Can the right mattress relieve your back and joint pain? Here’s what the experts say
Good sleep is essential for pain management and recovery, and your mattress plays a major role in that. As a professional mattress tester who lives with lower back pain (and now a sore knee from a recent ice hockey incident), I know firsthand how important it is to choose a mattress that provides a balance of support and relief.
But is buying the best mattress on the market the cure-all for your aches and pains? My philosophy is it’s not about finding the highest-rated mattress, but the right mattress for your body and sleep. And the medical experts agree.
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Key takeaways
- The right mattress supports your body type and sleep needs to help you enjoy better, more restorative, high quality sleep — a must for pain management.
- But a mattress that isn’t right for you can exacerbate pain, particularly if an old, sagging mattress is placing extra pressure on your spine.
- If your pain is worse in the mornings and eases during the day, or you sleep better on almost any other bed, your mattress is likely the problem.
- Finding the right mattress for pain relief means listening to what your body wants and carefully considering your support and comfort needs.
- A sleep trial is essential, so you can test the mattress in real-life circumstances and see what works.
- If you don’t know what’s causing your pain or it’s impacting your wellbeing, speak to a doctor.
Meet the experts
Dr. Helen Wall is a senior GP partner at The Oaks Family Practice in Bolton, UK, and a resident GP on BBC Breakfast. A healthcare expert with extensive frontline NHS experience, she regularly shares insights on everyday health issues seen in primary care.
Dr. Jimmy Pang is a doctor of physical therapy based in San Diego. With advanced training, his practice is built around complex dizziness, vertigo, and headache disorders in addition to common orthopedic issues such as low back and neck pain. His treatment approach is largely shaped by his own lived experience with chronic pain, especially headaches.
Can the right mattress help manage pain?
Sleep is when your body undergoes recovery — deep sleep in particular is important for repair and growth. The right mattress can help you maximize the rest phase.
“If [you] don’t find the mattress comfortable, then sleep quality decreases, and that can have a substantial impact on [your] pain,” notes Dr. Jimmy Pang of Pang Physical Therapy in San Diego.
Dr. Helen Wall, senior GP partner at The Oaks Family Practice in Bolton, UK, adds that your mattress has a direct impact on your body comfort. “A good mattress should keep the spine in a neutral position whilst also supporting the natural curves of the body,” she says.
Proper spinal alignment helps alleviate existing pain while preventing new aches, which is why choosing the right firmness level for your sleep style and body type is important.
If a mattress is too soft, your hips will sink and alter your spine’s natural curve. And if it’s too firm, it’ll push up against pressure points in your shoulders and hips.
As a general rule, side sleepers prefer a plusher surface to cushion their joints, while back sleepers fare better with a firmer tension for added support.
That said, Dr. Pang emphasizes personal comfort. “Pick a mattress that you find comfortable and can sleep well in, versus focusing [exclusively] on sleeping posture,” he says.
While research suggests that a medium-firm mattress is best for pain relief, keep in mind that firmness is subjective and not standardized across brands. I’ve tested some medium-firm beds that are like a rock, and others that feel like marshmallows.
How to tell if your mattress is causing you pain
If the right mattress can help manage pain, the wrong mattress can have the opposite effect — think aching shoulders, creaky knees and sore backs.
The most obvious sign that a mattress is contributing to your aches and pains is pronounced sagging.
“As [mattress] materials break down, they lose that ability to properly support your body,” says Dr. Wall. (Regularly rotating your mattress can help extend its lifespan.)
Another sign that your mattress is causing or exacerbating pain is that you tend to feel more refreshed and less achy after sleeping in a hotel or a spare bedroom.
“If you’re able to hop in a different bed for the night and you have a better night’s sleep, that’s an indication that it’s [your] mattress,” says Dr. Wall.
But Dr. Wall notes that blaming your discomfort on your mattress can be “tricky.”
“Back pain can have a whole range of causes,” she explains. However, if you’re waking up with pain and stiffness every morning that eases as the day goes on, your mattress is likely the culprit.
If your pain persists after switching mattresses or making other small adjustments — such as modifying your exercise routine or walking around more during the day — see your doctor for a proper diagnosis.
How to pick a mattress for pain relief
If back or joint pain is keeping you up at night, these are the key features to pay close attention to when shopping for a new mattress, based on my mattress testing experience. Here’s what to look for when choosing the best mattress for back pain for you…
- 1. Support
- 2. Pressure relief
- 3. Cooling
- 4. A sleep trial
Support
Support refers to how well a mattress keeps your spine stable and aligned. It’s not to be confused with firmness — which is how hard or soft a mattress feels — although the two elements are closely linked.
Without sufficient support, your spine can fall out of alignment overnight, which may worsen existing pain or create new issues.
Spring-based mattresses tend to be more responsive than all-foam beds, making it easier to move around in bed. Meanwhile, smart beds with air chambers let you adjust the firmness and support. The right choice will come down to personal preference.
Most mattresses offer some degree of lumbar support, but zoned designs are becoming more common. These contain stronger coils or firmer foam in the middle third of the mattress to fill the gap between your lower back and the sleep surface, promoting alignment and relieving pressure.
I’ve tried beds with targeted lumbar support and in my opinion, it can be the difference between a good night’s sleep and an excellent one.
Pressure relief
When you lie on a mattress, certain areas of your body make more contact with the surface than others. These are known as pressure points. Without adequate cushioning, pressure can build up in these areas and cause pain.
Memory foam is the most common comfort layer material. It gently molds to your body’s shape, reducing pressure buildup. Polyfoam serves a similar purpose in budget mattresses, but it tends to be less contouring.
Natural latex, found in organic mattresses, provides a subtle cradling effect for a near-weightless feel compared to the deep sink of memory foam. Some premium hybrid mattresses use microcoils as a comfort layer; these tiny springs respond to the slightest movements to provide targeted relief.
For those with joint pain, pressure relief is important to ensure you don’t feel like your entire body weight is resting on the shoulder, hip and knee joints.
Cooling
Your sleep quality will also drop as a result of overheating— your body naturally cools during quality sleep — compounding the problem even further. Research shows a link between disrupted sleep and a decrease in pain tolerance.
A cooling mattress that incorporates heat-dissipating materials may help reduce the nighttime restlessness that heightens pain. These often include cool-to-the-touch covers, heat-wicking gel or copper-infused foams, and naturally breathable fibers.
Some smart beds go a step further with active climate controls, allowing you to set a precise surface temperature. This could also help ease inflammation, as the affected area makes contact with a cooler surface.
Sleep trial
Whenever you switch to a new mattress — especially if you’ve been sleeping on your current one for a long time — your body needs time to adapt to it. The typical adjustment period is around 30 days, but if you’re dealing with pain, that could take even longer.
If the mattress isn’t the right fit, you can send it back for a refund within the trial period. Returns are usually free, although some brands deduct a processing fee. Most trials also require you to keep the mattress for 30 days before you’re allowed to initiate a return.
When you’re shopping for a mattress for back pain, a trial period is a must. There are some beds I’ve tested that have felt all wrong at first but, following the break-in period, have offered the support I need.
Buying a mattress on closeout is risky, as it’s usually a final sale with no returns allowed — so unless you’ve slept on that exact model before, it’s best to shop around.
Other ways to adapt your sleep space for pain relief
Dr. Helen Wall, resident GP on BBC Breakfast, notes that the mattress is only part of the equation. “It’s not just about the mattress. It’s [also] about the pillow you’re using [and] keeping your neck aligned with the spine,” she says.
If you can’t remember the last time you replaced your pillows, our guide to the best pillows is a good place to start.
A pillow isn’t just for under your head, either. Wall recommends placing one between your knees if you’re a side sleeper, or under your knees if you sleep on your back, to help relieve pressure in the lower back. (Stomach sleeping is generally not recommended for those with back pain.)
Jimmy Pang, PT/DPT of Pang Physical Therapy, suggests modifying your sleep space to make it more accessible, especially if you have a lot of pain bending over. Simple changes like placing items on higher shelves or choosing a bed that isn’t too low off the ground can make a notable difference.
If you’re certain your mattress is causing your pain, but you can’t afford to purchase a new one, try adding a mattress topper. Doing this can make your bed softer, firmer, or cooler — all at a fraction of the cost of a new mattress.
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