The Hunt For The Best Mattress For Sciatica
There isnt necessarily a one-size-fits-all solution for every customer who comes through the door. But when someone is having problems with their sciatica pain at night or just lower back pain in general, we like to have them try the Tempur-Pedic TEMPURPro Adapt series.
The TEMPUR-Pro Adapt series has four different mattresses in the lineup: a soft mattress, a medium mattress, a medium hybrid, and a firm.
The soft, medium, and firm options are all-foam mattresses, whereas the hybrid mattress has a coil support system in addition to its foam layers. The top layer in each model is a comfort layer made of highly adaptable TEMPUR® material. Beneath that layer is a pressure-relieving support layer that helps promote healthy spinal alignment while taking pressure off your lower back.
The medium hybrid has the same top comfort and support layers, but beneath the foam layers there is also an individually pocketed coil system that gives the mattress a more traditional bounce.
Like most mattress brands, Tempur-Pedic makes their mattresses in different firmness levels but Tempur-Pedic mattresses are also rated by the adaptability of the foam. Adaptability means the more advanced TEMPUR-material within the mattress, the more the foam is going to customize its shape to your body and then the more pressure relief youre going to feel.
Now we explain exactly what makes Tempur-Pedic our go-to recommendation for sciatica pain relief.
Best Mattresses For Sciatica Nerve Pain In 2021
Youve probably heard the jokes from older characters on TV shows complaining about their sciatica acting up again. It sounds funny at the time, but sciatica pain is no laughing matter when you experience it for yourself.
Sciatica is nerve pain caused by irritation or injury to the sciatic nerve and it can cause shooting pain that radiates through your buttocks and down the leg. If you have sciatica, your pain may fluctuate from mild to severe and, in some cases, it can get bad enough that you experience weakness in the affected leg.
There are a number of treatment options for sciatica pain, but lifestyle changes are often the best long-term solution. In addition to looking into sciatica stretches and improving your posture, you may want to consider upgrading your mattress.
In this article, well talk about sciatica and the associated pain. Youll receive helpful tips for relieving sciatica nerve pain as well as suggestions in what to look for in a new mattress. Youll also see our recommendations for the best mattress for sciatica nerve pain.
What To Consider When Looking For A Mattress For Sciatica
Before you start your mattress review search, ask yourself: What kind of pain are you experiencing? How heavy are you? What type of sleeper are you ?
Clearly, all back pain is not created equal. You may experience soreness or the pain may virtually paralyze you. I dont know your situation, but I can tell you that lower back pain and upper back pain are entirely different beasts. If youre experiencing upper back pain, Id suggest looking at our Best Mattress for Back Pain list. It overlaps a little with this list, but we discuss the upper back in more detail there.
For sciatica pain , you generally want a firmer mattress to help keep your spine in proper alignment. Youll probably be choosing anything from a medium to medium-firm or even a firm mattress. But even more than the firmness, you should look into a supportive mattress, especially if youre heavy or overweight.
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Brooklyn Bedding Aurora Best Hybrid Mattress For Sciatica
WHY WE LIKE IT: The Brooklyn Bedding Aurora mattress is a hybrid mattress, meaning it combines two or more kinds of support systems to give you better pain and pressure relief during sleep. It uses foam, coil support and phase-change materials to give you great comfort for your sciatica.
- Heavy and bulky
Firmness 8.5/10While you can purchase the Aurora mattress in a variety of different firmness levels, we tested the firm option. This model rates at a 7 out of 10 on the firmness scale, making it perfect for anyone suffering with pain from sciatica.
Hybrid mattresses tend to struggle a bit more when it comes to body conformity, but the Brooklyn Aurora hugs your body well enough to relieve pressure points commonly associated with sciatic pain.
Motion Isolation 9.5/10Hybrid mattresses also tend to struggle with motion isolation, but the Aurora doesnt skip a bit. It features multiple thick layers that all work together to absorb and reduce any kind of motion transfer you may experience from moving around.
Warranty 9/10The Brooklyn Bedding Aurora hybrid mattress features a standard 10-year limited warranty, beginning on the date of purchase. They will repair or replace any of their mattresses that sag or have indentations greater than one inch.
The warranty is non-transferrable, and the company may decline to repair or replace the mattress if they think it is unsanitary to do so. If you keep your mattress clean, you should be able to avoid this situation.
Finding The Best Position
To get a good nights sleep and wake up without pain, most sciatica patients will either need to sleep on their back or on their side. Because every persons body is different, what works best for you may be different from what works for someone else.
Experiment with sleeping on your back and side until you find the position that relieves pain without interrupting sleep quality. But be sure to give any new position a prolonged trial-period of at least one week. It typically takes multiple nights to adjust to a new position.
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Best Mattresses For Sciatica
- Best Mattress Overall for Sciatica:Amerisleep AS3 is our recommendation for the best mattress for sciatica because its a mattress designed to reduce aches, pains, and pressure points.
- Best Soft Mattress for Sciatica:Amerisleep AS5 Hybrid is our recommendation for the best hybrid mattress for sciatic because it has a plush comfort layer and pocketed coil base for even weight distribution.
- Best Memory Foam Mattress for Sciatica:Zoma Mattress is a great option that uses gel-infused memory foam for optimal comfort and support.
- Best Cooling Mattress for Sciatica:Zoma Hybrid provides a responsive lift for sleepers who like a mattress that balances bounce with comfort.
- Best Budget Mattress for Sciatica:Vaya Mattress is an affordable all-foam mattress designed to be adaptable enough to suit side, back, and combination sleepers.
The ideal mattress depends on a wide range of factors, including budgetary restrictions, mattress type preferences, warranty concerns, sleeping position, and mattress features. After all, a softer mattress may be attractive to side sleepers, but back and stomach sleepers require a firmer mattress to stay comfortable.
Best Budget Hybrid For Sciatica: Vaya Hybrid
Although the Vaya Hybrid has a different base, the top layer features the same plush comfort foam as their all-foam model. This material immediately responds to pressure to keep the joint cushioned and protected from pressure points even as you change positions throughout the night.
Warranty
Unlike Vayas original model, their hybrid mattress has a pocketed spring coil base. Each coil is triple wrapped in soft yet durable material for added comfort and pressure relief. Different than traditional innerspring coils, pocketed coils move independently of one another for more accurate contouring and less motion transfer.
Vayas comfort foam is soft and conforming, but it also has a slight bounce to gently lift the hips so the spine remains in alignment with the shoulders. This layer keeps those with sciatica comfortable and supported throughout the night.
The Vaya Hybrid comes with a 100-night sleep trial so you can test out the bed and make sure its right for you. It also comes with a 10-year warranty that covers manufacturing defects, such as sags and indents deeper than .75 inches.
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Mattress Score For Sciatica
Overall Score for Sciatica: 9.7/10
Customer Satisfaction: 9.7/10
#2 Bear Mattress
Bear mattress offers three amazing mattresses that have received rave reviews from customers. Their original memory foam has won acclaim with athletes on a budget, the Bear Hybrid is great for those looking for a pressure-relieving higher end feel, and their Bear Pro is perfect for those looking for an ultra-cooling contouring feel. From the Celliant® to copper cooling, these mattresses also are designed to be superior at cooling, alleviating muscle pain, and supporting the spine. With these three competitive mattress options, folks report loving these beds.
Buying A Mattress For Sciatica Pain Sufferers
When we talk about back pain and spine problems, the usual exercise and medicine combination is our top of mind solution. What we fail to consider is that a small change in our mattress makes a lifetime of a difference when it comes to our backs! In fact, it matters so much that sleeping on the wrong mattress can actually worsen the pain one is experiencing. That is why people dealing with problems such as sciatica have a lot to consider next time they have to go mattress shopping.
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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.
Recommended Sleeping Position For Sciatica
A correct sleeping position is important to everyone in order to maintain a healthy back and to prevent future problems but for those suffering from sciatica, it is even more important. The most common sleeping positions are front, back and side sleeping and although sleeping on your front is rarely recommended as it puts added strain on your neck, you can sometimes get away with it if you have a strong and healthy back. However, for someone suffering from sciatica, sleeping on your front is strongly advised against.
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Is A Hard Or Soft Bed Better For Sciatica
If youre dealing with sciatica, we recommend a medium mattress like the Amerisleep AS3. However, if you prefer a firmer surface with less give, we recommend a medium-firm bed, which has just a little bit less cushioning but an equal amount of support from the Bio-Core® base. Finally, if you prefer a softer bed, the AS5 is a soft mattress with an Active Flex® layer which keeps you supported while cushioning those sensitive pressure points.
Sciatic Nerve Pain Q& a
If you want to buy a mattress that helps with sciatic nerve pain, first it is important to understand the basics. The following sections will guide you and explain what sciatica is, the possible forms of treatment, the best sleep position for sufferers, and what traits you should look for in a mattress when trying to alleviate pain caused by sciatica. With all of this information, you will be able to move forward knowing you have the knowledge to make the decision that will suit your specific sleep needs perfectly.
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Best Adjustable Mattress For Sciatica
Saatva Solaire Mattress
- Type: Memory foam and latex
- Height: 13 inches
Key features: Reviewers say this air adjustable mattress is a favorite for them and their partner. It allows you to adjust each side of the bed with a remote that has 50 different firmness settings. The company says the mattress also absorbs any motion to help you not feel your partner moving throughout the night.
Some customer reviews state that the mattress helped relieve hip and back pain starting the first week they slept on it.
Considerations: If you prefer a traditional memory foam mattress without the frills, this may not be the mattress for you. Its also pretty tall, so it may not work well for shorter sleepers.
- Type: Polyurethane foam
- Height: 13 inches
Key features: This mattress has three layers of perforated, breathable polyurethane foam. It also has a layer with gel pods designed to relieve aches and pains, which may be a good choice for sciatic pain. People dealing with back issues state in their reviews that their pain dissipated after sleeping on the mattress.
Considerations: According to reviews, some customers found the mattress too hard for their liking. Some felt too warm throughout the night despite the cooling gel. Luckily, Casper offers a 100-night risk-free trial, so you can try the bed and make sure it works for you before committing to it.
The Benefits Of A Zoned Mattress For Sciatica
When laying down we usually place most of our body weight on our hips, some of it around our shoulders and legs and the least around our head and feet. A zoned mattress often offers enhanced support in the middle of the mattress, making sure that our lumbar area gets the support it needs, taking into consideration the added weight around that area.
Then comes two more zones on each side of the middle, in a mirroring effect so that the support will always be the same, even if you rotate your mattress 180º. The next zone closest to the middle usually gives a bit more, allowing for your shoulders to sink a bit deeper into the mattress and maintaining your natural spinal alignment. The outer zones tend to be firmer again, letting your head rest comfortably without sinking into the mattress.
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Buying Guide Finding A Bed That Alleviates Sciatica Symptoms
Sciatica is a medical condition characterized by chronic pain that radiates along the sciatic nerve, which travels down the lower back, hips, buttocks, and legs. Most people with sciatica experience pain most prominently on one side of their body, although both sides may be affected.
In addition to chronic pain, sciatica patients routinely experience numbness and weakness on their affected side. More serious complications include loss of bladder and bowel function.
As with chronic back pain and other painful disorders like scoliosis, choosing the right mattress can significantly improve sleep quality and duration for people with sciatica. According to customer and owner experiences, people with sciatica typically prefer mattresses made of materials like memory foam and/or latex that conform closely and provide above-average pressure relief.
Additionally, mattresses that isolate motion and produce little to no noise are often most suitable for people with sciatica that need to frequently visit the bathroom during the night.
This guide will explore common causes and symptoms of sciatica, discuss unique sleep considerations linked to the condition, and provide some tips for mattress buyers.
Best Mattresses for Sciatica: Buyers Guide
The Best Mattresses For Sciatica
Good posture when sitting and sleeping is especially important for people with sciatica.
The average adult can spend a long time on their mattress. In fact, experts recommend that adults sleep around 79 hours a night.
People with sciatica need a mattress that supports their back and doesnt irritate the sciatic nerve and cause more pain.
This article reviews 10 of the best mattresses for people with sciatica.
Sciatica is a symptom of an irritated or compressed sciatic nerve.
The sciatic nerve runs from the sacral region of the back in the lower spine, through the pelvis and down the back of the legs to the feet.
Some of the areas that the sciatic nerve runs through are very narrow. Therefore, when the nerve becomes inflamed or compressed, a person may experience pain in the lower back and buttocks and anywhere along the leg to the foot.
The reasons why the sciatic nerve may become irritated can vary. Some causes of sciatica are:
A good mattress for people with sciatica should keep their spine in line throughout the night to relieve symptoms.
A person may also want to consider their usual sleeping position when choosing a mattress for sciatica. Certain mattresses are better suited for back, side or front sleepers.
Here are 10 of the best mattresses for sciatica.
Please note that the author has not tested any of these products. All information is research based.
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What Makes The Loom And Leaf Stand Out
- The Loom and Leaf is a comfortable memory foam mattress that should ease lower back pain and sciatica pain.
- The mattress features high-density memory foam that should offer comfort and support without sagging.
- The Loom and Leafs cooling panel should prevent sleepers from overheating on the mattress.
How To Choose The Best Mattress For Sciatica Based On The Sleeping Style
Sciatica pain relief goes hand in hand with proper alignment and pressure alleviation. But to achieve that, users would have different mattress requirements for each sleeping style.
Back sleepers
Considered the healthiest position, back sleeping requires sturdy support with minimal sinkage for the heavier body parts . Additional lumbar support is a huge plus for this sleeping style.
In most cases, back sleepers feel the most comfortable using medium mattresses. The right balance between support and pressure redistribution can help sciatica pain sufferers maintain a healthy alignment throughout the night. Ideally, this could lead to reduced levels of pain.
Side sleepers
A good mattress for side sleepers with sciatica pain has to be extra-gentle on the pressure points. However, it should also have a reliable supportive core that would aid proper alignment during sleep. So, side sleepers usually prefer softer mattresses with high-density support layers .
A quick tip: placing a pillow between the knees can promote healthy back alignment in side sleepers. This little trick can also help reduce pressure from the hips by keeping them in alignment with the rest of the body.
Stomach sleepers
This sleeping style is not ideal when it comes to sciatica pain. In fact, stomach sleeping is not recommended even for healthy individuals. This position can put a strain on ones back and neck, which often causes pain.
Combo sleepers
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