Your persistent back pain could be happening for a number of reasons, and the wrong mattress won't help -- in fact, it could make you feel even worse. If you toss and turn all night or wake up in pain, your mattress could be at least one of the culprits.
If you have a soft mattress that's too saggy, it can move your spine out of alignment, while an overly firm mattress won't properly shape to your body, and that can mean more tension and stress. The goal in choosing the best mattress for back pain is to find one that equally distributes pressure and allows your spine to maintain its natural curvature.
Generally, that means opting for a new mattress with a supportive but soft material (or mixture of materials) and a medium firm mattress feel. Fortunately, there are several excellent mattresses out there that fit the bill. I tested them all to bring you the best mattresses for back pain. This list is updated periodically as I review new products.
The AS2 Hybrid mattress from Amerisleep isn't just a mattress that can help alleviate back pain, it was a mattress that was designed specifically with the sleeper who needs back pain relief in mind. It's made of a proprietary type of memory foam called Bio-Pur, that's more responsive, breathable and airy than traditional memory foam. This hybrid memory foam mattress is designed to offer pressure relief, while also providing the right mattress firmness to keep your body properly aligned.
One of the reasons I'm not usually a big fan of 100% memory foam mattress options is because they don't respond quickly to movement. When you switch your sleeping position, something that I do pretty frequently while I sleep, the mattress takes some time to adjust to your body. But the Bio-Pur in the AS2 Hybrid solves that problem.
This hybrid mattress has a faster response time than regular memory foam, so instead of that slow-sinking, and then slow-rising, feeling that you get with other memory foam mattresses, it bounces back right away. I never felt stuck in the mattress, even when I moved around at night, and it felt more like a traditional spring mattress but without the extra bounce and noise. The improved responsiveness also ensures that your body and spine are properly supported throughout the night, reducing back pain and any other aches and pains.
The AS2 Hybrid comes in sizes twin to split king and prices usually range from $1,049 to $2,198.
If you're a dedicated back sleeper, the Nectar Lush is for you. It has five layers, including a high-density memory foam comfort layer that's designed to provide more pressure relief for back pain sufferers and a plusher, softer mattress feel than traditional memory foam mattress. It also has a dense foam base, gel-coated memory foam layer and a cooling mattress topper cover that really stays fresh and cool to the touch.
As soon as I settled into the Nectar mattress, I could tell it was different than several others I've tried. The foam immediately adapted to my body, alleviating pressure where I needed it and hugging my body in all of the right places. It almost had a zero-gravity feel that made me feel like I was floating. When I sleep on my back on other mattresses, I feel like I'm lying on top of the mattress, rather than sinking into it. This creates an unnatural spinal alignment and an uncomfortable curve in my spine. But with the Nectar Lush, my spine felt completely aligned and I consistently woke up in the morning without pain.
Another selling point for the Nectar Lush is that it works with any type of bed frame, unlike the Amerisleep AS2 and the Ghostbed, which work best with platform bases. You can simply swap out your current mattress with the new mattress, rather than having to upgrade your entire setup.
The Nectar Lush comes in sizes twin to California king and prices range from $1,099 to $1,799.
If you prefer a sleeping position on your side, the Saatva Classic has your back, literally. Like the others on this list, the Saatva Classic is classified as a hybrid mattress type -- it combines innerspring mattress coils with natural latex foam -- but this Saatva mattress really goes a step beyond the rest. It's made with what Saatva calls Spinal Zone Technology, or enhancements in the mattress that are designed to reduce stress and tension in your back while you sleep.
The middle area of the mattress has "lumbar zone technology" that utilizes an active-wire system, which are wires within the center of the mattress that work with the individually wrapped coils to provide the correct spinal alignment. This adds extra support for your middle and upper back, while the high-end memory foam that covers the entire mattress takes stress off your pressure points and keeps your spine totally aligned, especially when sleeping on your side.
While I wasn't blown away by this mattress the first few nights, after sleeping on it consistently for a couple of weeks, I was hooked. I had been dealing with some chronic pain and with the spinal alignment this mattress provided, it's almost gone. It also has a pillow top that's thicker and plusher than any other online mattress I've tried, which is another thing that really set this mattress apart.
And unlike others that come rolled up in a box, each Saatva Classic mattress is made to order and hand-delivered in its fully expanded form, right to your bedroom -- something that I thought was a really nice touch. However, be warned that this mattress has more motion transfer than the others, so if you sleep with someone who tosses and turns, you're probably going to feel it.
The Saatva Classic comes in sizes twin XL to split California king and prices range from $799 to $1,999.
Sleeping on your stomach on the wrong mattress can flatten the curve of your spine, put excess pressure on your muscles and joints and force you to turn your neck to the side -- three things that can actually contribute to chronic back pain. While it would be ideal to change to a side or back sleep position, the Purple Hybrid Premier 4 is the next best thing for a stomach sleeper.
There are a lot of mattresses out there that claim to form to your body, but the Purple Hybrid Premier 4 totally delivers. The exclusive Purple Grid, which is a hyper-elastic polymer grid with open air channels that's designed to quickly adapt and adjust to any sleeping position. As soon as I plopped down on this Purple mattress, I felt the grid bend and move, contouring my body shape perfectly. No matter which sleeping position I was in, I felt like the mattress was made specially for me.
This mattress also isolates motion really well, so if you sleep with someone else, you'll barely feel it when they move around. Just one thing I want to note: I've tried some of the other Purple Mattress models before this one and I really recommend splurging on the Hybrid Premier 4. The extra thickness really makes a difference for pressure relief.
The Purple Hybrid Premier 4 comes in sizes twin XL to split king and prices range from $2,299 to $4,998.
If you get really hot at night, you may have been turned off from other memory foam mattresses in the past, but the Ghostbed Flex Hybrid is your opportunity to give this mattress type another shot.
While traditional memory foam can trap in heat, leaving you sweaty and grumpy, especially if you have back pain, the Ghostbed Flex Hybrid has a quilted cooling cover with specialized fibers woven directly into the material. These fibers improve airflow and prevent heat trapping, so your body temperature stays at the perfect level for an excellent night's sleep.
When I touched the top of the mattress, I was actually surprised at how cool it was. It felt like it had been sitting in a bedroom with open windows on a crisp, fall day, even though it was actually the middle of summer. And while the cooling cover is definitely one of the best things about this mattress, it's also excellent for pain sufferers looking to alleviate (or prevent) back pain.
Made up of seven layers, including gel memory foams, a high-density support layer, bounce layer and individually-wrapped pocketed coils, the Ghostbed Flex Hybrid gives you a weightless feeling that's a welcome break from all of the gravity of the day. When sleeping on this mattress, I felt like my spine was perfectly aligned, without any slow sinking or sagging, and I woke up feeling rested and pain-free.
The Ghostbed Flex Hybrid comes in sizes twin to split king and prices usually range from $1,395 to $3,300.
There are a lot of mattresses that claim to align your spine as you sleep, but many of these mattresses are designed to support a max of 250 pounds. If you're over that -- or close to it -- your body can put extra pressure on the mattress, causing it to sag in all of the wrong places and leaving you with chronic back pain. This can also accelerate breakdown, forcing you to change out your mattress more often. That's where the Helix Plus comes in.
This mattress is specifically made for heavier sleepers with higher BMIs. It's 13 inches tall and has an extra layer of four-pound high-density foam that's designed to support up to 1,000 pounds of combined weight (or 500 pounds on each side). This extra comfort layer of support helps delicately push against your weight to keep your spine aligned so that you wake up pain-free.
Even as someone with a lower BMI, I felt totally comfortable on this mattress. It provided the perfect balance of "give" and firmness level of support to help relieve pressure where I needed it, while also keeping my spine in alignment. It also absorbed movement really well, so I didn't feel like I was getting tossed around as my boyfriend adjusted his sleep position or when he got out of the bed to go to the bathroom.
The Helix Plus comes in sizes twin to California king and prices range from $825 to $1,999.
More recommendations for a good night's rest
The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.
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