Summary: I’m a side sleeper who thought I preferred a firm mattress until I met PlushBeds. After sleeping on PlushBeds’s Signature Bliss mattress for over a month, I’ve noticed a significant increase in the quality of my rest, relief from aches and pains, and a notable decrease in motion transfer between my partner and me. With a three-inch plush pillow top made with GOTS certified organic cotton and GOLS certified organic latex, silk, and cashmere, sleeping on our PlushBeds mattress feels like pure luxury.

Pros: 

  • PlushBeds provides two different firmness options – medium, medium firm – both specifically designed to suit side sleepers (like me!) or those who simply prefer a softer mattress. Our medium firm mattress relieved my aches and pains starting with night one.
  • The brand offers a free Comfort Exchange. If you find the mattress too firm or too soft, they will send a new top comfort layer in a different firmness that easily zips on.
  • Since upgrading to our PlushBeds mattress, motion transfer is at an all-time low. Whether my partner is tossing and turning, or one of our kids is climbing into or out of our bed in the night, I hardly notice.
  • The outer cover of the pillowtop is made from GOTS organic cotton, cashmere, and silk, with a GOLS certified organic latex inside, ensuring a healthy sleep environment
  • The pillowtop on our PlushBeds mattress feels so luxe and I genuinely look forward to climbing into bed every single night.

Cons:

  • PlushBeds might not be the best fit for those who knows they like a firm mattress. However, I thought that was me, and I was wrong, so it may be worthwhile to try their 100-day trial.

When we bought our first mattress just before becoming parents four years ago, we’d been sleeping on family hand-me-downs up until that point. When we decided to invest in a new one, I could not have been more proud to purchase a brand-new, organic, and relatively locally made mattress that aligned with all of my conscious criteria. (Also, why did buying a mattress make me feel more adult than becoming a parent?) 

“I’d begun to wonder if a softer mattress might help me get a more restful, deep sleep.”

However, that mattress was the first I’d ever purchased, and I’d done so without ever setting foot in a mattress store or laying my body on any actual mattresses. I just figured anything would be an upgrade from our who-even-knows-how-old full-sized mattress (and to be fair, it was) that had previously been in my grandparent’s house and slept on by countless relatives over the years. I hadn’t considered the mattress’s firmness, height, nor anything else for that matter. I just knew we were going to have a tiny baby. I wanted to maximize our sleep quality and be sure she was spending time in, on and near a nontoxic space, so I added my dream mattress of choice to cart and slept peacefully that night knowing our new, gorgeous mattress was on its way to us.

Since then, I’ve learned a lot about how to get my own personal best night of rest. A hot cup of herbal tea, bundled up from head to toe (including socks!) in a cool, silent room, preferably between our linen set of sheets.

While I usually sleep generally well, over the last year I’ve noticed some aches and pains. They aren’t severe, but they’re still…there. This could be for many reasons, of course, but I’d begun to wonder if a softer mattress might help me get a more restful, deep sleep. So, when PlushBeds offered to send their Signature Bliss Mattress for review, I was hopeful and excited to see how my body might respond.

Why PlushBeds?

I’ve always had very sensitive skin, so I’ve had to be aware of what I put in and on my body for most of my life. As a child, I learned how to scan labels for ingredients I was allergic to and check tags to be sure the garment in question was 100% cotton. My awareness of how things are made and how this affects our bodies expanded after college and in early motherhood as I learned about PFAS, VOCs, and other common neurotoxins that affect our nervous systems and the planet.

“I’ve always had very sensitive skin, so I’ve had to be aware of what I put in and on my body for most of my life.”

With all of this in mind, I’m always looking for noteworthy certifications and receipts showcasing a brand’s responsible production processes. I was impressed by PlushBeds’ standards. All of their mattresses are PFAS-free, made with GOTS certified organic cotton and wool, and certified organic latex. They’re also GREENGUARD Gold Certified, which means the materials have met some of the world’s most rigorous safety testing and standards.

I try to consider making purchases that are as local as possible in order to lower my environmental footprint. Imagine my delight when I learned PlushBeds mattresses are handcrafted in California, my home state. For me, that’s as local as it gets!

As a human being who is part of a family made up of three other human beings, I am never not thinking about the constant ebb and flow of our needs. Enter my dilemma with investment pieces. Our bodies and stages of life are continually evolving, and that can be both beautiful and maddening. After being incredibly thoughtful about a purchase and ensuring the integrity and safety of the item, what happens when said item no longer meets our needs? I’ve run into disappointment with investing in pieces for my closet only to find that my body has changed after a few years (or months) and I can no longer wear it, despite my best intentions to care for and wear it for a lifetime.

“A mattress is a commitment, and it’s essential to feel confident in which one we choose.”

So, when choosing an investment piece, I often get nervous about whether I’ll love it long-term. I find these nerves resurfacing with any sizable purchase or piece for our home, especially one as important as a mattress. A mattress is a commitment, and it’s essential to feel confident in which one we choose.

This is why I’m so — pardon the pun — comforted by PlushBeds’ free Comfort Exchange. If we found our mattress to be too firm or too soft, they will send a top comfort layer in a different firmness. Simply unzip the comfort top, remove the old layer, and add the new layer. We selected the Medium Firm option and hoped for the best!

A hand with neatly manicured nails lightly pressing down on a plush, white, quilted mattress surface.
A hand with neatly manicured nails pulls up to reveal the zipped-on latex top of a plush, white, quilted mattress surface.
Plushbeds’ free Comfort Exchange lets you swap out the top layer to find the right fit at no cost, a key feature when trying to find the perfect mattress!

Delivery and setup

After the order was confirmed and our Signature Bliss was in the mail, delivery was scheduled over the phone. I was given a 4-hour time frame and notified that our mattress would be hand-delivered and set up for us in our bedroom. (White glove service, yes please!)

Upon arrival, our mattress was carried straight into our bedroom by the delivery professionals. It was wrapped in plastic for protection while in transit, as was the zip-on customizable plush topper. Many mattresses come with instructions to wait while it airs out and/or settles into its final shape — but I didn’t receive any warnings, so I quickly hopped on!

Two people are placing a mattress onto a bed frame in a room with beige carpet, white walls, and a lamp on a side table.
Two people are making a bed with a white mattress on a wooden frame, adjusting a mattress cover in a well-lit room.
The white glove service meant that the mattress was delivered and immediately installed in our bedroom, no air-out time needed!

My first impressions

Once the setup was complete, I couldn’t help myself. I immediately hopped on the bed and noticed how cushy it felt (in a good way). We were in the middle of a busier-than-usual day, but for a moment I allowed myself to relax, felt myself sink in, and got excited for bedtime later on. This was my first indication that I do perhaps prefer a softer mattress than the one we’d had previously.

I noticed our new mattress had no odor whatsoever, other than perhaps what I would describe as…clean and neutral? Whatever “nothing” smells like, that’s what it smelled like. Which is exactly how I like it.

“I noticed our new mattress had no odor whatsoever, other than perhaps what I would describe as…clean and neutral? Whatever “nothing” smells like, that’s what it smelled like.”

Mostly, my first impression had me thinking about how fitting the company name is because of how, well, plush our mattress felt. The Signature Bliss mattress has a three-inch pillowtop made of GOLS certified organic latex, covered by GOTS certified organic cotton, wool, cashmere, and silk. Excuse me, cashmere? Nighty night. 

And this isn’t just super luxe, it also offers maximum pressure relief in the shoulder and hip areas which are notoriously problematic for side sleepers like me. Bliss!

A women with her hair pulled back lies on her side on a clean, white quilted mattress.
A women with her hair pulled back lies on top of a clean, white quilted mattress to demonstrate the support it offers.
The Signature Bliss mattress has a three-inch pillowtop made of GOLS and GOTS certified organic materials for an ultra luxe experience that also gives maximum pressure relief in the shoulder and hip areas (essential for side sleepers like me!).

My experience sleeping on PlushBeds’ Signature Bliss 

After our first night of sleep on our Signature Bliss mattress, I noticed it was the first morning in weeks that I’d woken up without any aches and pains. Sometimes I’m not aware I’m not sleeping well until I get one really good night of sleep — anyone else? That’s how this particular morning was. Noticing how deeply I’d slept made me realize how poorly I’d been sleeping leading up until that point. 

There are many things that contribute to a quality night’s sleep, of course — sleep hygiene, the previous day’s activities, current stressors, whether or not a tiny little person snuck into our bed in the middle of the night or not, etc. And while I still have some general aches, the intensity and frequency of them have significantly decreased after sleeping on our new mattress for the last five weeks.

A bed made with fluffy white sheets and red pillows.
A woman takes a mirror selfie in a bedroom with a neatly made bed, lamp, and framed picture on a dresser with decorative items.
Waking up without aches and pains has been incredible! The lack of motion transfer and overall comfort and pressure-point relief is nothing short of life-changing.

Another noteworthy anecdote: Since sleeping on our new mattress, I’ve noticed a significant reduction in motion transfer. With a husband who tosses and turns and two little children who occasionally end up in between us, more nights than not I can feel at least one family member or another shifting around in our bed. This was a whole situation in the beginning of our marriage (remember our archaic hand-me-down mattress?). Sleeping on better quality mattresses over the years has certainly helped, and since upgrading to our PlushBeds mattress, the motion transfer is at an all-time low. Whether he’s getting comfortable, or a little one is climbing into or out of our bed in the night, I hardly notice anymore.

Is PlushBeds worth it?

Yes, the Signature Bliss PlushBeds mattress is ideal for anyone who sleeps on their side and/or likes a softer mattress. This may not be the best fit for those who prefer a firm mattress — though, if you’re like me, it might cause you to reevaluate.

“Yes, the Signature Bliss PlushBeds mattress is ideal for anyone who sleeps on their side and/or likes a softer mattress.”

A bed with white linens, pillows, and a beige checked throw pillow. The linens appear slightly disheveled. A bedside table with a lamp is visible in the background.
Plushbeds is ideal for side sleepers who want cushiness and support for their best night’s sleep.

While I love the convenience of online shopping as much as the next person, it’s tricky when there are just some things online shopping can’t replace, like trying a mattress out with your very own body before making a commitment.

Our PlushBeds’ experience and the reassurance of their Comfort Exchange makes it feel as though we were able to test our mattress out in a warehouse, but the warehouse was our home, and we actually got to sleep on it for weeks to be sure we wanted to commit. We’re still within our trial period, and if we decide a different topper would be a better fit, we’ll simply let them know and they’ll send over the comfort top of our choice.

We spend roughly one-third of our lives sleeping and our quality of sleep contributes to our overall wellness and quality of life, so it’s worthwhile to figure out what small details yield our best night of rest. I’ve learned that I love to be bundled up, complete with socks, resting in a cool, dark, silent room, and between a set of linen set. I now know that I’m also a side sleeper who likes a nontoxic, medium-firm mattress. The one from PlushBeds, specifically.

Kate Arceo is Community Manager at The Good Trade. When she’s not hosting dinner parties with her husband at their home in Southern California, you can find her sipping a latte at their local coffee house or shopping for strawberries with her kids at the farmers market. Say hi on Instagram!