Nearly a decade ago, I started waking up with back pain. Some days were just aches, others I woke up to throwing out my back. I found out I have two permanent conditions in my spine: scoliosis, a sideways curvature in my spine that developed in my mid-twenties (usually teens develop it, but I’m just special), and spondylosis in my lower back, which is abnormal wear and tear on the cartilage in the spine. Both caused serious pain overnight and in the morning, but it turned out my flimsy, unsupportive mattress was the secondary culprit. It didn’t offer the support I needed and resulted in flare-ups of pain.
I’ve tried everything: mattress pads, knee pillows, and mattresses that ranged from super soft foam to firm planks. Some of these things worked, some didn’t. I, or another WIRED reviewer, slept on the mattresses below for at least seven nights each, and monitored how they affected our back pain during the night and following morning. My husband also gave me his feedback, even though he isn’t plagued with chronic back problems.
After all these nights of sleeping on the job, I’ve found which mattresses left my back aches and pressure pains in the past. Below are our favorites to sleep on if you have back pain, plus advice for how to navigate back pain and sleep overall. While you’re here, don’t miss our related buying guides, including the Best Mattresses, Best Pillows, and Best Sheets, for an all-around best sleeping experience. All of the prices shown below are for queen-size models.
Updated October 2024: We’ve added the Helix Twilight Luxe and Sealy Posturepedic Plus to this guide.
Power up with unlimited access to WIRED. Get best-in-class reporting that’s too important to ignore for just $2.50 $1 per month for 1 year. Includes unlimited digital access and exclusive subscriber-only content. Subscribe Today.
