Final Word From Sleepopolis
At the end of the day, a new mattress isnt going to solve your back pain woes any more than a strict diet will. More than anything, its about a lifestyle shift in which you combine these different factors to create a plan specific to your needs.
Maybe your ideal routine will involve a healthy amount of fatty fish, long morning walks, and a bed featuring Zoned Support at the hips. For another sleeper, it may entail vigorous spin classes, more greens, and a plush memory foam mattress for pressure relief at the upper back.
As always, any major life decisions should be made in consultation with a medical professional. The information provided in this guide is just that: Information. Were not doctors, nor do we claim to be, so I highly encourage those with chronic pain to seek professional advice for any and all serious health issues.
Best Memory Foam Mattress For Back Pain Overall: Amerisleep As2
The Amerisleep AS2 is one of the best memory foam mattresses for back pain. The AS2 is perfect for most sleepers. A thinner comfort layer provides excellent pressure relief. A thicker zoned transition layer improves lumbar support.
Bio-Pur® is a plant-based memory foam. Castor oil partially replaces petroleum, producing a breathable and responsive memory foam. Bio-Pur® conforms to the bodys natural curves, relieving pressure points without overheating.
The Affinity foam transition layer incorporates HIVE® technology. Hexagon-shaped segments form a 5-zoned support system. The layer is soft under the shoulders and hips, and firmer under the head, back, and legs.
Bio-Core® is a durable base foam that distributes weight across the surface. Bio-Core® supports the body without the risk of sagging.
SEE ALSO: Amerisleep Mattress Review
So What About Memory Foam Mattresses
A 2010 study showed that replacing patients’ beds with new medium-firmmattresses, layered with memory foam and latex, provided significantimprovement in both back and shoulder pain.
Check out this chart below and you’ll see what the best mattress for back pain is.
As you can see, there is over a 60% drop in back pain and stiffness, resulting in improvement in sleep quality after just one week! And these results continue through week 12.
Researchers also mentioned there was a significant drop in thenumber of days per week that people were experiencing poor sleep andphysical discomfort.
Obviously, then, if your back gives you fits, the best mattress for back pain is one that has memory foam in it. The question then is…
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Is A Soft Or Firm Mattress Better For Back Pain
Research suggests that a medium-firm, adjustable mattress may work best for those with non-specific back pain. However, the best firmness level may depend on an individuals weight and preferred sleep position.
When choosing the firmness of their mattress, consumers should also consider their type of back pain and their preferred sleep position.
Can A Firm Mattress Hurt Your Back
A firm mattress may cause more harm and disrupt your sleep. For example, a lightweight sleeper needs a softer surface and shouldnt go any firmer than a medium. In contrast, a plus-size sleeper needs a firmer surface for better support.
A firm mattress is best for plus-size, and back and stomach sleepers. Side and combination sleepers may find a firm mattress is too hard. A firmer surface wont compress as much in the hip and shoulder area, creating pressure points.
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What Is The Best Mattress For Side Sleepers With Back Pain
Memory foam and latex foam are two of the best options for side sleepers. They can fill the space around the waist and lower back while relieving pressure at the hips and shoulders. A hybrid is a good option for couples because it balances support with responsiveness. Hybrids can also be a good choice if you prefer a more responsive mattress. In general, a medium-firm or firm mattress, no matter the type, will be the best firmness for those with back pain.
Trial Period And Warranty
When shopping for any bed, especially online, its important to find out the trial period before pressing purchase. Luckily, most online mattress retailers offer generous risk-free trial periods in which you can try your bed at home for up to a full year. If you dont like it, you can send it back for a refund or exchange.
Youll also want to check out your mattress warranty. Things like manufacturing defects and premature wear should be covered for at least five or so years.
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Benefits Of A Mattress Topper
The gel design of the memory foam topper will provide additional comfort and support to your body. This is beneficial to people with arthritis and fibromyalgia. Most people prefer a memory foam mattress topper to a pillow top. This is because the memory foam mattress topper will conform to your body. You can also turn over easily in your sleep.
How Do I Know If My Mattress Is Causing My Back Pain
If you wake most mornings with back pain, but the pain fades during the day, your mattress could be the cause. A too firm or too soft surface may increase pressure points in the body, leading to back pain. An old bed or a mattress with a visible sag can also cause back pain. Choose a new mattress based on your body weight and preferred sleeping position. This type of bed will keep the spine aligned and may improve sleep quality.
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Is A Memory Foam Topper Good For Lower Back Pain
One of the most popular materials for mattress replacements is memory foam. This material can help alleviate back pain if you are back or side sleeping. You will really sink into it, thanks to its slow-moving feel. This helps soothe the pain by creating a comfortable body shape around the lower back.
Youre Using The Wrong Base
If youve just bought a new memory foam mattress and plonked it on your existing base then a lack of compatibility might be causing subtle sagging thats leading to your back pain.
Youll typically find that memory foam mattresses dont do as well on slatted bases unless the gaps between the slats are no more than 3-4 inches.
This is because spaces that are too wide may allow the foam to push through the gaps and undermine the support.
Solution Use a Compatible Base
You need to check the warranty or the manufacturers guidelines for the mattress that youre going to buy to find out which bases are compatible with your memory foam mattresses.
Be wary of 3rd party sellers that claim you can use any base.
If you buy directly from the manufacturers website, you can often bundle in a compatible base to avoid issues with sagging and voiding of the warranty.
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It Needs To Keep Your Spine Aligned
You may not realize it, but good posture is important when you sleep. The muscles and ligaments in your back need to relax and recover while you snooze. If a mattress is too firm — or too squishy — it won’t support your spine at your neck or lower back the way it needs to. What’s firm enough is different for everyone: If you have wide hips, for instance, a slightly softer surface may be better. You need some more give in order to keep your spine in alignment. Someone with narrower hips might be better off with a firmer surface.
Are Soft Or Firm Mattresses Better For Back Pain
According to Dr. Brager, most people will find relief with a medium to firm mattress, while a soft mattress is the least likely to alleviate back pain. However, she stresses that there is no “one size fits all solution” when it comes to selecting a suitable mattress for back pain.
“I dont want people to think that a firm mattress is the absolute all or nothing solution. A medium-firm mattress is wonderful too,” says Dr. Brager, “but everyone is different.”
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What Causes Low Back Pain And Can A Mattress Topper Really Help
Low back pain can come from a number of different things, ranging from issues with posture and keeping good spine alignment, to the surface you’re sleeping on and your weight.
On of the biggest factors of low back pain is the lack of pressure relief on your spine. If you have bad posture, or incur back pain, that means there’s excess pressure being put your spine. This is only worsened if you struggle with weight issues on top of everything else. Finding a product that can make a difference can be difficult, and not every product can actually help.
Different people have different needs, and a product that might relieve back pain for one personal may worsen it for someone else. Make sure you go with the product or products that are the best option for you. Consider the materials that you like, the high quality and durability of them, your body shape, and all of the pros and cons of the product you choose to provide some relief. Essentially, depending on how these mattress toppers vary, you should be able to pick a suitable choice you’re sure will improve your sleep quality.
How Does Back Pain Affect Sleep
Back pain affects your sleep quality due to various reasons. Here are some factors preventing quality sleep in those with a bad back:
- The sensation of pain is more at night because your brain is not preoccupied with other things during sleep
- Its difficult to find a comfortable sleep position, delaying the onset of sleep
- Pain sensation often wakes you up from sleep
- Prolonged use of pain medications may impair sleep quality
- Back pain limits physical activities, and lack of physical activities during the day leads to insufficient sleep at night
As Dr. Nayantara Santhi says, Poor sleep can intensify the feeling of pain, and conversely, pain can worsen sleep. As we do during wake, we should pay equal attention to our posture when sleeping. A good sleeping posture can relieve back pain and in turn, help you sleep better.
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When Should You Get A New Mattress
Getting a good night’s sleep is essential to maintaining a good quality of life and avoiding daytime tiredness and fatigue. Having a good bed is one of those things that can make or break you. There are some medical conditions which can result in poor sleep. But having a poor mattress can also lead to a night of tossing and turning, resulting in less than ideal sleep.
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!
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How We Chose The Best Mattresses For Back And Neck Pain
We explored top-rated mattresses on the market, paying careful attention to features important for pain relief. To create our list, we considered:
- Customer reviews: Many brands say their mattresses can relieve pressure and pain, but reviews from other shoppers often present a more accurate picture. We read what customers had to say to see how these picks actually helped improve their pain and sleep quality.
- Company reputation and transparency: We focused on brands known for good business practices, quality mattress construction, and a reputation for providing good customer service.
- Company policies: Most brands understand the leap of faith required to buy a mattress online, and many offer a trial period so you can return the mattress if it doesnt work out. Reputable mattress brands generally offer a lengthy warranty to cover product defects and excessive sagging.
- Expert insights: We consulted peer-reviewed studies for more information on the connection between sleep and pain and the qualities that make a mattress good for pain relief. We also reached out to Krystle Howald, PT, DPT, owner of Expecting and Empowered and Empower Movement Physical Therapy, for her tips on getting pain-free sleep.
- Vetting: The mattresses on our list have been vetted to ensure that they align with Healthlines brand integrity standards and approach to well-being. You can read more about our vetting process.
Firmness For Back Pain Sufferers
You dont want to sleep on a memory foam mattress topper thats too firm or too soft for you and agitates your pressure points. Products that are too soft can mess up your back even more , while you may not be able to sleep on something thats too firm for your weight or your spine. You can help choose your toppers firmness based on your existing mattress. If you have a softer mattress, a layer of support thats a little firmer might be your best option.
When looking for a memory foam mattress topper for back pain , you should take into consideration the firmness of your mattress too, to help get the best overall feel for your body. A firm mattress for someone who likes a soft mattress won’t feel comfortable, just like a soft mattress won’t feel as comfortable if you like a firm mattress. Suppose you’re tight on budget, polyfoam mattress toppers are worth considering as they are much cheaper than memory foam or latex toppers.
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If You Cant Shop In Person
Its really hard to tell whether a specific mattress is right for you without lying on it first. Firmness, pressure relief, and support are all highly subjective factors, which is why weve always advised trying out a mattress in person prior to purchasing. But we also know that can be easier said than done. So in lieu of our usual try-before-you-buy advice, we recommend that you look for a generous return policy on any mattress youre thinking of buying sight unseen.
With respect to trial periods and return policies, here are your best options of all the mattresses in this guide:
More mattress coverage
$200 off
Who its for: The Saatva Classic in Luxury Firm caters to back-pain sufferers who prefer a traditional innerspring mattress with a just-cushy-enough top. Its likely to feel comfortable regardless of your preferred sleep position.
How it feels: Weve been long-term testing our Saatva Classic for more than a year, and it has softened slightly from a stiff medium-firm to a plusher medium-firm.
Flaws but not dealbreakers: The 416 support coils in the bottom half of the Saatva Classic are sturdy, but they number only about half those in the pricier WinkBed , another innerspring weve liked in the past. Theyre not individually wrapped, either, which can lead to motion transfer. For that reason, we think the Saatva works best if you sleep alone or dont wake easily when your partner rolls over.
How To Choose The Right Mattress Online
You need to identify the type of sleeper you are. This is key to getting the best mattress online thats perfect for you. Heres what we mean: sleepers fall into different categories lets have a look at some of them:
- You sleep on your stomach
- Many of us are hot sleepers
- You could have back pain
- Allergies are something to think about
We know there are various factors to think about before choosing a mattress. However, reading from an online mattress review site is a great way to find the right one for you. Review sites cover these sorts of factors within the reviews.
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Sleep Trial Warranty Return Policy
Buying a mattress with a sleep trial period and warranty gives you time to test out your mattress and the reassurance that a company will repair or replace a defective mattress. We strongly advise purchasing a mattress with both, although a 30-day return policy can substitute for a sleep trial if needed.
Best Mattress For Back Pain In 2022
Waking up with back pain? These mattresses combine comfort and support for a restful night and a pain-free morning.
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.
Lindsay Boyers
CNET Contributor
Lindsay Boyers is a certified nutritionist and published book author who writes articles and product reviews for CNET’s health and wellness section. Her work also appears on mindbodygreen, Healthline, Verywell Health and The Spruce. When she’s not actively searching for the best products at the best prices, she’s most likely creating new recipes, reading in her hammock or trying to force her cats to love her.
McKenzie Dillon
Writer
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Back pain can seem like the primary enemy standing betwen you and a good night’s rest, but a mattress can make a big difference in how you feel and how well you sleep. Sometimes, in fact, your mattress is the culprit behind your back pain. The best mattress for back pain won’t be the same for everyone, but finding the right one for you can mean that relief is right around the corner.
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