Mattress Advisor’s Review Process
Each mattress on this list was put to the test in Mattress Advisor’s lab, which is located in Raleigh, North Carolina. Bedding experts spent over 1,200 hours evaluating and comparing mattresses using a 14-point testing methodology to find the best mattresses that help relieve back pain.
While some of the factors tested are tied directly to performance, like responsiveness, edge support, and pressure relief, others are based around brand operations, such as customer service, shipping policies, and trial period. The Mattress Advisor team combines this proprietary methodology with in-depth interviews and customer experience to arrive at a weighted score out of 10.
Sheryl Grassie is an academic writer and researcher for Mattress Advisor.
Sign up for our Health Shopping newsletter to get your daily dose of retail therapy with great deals handpicked by our editors straight to your inbox.
Myth: Don’t Lift Heavy Things
It’s not necessarily how much you lift, it’s how you do it. Get directly in front of the object. Squat close to it, with your back straight and head up. Stand, using your legs to push up the load and your arms to hold it close to your middle. Don’t twist or bend your body, or you may hurt your back.
Your Spine Can Get Used To An Old Mattress
It takes time to get used to a new mattress topper. It also takes time to get used to a new mattress. Some people adapt faster than others, but normally you will adapt to it and any temporary niggles in your back tend may disappear. If you have been sleeping on an old mattress for years, your spine can get used to conforming to the pressure that the old mattress has been putting on it.
Your body, particularly your spine and lower back, can complain when you start using a mattress topper designed to eliminate the lumps and troughs in an old mattress. Even if you normally sleep on your side, you will feel the effects of this new sleeping surface. This pain is not always telling you that you are being harmed: it could be a sign that the mattress topper is trying to force your spine back into a healthy position.
Also Check: What Type Of Mattress For Adjustable Bed
Why You Should Get An Adjustment Before Going Mattress Shopping
It is a very good idea to get a wellness adjustment from your local chiropractor before going mattress shopping. This can help alleviate pain and help you have improved posture and body support.
We hope after reading this, you can find relief from your back and neck pain if it was caused by your pillow or mattress.
If you have any chiropractic needs or concerns, help yourself by reaching out to us.
Can A Mattress Cause Back Pain
A mattress can definitely be a cause of back pain because it plays such an important role in how the body is positioned through the night. Most people know that posture is important but only think about their posture in the context of standing and sitting. This can cause them to overlook the importance of having a mattress that is the proper fit for them based on their body shape, weight, and sleeping position.
If the spine and joints arent aligned and well-cushioned during sleep, they wont be able to relax. Instead of recovering, the body will be strained, exacerbating pre-existing back issues and sowing the seeds for new ones. The easiest way to know whether a mattress is a contributing factor to back pain is if the pain tends to be the most pronounced in the morning when you wake up. If the pain is the worst when you get out of bed and subsides during the day, theres a good chance that your mattress is playing a part in your aches and pains.
You May Like: Will Mattress Protector Kill Bed Bugs
Does It Matter If Its A Turn Or Non
The main cause of sagging is simple wear and repetitive pressure being placed on both the springs and fillings. The great thing about a turnable mattress is that every few months, you can simply flip your mattress to sleep on the other side, thus spreading the wear and allowing your mattress to keep its shape for longer.
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.
You May Like: What Month Are The Best Mattress Sales
Is Your Bed Too Old Take Our Test
If you answered yes to a few of these questions then these tips may help you choose a better bed?
Q: Which Sleeping Position Is Best To Alleviate Back Pain
A: Side sleeping or back sleeping are the best positions to ease your back pain. Even better, you can place a pillow between your knees while side sleeping to take strain off your spine. Likewise, you can slip a pillow under your knees while back sleeping to maintain your spine in its normal “S” curve.
Don’t Miss: What Mattress Holds Up The Best
You Always Experience The Pain Each Time You Wake Up In The Morning
If you often retire to bet feeling great and in good health but wake up with a lot of pain in your lower back, then this is a clear manifestation that your mattress is to blame for your woes. Just like an old mattress, a mattress that is not firm enough will always make your spine to fall out of spine alignment the entire night. Consequently, a mattress thats too firm will result in the buildup of joint pressure in your hips and this may, in turn, lead to lower back pain. Though you might not immediately experience the pain on your back, it is more than certain that youll feel this pain immediately after getting out of your bed in the morning hours. You can see the top 10 cool gel mattresses which cures your pain and gives you a freshen wake up every morning.
You Seem To Be Immersed In Your Mattress
As experts say, a great sleeping mattress should be able to maintain its shape regardless of the amount of weight exerted on it by the owner. If you notice that the central part of your mattress often dips down while you are sleeping, you should seriously consider purchasing a new one, especially if you have developed back pain. Typically, such type of mattress will affect the spine and hip flexibility, subsequently forcing you to adopt a bad sleeping posture hence causing back pain. You can see the most popular Ashley Chime 10 Inch Hybrid Mattress and Ashley Chime 12 Inch Hybrid Mattress which are perfectly fit for relieving back pain.
Also Check: Where To Lay On A Purple Mattress
Use A Pillow To Keep Your Spine In Alignment
Waking up with lower back pain often means your spine was rotated throughout the night. If you sleep on your side, try placing a pillow between your knees. If you sleep on your back, place a pillow behind the backs of your knees. And if you sleep on your stomach, try placing a pillow under your hips and lower abdomen and another thin pillow under your head.
The right pillow can go a long way in helping your back pain. But it can also help you reduce neck pain too, as long as you choose the right pillow.
New Mattresses Have An Adjustment Period
“There is a transition period when you go from an old unsupportive mattress to a new supportive one,” says Wisconsin-based chiropractor Thomas Tozer.
If you were previously sleeping on a less-than-terrific mattress for years and years, your body likely got used to it, even though it wasn’t all that great for your back. When you move to a more supportive mattress, it may not feel quite as comfortable at the start, even though it’s much better for your back.
Think about how it feels to sit up straight after being hunched over for a long timethat’s similar to what happens when you switch from a saggy mattress to one that can keep your spine in a neutral, properly aligned position.
Here, one Saatva customer explains how it took three weeks to get used to their new mattress:
You May Like: Where Are Idle Sleep Mattresses Made
What Are The Disadvantages Of Memory Foam Mattress
The soft memory foam mattresses cause back pain, neck pain, and bad for the side & back sleepers. And, the firm memory foam mattresses can cause joint pain and feel uncomfortable while sleeping on the side. Few memory foam mattresses are hot and cant pass airflow perfectly. You have to choose the get memory foam mattresses that are cool and comfortable.
How To Know You Are Sleeping On A Bad Mattress
Basically, the wrong mattress is due to various factors. Of course a comfortable mattress, it should offer proper cushioning and protect the body from strains. The appropriate way to get an indication that you are sleeping on a bad mattress is how you feel in the morning when waking up. If you experience any pain in the body, it means that there is something not adding up well in your bed. Either the mattress is too stiff or too soft and facilitating a lot of sinking and motions.
Don’t Miss: Are Memory Foam Mattresses Bad For Your Health
Remedy For Body Aches
The solution for bad mattresses that causes body aches is getting the right one for your bed. In fact, until you get the most popular ideal mattresses like Olee Sleep Mattress, or Sweetnight Mattress or Linenspa Hybrid Mattress, or Classic Brands Cool Gel 14 Mattress, it is time you are going to improve the sleep experience. A good mattress is supposed to offer you full-body support and does not create any pressure on your back and neck to make sure you have a sound sleep. You can also buy a new good mattress from our well-researched list of top 10 best mattresses for back pain or top 10 gel memory foam mattress.
N:B: Read Also:4 Ways A Memory Foam Mattress Causing Lower Back Pain
Can My Mattress Cause Hip Pain
Hip pain remains one of the most discomforting experiences to have while sleeping. The pain has been linked to different causes ranging from bursitis to osteoarthritis, tendonitis, bowel problems, and tight muscles or even sciatic- piriformis syndrome. Unfortunately, the mattress has been implicated as a cause of hip pain. I guess this will come to you as a surprise since the mattress is known to be a sleeping platform that should provide comfort, rest and solace after a hectic, stressful day.
Yes, a mattress that does not match your body type, as well as your dominant sleeping position, could lead to a dysfunctional body alignment which could severely affect the hips. Since sleep takes even more than a quarter of our entire time daily lying on a poor mattress over an extended period could be very detrimental, not just to the hips but it negatively affects sleep and overall productivity in the long run.
This article provides insights on how the nature of your mattress could be a causative factor to your hip pain.
The importance of sleep cannot be overemphasized therefore, there is no amount of time or resources invested in researching and painstakingly searching for the most suitable mattress that is a waste. Instead, it guarantees not just a comfortable sleep devoid of hip pain but also a highly productive life.
Read Also: Where Can I Buy An Avocado Green Mattress
Can A Mattress Cause Hip Pain
- Article medically reviewed and fact-checked by Dr. Dimitar Marinov for accuracy.
Hip pain can have many causes.
But if youre waking up with hip pain then you may be wondering if your mattress is the underlying problem.
A mattress can cause hip pain if the mattress is sagging more than 1-1.5 inches,has indents, is too firm, is too soft, and/or has a broken support core that may be causing you to sleep in bad posture or experience painful pressure points.
The rest of this article explains in more detail how a mattress can cause hip pain, how to fix these issues, and how to find a new mattress to help combat your hip pain.
Alternatively: if youre ready for a new mattress, then check out my list of the best mattresses and adjustable beds for hip and back pain to buy in 2021 for some high-quality options.
Do Foam Mattresses Sag
Foams are a more recent filling, and are certainly good at easing pressure points. Foam mattresses will also eventually sag, just like any other filling. Once a foam mattress sags you have to trash the mattress whereas natural mattresses can be recycled. It is important to note that due to their dense nature they have poor breathability and can become very hot at night, as the heat from your body struggles to escape. It is for this reason that we tend to prefer to manufacture more traditional mattresses with good breathability in our workshop.
Also Check: What Is The Best Mattress Company
Why Is My New Bed Hurting My Back
Sometimes, a new mattress can hurt your back because of several reasons such as: your mattress is too firm, too soft, low quality materials, low thickness, etc. If your bed is too hard or firm, it may hurt your back and causes body aches and back pain. If it is too soft, it does not support your body and sinks more thats why you feel pain on your back. And, it you buy a low thickness/low profile mattress, it may be perfect for the kids but not for the adult or heavy sleepers. So, you should choose a new mattress considering all these facts. You can check our selected list of high-quality ,durable, supportive, and comfortable mattress here.
How The Right Mattress Can Cure Your Back Pain
Now that weve discussed how to tell if your mattress is causing back pain, weve found some advice on how to choose a bed that will relieve AND prevent back pain. Researchers in Spain recently studied people with long-term back pain and found that people who slept on a medium-to-firm mattress had less pain than those who prefer a soft or firm mattress. In an interview with NBC News, Gerard Varlotta, director of sports rehabilitation at the Rusk Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine at New York University Medical Center, explained why the findings make sense.
There needs to be an equal distribution of pressure, he said. Too firm of a mattress is not good. It doesnt provide enough contour to our bodies. Too soft is going to bend and cause problems as well.
But of all the medium-to-firm beds out there, its hard to tell which brands and models are best. One thing to look for is a material thats been proven to help back-pain sufferers sleep.
Sleep expert Michael Breus, PhD, says latex is a great choice. In WebMDs article How to Pick Your Perfect Mattress, he says, Quite frankly, I think one of the best materials is latex. Breus goes on to say that latex is firm and supportive, yet provides comfort similar to memory foam. But latex pushes back whereas memory foam doesnt, ultimately providing more support.
Recommended Reading: What Mattress Does Drury Inn Use
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
