The Best Mattresses for Back Sleepers

Only about 10% of people sleep on their backs, side sleepers are the most common, but it turns out there can be many benefits to sleeping face up. Some of these benefits include: alleviating heartburn and acid reflux, less stress on internal organs, reducing neck pain by keeping it aligned with the rest of the spine, and also relieving your aching shoulders by keeping your spine in good alignment while you sleep.

As with all sleeping positions, there can be downfalls, and snoring while sleeping on your back can be an issue, particularly if you sleep next to a partner. Back sleepers can also run into problems with back and neck pain if their spine is out of alignment. The good news is that the right mattress and a flatter pillow can help with this!

However, if you do not have the right type of mattress, one that is too firm or too soft, sleeping on your back can turn out to be a real pain in the neck (and hips and back). So what is the right mattress for all you back sleepers out there?

Spinal Alignment

You might not reflect much on the sleeping position you sleep in, but if you wake up every day with chronic back pain, it is time to do some thinking and adjust accordingly. With a back sleeper, spinal alignment is the most important factor in reducing back pain. Ensuring that your spine stays in perfect alignment is the key to sleeping soundly on your back, and, most importantly, waking up pain-free. When sleeping on your back, you want to make sure that your spine stays straight and flush with the mattress; any curvature in your sacral spine (lower back) and you could wake up with low back pain in addition to hip pain. If you have curvature in your cervical spine (neck) because of a pillow that is too fluffy, you can wake up with shoulder/upper back and neck pain, which may also lead to a headache.
Because spinal alignment is of utmost importance, as a back sleeper, you need to be on a firmer surface. If your mattress has too much give and is too soft, you run the risk of your hips dipping down, causing a curve in your lower back, and leading to low back and hip pain. On a mattress with the ideal firmness, your spine can stay nice and straight, you can sleep comfortably at night, and stay pain-free during the day.

Mattress Types

There are many types of mattresses, made with different materials, available today. Any of these types could work for a back sleeper as it is really the firmness of the mattress that is important for your spinal health. However, some mattress types may fit you, your budget, or your lifestyle better.

For example, innerspring mattresses have that classic bouncy feel, but some back sleepers may struggle with an innerspring mattress if they sleep next to a partner as the motion isolation typically is not great with an innerspring mattress. Another thing back sleepers should watch out for with innerspring mattresses is that, if poorly made, they could sag over time, causing aching hips due to poor spinal alignment. If they are of good quality, innerspring mattresses can be a great option for back sleepers because they can be very firm and offer the support you need.

If you are someone who prefers a classic, bouncy feeling from your mattress, you may benefit from a hybrid mattress. Hybrid mattresses combine coils for a responsive bounce with foam for comfort and support; as always, you need that spine to be nice and supported, so the coils in a hybrid mattress come into play here.

Memory foam mattresses are also a wonderful option for back sleepers, but with a caveat. Make sure you purchase a foam mattress that is firm enough, as too much “sinking in” will cause your spine to be curved into a shape sure to produce constant lower back pain. There are differing firmness levels available with foam mattresses, so take your time shopping around and finding the perfect firmness level; your back will thank you.

If you want a foam mattress, but struggle to stay cool at night, a latex mattress may be right for you. These are similar in feel to a foam mattress, but with a bit more bounce, and help with keeping cool while you sleep. Again, make sure you purchase a firmer mattress if you go the latex route. Another bonus with latex mattresses is that they are extremely eco-friendly.

Firmness Level

Arguably more important than the type of mattress you get, the firmness level is what is crucial for the back sleeper to sleep well without pain. Most mattress companies will state mattress firmness on a scale, 1 being the softest, 10 being the firmest. Back sleepers do best with medium to medium-firm; as a reminder, with a mattress too soft, a back sleeper can wreak havoc on their spine, throwing it out of alignment, and causing back and joint pain.

How you determine if you need a medium or medium-firm mattress can depend on a few factors, but a key factor is body weight. If you are a lighter weight sleeper, you may prefer something slightly softer, whereas a heavier weight sleeper may prefer something firmer for more support. Getting the perfect firmness level is important to ensure that you, a back sleeper, have a supported spine with hips not sinking into the mattress, and keeping your spine nice and straight.

Pillows

Fortunately for back sleepers, almost all pillows will work; it is just up to you to find what is most comfortable for you. Some back sleepers may prefer a pillow with a curved surface, like a memory foam pillow, to help support the neck. Some back sleepers may also feel more comfortable with a pillow under their knees to support their hips and keep their spine in proper alignment. Whichever pillow feels most comfortable to you, make sure that it is a bit on the flatter side; something too large and fluffy could lead to neck strain, which could lead to upper back, shoulder, and neck pain. This type of back pain could lead to headaches. So while a firm, supportive mattress is extremely important for a back sleeper, a comfortably thin pillow is also important as it helps support the cervical spine, and keep your back in nice, straight alignment.