A Quick Look At The 13 Best Mattresses For Back Pain:
- Best soft mattress for back pain:Purple Hybrid Premier 4
- Best for combination sleepers with back pain: Puffy Lux Hybrid
- Best copper-infused mattress for back pain: Nectar Premier Copper
- Best cooling mattress for back pain: GhostBed Luxe
- Best mattress for lower back pain: Leesa Legend
- Best mattress for heavy sleepers with back pain: Amerisleep AS5
- Best mattress for those with limited mobility: DreamCloud Luxury Hybrid
- Best affordable mattress for back pain: Saatva Classic
What Kind Of Mattress Topper Is Best For Back Pain
As you can see, there are many great options! At the end of the day, it really depends on your specific needs. If you suffer from lower back pain, we recommend the Casper mattress topper. If you’re a stomach sleeper, look at the Avocado mattress topper. Those who prefer a plush feel will love the Saatva Graphite topper.
What Makes The Helix Midnight Luxe Stand Out
- The top memory foam layer provides good contouring, while the coils provide excellent support.
- Many side sleepers should get good pressure relief.
While medium-firm mattresses are usually best for back pain, some people just need something firmer. The DreamCloud is one of the firmest mattresses on this list and should be a great fit for those who need more support. A stretch of supportive, individually wrapped coils sits at the bottom, and theres some good contouring right on top from multiple layers of foam.
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What Mattress Is Best For Lower Back Pain
Lower back pain is often a result of the lumbar spine curving unnaturally and or by sleeping on too firm of a bed. Resolve lower back pain with a medium-firm mattress since it will support your entire back while lightly cushioning your lower back.
When it comes to medium-firm mattresses for lower back pain, we suggest checking out the Amerisleep AS2, Zoma Mattress, Nolah Original 10, and Avocado Green Mattress.
Can I Sleep On My Side With Sciatica

Absolutely. While many of the pain-relieving positions and poses recommended to sciatica sufferers emphasis the back sleeping position, sleeping on your side can also help to relieve pressure from the sciatic nerves, reducing inflammation and pain.
Those who choose to sleep on their sides to ease sciatic pain should remember to use a pillow between their knees. Doing so can help keep the spine properly aligned, preventing morning aches and pains.
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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.
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Back pain can seem like the primary enemy standing in the way of you and a good night’s rest. It’s so bad that lying down can be fraught with challenges in and of itself, meaning the idea of getting relief so you can fall peacefully asleep can seem like an impossible dream.
Why Does It Matter
When the body experiences trauma, like a car accident, a fall from a ladder, or slipping on the ice, the body has to find a way to accommodate the damage, heal it, and keep us walking upright. These changes can create misalignments that sometimes last for years and cause pain.
If youre wondering what this has to do with sleep, the answer is two-fold. One, sleeping wrong can be enough trauma to cause these issues, and two, sleeping right is a big part of healing these issues. So while those with chronic back pain might think they have a rocky relationship with sleep, the real issue might be the habits or the mattress.
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Nemo Mattress From 499
Best eco-friendly mattress
Nemo’s range of mattresses are 100% recyclable and have been created to give you a decent night’s rest whilst combatting the landfill crisis. Super affordable, each one is made using plastic bottles which are spun into a soft and breathable fibre.
With three carefully constructed layers, this hypo-allergenic and chemical free mattress offers a perfectly tensioned medium-firm support for back and side sleepers. It feels impressively pleasant to the touch – we was able to have a completely uninterrupted rest during our test. The structural base layer delivers a great amount of support without being too firm.
Now with 25% off, its easier than ever to invest in a comfortable and eco-friendly mattress.
What Makes The Nolah Evolution Stand Out
- At 15 tall, this thick mattress has excellent durability, and can last over 10 years.
- The Nolah Evolution could be a good choice for couples. With great motion isolation, you and your partner shouldnt disturb each other when moving around at night.
- For hot sleepers, it has an ArcticTex cooling cover to dissipate excess heat, a coil system that promotes airflow, and an AirBreath gusset.
If youre a side sleeper who deals with back pain, youll need a bed thats supportive enough to help keep your spine in a straight line, while still providing enough sinkage and pressure relief to prevent you from developing shoulder or hip pain. The Bear Hybrid strikes this balance nicely. It gets support from a layer of coils, and offers pressure relief and contouring from a thick top layer of memory foam. Overall, this hybrid mattress has a luxurious, medium-firm feel that should provide sleepers with a very comfortable experience.
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The Best Types Of Budget Mattresses
The majority of models sold today fall within one of five categories: hybrid, innerspring, latex, airbed, and foam. These categories are fairly consistent in terms of general construction and materials. However, every individual model offers a unique design and you will notice significant variations within each mattress type. In this next section, well take a closer look at each mattress type.
Simple Sleep Tricks To Reduce Back Pain
A new mattress is a big investment, and sometimes its too expensive to fit into your budget. If you want to reduce back pain in a cost-effective way, there are a few other options you can test out.
- Pillow: A new pillow that works with your sleeping position and provides good neck support can be a great way to quickly improve your sleep posture and reduce some back pain. Our best pillows for back pain roundup includes a few options, and explains how pillows can help fight back pain in more detail.
- Mattress Topper: Adding a firm mattress topper to a sagging or unsupportive mattress can be a nice quick fix for back pain. It also gives some much-needed support and can extend the life of your mattress by a few months. Check out some of our best mattress toppers to see some options.
- Change your sleeping position: Your sleeping position could be creating some back pain. Back sleepers have the easiest time achieving a neutral spinal alignment, which can really reduce pain. Stomach sleepers, on the other hand, are particularly prone to waking up with back pain. Side sleepers can also have some issues with pain if they arent careful about not twisting their back into odd positions as they sleep. If youre struggling with back pain, training yourself to sleep on your back could be a big help. Check out our How to Train to Sleep on Your Back article for some tips.
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Best For Stomach Sleepers: Lucid 10 Inch Memory Foam Mattress
Lucid Mattress
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Free returns within 30 days
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Hypoallergenic properties
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Ideal for all sleep styles
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Compatible with any base
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Non-removable cover
If you sleep on your stomach, a plush mattress will likely cause back pain as you’ll sink into it throughout the night, causing your spine to be out of alignment. However, a mattress thats too firm will be uncomfortable, putting too much pressure on your stomach and ribs.
Because of these variables, it can be tough to find a great mattress for back pain if you sleep on your stomach. One of the better choices available is the LUCID 10-inch Gel Memory Foam Mattress, which is the perfect medium-firm option to make sleeping on your front comfortable and pain-free.
Its constructed with two layersa 7.5-inch high-density foam base that provides the support you need and a 2.5-inch gel-infused memory foam surface that makes sleeping on your stomach more comfortable and regulates temperature throughout the night.
Firmness: Firm | Thickness: 10 inches | Type: Memory foam | Trial Length: None offered
The Best Mattresses For Back Pain

- Editors Pick WinkBed
- Best Mattress for Combination Sleepers with Back Pain Helix Dusk
- Best Memory Foam Mattress for Back Pain Nectar
- Best Hybrid Mattress for Back Pain DreamCloud
- Best Cooling Mattress for Back Pain Nolah Evolution
- Best Mattress for Side Sleepers with Back Pain Layla
- Best Mattress for Stomach Sleepers Saatva
- Best Mattress for Shoulder and Back Pain Leesa Legend
- Best Cheap Mattress for Back Pain Brooklyn Bedding Signature
- Best Mattress for Back Sleepers with Back Pain Casper
Disclaimer: The content on Sleepopolis is meant to be informative in nature, but it shouldnt take the place of advice or treatment from your physician or medical professional. This review is meant to be an informative guide for those looking to maintain healthy posture while they sleep. User experiences and needs will vary. If you experience lasting pain, soreness, or discomfort while sleeping, its always a good idea to seek out a healthcare professional in person.
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Why Loom & Leaf Wins As Best Memory Foam Mattress For Bad Backs
Loom & Leaf is flat-out one of the nicest beds you can find online, particularly if youre searching for a memory foam bed. And it doesnt just look nice. Its supportive, comfortable, and has a very clever design. As opposed to other memory foam beds, this one contains a special cooling layer to help regulate temperature.
Should You Test Out A Mattress Before You Buy
Of course. It doesnt hurt to lie down on a mattress in a store before buying. Youll want to make sure the firmness feels comfortable for you.
Testing the edge support is also a good idea. Lie on the mattress, and see if you feel like youre going to roll off.
However, being able to test out a mattress at home over the course of 1 or 2 months is just as important, so you know how comfortable the mattress really is night after night.
Therefore, with the expansion of online mattress buying, you dont technically have to try out a mattress before you buy. Make sure you note a companys trial period or other guarantees. This tells you how long you can test the mattress to see if it works for you.
Many companies offer free delivery and free take-away if a mattress doesnt work out. But make sure you know this in advance to save yourself a headache if you need to return it.
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How To Choose The Best Mattress For Back Pain
Youre much more likely to have problems sleeping if you have back pain during the day, Dr. Huff says, so its imperative that you find the right mattressotherwise, you could be stuck in a painful 24-hour cycle. Heres what you need to know before you go shopping:
Look for the right density. Just 20 years ago, orthopedic surgeons would have recommended going with a firm mattress, but that recommendation has since changed, Dr. Huff explains. The ideal density is medium-firm, per a landmark 2003 study and another from 2015, which promotes sleep comfort, quality, and spinal alignment. Foam mattresses may also have a slight edge over spring options, but density has a bigger impact on sleep quality and back pain than material does, Dr. Huff says. The right firmness is attainable with foam, coil, and hybrid mattresses.
Think of your sleep position. Consider your sleep position, then buy a model that matches it. If youre a side-sleeper, you likely want a softer mattress, because that relieves some of the pressure on your hips and shoulders, Dr. Huff explains. It also helps you align your spine. Back-sleepers, meanwhile, can go with firmer mattresses, since their weight is more evenly distributed. And stomach-sleepers should seek out pillow-top mattresses that allow easy airflow and less pressure on the neck.
Ready to settle in for your best nights sleep? Shop these top-rated mattresses to help aleviate back pain, below.
How Can Mattress Toppers Help Alleviate Back Pain
Just like mattresses, mattress toppers come in a variety of materials. Some, like latex and memory foam, are notable for their ability to alleviate pressure and offer superior support without sacrificing comfort. These materials also help maintain proper spinal alignment, which means fewer aches and pains when you wake up.
A 2021 review suggests that medium-firm mattresses can help reduce lower back pain, so thats a firmness level worth considering.
If you have an older or unsupportive mattress, a good mattress topper can add a key layer of support and comfort that reduces the level of strain you notice in the lumbar region. Improving your level of comfort can also improve the quality of your sleep.
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Dreamcloud Luxury Hybrid Mattress
Type: Luxury hybridMaterials: Cashmere blend, foam, springsHeight: 14 inchesTrial/Warranty: 365 nights/lifetimeFor our DreamCloud Mattress review, those on our testing panel with back and hip pain sang the praises of this hybrid memory foam mattress. Our side sleepers found ample pressure relief along their shoulders, hips and legs, while our back sleeper experienced contouring along their lower lumbar. A layer of gel-infused comfort foam coupled with a breathable cashmere-blend top cover lulled even our hottest sleeper to slumberland.
Sleepers with a petite-to-average build may need time to adjust to the DreamCloud as it is quite firm for those body types at first. Fortunately, the brand offers a full year to try it risk-free, with a lifetime warranty to back you up if you opt to keep it. The current DreamCloud mattress sale knocks the starting price of its entry-level bed to $600, with up to $499 of bedding included for free.
What To Look For In A Mattress For Back Pain
Theres a lot of lingo in the mattress world that you may not have a full grasp of. Well help you decipher what it all means and what key factors you should be keeping an eye on when looking for a mattress well-suited for someone with back pain.
The Type of Mattress
The type of mattress you choose is one of the most important decisions you can make. There are traditional innersprings, memory foam, latex, and hybrid mixes of all these materials available. So, where do you start? First, you should know how each material will affect or help soothe your back pain.
Mattress Firmness
Is a firm mattress better for back pain? Interestingly enough, the answer is both yes and no. More specifically, you may have heard that sleeping on a rock-hard mattress is best for your back pain. The reality isnt that simple.
A mattress thats too firmor too softwill not support your pressure points or distribute your body weight appropriately, causing your spine to fall out of its natural alignment and make your back pain even worse. Too little firmness can be as problematic as too much firmness. Super-soft mattresses can conform to your body too much, which means youll sink into the mattress and lose the good posture that a firmer mattress will give you.
While everyones preference is going to differ, people who suffer from back pain generally prefer a medium-firm to firm mattressabout 6/10 to 8/10 on the mattress firmness scale.
Spine Alignment
Pressure Relief
Cooling
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Can A Mattress Cause Lower Back Pain
Many factors can cause or exacerbate lower back painincluding the wrong mattress. Redding notes that if your back discomfort is greater first thing in the morning, it’s possible that your mattress is to blame. That being said, if your pain worsens, lasts more than a few weeks, or begins interfering with your life, it’s worth seeing a doctor.
A Word From The Mattress Nerds

We test a lot of affordable mattresses in the lab and are always impressed when they perform as well as or better than some of the expensive products that come through our doors. The Nolah mattress is one such mattress, as at its relatively low price it still did a good job of keeping our spines aligned and our pressure points supported.
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