In a ranking of adult experiences that are plain old miserable, dealing with back pain is up at the top, right alongside sitting in traffic and getting a root canal. And your sleep situation is a major culprit behind this discomfort for many folks. We spend a third of our lives in snooze mode, and a subpar bed can .
One solution? Shopping for the best mattress for back pain, which will be firm enough to support your body’s main pressure points. “Oftentimes, soft mattresses provide less support for the back [than firm mattresses] and require the muscles of the back to do more work, which may lead to uncomfortable positions,” , a board-certified orthopedic spine surgeon at DISC Sports & Spine Center, tells SELF. “This can lead to inflammation and pain.
” Even when you know to prioritize firmness while shopping for a mattress to ease your achy back, finding the most comfortable one in a sea of options can still be a pain (pun intended). To save you time and effort in finding the best back-pain-busting model for you, we put a few of the most popular models available through their paces. We have —and we’re ready to spill.
Top picks for the best mattresses for back pain In this article Best Overall: Saatva Multiple firmness options Airy inner-spring construction helps regulate temperature Good lumbar support, according to our testers Lifetime warranty It’s on the pricey side ($2,095 for a queen) Your partner’s movements may wake you up The Saatva Classic takes the .