If you're experiencing body pain, your sleep surface may be to blame. Consider replacing your old mattress with a new, high-quality, supportive mattress.
Back problems are common and are often attributed to the type of mattress you own, relative to your natural sleeping positions. Durability, edge support, motion isolation and firmness level all come into consideration when you need body and back pain relief. Hip pain can be related to side sleeping on a mattress that doesn't provide enough support, as can shoulder and neck pain. Sciatica pain is also common at night among back pain sufferers, and is a direct result of how hips and joints are directed by the construction of your mattress.
If you realize that you're sleeping poorly or waking in pain, consider shopping for the best mattress for back pain. A new, supportive mattress can alleviate soreness and help you feel pain-free.
Choosing a new mattress may take a bit of trial and error, but a new bed often leads to pressure relief, and improves your overall sleep quality.
Types of mattresses
When was the last time you had a good night's sleep?
New mattresses consist of different materials to provide a range of options to suit every body, whether you're looking to treat chronic back pain, or want a new luxury firm feel that provides enough support.
Common mattresses include:
- Foam mattresses
- Latex mattresses
- Gel mattresses
- Innerspring mattresses
- Hybrid mattresses
Foam Mattress
These are softer mattresses made from polyurethane foam (polyfoam) and memory foam. They contain no spring coils, which maximizes how deeply you'll sink into the mattress. The foam is contouring and cushioning, making it a comfortable option for side sleepers regardless of body weight. Memory foam mattresses are dense and less springy than polyfoam, which offers great support, but lacks airflow and can retain body heat.
Latex Mattress
Latex (either from rubber or synthetic material) is a coilless mattress option that is dense, and ultimately offers more support than a foam mattress.
Gel Mattresses
Like foam mattresses, gel memory foam mattresses also contain no coils, but are specially designed to offer better temperature regulation for hot sleepers than traditional polyfoam. By wicking away heat produced by the body, a gel mattress can offer a great deal of support without the possibility of waking due to overheating.
Airbed Mattress
Inflatable core chambers in an airbed mattress make it easy to adjust firmness. Other materials, such as foam and latex, are used to supplement comfort. Airbed mattresses are often sought by individuals needing to customize firmness for intermittent pain, or by couples who have dramatically different desires in terms of firmness.
Innerspring Mattress
For many decades, firmer mattresses have been constructed using pocketed coils and thin top layers of foam or other padding to offer comfort. Though still among the most inexpensive types of mattresses, innerspring mattresses are less common now as technology and material options have evolved. Owners have a tendency to purchase additional mattress toppers to customize for personal comfort.
Hybrid Mattress
Innerspring structure paired with other comfort layers such as foam, latex, fiber fill, or down make hybrid constructions versatile enough to comfort pressure points and alleviate low back pain, while offering a different firmness than standard foam mattresses.
Consider a hybrid mattress for more of a medium-firm mattress. A medium mattress can offer a little something for everyone, and therefore, is among the most popular type of mattress. The Sealy Posturepedic hybrid mattress, for example, are popular hybrid mattresses offering different firmness levels.
Best mattress type for back pain
Chronic back pain is common, but a good mattress can help you achieve a better night's sleep. The type of mattress you choose really depends on how you prefer to sleep, and how much lumbar support your body needs.
How do you know if your mattress is causing your back pain?
The wrong mattress can result in back problems, sciatic pain, spinal discomfort, and cause you to toss and turn all night long. If you experience those discomforts at night and after you woke up, it might be your mattress.
Sleep position of choice is one of the biggest reasons people find it difficult to choose a mattress. Back sleepers and stomach sleepers can often struggle to rest comfortably in a natural sleeping position if the mattress is too soft or too firm. Back sleepers who also have back pain often have a mattress that doesn't provide enough support, which affects their nighttime “posture” and overall spinal alignment.
Side sleepers can suffer from lower back pain if their mattress is too firm and doesn't provide contouring to natural curves.
Additionally, if your daytime hours involve activities that result in back pain, focus on buying the right mattress that will allow your body to rest and heal while you sleep, rather than invite discomfort.
What mattress should you choose if you have back pain?
When you're selecting a mattress to help alleviate lower or upper back pain, consider which materials will offer the most support given your preferred sleeping position.
If you prefer to sleep on your back, a hybrid, gel, or memory foam may fit the bill and help with spinal alignment.
If you choose an innerspring mattress, opt for one that has adequate mattress toppers that mold to provide pressure point relief.
If you prefer to sleep on your side and have resulting back pain, focus instead on how your mattress supports your hips and lower back.
One of the best things you can do is read mattress reviews, and choose a company that offers a sleep trial period. It's difficult to know if a mattress will address your pain until you've slept on it.
Best mattress type for hip pain
If you suffer from hip pain at night, it's likely that you also identify as a side sleeper. To correct the potential discomfort in hip joints, you should choose a latex mattress or foam mattress that will be able to conform to your body without triggering any pressure points. The trick is to choose one that's not too soft, and not too hard.
Lack of coils in memory foam and latex mattresses make them an obvious go-to for someone who needs a contouring mattress while they side-sleep, but many hybrid mattress options may also offer pressure relief.
When you're shopping, do your best to avoid firm mattresses if you experience hip pain, as the presence of coils can misalign the body and put added stress on hip joints and pressure points.
Best mattress type for neck and shoulder pain
Neck and shoulder pain is a common complaint by those who sleep with a mattress that's too soft. If you feel that the mattress pushes your shoulders or affects your spine alignment, consider upgrading to a supportive mattress that offers firmer support.
Latex mattresses can offer more neck and shoulder support, as can gel and hybrid mattresses.
If your shoulders and hips hurt when you sleep, consider changing positions and sleeping on your back or stomach to take the pressure off your joints.
What to look for when trying out a mattress
When you're ready to start shopping for a new mattress, be wary of first impressions. Relying on mattress reviews alone or testing a product for a mere few minutes in the showroom isn't going to be enough to simulate a full night's sleep. Your body could easily be tricked into thinking the soft pillow top suits your needs when really, you need more structure beneath your spine.
During these times, you can also order a bed-in-a-box.
Take advantage of a sleep trial so you can make an informed decision when you need to buy a new mattress. If you're having any reservations about the mattress, you can count on the 120-night comfort guarantee at Mancini's Sleepworld.
It's important to know about best price guarantees, sleep guarantees, one-year warranty options, and return policies of any mattress that you're interested in buying. Our team will be happy to help you over chat, or in any one of our Northern California locations.