Choose A Hybrid Design

A high-quality hybrid mattress is typically the best type of mattress for back pain because the individually wrapped springs can provide adaptive support for your spine to maintain good posture, whilst the foam top layers can help to soften pressure points that may otherwise aggravate your nerves and impede circulation.

If maximum pressure relief is your goal, then a memory foam topped mattress is the best choice, whilst natural latex foam can provide a more breathable alternative if you tend to sleep hot.

What If You Like A Firm Mattress

People who love a firm mattress can achieve the same feeling but with much better, body-specific support, by allowing the upholstery layers to provide the firm feel and not a super rigid spring mechanism.

We list our ranges based on the feel in the upholstery layer, and not just on the spring unit, which shows you that you can get that firm feel without crippling your back or settling for a useless heavy gauge support unit.

Our Origins Reflex and Artisan Bespoke are excellent examples of a firmer feel in the upholstery layer whilst having spring units that are forgiving enough to accommodate your weight properly.

Best Mattress For Back Pain Video

Watch our video below to learn more about our labs top mattress picks for sleepers with back pain.

Below are the mattresses that weve awarded the highest ratings for sleepers with back pain, and each one has received an accolade showcasing its strongest points. Scroll down for detailed information about each mattress, including how and where to buy them. Weve also included a buyers guide further below that covers why people experience back pain in bed, which types of mattresses are best for back pain, and how to pick out the right mattress based on its materials and construction.

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Is A Firm Mattress Always Better For Back Pain

a firm mattress will not accommodate the natural curvature of the spine

Problems with a firm mattress

Pressure pointsSpinal misalignmentLack of conformability

Which mattress is best for a bad back?

The best mattress for a bad back is of medium-firm density A latex mattress is the best type for a bad backrecommended by many chiropractors and osteopaths: latex is supportive yet extremely comfortablebeware of mattresses which are touted as being orthopaedicIf you have scoliosis or you suffer from back pain, you should consider sleeping on a medium firm latex mattress

How Do I Know Whether A Mattress Is Right For Me

Ultimately, the best mattress for a bad back will depend on your needs and symptoms. Everyone has a different sleeping style, so the right mattress for you is one which will support your individual sleeping posture. Take a look at our guides to the best mattress and pillow for side sleepers, front sleepers, and back sleepers to learn which bedding is the right choice for your sleep styling.

At Dormeo, we understand what a big decision choosing the right mattress can be, especially if you suffer from back pain. We know that a mattress may seem comfortable when you first try it out but, after a few days, you may realise that its not the right style for you. That’s why we offer a 60 Night Comfort Guarantee, so you can be sure your mattress is the perfect model for you. So, if you’re still not enjoying your best-ever sleep after 60 nights, or your back pain isn’t improving, then you can return your mattress for a full refund, or exchange it for an alternative model.

At Dormeo, we want you to order with confidence, so if you’re still unsure about anything, then contact our team of Sleep Experts, who will be happy to help. Our sleep expert blog and advice centre are also great resources if youre looking for more information on all things sleep.

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How Does Sleeping Position Affect Back Pain

Back pain can occur as a result of an underlying condition or sleep-related factors. The right mattress topper can help relieve pressure points and support natural spinal alignment, which could also help contribute to reduced back pain. However, each sleep position can affect the spine differently, so those suffering from back pain may want to consider the role of their preferred sleep position.

Side sleepers: People who sleep on their side frequently prefer a slightly softer sleep surface that balances conforming and support. Too firm of a topper may not allow their hips and shoulders to sink in enough, while too soft of a mattress topper may let their hips and shoulders sink in too much. Either of these situations could put a strain on their spines and contribute to back pain. A thicker topper could be ideal for a bed that is too firm, as it can provide ample room for a side sleepers hips and shoulders to sink in. A firmer topper that helps prevent sinkage will be better for a bed that is too soft.

Back sleepers: This sleep position typically requires a slightly firmer sleep surface that gives them the support they need to maintain their natural spinal alignment, so they may prefer firmer and/or thinner mattress toppers. A topper that is too soft could allow their hips to sink in excessively and make it difficult to keep their spine well-aligned. Too firm of a topper could also be problematic, leaving a gap between the bed and the sleepers lumbar region.

Dont Sleep On A Mattress Thats Too Soft Or Too Hard

Goldilocks was onto something when she picked Baby Bears just right bed.

A mattress thats too soft will cause your back or hips to sag and your spine to fall out of alignment, which can lead to significant pain. A mattress thats too firm will put too much pressure on your joints, especially if you sleep on your side or your back.

Thats why if you want to reduce your back pain in bed, you need a mattress that offers support but that also contours to your body to provide pressure relief and relieve pain.

That being said, theres no one-size-fits-all-best mattress for back pain. Plus, there are plenty of different materials to choose from. So be sure youre investing in a mattress made from suitable materials for your unique needs.

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Is A Firm Mattress Good Or Bad For Back Pain

Nobody likes to return to a lifeless and hard bed after an insanely busy day at work. Busy schedules and a day full of stress often lead to severe back pain, which can only be cured by a good nights sleep. If you want your body to function with the same energy the next day as well, you must rest your body on the right mattress.

In situations like this, the right mattress can prove to be a lifesaver. It will not only help you to sleep comfortably throughout the night but will also help to reduce your back pain by acting upon the correct pressure nodes.

However, before acquiring the perfect mattress, you need to consider a lot of factors such as its thickness, the material used for its construction, and firmness levels among various other factors. The budget of an individual also plays an important role, and hence you must try to bag the best possible deal.

Choosing the correct mattress is often tricky, with so many options to choose from in the market. According to the problems you suffer from, you will be referred to the type of mattress that would be a great fit for you. Visit smartmattressbuy.com to know more. Read this article to find whether a firm mattress is good or bad for your back pain.

When In Doubt Go Medium

Research is limited, but in one study, researchers assigned new mattresses to more than 300 people with low back pain. They used either “medium-firm” or “firm” mattresses for 90 days. Those in the medium group reported the least amount of discomfort.

You might consider getting a memory foam mattress . The foam molds to your body. The downside: Some memory foam mattresses keep in heat and the material might have more chemicals.

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Try Changing Up Your Sleeping Position

Changing your sleeping position is one way to try to get back pain relief.

If you are a back or stomach sleeper with a soft mattress and you dont have the budget for a new bed, you can try switching to a side sleeping position that will receive more support from your existing mattress. In general, experts recommend that stomach sleepers try to adjust to side or back sleeping because its easier to get appropriate support in those positions.

For people with acute pain, temporary changes to your sleeping position may help to reduce stress on already sore or achy parts of your back. For example, people with lumbar pain might try a period of side sleeping to avoid the excess bending of that area that can happen on your stomach or back.

While changing sleeping positions is worth a shot, its often not a long-term solution because the change can be hard to stick with. Some people just cant get comfortable in a different position or they may quickly revert back to their old sleeping position during the night. In these cases, other approaches are more likely to be beneficial over the medium- to long-term.

Best For Stomach Sleepers: Leesa Original Mattress

• Made using synthetic memory foam

This mattress contains organic latex, wool, and cotton for a cozy natural feel that’s a dream to sleep in. Plus, a layer of innerspring lend the support that back pain sufferers crave. Its wool is super breathable , making it a good pick for sleepers who tend to sweat at night. Pssst… hot sleepers on a budget can also check out these cooling mattress toppers to place on their existing mattresses.

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Main Concerns About Mattress

When thinking about how to arrange the material for this resource, I decided to divide it into 5 areas, each one focusing on responding to among the primary questions you require to inquire about mattresses. Here are the 5 concerns you need to address:

• How old is your mattress?
• What Sleep Position Do You Prefer?
• What firmness do you require?
• How much do you weigh?
• What kind of mattress do you require?

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Sometimes A New Mattress Is All It Takes

An interesting finding from a few of the studies was that sometimes a subjects back pain was reduced by a new mattress, no matter what type of new mattress it was.

The recommendation is that any mattress older than 7 years should be considered near the end of its life.

Of course this does depend on the quality of the mattress in the first place and the amount of stress it is placed under, for want of a better phrase.

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Do Firm Mattresses Get Softer

If your mattress is firmer than you expected, it may soften up over time. Some mattress materials, such as memory foam, respond to pressure and body heat so they can soften up a little. However, innerspring beds are made of spring coils and have very little foam, so they will not become softer with use.

Emma Premium Hybrid Mattress

Best overall for back pain

Key features

• Depth: 25cm
• Trial: 200 nights

An award-winning foam and pocket-spring hybrid mattress thats worth considering if you suffer from back pain. It uses the brands specially designed HRX Supreme Foam, which stands for high resiliency extra foam, and isnt just jargon its extra durable and designed with different zones of density to align and support your spine . As per Gibsons advice, this mattress is described as medium firm, but the brand will provide extra layers of memory foam topping to soften it or firm it up should you require.

Five layers of alternating high-tech memory foam and pocket springs combine for a springy yet supremely supportive feel, so it’s no wonder Emma won a wide array of consumer awards for comfort. Emma offers a lengthy 200 night trial and a ten year guarantee.

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Why You Can Trust Us

At Sleep Foundation, weve personally tested hundreds of mattress models to bring you the top picks listed above. Our expert team includes product testers that represent a wide range of body types, sleep positions, and comfort preferences. After thorough hands-on testing, we consider these selections to be the best of the bunch.

Best Mattress For Back Pain For Athletes Bear

The Bear mattress is mostly praised by a whole variety of athletes and sports people who struggle with back pain due to their physical activities.

It was actually designed with the physical recovery of athletes in mind. Sport professionals dont recover as most people do to stay at their peak performance level at all times, they need their good nights sleep even more, and they cant allow themselves to wake up with neck or back pain after days of intense training.

The Bear mattress designers developed a special kind of fabric that converts your own body heat into infrared energy, which means it directs it to your joints and muscle recovery without overheating. Its the same mineral Celliant thats used in the Amerisleep mattress. Its embedded in the mattress cover and doesnt require any assistance from your part besides the standard maintenance.

This mattress will be especially helpful if your back pain is of muscular origin, but it is recommended for all other types as well. Due to the perfect mix of memory foam and gel memory foam, its deeper layers provide the optimal firmness level, providing pressure relief and very much needed support to your whole body evenly.

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Best Boxed Mattress: Helix Midnight Luxe Mattress

• Offers a hybrid of coil and foam

• Great for side sleepers

• Strong chemical odor

Today, more and more mattresses are being shipped in boxes, allowing for faster delivery and easier set-up. Hands down, one of the best boxed mattress options for those with back pain is the Helix Midnight mattress.

This 14-inch mattress provides support with a layer of wrapped coils which sits under layers of foam for comfort. The company claims that this mattress is their most popularproviding a medium firm feel that is ideal for side sleepers who need pressure point relief. The mattress is covered with a breathable quilted pillow top that keeps you cool throughout the night.

Helix offers a 15-year warranty on their Midnight Luxe mattress, so you know you’re getting the most protection for your investment. You can test out your new mattress for 100 nights, opting to return it if it doesnt meet your expectations.

Firmness: Medium | Thickness: 14 inches | Type: Hybrid | Trial Length: 100 nights

Awara Natural Luxury Hybrid Mattress

Type: Organic hybrid mattressMaterials: Dunlop latex, foam, innersprings, natural wool, natural cottonHeight: 13 inchesTrial/Warranty: 365 nights/lifetime

Awara makes one of the most affordable organic mattresses on the market. As we mention in our Awara Mattress review, sleepers in any position will find their spine properly aligned and supported thanks to a top layer of adaptive Dunlop latex. The cotton/wool blend cover makes for a cool night’s sleep too, and exceptional edge support will allow most individuals to sit comfortably at the edge of the bed without compressing their back.

As with the DreamCloud above, the Awara is a firmer mattress that lighter bodies may need some time to adjust to. A one-year trial is provided to allow for that, with a limited-lifetime warranty protecting your purchase. The latest Awara drops prices to $699 for a twin, with up to $499 of free bedding bundled in.

Height: 11.5 or 14.5 inchesTrial/Warranty: 365 nights/15 yearsThe Saatva Classic has earned the Congress of Chiropractic State Associations Seal of Approval for back pain relief. It’s highly customizable when it comes to firmness and height, so you can better tailor it to your back needs. We tested an 11.5-inch medium-firm version in our Saatva Classic Mattress review and experienced a decrease in back pain, as well as cooler sleep.

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Firmness Vs Support: Whats The Difference

Firmness and support are two terms that you will see often whenever mattresses are talked about, but they are not the same thing.

Firmness means firmness, and it exclusively refers to the amount of softness or hardness the mattress has.

Support on the other hand, is offered by other facets of the mattress: the type of fabrics used, the thickness of the memory foam used ,and the usually diamond-like pattern on many mattresses that add to the level of support it can offer the sleeping human body.

How Does The Firmness Of A Mattress Affect Back Pain

When we talk about the firmness of a mattress, were generally referring to the level of tension in the springs or memory foam. This tension will dictate what level of resistance and support the mattress provides, which can affect our spinal alignment during sleep. In other words, if your mattress is too hard or soft, it won’t support you the way it needs to, meaning a mattress with the wrong tension level for your preferred sleep posture could exacerbate your back pain.

Traditionally, doctors and physical therapists have recommended a firmer mattress for those with back problems, but new evidence suggests that this may no longer be the best option. A recent study found that participants with back problems reported less pain after sleeping on a medium-firm mattress, rather than a firm one, according to WebMD.

The level of tension you will need will also depend on your preferred sleeping position you can find out which tension level is best for your natural sleeping posture in our mattress buying guide. We also describe the differences between soft, medium and firm mattresses in more detail in our mattress firmness guide. Plus, all of our mattresses are given a Comfort Grade rating, so its easy to see whether theyre soft, medium, firm or somewhere in-between.

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