What Type Of Mattress Is Best Expand/collapse

Finding the best mattress depends on several factors including who will be sleeping on it, personal comfort preferences, lifestyle, weight, health considerations, and of course, budget. The best type of mattress is one that offers a long-lasting balance of comfort and optimal support for your sleep style. If you sleep with a partner who tosses and turns through the night, a mattress that reduces motion transfer, like a memory foam mattress or a hybrid innerspring with individually pocketed coils, can do wonders for your sleep quality. If snoring is an issue, upgrading to an adjustable bed base that elevates the head at the proper angle can help you get more restful, uninterrupted sleep.

How We Chose The Best Mattresses For Neck And Shoulder Pain

Our team of sleep specialists have reviewed more than 150 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.

To choose the Best Mattresses for Neck and Shoulder Pain, we focused primarily on scores for support, which assists in spinal alignment. We also kept a close eye on the category of durability, because the last thing those with pain need is a mattress that contributes to discomfort. All beds scored an above average 3.5 out of 5 in these areas.

Location Of Back Pain

Lower Back Pain

Lower back pain, the most common type of back pain reported in the U.S., can be caused by a variety of factors and can range greatly in severity. This affects the region of the back that naturally curves in, also known as the lumbar region. This condition is made most manageable by a mattress or pillow that fills in the lower back and allows it to be aligned with the rest of the spine.

For more on this, take a look at our article on sleeping with lower back pain.

Middle Back Pain

Middle back pain is caused by many of the same triggers for lower and upper back pain, it just manifests itself differently depending largely on a persons body weight and lifestyle. People with this condition often have more feelings of overall back pain, and can benefit from using techniques for both lower and upper back pain together.

Upper Back Pain

Upper back pain is the second most common type of back pain. Upper back pain can be caused by several things, such as poor posture, muscle overuse, injury, herniated discs, and much more. This type of pain can also impact the shoulders, and cause overall pain in the top parts of the body. If you are sleeping with this condition, make sure your neck and spine are aligned, and that your body is properly supported.

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Best Pillows For Back Sleeping

Weve invested around 27 hours of research into creating this guide on pillows for back sleeping, and have supplemented our own research with an in-depth interview with a chiropractor who frequently helps patients with their sleeping positions and sleep-related back and neck pain. We have also considered 19 of the bestselling pillows suitable for back sleeping available for our top picks. You can learn more about our review process here.

Should You Get A Mattress Topper

If youre not ready to upgrade your mattress just yet, you might consider a mattress topper. In many casesespecially for petite individualsadding a new layer of foam can be a cost-effective way to help with back issues. Read our best mattress toppers guide to see our selection for individuals with back pain.

We would rather people consider a new mattress entirely, but if you simply cannot afford it, perhaps a mattress topper can help for a little while. At the very minimum, you know that the mattress toppers added layer can help alleviate some pressure points. You probably wont want to end up with a soft mattress, but the extra layer could help.

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Brooklyn Beddings Best Features

• Brooklyn Beddings Signature mattress is one of the most affordable luxury mattresses on the market. You can get a queen mattress for only around $1,100.
• Its offered in multiple different firmness levels, making it suitable for all different sleeping positions.
• Its hybrid construction makes it ideal for back pain, and all body types .

Consider These Factors When Sharing A Bed

Folks who share a bed also need to consider their partners needs and preferences.

Once again, a medium-firm mattress strikes a balance, accommodating multiple sleeping positions. Its also important to think about the following factors:

• Motion isolation. This term refers to a beds ability to minimize motion transfer across the mattress. Partners who dont want to be disturbed by each others movements should look for a mattress that absorbs motion well, such as memory foam.
• Edge support. When the edges of a mattress feel sturdy, partners can utilize the full surface of the mattress, making it feel larger.
• Noise. A squeaky or otherwise noisy mattress can cause partners to disturb each other while shifting at night. A noise-free mattress, on the other hand, can promote quality sleep.

Be sure to read our roundup of the best mattresses for couples!

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Consider A Separate Neck Roll For Extra Support

According to Tal, back sleepers who suffer from neck pain may need extra support beyond what most standard shaped pillows can provide. If you suffer from neck pain you may want to consider a contour pillow that has built-in support at the bottom. If so, you should make sure that the contour is the right size and keeps your head, neck and spine aligned. Alternatively, a separate supportive neck roll pillow can also work to help prevent neck pain, and is easier to try out along with another pillow you like.

How To Choose The Best Mattress That Might Help Your Back Pain

More than anyone else, individuals with back pain have the most challenging time choosing the best mattress. Besides being comfortable, the mattress needs to have a good balance of support and firmness to alleviate the pain. Lets chat the key factors to look for when choosing a mattress that will relieve your backaches.

Key Considerations When Choosing a Mattress for Bad Back

Firmness

A decade or so back, the first remedy for back pain issues was a rock-hard mattress. But the current research suggests that overly firm mattresses actually lead to low sleep quality. Today, sleep experts agree that the best mattress for back pain should feel medium-firm to the sleeper.We like pointing out that firmness is relative: what one person finds firm might be a soft mattress for another person. A medium-firm mattress is soft to the touch and responds quickly to pressure. Importantly, it shouldnt have excessive sinking.As a thumb rule, firm mattresses tend to work well for heavier folks, while light individuals prefer a relatively softer mattress. If you arent sure how the mattress will feel, consider mattresses in the region of 6-7 on the firmness scale. These tend to alleviate back pains for most people most of the time.

Support

Foam or Spring for back pains?

There is no right or wrong between these two when choosing the best mattress for back pain:

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How We Chose The Best Mattresses For Back Pain

We researched tediously, compared features, combed through reviews and enlisted expert advice to compile this list of the best mattresses for back pain. Further, weve beds from several picks on this list. We also have a broad base of mattress knowledge from writingand continuing to improveour base of sleep, which includes over 15 mattress-specific round-ups.

To make the cut, each mattress had to be from a reputable brand and offer a generous sleep trial period. This list is regularly updated to reflect current information and pricing, including sale pricing it was last updated in August 2022.

How The Wrong Pillow Can Affect Your Sleep Position

While the issue is more serious for stomach sleepers, those who sleep on their side can also be pulling their spines out of alignment by using the wrong pillow. Even with the right sleep position, the wrong pillow can lead to major issues that can be a literal pain in the neck. Thats because your pillow is just as important as your mattress when it comes to proper spinal alignment.

Choose a pillow with the right amount of loft for your sleep position. If you sleep on your side, you need a more supportive pillow with a higher loft. For those who sleep on their stomachs, look for a pillow with a lower profile.

Individuals who sleep on their back may sleep on both high and low loft pillows, based on their personal preference.

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How To Get Relief On A Budget

When youre struggling with back pain, you may feel like youre willing to give anything to get relief, but the realities of your budget can mean that you have to think about the impact of any mattress purchase on your bottom line. The good news is that there are multiple wallet-friendly ways to improve your bed, enhance your sleep, and give your back a rest.

Overall Best Mattress For Back Pain

The exact Tempur-Pedic mattress I recommend is the Pro Adapt advanced pressure relief model with a medium hybrid feel. To see the mattress with those exact specifications, .

The Pro Adapt selection is Tempur-Pedics most popular choice and for good reason. Each proprietary layer of memory foam built into the mattress has a cellular structure with specific a purpose. When you combine the different types of foam it gives you a perfect balance between support and pressure relief.

The Pro Adapt starts with a Comfort memory foam layer that is designed to give you the sleeping on a cloud feel. Its responsiveness adapts to your weight, your body shape, and whichever temperature you sleep at night. This is what helps alleviate pressure points in any position and will keep you from tossing and turning throughout the night.

Deeper into the mattress is the Support Layer. This is a firmer memory foam layer that keeps the mattress from bowing or sinking in. Its job is to push up into you to allow your muscles and joints to relax and be supported throughout the entire night. This layer is perhaps the most important for those who are looking for a mattress for back pain, because most nighttime back pain sufferers are lacking a supportive mattress.

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What Mattress Is Best For Back And Neck Pain

A systematic review of the link between sleep and back pain found that a medium-firm mattress is the best choice for promoting comfort, better sleep quality, and spinal alignment. This firmnesswhich works for all sleep positionsis also expert-recommended by Yuen.

Along with sleeping on a mattress with the right firmness and support, it’s also imperative to make sure your mattress is not too old. Research found that replacing a mattress that’s more than nine years old could reduce back discomfort and improve sleep quality.

Best Overall: Saatva Classic

Saatva

The Saatva Classic is a great mattress overall, but it earned the number one spot on this list thanks to its incredible spinal alignment. Our testing team scored the Saatva Classic a perfect 10 out of 10 on spinal alignment, making it one of the best options on this list, especially to target the lower back. When lying on a mattress without proper support, the sleepers lower back can dip downward, causing pressure buildup and poor spinal alignment. But the Saatva Classic enhances support in that zone to keep the lower back aligned.

Plus, the Saatva Classic is available in three different firmness levels: plush soft, luxury firm and firm. Note that its not ideal for people who prefer pure memory foam since the Saatva Classic is a hybrid, combining pocket coils, steel coils and high-density memory foam. At the end of the day, the Saatva Classic is a great fit for most sleepers, and its designed to reduce back pain while you sleep.

Helix is one of the most popular bed-in-a-box mattress brands out there, and the Helix Midnight Luxe is their most luxurious option. Featuring high-quality materials including memory foam, a plush quilted pillow top and soft, breathable cover, it delivers a luxe sleeping experience that our testers with back pain consistently appreciate.

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How Does Neck And Shoulder Pain Impact Sleep

Sure, poor sleep posture can provoke neck and/or shoulder pain, but research also suggests that poor-quality sleep can exacerbate pain. But the relationship between sleep and pain isnt just a one-way street, with poor sleep leading to pain. This relationship goes both ways.

Experts propose that pain can make it harder to fall and stay asleep, and it can diminish overall sleep quality. Even if a person whos experiencing pain does manage to fall asleep, they may not feel well-rested in the morning. Its a vicious cycle, with poor-quality sleep leading to more pain during the day and daytime pain leading to worse sleep at night.

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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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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.

Best Sleeping Positions For Neck Pain

Generally, if youre experiencing neck pain, its best to sleep on your back or side.

Sleeping on your stomach, especially if youre sleeping with a pillow thats too thick, can put excess pressure on your cervical spine and cause neck pain.

Keep your neck aligned with your body. You may want to place a pillow under your knees to keep your spine in proper alignment.

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What Flame Retardants Do Saatva Mattresses Use Expand/collapse

The following Saatva mattresses use a natural, plant-based thistle flame retardant made of wood pulp bonded with a small amount of polyester:

The following Saatva mattresses use 100% GOTS certified organic New Zealand wool as a natural flame retardant:

• Saatva Latex Hybrid

The following Saatva mattress uses Paladin, which is composed of flame retardant rayon fibers blended with polyester fibers.

• Solaire Adjustable Air

We do not use any harmful chemicals or sprays in our mattresses. To learn more about our eco-friendly materials, see our blog post about Saatva green initiatives.

How To Know Youre Struggling With Neck Or Shoulder Pain

Studies find approximately 70% of adultswill experience neck pain at some point in their life. This pain is often characterized by muscle tightness, pain that worsens when the head stays in a certain position for long periods, decreased ability to move the head, headaches, and/or muscle spasms.

Shoulder pain often manifests as stiffness, diminished range of motion, pain when raising the arm overhead, general discomfort in and around the shoulder, and so on. If your pain is caused by a chronic pain condition, you should also see our lists on the best mattresses for fibromyalgia or the best mattresses for arthritis.

Several factors can contribute to neck and/or shoulder pain. Sometimes these pains are related, and sometimes not.

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What Else Can Back Sleepers Do

Back sleepers should consider more than just the pillow resting under their head. Here are a few more tips for a good nights sleep.

• Sleep on a supportive mattress: Back sleepers need a medium-firm mattress offering solid support, especially in the lumbar region of the spine. Check out our roundup of the best mattresses for back sleepers if youre on the market for a new mattress!
• Add a mattress topper to a too-firm mattress: If your mattress is too firm and you arent ready for a new one, try adding a memory foam or latex mattress topper for an extra layer of comfort. If your mattress is too soft, some high-density toppers may help make your sleep surface slightly more firm.
• Add another pillow to the bed: Sleeping with a pillow underneath your knees can help the natural curvature of the spine. This is especially true for back sleepers who experience lower back pain.
• Stretch before bed: Doing some light stretches before bed to release muscle tension can help you avoid pressure and pain in the lower back.
• Looking into pillows that offer trial periods: This way, you can sleep on several pillows for a few nights and see which one leaves you feeling the best in the morning.