The Best Online Mattresses for Back Pain Relief
If you suffer from chronic back pain, it is absolutely imperative that you sleep on a bed that alleviates this pain. Not only can pain be detrimental to your life, but it is usually an indicator of a problem — and a mattress that does nothing to help reduce it may also be contributing to your problem.
We've gathered here the mattresses we recommend to best help with such a problem, so you can sleep more soundly and without waking, clutching at your back.
Brooklyn Bedding Spartan Luxe
- Side sleepers
- Back sleepers
- Stomach sleepers
- Trial Period
120 Days
- Warranty Period
10 Years
- Return Fee
Free
- Shipping Fee
Free
The Brooklyn Bedding Spartan Luxe is a low-cost luxury mattress that incorporates several technologies for pain relief and muscle recovery. It has a layer made of patented CopperFlex foam that provides responsive contouring with targeted pressure point relief, along with the conductive and antimicrobial properties of copper, turning this mattress into a heat wicking and germ repellent wonder.
This hybrid mattress has a layer of elastic Titanflex foam under its top cover, providing a balance of contouring with immediate response. The mattress is responsive with a relatively average cushioning depth, though that changes with its version, as it's available in several levels of firmness and can thus fit every sleeper.
The top is also quite unique in the way it reflects back infrared rays to your body via its copper fibers, doing so in such a way that it promotes active recovery of sore and tired muscles. This helps enhance faster recovery and promotes better quality of sleep.
The mattress also boasts a sturdy layer of pocketed coils that minimize motion transfer, which is great for anyone sleeping next to a restless partner. The firmer versions are also easy to move about on, which is a great boon for anyone using the mattress for more than just sleep.
All told, the Spartan Luxe is a fantastic example of a mattress that delivers on most front while managing to stay relatively affordable. The only true downside of the mattress is its mediocre edge support, but that won't be an issue unless you're much heavier than the average sleeper.
The Brooklyn Bedding Spartan Luxe comes in three firmness levels that range from Soft to Firm.
Size Options
Saatva Classic
- Side sleepers
- Back sleepers
- Stomach sleepers
- Trial Period
365 Days
- Warranty Period
Lifetime
- Return Fee
$99
- Shipping Fee
Free
Saatva mattresses are known to be luxurious and hypoallergenic, and the Classic is a prime example. It's Springy and bouncy enough to be a good fit for a sexually active couple, yet soft and supportive enough the relieve pain for those who need that.
The Saatva Classic is an innerspring mattress with a very soft upper portion. Usually, I'd recommend a mattress with latex or memory foam as its upper support layers, but the Saatva Classic manages to have a great deal of pain relief even without such materials.
And, speaking of materials, the Classic is built to be hypoallergenic, and is great for those of you with pulmonary issues, such as asthma.
The mattress also features enhanced back support via a trademarked Spinal Wire as well as a special layer of high-density foam strategically placed in the middle of the mattress, to allow for better spinal alignment while on one's side.
Lastly, the Saatva Classic employs both a base coil unit and a layer of pocketed coils, the latter of which is stronger and firmer at the center third of the mattress to allow for better body contouring.
The tempered steel of the coils is durable and prevents sagging, which, when gone unnoticed, can cause back pain by itself. The coil layers — as well as the fabrics of the mattress — are also very breathable, which has the extra benefit of keeping you cool throughout the night.
The Saatva Classic comes in three firmness levels that range from Soft to Firm.
Size Options
Helix Plus
- Side sleepers
- Back sleepers
- Stomach sleepers
- Trial Period
100 Days
- Warranty Period
15 Years
- Return Fee
$100
- Shipping Fee
Free
The Helix Plus is a great mattress for heavy people who suffer from back pain. To start, this hybrid mattress is built from the ground up to comfortably support larger sleepers, and is one of the best mattresses for heavyweight sleepers, meaning that its cooling, edge support, durability, ease of repositioning, and, most importantly, pressure relief, are all top notch.
The Plus has fantastic back support through its combination of 3 separate support layers with its layer of individually pocketed coils. It's medium-firm memory foam provides optimal contouring while staying soft enough for side sleepers, although some of you may find it a bit too soft for your liking — particularly those of you who weigh more than 300 pounds.
For anyone else, though, this mattress scores very high on pressure relief, and it make allows for two people to sleep next to each other without any of them noticing any movement in the mattress form the other. The mattress is very suitable for lightweight sleepers as well, and will be comfortable for them even while they sleep on their stomach.
Since it's made from very durable materials, it's also resistant to sagging and will last a long time without getting deformed, something that can be missed and only felt through worsening of your back pain in the mornings.
Due to the softness of the Plus, it mainly suits back and side sleepers, since most strict stomach sleepers will find it too plush and to have too much sinkage to allow them to sleep comfortably on it. If you're looking for a mattress that suits heavyweight stomach sleepers, I'd suggest you try out the Saatva HD instead.
The Helix Plus only comes in a Medium-Firm firmness level, which will mostly suit back and side heavyweight sleepers.
Size Options
The WinkBed
- Side sleepers
- Back sleepers
- Stomach sleepers
- Trial Period
120 Days
- Warranty Period
Lifetime
- Return Fee
Free
- Shipping Fee
Free
The WinkBed is the only mattress on this list that comes with a lifetime warranty, but that's far from its only strength. It is one of the most highly acclaimed mattresses in the industry, is well known for its fantastic pressure relief, and is recommended by many for sleepers who suffer from shoulder pain, hip pain, and especially back pain.
Like most mattresses on this list, the WinkBed comes in several levels of firmness, and can therefore fit most sleepers. It even has a Plus version for heavyweight people, which is great for plus-sized sleepers who prefer to sleep on their backs or stomachs — even ones with back pain.
The mattress features a pressure-relieving quilted Euro top with great pain-relieving capabilities, along with a layer of individually encased steel coils with a reinforced perimeter and multiple support zones of varying firmness. This provides targeted back support, letting your curves sink in enough while supporting your spine to keep you back aligned throughout the night. This, of course, changes with sleeping positions and weight, so make sure to pick the version that suits your body and preferred sleeping style.
The supporting layers of the WinkBed are made of gel-infused foam, which, along with providing enhanced contouring, also keeps you cool throughout the night, enables you to sleep comfortably without tossing and turning — something which can further exacerbate your back pain.
Lastly, and for some most importantly, the WinkBed is made of eco-friendly, American-sourced materials and is, unsurprisingly, built to last a lifetime, and so doesn't tend to sag. It's also quite cheap, even more than most of the mattresses on this list, which is always nice. Having a bad back is enough without it also costing you a fortune.
The WinkBed comes in three firmness levels that range from Soft to Firm, and has a fourth Plus version that's extra firm and more suited for heavyweight people.
Size Options
Layla Memory Foam
- Side sleepers
- Back sleepers
- Stomach sleepers
- Trial Period
120 Days
- Warranty Period
Lifetime
- Return Fee
Free
- Shipping Fee
Free
The Layla Memory Foam mattress is the sole foam-only mattress on this list, and also the only mattress on here that's designed to be flippable. It has two distinct sides with different levels of firmness, which allows you to change this up if it feels like your back needs a change and you want to switch sleeping positions for the night.
Memory foam is fantastic for pressure point relief, and since it can be flipped to prevent hammocking, and the Layla Memory Foam is no different. It contours to your body well and is great at keeping your spine aligned, especially if you're not overly heavy.
The mattress is not very bouncy, and doesn't allow you to easily change positions on its soft side. It is, though, very good at hampering motion transfer, and your partner can sleep right next to you and toss and turn without you even noticing.
The Layla Memory Foam is also made of memory foams infused with both gel and copper, and so, unlike most all-foam mattresses, doesn't sleep hot. Even while sleeping on its more cradling soft side, most sleepers will still enjoy enough heat dissipation to sleep cool.
Ultimately, though, my opinion is that the most notable thing about the Layla Memory Foam is its very low price. For what you get and the quality of the produce, this mattress is surprisingly cheap. The company also offers generous discounts on the mattress on most days of the year, so if you're looking for a great and highly affordable option, this is it.
The Layla Memory Foam is a dual-sided (flippable) mattress, with one side being Medium-Soft and the other being Firm.
Size Options
| Brooklyn Bedding Spartan Luxe | Saatva Classic | Helix Plus | The WinkBed | Layla Memory Foam | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep positions | |||||
| Upgradable | |||||
| Firmness | |||||
| Soft firmness | |||||
| Medium firmness | |||||
| Firm firmness | |||||
| Medium soft firmness | |||||
| Medium firm firmness | |||||
| Returns policy | |||||
| Free return shipping | |||||
| Returns fee | 0 | 99 | 100 | 0 | 0 |
| Sleep positions | |||||
| Back sleepers | |||||
| Front sleepers | |||||
| Side sleepers | |||||
| Trial & warranty | |||||
| Trial period | 120 | 365 | 100 | 120 | 120 |
| Lifetime warranty | |||||
| Warranty period | 10 | 15 | |||
Rating the Best Mattresses for Back Pain Relief
A mattress' capability for back support is highly dependent on your sleeping preference, as well as on your weight. For a mattress to be good at alleviating back pain, it needs to first match your sleeping style and body type.
For instance, if you sleep on your back, and especially if you sleep on your stomach, you'll need a firm mattress that you won't sink too deeply into, especially if you're heavy. Otherwise, your chest — as your main center of mass for most men — or your hips — as the main center of mass for most women — will sink in deeper than the rest of your body, which will cause your spine to stay misaligned for hours while you sleep. Think about how much you spend sleeping over the course of weeks or even months and you'll start to get a good picture of why this, in itself, could lead to problems.
This is basically the same for side sleepers, who actually need a softer mattress for their shoulders and hips to be able to sink a bit into so their spine stays aligned, though side sleepers need more pressure relief out of their mattress as well. That is something that some mattresses simply have more of, either due to an especially plush cover, conforming materials, or a more flexible support layer, which also makes them better at relieving muscle soreness.
Do note: All mattresses on this list are made with no harmful materials, do not off-gas any harmful substances, and are compatible with an adjustable base in case you want to add one to your purchase to further help alleviate your back pain.
Conclusion
You can try any of these mattresses with no issue, since all of them have a free trial period. But, no matter which mattress you decide to try out, pick the firmness level that suits your preferred sleeping positions and weight. Back and stomach sleepers require firmer bed than side sleepers, and the heavier you are, the firmer you'll need the mattress to be — with the Helix Plus and the WinkBed Plus compatible for especially heavy weights.
It is also imperative that you get a supportive pillow to maintain a neutral spine position (memory foam pillows tend to be better at this than cotton or feather, at least for most), and that you replace your mattress if it starts to sag. All the companies above have generous return policies, so this shouldn't be an issue either.
How can I try out these mattresses?
There's a button at the bottom of each mattress appraisal that will redirect you to the mattress company's website, where you can purchase it at a discount. Each of these companies let you try out the mattress for a few months and either keep it or return it for a full refund (though some of them charge a small fee for retrieval). In this way, you can try out any of these mattresses, see if it's to your liking, and return it if it's not.
What are the warranties on these mattresses?
Most of these companies offer at least a 10-year warranty that covers any damage done to the mattress not by misuse or negligence, though some offer a lifetime warranty. You can read the review of the mattress by clicking it's company's logo for more details.
Do these mattresses come in a box?
Most online mattresses do, and thus require a day to decompress and off-gas, preferably in a well-ventilated space. Saatva mattresses, however, come as they are, and shipped by professionals directly to your bedroom, and therefore don't need to decompress or off-gas.
Do these mattresses come with a foundation?
No, unless you order one along with them. Most of these mattresses are compatible with standard bed bases, and you can always purchase a foundation from the company website. Check my mattress reviews and their company websites for more details on compatible bases and your options.
Where can these mattresses be shipped to?
These companies currently only ship to the contiguous United States, not including Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, etc. They do, however, usually ship to Alaska and Hawaii for an additional fee.
Can they remove my existing mattress when the new one is delivered?
Some companies, like Saatva, do so at no additional cost, though most don't offer this service. Check a mattress' review or its company site for more information in this regard.