The jury is still out on whether afirm or soft mattressis the best option for people whoseback painkeeps them up at night. That said, most health experts in the know say the choice is yours—that the mattress that makes you feel most comfortable is likely your best option.
STUDIO BOX / Getty Images
And what does research say so far? That medium firmness seems to yield the most painless sleep.
A 2015 review gathered information from 24 controlled trials where participants used mattresses that were soft, medium firm, firm, or custom inflated. The results found that the medium-firm and self-adjusted mattresses were found to be best for sleep comfort, quality, and spinal alignment.
Your Medical Status
Selecting the mattress that’s best suited to your spinal condition is about more than just how hard or soft the item is, Perry says. You (and your healthcare provider) need to consider your medical history in some detail so that you can tailor your purchase to your needs.
Before purchasing a mattress, Perry recommends asking yourself the following questions: What medical conditions do you have? What is your current diagnosis or diagnoses? What, if anything, have you been treated for previously?
It makes a difference. For example, symptoms ofspinal stenosistend to present themselves when you are standing and walking, but not when you are lying down. For this reason, the question of mattress firmness is not a big issue in people with spinal stenosis only. If this is you, choose a mattress that makes you feel comfortable.
But if you have degeneration along with your stenosis, that’s a different matter, Perry says. In this case, or if you havespinal arthritiswithout stenosis,disc problemsor non-specific back pain, you do need to consider the relative firmness or softness of your mattress. “People with these conditions do better with more support, i.e. a firmer mattress,” Perry says.
Perry also says that while everyone needssomesupport when they sleep, people who have undergonemultiple back surgeriesoften need less, relatively speaking. After several surgeries, the tissues have been altered and may be stiffer, he says. In this case, a softer mattress may be more comfortable.
How Old Is Your Mattress?
Dr. Perry warns that mattress springs break down over time, which makes your bed softer. “This can aggravate a patient’s back,” he says.
Based on this, does it makes sense for you to get a new mattress, or can you reduce pain and stiffness with your old one? While this is likely to vary among individuals, medical research may help shed some light on the question:
A study inApplied Ergonomicsmeasured the comfort and quality of sleep for 27 patients with low back pain and stiffness. The participants recorded their sleep comfort and quality in their own beds for 21 days and then with a “prescribed” (and new) bedding system, which they used for 12 weeks. The study found that the participants showed progressive improvement in back pain and stiffness on the new mattresses and their quality of sleep improved significantly.
Your Sleeping Position
What position do you usually sleep in? This makes a difference in the type of support you need from your bed. Dr. Perry has some recommendations for back sleepers, side sleepers (whom he calls fetal position sleepers), and stomach sleepers:
Researchers divided the participants up according to their usual sleep position. Participants were assigned to a medium-firm mattress with a combination of foam and latex layering that was based on their preferred positioning choice—choices that correspond to Perry’s descriptions as noted above. The participants were rated for sleep comfort and quality every day for three months.
Is There Fiberglass in My Mattress, and What Should I Do?
Individual People Deserve Individual Mattress Choices
Different people need different things but in general, support is better, Dr. Perry concludes. If you have back pain, the best way to go aboutbuying a mattressis to do your research and base your final selection on your particular need for both support and comfort.
The Best Inversion Tables for Spinal Decompression
2 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Radwan A, Fess P, James D et al.Effect of different mattress designs on promoting sleep quality, pain reduction, and spinal alignment in adults with or without back pain; systematic review of controlled trials.Sleep Health. 2015;1(4):257-267. doi:10.1016/j.sleh.2015.08.001Jacobson B, Boolani A, Dunklee G, Shepardson A, Acharya H.Effect of prescribed sleep surfaces on back pain and sleep quality in patients diagnosed with low back and shoulder pain.Appl Ergon. 2010;42(1):91-97. doi:10.1016/j.apergo.2010.05.004
2 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Radwan A, Fess P, James D et al.Effect of different mattress designs on promoting sleep quality, pain reduction, and spinal alignment in adults with or without back pain; systematic review of controlled trials.Sleep Health. 2015;1(4):257-267. doi:10.1016/j.sleh.2015.08.001Jacobson B, Boolani A, Dunklee G, Shepardson A, Acharya H.Effect of prescribed sleep surfaces on back pain and sleep quality in patients diagnosed with low back and shoulder pain.Appl Ergon. 2010;42(1):91-97. doi:10.1016/j.apergo.2010.05.004
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Radwan A, Fess P, James D et al.Effect of different mattress designs on promoting sleep quality, pain reduction, and spinal alignment in adults with or without back pain; systematic review of controlled trials.Sleep Health. 2015;1(4):257-267. doi:10.1016/j.sleh.2015.08.001Jacobson B, Boolani A, Dunklee G, Shepardson A, Acharya H.Effect of prescribed sleep surfaces on back pain and sleep quality in patients diagnosed with low back and shoulder pain.Appl Ergon. 2010;42(1):91-97. doi:10.1016/j.apergo.2010.05.004
Radwan A, Fess P, James D et al.Effect of different mattress designs on promoting sleep quality, pain reduction, and spinal alignment in adults with or without back pain; systematic review of controlled trials.Sleep Health. 2015;1(4):257-267. doi:10.1016/j.sleh.2015.08.001
Jacobson B, Boolani A, Dunklee G, Shepardson A, Acharya H.Effect of prescribed sleep surfaces on back pain and sleep quality in patients diagnosed with low back and shoulder pain.Appl Ergon. 2010;42(1):91-97. doi:10.1016/j.apergo.2010.05.004
Meet Our Medical Expert Board
Share Feedback
Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
Was this page helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
What is your feedback?
