Waking up to a bad back is all too common. It’s even more frustrating if you just bought a new and more expensive mattress and still find yourself waking up to a sore back and tired body. It’s because you are not making the proper choice. You don’t need to buy the most expensive mattress in the market, you just have to buy the most appropriate one.
Don’t settle for a mattress that hurts your back, that is a recipe for a disaster. Not to mention, a trip to the doctor soon.
Here’s how we chose mattresses that can end your back pain
- Medium firm feel vs firm feel
The debate is still ongoing as to which of the two above can be better for your back. Firmer mattresses may provide a more leveled and even experience, it can prevent your body from sinking in.
However, according to expert tests, and our experience, a medium firm feels can be the best comfort for those who are experiencing back pain. This type of firmness level allows your body to have the subtle cavin in. This slight give can help prevent pressure points and sore muscles and joints. A majority of our choices have a medium-firm feel. This type of comfort provides a perfect balance between comfort and support. When your entire body is comfortable, it can prevent a bad back.
But we do have a firmer mattress on our list. This particular choice is meant to support the needs of heavier people or those who need serious spinal alignment.
- Combination of other material
As you can notice, a lot of our choices are made of hybrid construction. We see this type of mattress can provide more personalized support and comfort for a lot of people. Hybrid mattresses have more offerings up on their sleeves since it is composed of more than one material. This combination also downplays the cons of each material.
Say memory foam can be more contouring and molding which can prevent pressure points. But without coils, you might sink deeper into the bed, which can then lead to back pain.
The combination of these materials result in better spinal alignment, you would feel supported however you move, and this can end back pain.
The cover or the top material of the mattresses also helps a lot in relieving pressure points. This is where the recovery starts, so we also paid attention to that.
- Denser materials
Another common denominator of the mattresses in this list is that they all have a denser foam as a base. This helps the mattress retain its shape, no matter how you move. A mattress that cannot retain its shape can flatten out easily. And this can lead to back pain.
Our Best Mattresses for Back Comfort – Lab Tested & Recommended
Emma Hybrid Comfort
The Original Emma mattress is a budget-friendly and comfortable option if you have back pain. The mattress has pocketed coils, a medium firm base, and dense support foam that can lend your body, especially your entire back the needed support and cushion at the same time. But we decided to take it up a notch and make this list the ultimate nook for back comfort. So we chose the Emma Hybrid Comfort. It is a more expensive offering from the brand, but it has additional features that can make up for a blissful retreat for your back. Your lumbar will thank you later.
The Hybrid Comfort also has that medium firm feel, a perfect choice for folks wanting something soft and firm at the same time. It has this 7 Zoned Support that can help align your head, shoulders, back, hips, and legs. So helps prevent pressure points no matter how you sleep. It can adapt, hug your body, and mold itself to any body shape. In the middle, you’ll find a very dense and supportive foam base that doesn’t have any hollows. This also makes it easier to move around the bed.
The zoning also helps keep the spine ergonomically aligned, no matter how you sleep.
That makes it more of a universal choice for sleepers no matter how much they weigh and how they sleep. Even side sleepers and those who lie on their belly can find sufficient support.
Lessa Sapira Hybrid
This mattress also offers an invigorating retreat for your back no matter how you sleep. Almost anyone will find it very relieving and comfortable, even if they sleep on their side or belly. It features a medium feel of comfort that will feel rightfully soft and supportive at the same time.
It’s hybrid and made from a combination of memory foam, individually pocketed coils, and a high-density foam base. All in all, it has 6 layers of foam and materials that make the bed a rather luxe haven for almost anyone.
The pocketed coils support every movement of the body. This helps keep the back supported and ergonomically aligned no matter how much you move at night. With this type of support, you’ll be less likely to experience pressure points. So you will not wake up with a stiff neck, a sore shoulder, or a bad back.
The layers of misery foam make up for a plush surface, but at the same time, it helps contour the body, so you still get the decent caving-in experience without feeling trapped in the center of the bed.
Charles P Rogers Estate SE
This next level of comfort for your back. If you are willing to do a bit more splurging, we entice you to dive into this zen-like nook
The SE mattress from the brand is made of branded coils and latex foam. The top or cover is also made from a combination of latex and cotton. Latex is priced not just for its cooling ability and responsiveness, this material is also quite dense and can provide a stable base for your entire body, so you can feel supported through the night no matter how you move.
You will not sink into the bed. It can also conform subtly to the shape of the body, though not akin to how memory foam hugs you, but it can offer decent molding enough to relieve and prevent pressure points. This can give relief to sore muscles and joints.
What can set this apart from the other choices in this list is that each side offers a different level of firmness. One has a medium firm feel while the other side can give you a more firm and supportive base. This firmer base is perfect for heavier folks and those who want a more in-the-bed experience.
This is a perfect choice if you’re looking for durability, contouring, pressure relief, and bounce at the same time. We all know how bouncy and fun latex can be.
Tempur Sensation Luxe
If you’re looking for serious spine alignment, this is king. Tempur mattresses are popular for their significant support and beyond-the-average comfort. This particular model is highly admired and recommended if you want and need serious support for your spine and entire back.
This, however, feels firmer than the other choices we have above. It is also a heavier and deeper mattress. And oh, this is one of the more expensive mattresses that you can find in the market. But boy oh boy, the support that it lends is very pronounced and significant.
One major drawback is that it’s not easy to move around this solid baby. If you are a fussy sleeper and toss and turn at night, you might find it challenging to transit to different positions. But it is heavenly and therapeutic for those who sleep on their back, you can feel the mattress actively keeps your spine in an ergonomic position.
Bonus:
Casper Dream Max
This hybrid mattress almost feels like an orthopedic solution that can end dreadful nights of sore back. This is a new offering from the brand and can guarantee relief for both the upper and lower back. It can give extra support to those who need it the most.
It is composed of supportive and dense layers of foam and has zoning technology. This innovation helps the mattress mold better to the shape of the body. So you can keep that ergonomic position even while you are sleeping. It can give additional serious support to the waist, hips, and lower back. So this can feel dreamy for all types of sleepers, even if you move a lot during the night.
Another good news is that this is one of the affordable mattresses that can give relief not just for the back but for the neck as well. So you don’t have to splurge to find comfort in your sleep, which is what we all deserve.
Sleep Tight and no Back Pain
At the end of the day, it’s all about waking up feeling refreshed and rested. Waking up to a sore and bad back will leave you feeling tired, almost feeling like you haven’t slept at all.
So buying the right mattress for your back is a wise investment. You don’t need to splurge though. We have options both for those on a budget and those who are big spenders.