Nolah Mattress Reviews: Best Memory Foam Mattress For Side Sleepers?
After spending 25 years inventing memory foam mattresses for my own web sites, I became an industry authority on memory foam recipes and the pressure relieving benefits you can get from it.
The problem though, is that typical “memory foam” is made from urethane foam which contains a lot of toxic components that you breathe all night long.
Also, conventional memory, because it is made from thousands of “tiny bubbles”, can be hot as hell, and can make you feel like you are trapped inside, desperately trying to dig your way out.
Because it is so dense, most memory foam material actually gathers heat rather than dispersing it. Ten years ago, memory foam mattresses slept super hot. The trick was to develop something that breathed better and removed heat, yet still offered that signature melting in and cradling sensation that relieves pressure almost instantly.
In late 2015, during the wave of new bed in a box mattress startups, especially those capitalizing on memory foam, Nolah Mattress came on the scene with a mattress that was a kind of reinvented version of the stamped out memory foam mattress everyone else was selling.
What was different about their mattress lineup was a cleaner, non-toxic version of so-called “visco-elastic foam”, the industry term for memory foam, and incorporated cleaner ingredients that were free of phthalates, formaldehyde, and PBDE’s, the toxic soup of chemicals found in virtually all memory foam beds.
Turns out it ventilates better and because it is “open cell” rather than “closed cell”, heat can literally be pumped away from your body as you empty the small cells around you.
It costs more to make, but because it is slightly less dense than most memory foams out there, it breathes better, and is far more flexible, has higher tear strength (meaning much more flexible and resistant to degradation from tossing and turning over long periods of time-yeah, that’s a thing), and gives the user better pressure relief, especially at shoulders and hips.
I’ve reviewed dozens of memory foam mattresses, but Nolah’s patented AirFoam™ material used in their mattress lineup lets you immerse without that trapped in “quicksand” sensation. Especially when on your side, their mattresses offer excellent pressure relief at hips and shoulders. We tested all of their models.
The company developed this memory foam alternative, which they dubbed AirFoam™, which has all of the pressure relieving and weight distribution qualities that memory foam has- but it’s safer and more comfortable.
I think it sleeps much cooler than memory foam and helps distribute weight away from your body, to the side rather than down.
I seems to ventilate very effectively and after lying on it flat on my back for two hours in a pretty warm room- I never felt hot.
Actual owners who have reviewed the mattress on Google and on the Nolah site agree, and even people over 200 lbs. get good results, don’t feel the heat, and don’t bottom out into the Nolah mattress
I like the fact that all three of their models that use this material use cleaner chemical free components to deliver solid comfort and support without presenting a hazard while you sleep.
Most importantly, since our noses and lungs are in close proximity with our mattresses while we sleep, you’ll breathe in astronomically cleaner air without fumes and chemicals.
Promoted as the best mattresses for side sleepers, all three of Nolah’s models which use the AirFoam component are designed cushioned support and soft, soothing relief for shoulders and hips, while filling in void areas, so you get that hugged and tucked in sensation without feeling trapped. Let’s take a look at their three model lineup.
I’m going to discuss all three models below, but I wanted you to know what all three models have in common, and the benefits you’ll get by ordering any of the three. You’ll get free shipping and returns if you don’t love your Nolah mattress, a lifetime warranty, and a mattress that’s made in the USA.
You’ll also get a 120 night trial, which to me, is plenty of time to either fall in love with it, or return it for a full refund.
The company’s proprietary AirFoam™ in The Nolah Certipur-US® certified mattress program is scientifically proven to provide 4 times less peak pressure on hips, shoulders, and back when you compare it with premium memory foams. Nolah AirFoam™ is 100% temperature neutral and made without heat-trapping viscoelastic chemicals to provide you with a cool and comfortable sleep.
1. The Nolah Original 10” Mattress: Cooling Pressure Relief, The Back Support You Need
The Nolah Original 10” Mattress, at just $899 in queen, offers the pressure relief of their proprietary AirFoam™ without the hot, melting in sensation that old school memory foam delivers.
Let’s talk about what’s inside the Nolah 10” Original Mattress, their first model, and I’ll explain why their lineup is worth the money.
Up top is the 2”layer of proprietary AirFoam for pressure relief, and you’ll get minimal sink- no trapped feeling- but easy to turn on, and yielding to shoulders.
Underneath is a layer of “latex-like” material that is firmer and more supportive, keeping you up top. It’s an ingenious design, and it’s the model of choice if you rare price conscious and want the core benefits of a Nolah mattress.
Update: The Nolah 10” Original Mattress has recently been given an upgrade and it’s now equipped with a snow-white Tencel™ cover. Tencel is a naturally derived material that is super absorbent, lightweight, soft, and highly breathable, too. I’ve used it before in many of my own designs.
The Nolah Original 10” Certipur-US® certified mattress is scientifically proven to provide 4x less peak pressure on hips, shoulders, and back compared to high-end memory foam.
I like their entry level model being not too excessively soft, too, being more medium firm, around 5-6 on a 1-10 scale. You’ll be more on top of the Nolah Original 10”, rather than inside of it.
The Nolah 10” Original is astonishingly “uncomplex” in design, which means less likelihood of lifetime failure. It’s a one side up mattress and it has a medium firm feel. It has a temperature neutral foam layer (mint green) in close body proximity.
Nolah AirFoam™ is 100% temperature neutral and made without heat-trapping viscoelastic chemicals to provide you with a cool and comfortable sleep.
I found that Nolah’s mattress lineup, including The Nolah 10″ Original Mattress, are slightly more plush and offer an embracing feel that envelopes or hugs your body-without making it feeling like you have to did your way out.
I’d say you immerse about an inch, which is just about perfect to allow for easy turning, and will still calm you if you are a restless sleeper.
The foundation layer, typically there to give height to a mattress, and to provide the underlying support that keeps you from bottoming out, is 7” of breathable HD (high density) foam- of which I’m very familiar, and Nolah uses the proper density and grade that’s worth the money.
Overall, I loved the construction, support, comfort, and well crafted exterior cover. Little things, like the quality of the stitching and the side panel construction is tight, with no sagging or drapiness. The mattress has a subtle melt in sensation with a medium level of firmness, kind of half way between cloud like and a firm innerspring. Even larger couples will find that you don’t bottom into it- no digging your way out.
2. The Nolah Signature 12″ Mattress: Flippable, So You Get Two Mattresses In One
At just $1299 in queen, The Nolah Signature 12” Mattress is one of few mattresses I’ve reviewed of its type, mainly because it’s not easy to pull off a double sided mattress that gives you the option to choose from a softer or a firmer option-with one easy flip.
Using a thicker layer of proprietary Nolah AirFoam™ one one side, the softer option is 2.5” thick. When flipped, you’ll get 1” of AirFoam™, for a firmer feel. You can even flip the mattress over when it suits you depending upon your needs over the lifetime of the mattress.
The Nolah Signature 12” Mattress is flippable, and the softer side has their latex like high resiliency foam that is far more durable than latex (latex can be easily torn when stretched over time).
The core, or center of the mattress is a firm, high density layer that essentially divides the soft side from the firm side.
The weight of the mattress is not overwhelming, and it can be flipped by one person, though a team of two do it faster and a tad easier.
The outer covering fabric that is used is an organic cotton covering that is highly breathable. The organic cotton cover is white on the softer side of the mattress, and is a charcoal color if you flip it to the firmer side.
Firmness wise, the softer side runs about 4-5 on the 1-10 scale, with 10 being like sleeping on a carpeted floor, and 1 being like a down pillow, so its plushy and nest-like-but you don’t crash right through it either.
I found the soft side to have a very plush feeling, but without crashing through it-especially when on my side, and if you like to be nestled, it’s a good fit.
For couples, or heavier folks, though, you may want to test the firmer side as well, as it will be notably easier to turn and to transfer in and out of the mattress during the night.
Firmer side up, the Nolah Signature 12” Hybrid Mattress is pretty firm, at about 7-8, and I will tell you that it’s about the firmest mattress I’ve tested in the “memory foam” category.
So, the difference between the two sides is substantial enough so that you will definitely feel the difference.
3. The Nolah Evolution 15″ Mattress: A Forever Mattress That Sleeps Cool, Offers Cloud Like Comfort
For the money, singlehandedly the best mattress I’ve reviewed and tested. Specifically targeted at hot sleepers, people with back pain, pressure issues, and restless sleepers. I’m one of those, and I own A Nolah Evolution Mattress.
-Marc Anderson, CEO of The Mattress Buyer Guide
Guys, I write a lot of reviews on mattresses and rarely do I say this. A lot of attention to detail was placed when designing this mattress.
Active ventilation, the no-sink, “Ahhh” factor when you lie on it, the precise calibration of not too firm, and no bottoming out. Hard to beat.
Nolah’s fastest selling and most popular mattress option. Loaded with features designed to improve sleep, reduce pain, sleep cool, and eliminate motion transfer.
Truly a spa quality mattress. At just $1499, I find it on par with mattresses costing $3500 and up that offer far less.
Owners tell their friends and family and experience “cloud like” sleep, and even see reduction in pain from sciatica and lower back issues.
Garnishing a 4.9 out of 5 star rating from hundreds of verified owner ratings, I’d say it’s hard to beat this hybrid mattress which includes individually pocketed coils that allow your body to hover.
ditch your so-called “memory foam” mattress and get an upgrade
I’ve reviewed hundreds of hybrid mattress options, but for the most part, they’re all the same. The Nolah Evolution Mattress however, is different. It even incorporates specialized vents that remove air from the sides of the mattress.
The cake recipe for the Nolah Evolution 15″ Hybrid Mattress is designed to deliver spine tingling comfort, uplifting and elevating support, and optimal pressure relief.
The Nolah Evolution 15 comes in three firmness levels: plush, luxury-firm, and firm. I opted for luxury-firm, which sits at a 6.5 out of 10 on the firmness scale. The mattress’s quilted Euro top and 2-inch layer of high-resilience foam provide enough comfort and cushioning for me, a side sleeper.
Designed with passive ventilation ports at all four sides, you will sleep cooler, reducing tossing and turning, and improving deep REM sleep.
Delivering localized support that offers pinpoint support (imagine piano keys and your vertebrae falling in line upon them, you’ll get lifting and levitating support that’s firm (the Evolution falls at about 6 out of 10 on my scale, so medium firm) while still feeling comfy and cozy.
Graphite infused body adaptive foam material is something I’m familiar with, but I’ve not seen it used in a hybrid mattress with pocketed coils before. It’s a daring addition to the category and Nolah’s most popular runaway mattress option.
You’ll get a 120 night free trial, too, to make sure it blows you away. Lifetime warranty, free returns and shipping, and best of all, it’s entirely made in the USA.
