Why You Should Trust Us
At Sleep Foundation, we understand the importance of choosing the right mattress especially when it comes to back pain. Thats why weve personally tested hundreds of mattress models to bring you the top picks listed above. Our expert team includes product testers that cover a wide range of body types, sleep positions, and comfort preferences. After thorough hands-on testing, we consider these selections to be the best of the bunch.
To evaluate mattresses for back pain relief, we ask our testers to lie down on each mattress. Ideally, a mattress should contour to the body while maintaining even support, so well measure how deeply the mattress sinks beneath the testers weight. We also use body-mapping sensors to pinpoint locations where painful pressure points are likely to occur. Although we relied on feedback from all of our testers, we focused on those who have a history of upper and/or lower back pain.
Which Type Of Mattress Is Best For Back Pain
A key step in choosing a mattress is deciding which mattress type is most likely to work for you. Virtually all mattresses on the market today can be broken into five types based on their construction and materials.
Within each category, you can find consistent features however, there can be notable variation from one brand or model to the next. Some types allow for a greater diversity of designs, which leads to a wider variation in the expected feel and performance of any specific mattress.
Common Causes Of Back Pain
If youre not sure whether your memory foam mattress is the real bad guy or not, check out these common causes:
- poor posture and sedentary lifestyle
- overworking your back, sprains or strains
- injuries or infection
- undesirable curvatures of the spine scoliosis, lordosis, kyphosis, anterior pelvic tilt, etc.
- herniated discs
Recommended Reading: Exercise For Lower Back Pain Mayo Clinic
What Are The Memory Foam Mattress Problems And Solutions
The memory foam mattress is highly comfortable than other types of mattresses in the market but it may cause few problems due to the wrong choice while buying it. Most people do wrong in the following points such as wrong firmness, lack of support, cool or hot foam. The medium to firm range memory foam mattresses are good for all sleeping styles. The high-density support foam mattresses are great for better back support. The gel foam mattresses are good for cool.
What Makes The Winkbed Stand Out
- The WinkBed is one of the more durable mattresses on this list. People who struggle with back pain dont want a mattress that will sag too quickly.
- The mattress is zoned and provides extra lumbar support.
- Weve named the WinkBed one of the best innerspring mattresses.
Read our full WinkBed mattress review.
Also Check: How Much Advil Can I Take For Back Pain
How I Picked These Mattresses
I like to start all my best of roundups off by acknowledging that these selections are based on my personal preferences. While Im bringing my expert knowledge of materials and bed construction to the table, Im naturally swayed by my own experiences with pain relief on these beds. But, I also use quite a few objective tests to determine how each bed I test will perform, and those play a big role in my selection process as well!
And Im not just relying on my own opinions. I also chatted with physical therapist and Sleepopolis Expert Network member Dr. Keith Poorbaugh to get his tips for catching quality Zzzs while dealing with chronic back pain and to learn what kinds of mattresses can aid in this process the most.
You can find my conversation with Dr. Poorbaugh at the end of this guide.
Best Mattress For Side Sleepers: Amerisleep As3
Amerisleep AS3
If youre a side sleeper, lying on an Amerisleep AS3 can soothe a bad case of back pain.
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Warranty:
- Side sleepers experiencing back pain.
- Combination sleepers who want a mattress to support easy movement.
As Amerisleepss best-selling mattress, the AS3 is the perfect combination of soft and supportive. Although a variety of sleepers have countless good things to say, the medium feel mattress is especially advantageous for side and combination sleepers.
To keep sleepers cool and avoid the heat retention often associated with memory foam, the 12-inch mattresss soft cover was crafted to promote constant airflow.
Presenting next, are 3 inches of a comfortable Bio-Pur® layer. The AS3s top layer is 1 inch thicker than the AS2, creating a softer feel. With a partially plant-based and open-cell structure, air effortlessly flows in and out of the Bio-Pur® material and lessens your chances of waking up hot. Although this layer contours your body, it is also extremely resilient, making it easier to move on top of.
Next in line, Amerisleeps Affinity transition layer with HIVE® technology equips side sleepers with a foundation plush enough to relieve pressure from their hips and shoulders, but sturdy enough to neutralize the spine. The HIVE® technology employs 2 inches of hexagon-shaped Affinity foam intentionally spaced to ease pain.
Recommended Reading: Will Naproxen Help Back Pain
Our Recommended 20 Best Memory Foam Mattress Toppers For Back Pain Reviews In 2022
- Dual Layer Gel Memory Foam Mattress Topper: This luxurious 2 layer mattress topper features a 2 inch soft quilted pillow top cover filled with plush fiber fill and 2 inches of cooling gel memory foam
- Bedtime Made Better: This gel foam mattress topper offers plush support for all sleep positions The 2 inch pillow top cover is removable, washable, and stretches to fit your bed like a fitted sheet
- Instantly Improve Any Mattress: Relieve pressure points, enjoy deeper sleep, and wake up feeling refreshed with our line of memory foam, gel memory foam, dual layer, and pillow top mattress toppers
- Made In The USA: Our memory foam mattresses, mattress toppers, and pillows are all hypoallergenic and CertiPUR-US certified, offering you high quality materials for high quality sleep
- Committed To Great Sleep: We invented the memory foam mattress in a box and we continue to innovate restorative foams and fabrics to give you the best night’s sleep This topper comes with a 10 year warranty
The Importance Of Choosing The Right Mattress
Learning how to choose a mattress is not a minor matter that deserves little consideration on your part. Consider the fact that your bed is the piece of furniture in your home in which you spend the most time. This is especially true if you dont work at home, but even if you do theres really nothing stopping you from working in bed, is there?
This is especially true when you consider back pain. If youre trying to set up the best bed for back pain, youre not alone. According to experts, low back pain is a condition that almost everyone will experience at some point in their lives.
One study suggests that at any given time almost 10% of the worlds population is suffering from an aching back. According to the American Chiropractic Association, 50% of all working Americans experience back pain each year. It is also among the most common reasons cited for missing work.
This makes the choice of mattress more important than you realize. But that simply leads to the question of what makes the best mattresses for back pain?
Also Check: Tylenol Or Aleve For Back Pain
What Makes The Dreamcloud Stand Out
- The DreamCloud is a firmer mattress option for people with back pain.
- The mattress will also be a great option for hot sleepers. The coils promote airflow, and the foam on top features cooling infusions as well.
- For a hybrid mattress, the DreamCloud is competitively priced.
Read our full DreamCloud mattress review.
Can Sleeping Position Affect Back Pain
Sleeping position can have a direct effect on back pain. Each sleeping position creates a unique set of pressure points and areas that need cushioning, and this is why having the right mattress to suit your sleeping position is an important part of preventing and reducing back pain.
Back sleepers tend to have their most serious pressure points around the lumbar area. If a mattress is too soft, the weight of the abdomen will cause this region to sink out of alignment with the rest of the back and hips. If the mattress is too hard, it wont accommodate the natural curvature of the spine in the lumbar area. For this reason, a Medium-Firm to Firm mattress usually works best for back sleepers.
Side sleepers have high-impact areas where the body is the widest, notably at the shoulders and hips. A mattress needs to be contouring enough to cushion those pressure points but not so soft as to let them sink too deeply into the bed and out of line with the rest of the body. Most side sleepers get the best results from a Medium to Medium-Firm mattress.
Body weight is an important factor to consider along with sleeping position. People who weigh more will sink further into a mattress, exacerbating the risks in all sleeping positions of the heavier parts of the body becoming misaligned. Sleepers of above-average body weight typically need a firmer mattress than someone of average weight who sleeps in the same position.
Read Also: Aleve Or Advil For Back Pain
Choosing The Best Mattress For Lower Back Pain
Sleeping on the wrong mattress can cause or worsen lower back pain. Lack of support from a mattress reinforces poor sleeping posture, strains muscles and does not help keep the spine in alignment, all of which contribute to low back pain.
Sleep comfort is also sacrificed if a mattress does not match one’s individual preferences. A mattress that provides both comfort and back support helps reduce low back pain, allowing the structures in the spine to really rest and rejuvenate during the night.
See Mattresses and Sleep Positions for Each Back Pain Diagnosis
With the vast variety of mattresses on the market, choosing the right mattress can be difficult. The following practical guidelines are designed to help patients with low back pain choose the best mattress for both back support and sleep comfort:
Read more: Chronic Pain and Insomnia: Breaking the Cycle
How We Chose The Best For Your Back
To say that mattress choices are pretty personal is a major understatement. Theres no one bed thats right for every sleeper, even if its designed to combat back pain. But we did our homework to create this list of supportive mattresses. We looked for:
- High quality options with durable materials and various levels of firmness that score big points for bad backs.
- Zoned support, which helps distribute weight evenly and avoid painful pressure points.
- Good, consistent reviews. So many mattresses claim to relieve pain and pressure, so we looked to reviews from real sleepers for the back pain 411 on each option.
- Solid warranties and try before you buy policies.
- Price: $$$$$
This mattress earns best overall for checking off all the major requirements for blasting back pain. Because its a hybrid, its springs keep your waist and lower back from sinking in too much, while three layers of memory foam cradle your spine and curves for gentle support. Bonus: the foam is perforated with tiny holes for better airflow, so youre less likely to wake up sweaty.
Casper touts this as its best mattress for back pain, and over 850 people are here for it. Reviewers say they wake up with less or no pain after sleeping through the night and feel super supported.
Recommended Reading: Aleve Good For Back Pain
Why Does My Memory Foam Mattress Hurt My Back
Most likely your mattress is either so old that it has lost support or its the wrong firmness for your sleeping style. Remember, side sleepers need a mattress with a touch of softness, while back and stomach sleepers benefit from a firmer mattress. The average memory foam mattress lasts about 7 years, so if youve had yours for a few years and are no longer sleeping well, it may be time for a replacement.
Hybrid Mattresses Can Offer The Best Of All Worlds Combining Coils With A Top Layer Of Foam Or Latex Or Both Foam And Latex
Pros:Deliver the medium firmness preferred by back pain sufferersBetter at cradling the body than the innerspring mattressesProvide more buoyancy than memory foam mattresses
Cons:Hybrid mattresses tend to be quite expensiveSalespeople sometimes falsely claim that the more coils the better the mattress.
Read Also: Is Advil Good For Back Pain
How We Chose Our Products
Our team of sleep specialists have reviewed more than 140 mattresses, using proprietary analysis and hands-on testing to establish easy-to-understand scores. In addition to an overall score, we measure subscores for support, edge support, cooling, motion transfer, durability, trial period, and warranty.
When choosing the Best Mattresses for Back Pain, we sought out beds that were durable and supportive enough to keep the spine in proper alignment. Of the 10 products on our list, seven mattresses scored a 4 out of 5 or higher in the category of support and eight mattresses scored a 4 out of 5 or higher in the category of durability. The WinkBed has the highest score, with a perfect 5 in support and a 4.5 in durability.
Also, if you specifically experience lower back pain, check out our list of the best mattresses for lower back pain and sciatica.
Sleepers who struggle with back pain should be looking for a few things in a mattress. Theyll want something thats durable, close to medium firm, and supports proper, neutral spinal alignment. Well, theres a reason Im starting this list with the hybrid Saatva mattress. It fits all these criteria!
Mattress Features To Look For To Relieve Back Pain
When shopping for a mattress to help relieve back pain, some features are more important than others. With so many products and a bevy of marketing hype, it can be tough to parse out what really matters. Youre most likely to get the most satisfaction out of your purchase by focusing on certain key considerations:
- Mattress Type: the materials and design will play a huge role in the performance of a mattress. The contouring, bounce, firmness, temperature regulation, and motion isolation of a mattress will be different for each mattress type, so it is critical for shoppers to think about their priorities and choose a mattress with components that will best meet their needs.
- Zoned Support: weight from the body is not distributed evenly instead, certain areas tend to require more cushioning. A zoned mattress takes that into account and offers reinforced support in those areas.
- Quality Materials: a mattress made with excellent materials is much more likely to provide the performance, reliability, and durability that people with back pain need.
- Firmness Level: firmness is a key driver of mattress comfort and is largely a matter of personal preference. At the same time, the right firmness level can play a big part in whether a mattress offers sufficient support, and that will depend significantly on a persons body weight and sleeping position.
Read Also: Does Motrin Help With Back Pain
Our Back Pain Mattress Testing Methodology
All of the mattresses in this guide were tested by me. I put the beds through several objective tests and slept on them for at least 14 nights. Unless otherwise noted, I tried each model’s queen size.
For reference, I mostly sleep on my side, with some stomach and back time. I am 6 feet tall, 215 pounds, and tend to sleep hot. Plus, I have chronic lower back pain.
When shopping for a mattress for back pain, the most important factors to consider are comfort, motion isolation, and the home trial policy.
Test results for the main attributes we tested:
| Attribute |
| 20 years |
Here are the main attributes we look for and how we test them:
Comfort: Based on my years of experience testing dozens of mattresses, I subjectively assess how supportive the bed feels, how hot it sleeps, the firmness, and how my back feels in the morning.
Heat dissipation: I rely on objective laser thermometer measurements. I take readings before lying down, immediately after spending at least an hour on the bed, and two minutes after getting up.
Motion isolation: Excellent motion dampening is a must if you are a light sleeper and share the bed with someone who moves around at night. To test motion isolation, I drop a bowling ball from 4 feet above the mattress so it lands 12 inches from a can of soda pop. If the can falls over consistently, the mattress has poor motion isolation. If the can stays upright, the mattress passes the test and has good motion isolation.