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Bedding and medical experts weigh in to help you find the right bed for upper and lower back pain relief.
If you're struggling with upper or lower back pain, the last thing you need is a mattress that makes it worse. And while your bed might not be the initial cause of your pain, the right mattress has the potential to help reduce it. But with so many models on the market, it's hard to how to choose a mattress that can actually help you get pain relief.
To find the best mattresses for back pain sufferers, we consulted medical doctors that specialize in back pain to understand the most important aspects when you shop, then reviewed our proprietary mattress data. The Good Housekeeping Institute Textiles Lab evaluates mattresses of all kind (including hybrid mattresses, memory foam models, mattresses-in-a-box, organic mattresses, affordable mattresses and more) by reviewing the features and sending them to both product experts and consumer testers to get real-life feedback. We also survey our tester panel to get thousands of in-depth reviews on the mattresses they have at home – our most recent surveys have had responses from more than 10,000 mattress owners.
We most recently reviewed this article in June 2022 to make sure all recommendations were in stock and showed accurate prices, which are listed for queen (the most popular mattress size). You can find advice from doctors — along with mattress shopping tips from our bedding experts — at the end of this article, but first, here are more details about our top picks for anyone back pain. And if you're looking for an easy way to upgrade your current bed in the meantime, be sure check out our best mattress toppers, which can add an extra layer of comfort and support.
• Height: 11.5" or 14.5" • Firmness levels: Plush Soft, Luxury Firm, Firm • Sizes: Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, California King • Trial period: 365 days, with a $99 return pickup fee
This mattress was a top performer among our testers and survey panel, who gave it high scores for comfort, support and overall sleep quality. Unlike memory foam mattresses that come compressed in a box for you to set up on your own, this online brand offers the same type of luxury mattress you'd find in stores and has a white glove delivery service set it up for you.
What it's made of: The inside is a mix of supportive coils and pressure-relieving memory foam, with the foam specifically targeted around the middle of the bed so it hits your lower back. It comes in three firmness levels, but the Luxury Firm option is the most popular and the equivalent of medium-firm support.
Tester notes: One of our testers told us, "I tend to have chronic back pain, which has much improved since using this mattress," while another user raved, "I wake up with no low back pain!" Others called it "the best mattress ever," and many specifically highlighted the edge support, which makes it easier to get in and out of bed.
• Height: 15" • Firmness level: Plush, Luxury Firm, Firm • Sizes: Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, California King • Trial period: 120 days
This mattress has glowing reviews from our testers and survey respondents that specifically called out having back pain. Even though it has the same firmness levels as Saatva, it feels softer because it has more foam and less coils, which is helpful for pressure relief and alleviating lower back pain.
What it's made of: This one is fairly tall for a boxed mattress with five layers of supportive coils, foam and a pillowtop for comfort. Just note that this also means it's heavier than others (a Queen weighs 110 pounds) and you'll need to make sure your bed sheets will fit.
Tester notes: One back-pain sufferer told us, "my back felt so much better" after just one night, while one pregnant mom said she was struggling with hip pain until "Nolah saved me in my last trimester...it helped me sleep really well."
• Height: 12" • Firmness level: Medium • Sizes: Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, California King • Trial period: 90 days
If you're looking to save on your mattress, this bed-in-a-box costs much less than others, yet still gets glowing reviews from users. It only comes in one firmness option, but medium is a good choice for most people with back pain. It also arrives in a box for you to set up on your own, which many of our testers prefered because it's contactless and convenient.
What it's made of: Unlike some other boxed models that are all foam, this one is a hybrid of both foam and coils on the inside. It has two inches of memory foam on top, one inch of high density foam for support in the middle, and coils in the bottom for even more support and airflow.
Tester notes: The mattress earned high scores across the board, from ease of set up to support while sleeping. Some users even told us that it helped get rid of their back and neck pains, and said it was absolutely worth the purchase. "It's great for my back," raved one user, while another said, "This mattress gives much more support than my previous spring mattress."
• Height: 13" • Firmness level: Medium • Sizes: Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, California King • Trial period: 100 days
Casper has several mattresses to choose from, but this top-of-the-line model is designed for promoting spine alignment. Our testers found the medium firmness to feel a bit soft, which is likely because it forms to the shape of your body and takes weight off of pressure points.
What it's made of: The mattress has unique gel pods that are placed under the hips and lower back so you get more support where you need it, while softer foam contours to the shape of your shoulders. Beyond that, there are several layers of foam for full-body pressure relief and coils at the base for added support and airflow.
Tester notes: Users on our panel gave it perfect ratings for support and raved about its comfort, plus they highlighted Casper's stellar customer service. One specifically called out that it "was super easy to set up and it really helps with our aches and pains,"while another described it as feeling like "sleeping on a cloud."
• Height: 9.25" • Firmness level: Medium Firm • Sizes: Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, California King, Split King • Trial period: 100 days
Purple stands out for its elastic grid layer at the surface, which offers a combination of support and pressure relief – and users swear it feels like the perfect balance of soft and firm. It also helps with motion isolation, so you're less likely to feel your sleeping partner move around at night.
What it's made of: There are two layers of foam under the elastic grid on top, though the brand also has hybrid variations with a layer of foam and a layer of coils for added support and airflow. The hybrids are heavier and more expensive, but regardless, you get the pressure-relieving grid with all of Purple's mattresses.
Tester notes: Our panel raved about its ability to relieve their back pain, with comments like, "this is the first mattress where we both woke with no pain" and, "it only took a couple of nights of sleeping on the Purple mattress for my back to feel much better!"
• Height: 11" • Firmness levels: Adjustable • Sizes: Twin XL, Queen, King, California King • Trial period: 100 days
Sleep Number mattresses are filled with air chambers that let you customize your side of the bed to whatever firmness level you choose. It's pricey, but users told us that splurging on one was the best decision and they wished they wouldn't have waited so long to buy it.
What it's made of: While the brand offers plenty of adjustable beds that all contain air chambers to change the firmness level, this specific model also has a five-inch pressure relief layer for added comfort. As an added bonus, there are built-in sleep tracking capabilities so you can get personalized feedback on your sleep performance sent directly to your smartphone.
Tester notes: Users rated the mattress comfortable and supportive, and especially like having the personalized control over the feel of their bed: "I really feel like it gives me a custom sleep experience," noted one tester. Another told us he felt 30 years younger just days after sleeping on it.
• Height: 13" • Firmness levels: Soft, Firm • Sizes: Twin Long, Double, Queen, King, Split King, California King, Split California King • Trial period: 90 days
If you have back pain and you overheat at night, this memory foam mattress has innovative technology that keeps it feeling up to eight degrees cooler while you sleep. It's especially impressive because most cooling technologies in beds feel cool to the touch but don't stay cool, or they have only slight cooling capabilities. This one has been tested to ensure you'll actually feel cooler all night long.
What it's made of: Tempur-Pedic is known for its high-quality foam, which is perfect for back pain sufferers because it offers excellent pressure relief. It's also good at reducing motion transfer – i.e. you likely won't feel your sleeping partner move at night. This foam incorporates phase-change technology, which stores and releases heat to achieve its cooling benefits.
Tester notes: All of our testers noted an increase in sleep quality, thanks in part the quality of the foam and noticeable cooling factors. "We have slept so well since getting it," raved one. They've also found that it has held up exceptionally well over time, saying it feels as good as new — even after years of sleeping on it.
• Height: 11" (or 13" with pillowtop) • Firmness level: Gentle Firm • Sizes: Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, California King • Trial period: 365 days
This mattress uses organic materials (like cotton, wool and latex) and is certified by GOTS (Global Organic Textiles Standard) and GOLS (Global Organic Latex Standard) so you know the entire manufacturing process follows strict guidelines. It's on the firmer side, but you can add a plush pillowtop (starting from $300), which the brand suggests for side sleepers. Plus, it has a full-year trial period, which is longer than most.
What it's made of: Unlike the other mattresses in this article, this one uses latex instead memory foam that is firmer and has more bounce. Below the latex is a layer of ergonomically-designed coils to support proper alignment. It also uses cotton and wool near the outer layers for comfort and temperature regulation.
Tester notes: Users love sleeping on this mattress, and some even told us that it helps keep their body weight evenly distributed. One described her experience by saying, "I like that it is supportive and I don't wait up in pain as I have with other mattresses." Several noted that it has held up well over the years without any "dips" or indents.
• Height: 12" or 14" • Firmness levels: Medium • Sizes: Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, California King • Trial period: 100 days
To make sure you're getting your best mattress, Helix has you take a quiz based on your body type, sleep position, and personal preferences then gives you recommendations based on the results. The Midnight is its most popular mattress and has a medium firmness level for side sleepers, but there are lots of other options, including one for plus-size.
What it's made of: This hybrid model has a layer of pressure-relieving memory foam over a transitional layer of polyfoam for ernomotic support. The foam sits on top of individually wrapped coils that give more support, with dense foam on the bottom for durability.
Tester notes: The brand has received great scores on various models from users on our tester panel, who say the mattresses are both comfortable and supportive. They also liked being able to take the quiz with their sleeping partners so they could find a mattress that works for both of them.
• Height: 10" • Firmness levels: Soft and Firm • Sizes: Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, California King • Trial period: 120 days
If you're not sure whether you'll want a soft or firm feel, this all-foam bed-in-a-box gives you both: You can flip it as needed to one side that's more plush or to the other, which feels more supportive.
What it's made of: One side has soft foam while the other has firm foam, and in the middle are layers of support foam for durability. Besides the two-sided feature, it's infused with copper particles to help prevent overheating that's typically associated with memory foam.
Tester notes: Reviewers on our panel like how nicely it conforms to their bodies and said it's ideal for side sleepers. They also gave it high scores for support. The downside is that there were mixed reviews from our panel about whether the cooling effect is noticeable.
Mattress shopping is tricky enough, but it's even more complicated if you're factoring in back pain. Here's what you should consider as you pick out your new bed, according to interviews with medical experts and Good Housekeeping Institute shopping pros:
Side sleeping is recommended if you have back pain. Dr. Singh even recommends side sleeping with a pillow between your knees, which will help take pressure off the lumbar spine.
That being said, the most important thing to do for back pain while sleeping is to keep your spine in neutral alignment. If you have lower back pain, sleeping on your back can “help alleviate pressure through the lower lumbar discs,” says Dr. Baxi. He also warns, “sleeping on your stomach is generally not ideal due to the poor spine alignment when turning your head to one side.”
It depends. Chances are your pain is caused by an underlying issue outside of your mattress, yet buying the right mattress can certainly be one factor in getting rid of your back pain. Dr. Baxi says, “back pain can be complicated and have many other contributing issues,” but added: "For someone with chronic lower back pain, mattress characteristics can contribute to reduced pain throughout the day." In fact, he said some studies have shown that the right mattress can improve pain, stiffness and sleep quality up to 50-60%.
That being said, it's a good idea to consider what else can be causing your pain. “It’s mostly related to what we do during the day that dictates the impact on our spine,” says Dr. Singh. He adds that one example is sitting at a desk all day, which puts pressure on the back and can cause lower back and neck pain.
Besides factoring in materials, sleep position and the trial period, it's important to consider other aspects unrelated to back pain. Here's what to keep in mind as you shop:
Lexie Sachs is the Executive Director of the Textiles, Paper & Apparel Lab at the Good Housekeeping Institute. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in Fiber Science from Cornell University and more than 15 years experience in the textiles industry, including merchandising and product development for home products. Lexie joined Good Housekeeping in 2013 and has extensively tested all types of bedding —including mattresses, sheets, pillows, comforters and more — using specialized lab equipment and with hundreds of consumer testers.