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. Based on our extensive experience testing mattresses, we believe that youre most likely to get the most satisfaction out of your purchase by focusing on certain key considerations:
The Best Mattresses To Put Hip And Back Pain To Rest
When sleeping is consistently interrupted by aches in the lumbar spine and hips, a bedtime routine can start to feel like a living nightmare. Having two parts of the body experience discomfort can make it tricky to find a solution for both areas from a single mattress. A plush mattress might be good for supporting the hips and back, but back sleepers are prone to aches in the lower spine when sleeping on a mattress without more stability.
To help you discover the best mattress for back and hip pain, weve put together this comprehensive guide that answers common questions about sleep discomfort, how to solve each problem, and which mattresses to shop for. Read more to see which brands we recommend, along with a look at bedMATCH, our exclusive sleep assessment only found at a Bob Mills Furniture near you.
At a Glance:
What Type Of Mattress Is Best For Lower Back Pain
If youre dealing with lower back pain, the right mattress can make a big difference.
A mattress that doesnt hold up our body will cause pain in the lower back, explains Dr. Lynelle McSweeney, a chiropractor in Reno, Nevada. We need support to keep our joints from going into a stress point, which puts pressure on nerves and strains the muscles.
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Why The Saatva Suits Stomach Sleepers
Not only is the Saatvas high level of support optimal for sufferers of back pain its also great for stomach sleepers. If they opt for the Firm model, they should get a big lift that prevents them from sinking too far into the mattress, which should help keep their hips and shoulders neutrally aligned.
Durability Of The Adjustable Bed
Adjustable beds are moving a lot more than a traditional bed frame and need to maintain their comfort level. Because of this, adjustable beds need a mattress that is built with high quality, durable materials that will be able to withstand the bending and pressure. You must ensure that the bed can remain completely flush with the base even when the head or foot of the bed is completely raised. Go for a mattress that has at least a 10-year warranty, and uses premium materials such as an organic cotton cover. The best mattress for adjustable beds should last for years to come and be easy to clean and get the most out of.
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What Makes The Dreamcloud Stand Out
- It is a high-quality luxury hybrid for a great value. With frequent discounts and sales, it often sits at around $1,000.
- The DreamCloud is a great option for hot sleepers. Its individually wrapped coils allow for breathability, and the mattress is equipped with a cashmere-blend cooling cover.
- DreamCloud has an impressive 365-night trial and a lifetime warranty.
What Style Of Mattress Is Worst For Back Pain
Again, that sort of depends on your personal preference. But because foam mattresses tend to be softer and less supportive than hybrid and innerspring models, you might want to avoid an all-foam mattress. However, some people with back pain may prefer the feel of foam, so we included several options on our list.
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Why The Signature Hybrid Suits Budget Shoppers
The company has its own factory, so its able to cut down on manufacturing costs and pass those savings onto the customer. You can often find a queen-size Signature Hybrid for under $1,000 after discounts. Pro tip: keep a lookout for significant discounts and savings during holidays such as Presidents Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, and Black Friday.
Why You Should Trust Us
The Sleep Advisor team reviews each mattress in person so we have a genuine understanding of how the mattress feels and performs. To begin, we unbox the mattress and place it onto a bedframe. We first asses the cover, looking for features like cooling, softness, and cushioning. The next step is to evaluate how the bed performs under pressure, first by applying pressure with our hands and then in each sleep position. Lying in different positions lets us know how supportive the bed is and if its good at relieving pressure. After that, well perform a series of tests for additional features, such as bounce, motion isolation, and edge support. The final testing portion is to determine if there are any new mattress smells present, which is known as off-gassing. These smells usually go away within a day or two, but its helpful to know if you can expect any right away, particularly if youre sensitive to odors. We then take all the information weve gathered to rate the bed in individual categories as well as how it stacks up overall. This gives us a thorough idea of who we would recommend this product to, helping our readers find the right mattress for their needs.
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Hybrid Mattresses For Back Pain
Hybrid mattresses are made of all-foam or latex layers on top of a coil base. This construction performs well for those with back pain because it provides a good amount of contouring to the body along with adequate support. Depending on what these mattresses are topped with, they also have a decent amount of bounce and responsiveness. Our list of best hybrid mattresses has some of our favorite of this type of bed
Best Budget Mattress For Back Pain: Vaya Mattress
A new mattress can be quite an expensive commitment for some budget shoppers. Thatâs why we love the Vaya, a foam mattress that focuses on pure comfort and support at a price that most can easily afford. The bed is 12 inches thick and suitable for all sleeping styles, with a queen size mattress costing $599.
The Vaya Mattress has two foam layers in a soft, breathable cover:
- 3 inches of Vaya Comfort Foam
- 9 inches of Vaya Base Foam
Vaya Comfort Foam is a bouncy, malleable foam. It conforms to you in every position for full-body pressure relief. The comfort foamâs lightweight design also ensures it stays cool during the night, limiting the heat retention that can interrupt your rest.
Vaya Base Foam is a resilient material that resists sagging and supports you in all sleep positions. The foam evenly distributes your bodyweight, preventing the pressure build-up that can cause backaches or exacerbate existing conditions.
Vayaâs commitment to their customersâ comfort extends to their policies, as well. You have 100 nights to try out a Vaya Mattress after it arrives and can return it for a full refund if itâs not right for you. Every purchase of a Vaya Mattress is backed by a 10-year warranty that covers sagging over 0.75 inches.
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Sleep Trials And Back Pain
Most of the mattresses on our list offer extended sleep trials to help you get used to the mattress. When youre searching for the best mattress for back pain in Canada, you should choose one with a longer sleep trial. Thats because it sometimes takes up to 30 days for your body to get used to a new mattress. A longer sleep trial gives you even more time to see if the mattress works for you.
Plus, sleep trials are risk-free, and most offer a full refund if you return the mattress after use. Just be careful with the terms of these sleep trials, as there may be fine-print exclusions. Its better to be safe than stuck with a mattress you cant sleep on.
What Mattress Do Chiropractors Recommend
The Congress of Chiropractic State Associations has awarded Saatva Classic mattress their seal of approval for this year. Saatva is a luxury brand geared toward relieving your pain through its state of the art design. Their products contain Spinal Zone Technology, an active a wire down the mattress center for optimal spinal alignment, something you’ll only find in a Saatva mattress! Want a little more information? Here are a few other aspects to the Saatva innerspring mattress that makes it a great choice to help your back pain:
- Plush pillow-top made with cotton that assists the coils in providing support while also contouring to your specific body type
- 884 Individually-wrapped coil design, proving premium motion transfer
- 416 tempered steel support coils used within the frame, providing ultimate support, and making sure your mattress lasts a long time
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Trial And Return Policy
When you deal with back pain, the last thing you want is to be stuck with a mattress for the next five to ten years. Look for a mattress that has a generous trial and return policy. For example, here at Purple, we let you try out any mattress for 100 nights. We understand that it takes time to decide whether you chose the right mattress or not. One to two nights just wonât allow you to know for sure. 100 nights is plenty of time to figure out if youâve gotten the right mattress.
We also have a 10-year warranty. The average life of a mattress is 10 years and we want to make sure youâre completely satisfied. If anything were to ever go wrong with your mattress that was out of your control during the 10 years youâve had it, we will gladly replace it for free. Just contact us and weâll help you out.
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Is It Better To Have A Firm Mattress For Back Pain
Very firm mattresses were often recommended for back pain in the past, but based on feedback from sleepers, a mattress that’s too firm can disrupt sleep and contribute to back pain. On the other hand, mattresses that are too soft also contribute to poor sleep quality and back pain, by throwing your spine out of alignment and putting too much pressure on your joints.
In general, the best mattress for back pain is one that’s rated medium to medium-firm, but it also depends on how you sleep. For example, side sleepers need a mattress that’s softer than back sleepers who generally need a firmer mattress, so the right mattress depends on your existing sleep habits.
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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 our testers believe 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. Our pressure tests on various mattresses have shown that 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 you sink too deeply into the bed and out of line with the rest of the body. Most side sleepers on our test team get the best results from a medium soft to medium firm mattress.
What Can I Do If My Mattress Is Too Firm
For a pillow-top mattress, you may sleep well, but it is important to feel at least the right firmness. For mattresses with a spring foundation, the springs should be spaced about 15 inches apart from the foundation plate. For beds with a platform foundation, the distance between the top surface of the spring pads should be at least 4 inches.
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What Mattress Types Are Best For People With Back Pain
There isnt one mattress thats universally best for those with back pain. It largely depends on your preferences and needs.
All-foam options may not provide enough support, causing your spine to sag as you snooze whereas overly firm options could make the spine too straight.
Fortunately, many online mattress companies, including most of the brands featured in this article, have at-home trials, so you can literally sleep on it before you buy.
At-home trials can still be a hassle, as you still have to do something with the mattress if it doesnt work for you whether its coordinating for the company to pick it up or donating it. Nonetheless, if youre not sure what will work best for you, the trials could help.
If you have back pain and prefer the feel of foam for its cushioning effect, a hybrid option thats supportive and has foam on top could bring the best of both worlds.
You spend about a third of your life sleeping, so getting a mattress you like matters.
Best Mattresses And Beds For Back Pain Reviewed
The best mattress and bed for back pain is the Puffy Lux Hybrid paired with the Puffy Adjustable Base because it can help to combat the widest range of back pain related conditions whilst also being suitable for just about every sleeping position and sleeping requirement.
However, Ive also included some other mattresses for more specific requirements like sleeping cool with back pain, or if youre shopping on a budget.
If you buy through the buttons on this page under each mattress and bed review, youll be able to take advantage of some limited-time discounts that could save you $100s.
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How Back Pain Affects Sleep
Related Reading
Back pain is a widespread problem that affects an estimated 80% of adults at one time or another. It can make all types of daily activities difficult including walking, working, sitting, and lifting even lightweight items. Unfortunately, we know that back pain complicates sleep as well, making it hard to find a comfortable position to fall asleep and keep sleeping soundly through the night.
Research studies have found that over half of people with lower back pain report sleeping problems. These negative impacts on sleep arise in people who have both sudden and short-term back pain and those who have long-term, persistent back pain.
People with pain tend to have fragmented sleep that occurs from waking up during the night. Upon waking up, getting back to sleep can be difficult because of ongoing aches and discomfort. Pain can also contribute to stress, depression, and anxiety, all of which can be detrimental to quality sleep.
People with back pain can take a number of steps to try to feel and sleep better. Getting medical help for serious back problems can help reduce pain. Treatments depend on the cause and nature of your symptoms, and can range from surgery to physical therapy to pain-relieving medications.
Best Mattress For Back Pain According To Our Sleep Experts
Aches and pains disrupting your sleep? Don’t let a bad mattress ruin your rest. Here are the top recommendations for the best mattresses to combat back pain from CNET’s sleep experts.
Reviewed by:
Troy Mensen, DO
Troy Mensen is a family medicine doctor based in Chicago. He received his Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine from Des Moines University College of Osteopathic Medicine and holds a certification in family medicine from the American Board of Family Medicine. He is licensed by the State of Illinois Medical Examining Board.
McKenzie Dillon
Writer
McKenzie, a Certified Sleep Science Coach and proclaimed mattress expert, has been writing sleep content in the wellness space for over three years. After earning her certification from the Spencer Institute and dedicating hundreds of hours to sleep research, she has extensive knowledge on the topic and how to improve your quality of rest. Having more experience with lying on mattresses than most, McKenzie has reviewed over 150 beds and a variety of different sleep products including pillows, mattress toppers and sheets. McKenzie has been a guest on multiple radio shows including WGN Chicago as a sleep expert and contributed sleep advice to over 50 different websites. Before she was writing about sleep, she graduated as an English major from the University of Nevada, Reno and was covering music news for an online entertainment magazine.
Lindsay Boyers
CNET Contributor
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Is A Soft Mattress Good For Hip Pain
It makes sense to assume that a softer mattress is the best option for pain relief. After all, we all want a little coddling when were not feeling well! However, a mattress thats too soft can actually have negative effects on our bodies, as they can sink too much, distorting our alignment. According to Dr. Ghassemi, We all have the same skeletal system, but our daily lifestyle, health status, and body morphology are vastly different. I can conservatively say, a soft mattress is not suitable for the hip/hip condition it may cause more damage in the majority of people than help. Dr. Malayil adds, For individuals with hip pain, a foam mattress which conforms to your spine would be best. Many spring mattresses tend to apply too much pressure to the hip joint causing increased pain for many individuals. A foam mattress is helpful in this situation because it allows for the hips to lay in a comfortable position without applying overpressure to the musculature around the hip and to the hip joint itself.
If youre ready to improve your sleep and take some pressure off of your body, keep reading to find the best mattress for back and hip pain that will have you on your way to slumber town!
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