The 10 Best Mattresses For People With Sciatic Pain For 2021
Approved by Joselyne John, RN
If you are experiencing a flare in sciatic pain, a new mattress is a good investment. Old mattresses that have been used for a decade or more tend to sag and will have issues supporting proper spine alignment. Doctors recommend mattresses that are medium-firm as the best for sciatica sufferers, though consumers should choose based on personal preference and comfort.
The best way to try different mattresses would be to go to a store, although mattress retailers generally charge overhead. You can usually get a better price from the manufacturer. Also, just because something feels good when you lie down on it in the store, doesnt let you know if it will hold up over a longer time period. Many manufacturers offer trial periods where you can try out the mattress for a few months and then send it back if it doesnt meet your expectations. It is good to remember that many mattress manufacturers and retailers offer promotions and coupons to significantly drop the price of their mattresses, so we recommend checking to see if there are available savings before you purchase.
We compiled a list of the 10 Best Mattresses for People with Sciatic Pain based on the following methodology:
- Warranty and Home Trial Period
- Material
A Cooling Option Thats Unlike Any Other Mattress
Purple
- Materials: Memory foam, support coils
- Sizes: Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, California King, Split King
- Trial period: 100 nights
Thanks to its patented Purple Grid, the Purple Hybrid Mattress is unlike any other on this list. It consists of five layers, and the Purple Grid gently gives under your body, hugging your pressure points and fully supporting your back while you sleep. The grid sits on top of a 7.5-inch later of responsive coils that add additional support while you sleep. Plus, there are open air channels that allow air to freely flow through, making it much cooler than memory foam-only models.
Reviewers report they could immediately feel the difference in pain levels after sleeping on the Purple mattress, saying its soft where it needs to be and supportive where it doesnt.
Improved Comfort Hybrid Mattress From Vesgantti
The Vesgantti Upgraded Comfort Hybrid Mattress is another CertiPUR-US certified option that offers buyers a 100-night trial. This can give a person time to determine whether or not the mattress is improving their sciatica symptoms.
Its a very affordable option too.
This mattress is made up of 11 inch pocket springs that are individually wrapped, along with supportive memory foam, which is great for people who like to sleep on their side.
The responsive nature of the pocket springs and foam means that the mattress will adjust to the position of the body as it changes during the night, keeping pressure away from potentially painful areas like the hips.
The Vesgantti Upgraded Comfort Hybrid mattress is available for purchase here.
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Can I Try A Purple Mattress In A Store
The good news is that you can shop online and still be able to test your mattress. Purple offers 100-night sleep trial period and free returns giving you plenty of time to try the mattress that you’ve purchased online. … You can’t get this same experience by trying a few mattress brands in a showroom.
What Types Of Mattresses Are Good For Sciatica Sufferers
Mattresses that have solid support, but also relieve pressure points help people with sciatica by relieving pain and allowing a better sleeping position. While some may believe that softer mattresses are good contenders, sciatica may flare up if the spine is not aligned . Medium firmness mattresses with memory foam, latex, or hybrid mattresses tend to offer the ideal blend of softness and support for those with sciatica.
Memory foam contours well to the unique curves of ones body, but is not the most breathable material. As such, if you get hot easily or live in a warmer climate, you may be better suited by a mattresses with a top layer that helps keep you cool such as the Bear Mattress. Additionally, proper alignment of the spine is key and helps alleviate pressure on tender spots. Level Sleep mattress is perfectly designed for this and is clinically tested for pain alleviation. Not only are all these mattresses highly rated by people with sciatica, but they all have memory foam that will contour to your body, along with a heat distributing top layer such as gel or moisture wicking polyester.
#1 Level Sleep
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Depression Insomnia Or Anxiety
Over time, a lack of deep sleep leads to a slow decline in your emotional state. This is a sign your mattress needs replaced! It puts you at an increased risk of developing an emotional condition, including depression, insomnia, or anxiety. If you already suffer from one or more of these, youll notice the onset of more severe symptoms.
Whats The Best Bed For Sciatica Pain Relief
While sleeping on a mattress on the floor isnt particularly good for your mattress or you, the type of bed you have is generally less important than the quality of your mattress.
That said, because of their construction, many memory foam mattresses are only compatible with certain types of bed frame, so its definitely worth checking with the manufacturer before you buy, particularly if you dont want to invest in an entirely new bed.
Some sciatic sufferers find abandoning their bed altogether and sleeping on a towel or yoga mat on the floor to be the best way of getting a comfortable nights sleep, though its unlikely your partners going to want to join you! As most manufacturers offer a trial period, its worth persevering and trying to search for a mattress that suits your budget and needs.
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Best Firm Mattress Dreamcloud
The Brooklyn Bedding Signature mattress checks all of the boxes when it comes to attributes that makes a mattress great for couples. Along with that I think its just generally a good mattress for back and side combination sleepers. If you and your partner struggle with sciatica or lower back pain are looking for a new mattress, start your search with the Brooklyn Signature.
The Purple is also great for hot sleepers, thanks to its gel grid layer, which sleeps cooler than foam, and its layer of pocketed coils will allow for more airflow through the mattress. Additionally, the gel grid offers some nice pressure relief at the hips and shoulders, while the pocketed coils give some responsiveness and support.
The Idle Sleep Latex Hybrid uses a latex comfort layer supported by pocketed coils for a medium firm feel that will help with back pain for people that sleep in a wide array of positions. Along with that, the combination of latex foam and pocketed coils allows people to feel more on top of the bed, and able to change positions really easily.
The Amerisleep is great for hot sleepers because its comfort layer is made with Bio-Pur® foam, the brands proprietary foam thats built to give the pressure relief and sinkage of memory foam, but without the heat trapping tendencies.
For more information, head on over to my main Amerisleep mattress review.
A Flippable Mattress That Gives You The Best Of Both Worlds
Layla Sleep
Use code FORBES to receive 10% off.
- Materials: Memory foam, support foam
- Sizes: Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, California King
- Trial period: 120 nights
Laylas mattress has a four layer construction, including a 4.5-inch layer of support foam thats specifically aimed at keeping your back aligned. This layer also combats the sinking feeling that you get with other memory foam mattresses, so you dont feel like youre dropping too far into the mattress when you sleep. The mattress is flippable, with both a soft and firm side, but back pain sufferers will likely feel the most comfortable on the firm side.
Reviewers say they no longer toss and turn at night after switching to the Layla Memory Foam Mattress. Many also say that while they prefer either the firm or soft side, its nice to have options.
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Mattress Buying Tips For Sciatica
Along with factors such as firmness, texture, and material used in the bed, a buyer should also look out for:
- The trial period offered
- Return policy
- Warranty
Buying a bed is a long-term decision for seven to twelve years. Hence an informed decision should be made after weighing the pros and cons of all crucial checkpoints.
The best mattress for sciatica should satisfy the criteria of breathability, flexibility, support, and affordability. Memory forms, hybrid, and some latex mattresses meet these criteria. The final buying decision is restricted to the buyers personal choices and budget. However, the guidelines listed above could aid in making an informed decision.
Best Luxury Mattress For Sciatica: Purple Hybrid Premier
The Purple Hybrid Premier is a combination of pocketed support coils, memory foam, and the innovation that Purple is known best for a purple, elastic support grid. With its open-air channels and motion-isolating design, this mattress can flex into nearly any position while continuing to provide well-ventilated support.
This mattress is medium-firm and is, therefore, better suited to the needs of back sleepers and stomach sleepers than side sleepers. However, should a customer choose to pay more and upgrade their Purple Hybrid Premier from the 3-inch grid model to the 4-inch grid model, they will find that the firmness rating drops to medium-soft, an ideal level for side sleepers.
Because this model features a great deal of built-in ventilation, it could be a great choice for hot sleepers that struggle with traditional memory foam mattresses. Purple tends to include nifty additional items with their mattresses, such as bedsheets, pillows, and sleeping masks. However, its important to note that many Purple mattresses do tend to fall in the higher price range.
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Consider A Body Pillow
Even the best mattress can some people feeling a little bit flat. Sometimes you may need that extra support or just the right angle to put us in the right position to get comfortable and relieve nerve pressure. Putting an additional pillow between or under your knees can yield excellent results.
Further, a full body pillow can provide the exact amount of contouring and support you need if you sleep on your side. And if youre pregnant? A body pillow is practically a must-have.
Which Is Better Purple Mattress Or Sleep Number
Versus Sleep Number, Purple is a much different mattress, with tailored firmness options on checkout rather than electronic adjustability. Due to the issues with durability, Purple does better at satisfaction overall, but there are still some disagreements on mattress feel for some Purple customers.
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What Causes Sciatica Pain
Your back is a complex structure of muscles, nerves, joints, and ligaments, and therefore I cant say what causes pain for everyone. In the section above, we covered sciatica frequently due to a pinched or irritated nerve root. However, sciatic pain can come from a car crash, sports injuries, poor posture, obesity, arthritis, and countless other incidents. You can experience pain from pulled muscles, ruptured disks, sprained ligaments, aggravated joints, and more. This is why its so important that you consult with your doctor as soon as the pain starts. A physical therapist can also help you find the best sleep positions and discuss strategies to ease the pain.
What Is Purple Mattress The Purple Mattress Sciatica
The Purple Mattress, or simply The Purple, is an all-foam mattress, meaning it does not have springs, and uses Purples proprietary grid layer that makes use of a hyper-elastic polymer. The layer, also known by the name of Purple Grid Layer, is comprised of a comfort core and a support core made from polyfoam.
The Purple mattress is available in one firmness levelmedium-firm and is available in a variety of sizes directly to your door. This is in line with the growing popularity in DTC or direct-to-consumer mattress firms with lower overheads to improve the quality of the mattress the mattress itself.
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Casper Original Foam Queen Mattress
$1,100
Dr. Conrad recommends the Casper mattress for side sleepers due to its reinforced lumbar cushioning.
The Casper helps those who sleep on their side avoid spinal compression with its reinforced support zones in the shoulder and low back regions, which keeps the spinal column in anatomical position while sleeping, Savy says. This type of mattress includes reinforced foam around the hips, waist, and low back regions, which will help prevent low back spasm while you sleep, he says.
via amazon.com
Causes Symptoms And Treatments Of Sciatica
According to the Mayo Clinic, the most common causes of sciatica include:
- Herniated disc: Intervertebral discs are round, fibrous areas of the spine containing a jelly-like substance. Herniated discs, also known as slipped or ruptured discs, occur when the tears develop in the exterior of the disc. This causes the rest of the disk to bulge, and it may cause sciatica if the bulging comes into contact with the sciatic nerve.
- Bone spur: The term bone spur refers to irregular bone formations that develop on the surfaces of existing bones. Bone spurs on the spine often lead to sciatica.
- Spinal stenosis: Spinal stenosis occurs when the spinal canal becomes narrower. This process puts pressure on nearby nerves, including the sciatic nerve.
Additionally, the Mayo Clinic identifies the following risk factors for sciatica:
- Age: Older people are at greater risk for sciatica due to natural changes that affect the spine over time.
- Obesity: Excess weight creates stress that puts added pressure on the spine.
- Diabetes: Diabetes poses a high risk of nerve damage throughout the body, so sciatica is more likely to occur with diabetic people.
- Occupation: Jobs that include heavy lifting, pulling, and other types of manual labor can trigger sciatic nerve pain as can jobs that require prolonged sitting, which puts more pressure on the spine.
Mild sciatica may not necessitate medical treatment. For more serious cases, the following treatments may be used:
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Use Pain Relief Patches Or Creams
Pain relief patches or creams, especially those containing capsaicin or menthol, can often give people tremendous relief from sciatic nerve pain. Sometimes, the comfort can last as long as eight hours, giving you a full nights respite from sciatic pain. Simply apply the patch or cream to your lower back or legs before going to sleep and then dream the night away, pain-free.
The Purple Mattress Sciatica
Its easy to pick out any mattress you like and call it a day. Yes, you save some cash and possibly some time from researching but spend enough nights on a mattress that you dont know about before you start to wonder what youre doing that makes you feel more tired and unrested compared to the previous night.
Purple Mattress aims to solve this problem by analyzing the factors that make a great sleep more enjoyable with exclusive technologies, like the Purple Grid Layer, which gives the mattress a certain feel different from other mattresses on the market. This article will look over the possibilities of whether Purple Mattress is a choice for your next mattress investment.
Before you continue, you may want to check out this video by Mac Dingle on YouTube that gives a quick overview. Afterward, youll want to read the rest of the article for a more comprehensive review of Purple Mattress.
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Your Sleeper Type Is Important As Well
In generalregardless of your weightits probably best to look at a bed with coils or dense support foam. That said, your sleeper type is crucial to know. For example, if you sleep on your back, youll be looking at a slightly different mattress than you would if you slept exclusively on your side. Remember that firmness is a relative term, which is why we try to depict firmness on a spectrum. Youll want good support either way, but someone thats 95 lbs can get by with a much thinner, softer bed than a 300 lb sleepera totally different ballgame. Also, keep in mind that all beds soften up. Therefore, the mattress you get on day-1 will always be firmer than it will be after youve slept on it for six months.
How Does Purple Mattress Help With Sciatic Nerve Pain
Purple mattress markets itself as a pressure relief mattress. We however did not just take their word for it, but did extensive research. And with the fact that we have tested this mattress first hand, we can confirm that Purple mattress lives up to its promise and it is a mattress that you can count on to help relieve the sciatic nerve pains.
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Company Location And Mattress Certification
With the entry of new brands in the memory foam mattresses supremacy, its always a good idea to carry out due diligence on the country of origin and the materials used in the mattress for your safety.
This eliminates the risk of falling for mattresses that have been engineered from chemicals that might subject you to PBDEs, phthalates, heavy metals, and harmful VOC odors.
Thats not the case with the Purple mattress though. We appreciate that this model is made in the USA and has been certified to meet CertiPUR-US safety requirements.
This certification means that you wont be subjecting yourself and your family to heavy metals and harmful chemicals that may negatively affect their health.
