In my testing and use so far, I've preferred hybrid mattresses. I believe they offer a better night's sleep in most circumstances and the best balance between the benefits of innerspring and foam mattresses, but you'll have to decide what's best for you. There are fantastic mattresses of both types.

Hybrid Coil + Foam Mattresses: These use a combination of individually wrapped springs and several layers of memory foam. Hybrids tend to offer a good range of firmness options and better support, so you don't get that sinking feeling. They're also better at dispersing heat, so you're less likely to overheat at night. The wrapped coils dramatically reduce motion transfer from an old-school box spring mattress and give better edge support.

Memory Foam Mattresses: These are only made from layers of foam, usually in a variety of densities and consistencies. They tend to offer better body contouring but can feel too sink-y or unsupportive if they aren't designed well.

Innerspring Mattresses: These are the more-rigid mattresses you grew up sleeping on. They don't come in a box and they typically are made up of metal wiring and springs, covered in various kinds of cushioning and padding.

I have tried out a lot of mattresses in the past few years, but only one put me to sleep just lying on it. Helix's Midnight Luxe has a plush cushion top and a medium-firm feel that's relaxing whether you're a side, back, or stomach sleeper. (I'm most definitely a stomach sleeper.) The lights were on, and our testing room was loud, but I dozed off anyway.

Helix mattresses are hybrids and have a base of individually wrapped springs that are firmer in areas that need more support to prevent back pain, like your lower spine. On top is a stratum of cooling gel foam and denser foams. It's cozy, and Helix has a variety of other mattresses that cater to different sleeping positions and firmness preferences. It's pretty impressive. The only downside is that the price is as "Luxe" as its comfort.

Note: Avoid pairing the Midnight Luxe Hybrid with a box spring and use a solid base or slats instead (it could void your warranty). A WIRED colleague noticed severe sloping on it after a year. Thankfully, after viewing photos of the slope, Helix Sleep agreed to replace it (they didn't know she works for WIRED). 

This is a true runner-up in comfort to my top pick. It's one of the best mattresses on the market, hands down. I love the silky diamond-textured cover of Leesa's luxe Hybrid Mattress almost as much as its soft-yet-firm, pressure-relieving feel. It didn't whoosh me away to dreamland like the Helix Midnight Luxe, but it was a mattress I kept coming back to during testing—sometimes for comparison and a few times because it felt so cool and cozy.

Like a lot of our top picks, this is a hybrid mattress. It has a layer of individually wrapped springs sandwiched between five layers of foam in various densities, including a 1.5-inch top layer of airy, cooling Avena foam. The layers blend together well, gently hugging my body while offering proper support.