Eight out of ten people will have back pain at some point in their lives1. Symptoms range from a dull, constant ache to acute, debilitating pain. And since people spend about one-third of their lives in bed, the mattress you use can impact whether or not you suffer from back pain more than almost anything else. That's why so many people are searching for the best mattress for back pain. Scientific studies have proven that getting the right mattress for back pain can improve your symptoms and sleep quality2. The best mattresses for back pain will evenly support your weight and allow your spine to remain aligned. When looking for the best mattress for back pain, the two main things to consider are its firmness and the materials it's made from. Scientific studies have proven that getting the right mattress for back pain can improve your symptoms and sleep quality.Best Mattress for Back Pain Best mattress for back pain Sleep Number beds or medium-firm mattresses may help ease pain
According to the National Institutes of Health, back pain is one of our society's most common medical problems. It's estimated that about 8 in 10 Americans suffer from chronic or occasional back pain. If you're one of them, can the right mattress choice help ease your suffering? Absolutely, sleep experts say. And while most don't recommend specific brands or models, they do recommend that back-pain sufferers follow a few general tips. finds that a medium-firm mattress is best for sore backs. According to this website, a medium firmness provides both support and conformity, which appears essential to relieving or preventing back pain; by contrast, a firm mattress won't offer enough conformity, while a soft mattress won't provide enough support. point out that it's important to balance back pain relief with overall comfort. If a mattress is too firm, your back may feel better, but you may suffer from joint or pressure point pain. They agree that a medium firm mattress may be the best choice to find that balance.
also suggests that an adjustable bed may provide relief. The website notes that ideally the upper body should be positioned at an incline of 30 to 45 degrees, and the knees should be supported so they slightly bend. "The combination of upper body incline and the knee support can help take some of the stress off the lower back," according to this website. If you think an adjustable bed might help you find pain relief, especially if you sleep with a partner who doesn't suffer with back pain and wants a different firmness level, the best choice may be an adjustable air mattress like the Sleep Number Bed . , adjustable air mattresses are far superior at easing all kinds of pain. In particular, Sleep Number beds earn very good ratings for side sleepers, excellent ratings for back sleepers, and overall top ratings for durability. The Sleep Number brand is also one of the top-rated mattress brands overall. Owners praise the comfort and adjustability of Sleep Number mattresses, and quite a few note that their new mattress has relieved pain and/or improved sleep quality.
Many also say that buying a Sleep Number bed has resolved partner quibbles over what type of bed to buy, or the necessity of buying a soft bed and adding a board or padding to one side to increase firmness, or vice versa. The downside to Sleep Number beds is that they tend to be pricey, and may not be necessary if you're not sharing your bed. Fortunately, many other mattress brands, such as Simmons Beautyrest, Sealy Posturepedic (Est. $600 and up) and Tempur-Pedic (Est. $1,700 and up) make memory foam mattresses in a wide range of firmness levels. 's survey of the best mattress types to reduce back pain. Latex mattresses, like those made by Ikea, are third. Memory foam and latex mattresses get good reviews for reducing pain because they are more supportive, less likely to sag, and more likely to have good conformity. Sagging, in fact, seems to be most strongly associated with back pain and other complaints. Some mattresses -- particularly innerspring styles with thick padding or pillow tops -- are more prone to sagging, which can increase your pain.
, putting boards under a sagging mattress is a short-term fix at best. Experts agree that it's important to replace your mattress before it gets worn out. All of these companies also make adjustable bases for their mattresses, but they tend to me much pricier than a standard mattress and base, and the firmness level is not adjustable, just the mattress, much like a hospital-type bed. There are other causes of back pain aside from your mattress, of course, and the National Institutes of Health offers an excellent overview of the causes of back pain as well as guides to treatment and prevention. These tips, along with the right mattress, can help you live a more pain free life. Prev6 Best MattressesInnerspring MattressesMemory Foam MattressesLatex and Organic MattressesBuying GuideMattress RatingsNextSkip to main content Science-Backed Tips to Pick the Perfect Mattress Sleep matters—so much so that six in 10 Americans report craving sleep over sex. The key to rest good enough to forgo sex?
It just might be in the mattress.Nine in 10 respondents in a sleep survey cited their mattress as an important factor in getting that coveted good night’s rest. Americans love their beds so much, in fact, that they're willing to shell out thousands of dollars for a single mattress. But the word is still out on whether this expense is really justified, since mattresses can affect our sleep in both positive and negative ways. Make sense of the bedding madness with this primer on choosing the right mattress for you. Mattress Matters—The Need-to-KnowThe first “mattresses” (read: piles of leaves, grass, or straw covered in animal skins) were invented by cave men and women. Thousands of years later, the Egyptian pharaohs discovered the luxury of raising the bedding off the ground (though "common folk" continued to sleep on piles of palm bows). Today, many Americans enjoy mattress-induced rest. Six in 10 Americans crave sleep over sexBut mattresses don't always help people obtain a good night's sleep.
Low-quality, uncomfortable mattresses have been linked to sleep discomfort and pain, and chronic pain can prevent quality sleep . Those who struggle with sleep deprivation may suffer from a sour mood, slower metabolism, and impaired immune function .Fortunately it’s not all bad news. While mattresses can hinder sleep quality, they can also improve it. Better “bedding systems” (a fancy way of saying “things you sleep on”) have been linked to decreased pain and discomfort, especially in women . Quality sleep on a good mattress may also help decrease stress .The long and short of it? A bad mattress can contribute to poor sleep quality, while a good mattress can improve it. Given that the average person spends about one third of her or his life sleeping, it's worth investing the time (and money) to find the right mattress for you.Better Bedding—Your Action Plan When it comes to purchasing the perfect mattress, it turns out there are a lot of mixed messages out there. Some research suggests foam mattresses create backaches;
others say foam helps pain. Some studies advocate for regular cotton mattresses while others say coils create backaches and that airbeds are the way to go . There’s even disagreement over whether a firm mattress really is better for lower back pain .The reason for all this controversy is that sleep quality and comfort are so darn subjective . In fact, when buying a mattress, the most important consideration is probably personal comfort. (That also means that if something besides a mattress proves more comfortable to sleep on, we should go for it ).If you find yourself in the market for a new mattress, follow these guidelines for a better shot at getting that elusive good night’s sleep.Replace a mattress approximately every eight years. Keep it longer than that and the materials may start to degrade, which might make the mattress less comfortable to sleep on. If you’re waking up in pain every day, sleeping poorly, or feeling disgruntled all the time, consider upgrading sooner . Replace the box spring along with the mattress.
Over time, the compression of the springs (which results from having a mattress and human bodies on top of it) will start to change the structure of the spring box. To retain proper structure, replace it every eight years or so—or just ditch the box spring altogether. Make comfort your goal. Purchasing a mattress is all about finding the best one for you. Some people like a firm mattress; some like a soft one; others, like Goldilocks, prefer somewhere in between. The experts we spoke to said it basically comes down to personal preference. If you're comfortable, you have a better chance of sleeping well. Try before you buy. Test “sleep” on a mattress for at least 20 minutes in a normal sleep position before making a decision. Look for a mattress that fits your body. Chiropractors advocate finding a mattress that’s designed to conform to the spine’s natural curve and distribute pressure evenly across the body. This can be tricky, because the surface curve on the mattress doesn’t necessarily represent the way your spine will curve while sleeping on it .
Everyone’s pressure points are different, so the best way to figure out if a mattress correctly supports the body is to bring a friend along to the store. Lie on the mattress in your normal sleeping position and ask your friend to observe whether your spine remains fairly neutral. If your spine is obviously sagging or curved exaggeratedly in any given direction, then keep searching for a mattress that helps maintain neutral spine alignment. While researchers are challenging the idea that a firm mattress is essential for anyone with back pain, most experts still agree a saggy mattress isn’t the way to go . To determine if a mattress has too much sag, perform the same spine alignment observation outlined above. Not only is the mattress likely to have lost its proper structure, but this ruIe’s especially important if you’re worried about your bed catching on fire. Only mattresses made after July 2007 must meet regulations for fire resistance. Virtually all mattress coils are made by the same manufacturer.
Likewise, don’t be duped by dollar signs: A higher price doesn’t necessarily mean better quality. Bigger doesn’t necessarily mean better. Thickness is often just a visual ploy designed to get people to think they’re buying a comfier mattress. Listen to your body and find the bed that feels the most comfortable (not the one that just looks that way). If you have allergies (particularly to dust mites, mold, and certain bacteria), read the mattress’ label to make sure that the materials don’t contain any sneaky allergens—or, better yet, look for a hypoallergenic mattress (natural latex and wool are both decent options) or a mattress cover. Worried about allergies but don’t want to pay for an expensive mattress cover? Daily vacuuming might help . Do not disturb… your partner. If you share a bed, look for a mattress that allows two people to adjust the firmness on their respective sides. That way, neither one of you will have to sacrifice comfort or spine alignment. Give peace a chance.
Even if you loved your new mattress in the store, you might not sleep better on it the first night you bring it home. It can take a couple of days to adjust to a new sleeping surface . If the first night on a new mattress doesn’t transform your sleep quality, give it a few more nights before giving in to buyer’s remorse. Look for a return policy. This way, you won’t be stuck with an expensive mattress that doesn’t provide the sleep of your dreams.Thanks to Joyce Walsleben, David M. Rapoport, and Nicole Lehman for their help with this article.This article is part of our Connected Wellness series with Withings, a consumer electronics company dedicated to creating smart products to help you make healthy and balanced choices. We take our partnerships seriously, which is why we’ll never collaborate with a brand unless we profoundly believe in their mission. We think Withings fits that bill—we trust them to make a difference and they trust us to write great articles that (like everything on our site) are science-backed, informative, and original.