex known for their natural cooling properties and will allow greater airflow through the mattress topper, wick away moisture and keep you cool and dry throughout the night.

Health or Medical Considerations, Your Sleeping Position and Feel Preferences

Some people may have certain health issues that might influence their choice of a mattress topper. Spine problems like scoliosis, some skin conditions, arthritis, acid reflux, sleep apnea and other conditions may require mattress toppers with certain qualities that will allow them to get a quality and pain-free night’s sleep.

If you have a certain health or medical condition that influences your sleep, you should consult a doctor for recommendations for mattress toppers.

Your preferred sleeping position will determine what kind of mattress topper you will choose too.

If you are a side sleeper, you may want a softer or medium firm mattress topper that will cradle your shoulders and hips and prevent the appearance of pressure points.

If you prefer sleeping on your back, a medium firm mattress topper would be the best choice for you. It will provide your body with enough support to keep it naturally aligned while it will also have enough give to cushion your body curves and eliminate any kind of discomfort.

Stomach sleepers may need a firmer mattress topper that will provide them with more support especially in their hip area.

Also, not all mattress toppers will feel the same. Depending on their materials, density and thickness, different mattress toppers will feel differently.

If you like to slowly sink into your sleeping surface, memory foam mattress toppers, or those made of gel infused memory foam will work perfectly for you.

But, you want a somewhat firmer mattress topper that will provide you with the feeling of sleeping on top of your mattress topper rather than inside it and that will offer some bounce and responsiveness, then you should go with a latex mattress topper.

Here Are Our Top 5 Picks for the Best Mattress Topper for College:

1. Tempur-Topper Supreme

($319.20 for a Queen. Click here to get the best price on a Tempur-Topper Supreme!)

The Tempur-Topper Supreme is a 3” thick topper made of the same material that their mattresses are made with.

This means that it is made of a special proprietary Tempur material featuring millions of cells designed to cushion your body and prevent the appearance of pressure points, provide appropriate support to those areas where it is needed most and distribute your body weight evenly across the bed.

It offers a medium to medium-firm feel and will react to your body heat and weight and allow you to slowly sink into it to a certain degree to provide you with that classic memory foam hug and feel and with the right amount of support where needed.

Besides this, its special memory foam construction works perfectly for most sleeping positions and types of sleepers, especially for side sleepers as it perfectly molds to hips and shoulders and eliminates any possibility of the appearance of pressure points which is why it can be a perfect addition to your dorm room mattress.

Click here to read the full Tempur-Topper Supreme review. 

2. Layla

($269 for a Queen. Click here for the best price on a Layla mattress topper!)

The Layla mattress topper is a 2” thick topper featuring copper-infused memory foam just like the Layla mattress. This specially designed copper gel inside the memory foam helps dissipate excessive body heat and keeps you cool and comfortable all night long.

It also adds to the overall support that this topper provides by allowing memory foam to tighten up under pressure, which also makes the Layla topper more durable.

The topper will make your bed softer and allow you to experience that hug on the surface typical for memory foam and conform to your unique body curves to provide you with the rest and sleep that you need without making you sleep hot.

It has a slow response to pressure, which means that there will be no additional bounce, but you will feel that your body is comfortably cradled instead, and it works perfectly for all sleeping positions, especially side sleeping.

Click here to read the full Layla mattress topper review.

3. Puffy Soft Mattress Topper

($225 for a Queen size. Click here and to get the best price on a Puffy mattress topper!)

The Puffy mattress topper is a 2″ thick mattress topper made of 40% Bamboo and 60% Polyester. It is designed to cushion your shoulders and hips to prevent the appearance of pressure points and provide enough support to those areas of your body where it is needed most.

The soft mattress topper will allow you to sink into it quite a bit for perfect pressure relief but it won’t make you feel stuck into the material and make your moving around in bed and getting in and out of it difficult.

Being made of 40% Bamboo and 60% Polyester, the Puffy mattress topper will also keep you cool and comfortable all night long. It has everything that is necessary to improve your dorm room mattress and provide you with quality sleep.

Click here to read the full Puffy mattress review.

4. Avocado Mattress Topper

($449 for a Queen size. Click here for the best price on the Avocado mattress topper!)

The Avocado mattress topper is a 2.75″ high mattress topper offered in two firmness options: Plush and Firm. You can use the Plush version on the top of your dorm room mattress to turn it into a pillow-top mattress. It offers a soft, cloud-like feel and can soften any mattress to cushion to your body and relieve pressure points.

If you have problems with your spine, then it is best to use the Plush mattress topper with the firmer mattress to avoid any possibility of your spine being misaligned due to the softness of this mattress topper.

There is also a Firm option that can make your mattress feel firmer and provide more resilience and gentle support for your body. It can be used with both soft and medium-firm mattresses.

Regardless of which version you choose, the latex used in their construction will conform to your body curves and cushion your hips and shoulders to relieve pressure points, while at the same time it will provide enough support needed to keep your spine properly aligned.

The topper will lift you and distribute your body weight evenly across the bed. The responsive and bouncy nature of latex won’t cause you to sink too much into it as it is often the case with lower quality memory foam mattress toppers.

Get the full Avocado mattress topper review.

5. Brentwood Home Cedar Mattress Topper

($399 for a Queen size. Click here for the best price on the Brentwood Home Cedar Natural Latex mattress topper!)

The Cedar Natural Latex topper is a 2″ thick mattress topper available in medium firmness, which means that it offers a perfect balance of comfort and gentle support for your body.

It can soften any mattress, even a hard dorm room mattress, to cushion your body and relieve pressure points and it won’t reduce the amount of support you are getting from it which is why it is perfect for college students in dorms.

It is designed and built with both the environment and comfort of all sleepers in mind and uses a special layer of computer-designed latex sculpted into 3 targeted comfort zones for extraordinary comfort and pressure relief.

It works perfectly for all types of sleepers and all sleeping styles. It will cradle and cushion your shoulders hips to prevent the appearance of pressure points, while it will also provide enough support to keep your spine properly aligned and relieve any pain.

Get the full Brentwood Home Cedar Natural Latex mattress topper review.

Conclusion

If you have recently moved to your college dorm room and you can’t get enough of a quality night’s sleep and the much-needed rest because of the old and uncomfortable mattress, a mattress topper might be a perfect solution for you.

There is a great variety of mattress toppers out there that can be suitable for a college dorm, but you have to pick the right one that will fit not only your dorm room mattress but also your personal needs and sleep preferences.

It can be hard to find the right one, which is why we have provided several useful tips in our guide and gave our top choices for the best mattress topper for college.

We hope our guide will help you with your mattress topper purchase.