Healthy sleep is key to well-being and quality of life. But a good night of slumber can be difficult if you suffer from back, hip, or other types of orthopedic pain. So, how do you choose a mattress that will ease your pain and provide much-needed pressure relief? Despite the abundance of options, finding a great model doesn’t have to be confusing. I’ve rounded up my top picks to help you select a mattress that mitigates discomfort and promotes better slumber.
Best Orthopedic Mattress 2022
- Editor’s Pick – Saatva Modern Foam
- Best Orthopedic Hybrid Mattress – Brooklyn Bedding Aurora
- Best Orthopedic Mattress for Back Pain – DreamCloud Premier
- Best for Kids – Nectar Premier Copper
Editor’s Pick – Saatva Modern Foam
The Saatva Modern Foam mattress uses a combination of latex and gel memory foam to provide soft contouring without that "stuck in the bed" feel. The Saatva Modern Foam mattress uses a combination of latex and gel memory foam to provide soft contouring without that "stuck in the bed" feel. The Saatva Modern Foam mattress uses a combination of latex and gel memory foam to provide soft contouring without that "stuck in the bed" feel.Saatva Modern Foam
Material
Foam
Trial Period
365 Nights
Shipping Method
Free white glove delivery
Firmness
Soft: 6/10
Warranty
Lifetime warranty
Price Range
$$$$$
Saatva Modern Foam
Material
Foam
Warranty
Lifetime warranty
Firmness
Soft: 6/10
Shipping Method
Free white glove delivery
Trial Period
365 Nights
Price Range
$$$$$
Saatva Modern Foam
Material
Foam
Firmness
Soft: 6/10
Trial Period
365 Nights
Warranty
Lifetime warranty
Shipping Method
Free white glove delivery
Price Range
$$$$$
Each of the four layers in the Saatva Modern Foam accomplishes something different. The top layer of natural latex creates responsiveness. Next, the comfort layer of high-airflow foam works with a transition layer of gel-infused memory foam to keep sleepers cool. Finally, a base layer of core foam establishes support. The end result is an all-foam bed that has a little bit of everything to help prevent pain. There’s enough contouring and relief for side sleepers, and back sleepers should get the support they need to keep a healthy spinal alignment.
Pros
- Combination sleepers should love this bed since the responsiveness makes it easy to change positions.
- The responsiveness also makes the Saatva Modern Foam a good mattress for sex.
- The bed is shrouded in an organic cotton cover that’s hypoallergenic.
Cons
- Like many foam beds, this mattress is probably too soft for stomach sleepers.
- Despite being all-foam, the Saatva Modern Foam doesn’t have the slow-moving feel of memory foam. So if you’re a fan of that quicksand-like sensation, you may want to look elsewhere.
If you want to learn more about the Saatva Modern Foam, check out our full review.
Best Orthopedic Hybrid Mattress – Brooklyn Bedding Aurora
The Brooklyn Aurora is a hybrid bed-in-a-box mattress. It has a soft feel that side sleepers should like best. It also has cooling tech in nearly every layer, which means it sleeps super cool! We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types: Financing options are available for this mattress. The Brooklyn Aurora is a hybrid bed-in-a-box mattress. It has a soft feel that side sleepers should like best. It also has cooling tech in nearly every layer, which means it sleeps super cool! We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types: Financing options are available for this mattress. The Brooklyn Aurora is a hybrid bed-in-a-box mattress. It has a soft feel that side sleepers should like best. It also has cooling tech in nearly every layer, which means it sleeps super cool! We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types: Financing options are available for this mattress.Brooklyn Bedding Aurora Hybrid Mattress
Material
Hybrid
Trial Period
120 nights
Shipping Method
Free shipping
Firmness
Multiple firmness options
Warranty
10-year warranty
Price Range
$$$$$
Hot Sleepers
If you often overheat while you sleep, this mattress should help you stay cool.
Back Pain
This bed is perfect for anyone suffering from back pain.
Side Sleeping
Ideal for average weight side sleepers.Financing Options
Brooklyn Bedding Aurora Hybrid Mattress
Material
Hybrid
Warranty
10-year warranty
Firmness
Multiple firmness options
Shipping Method
Free shipping
Trial Period
120 nights
Price Range
$$$$$
Hot Sleepers
If you often overheat while you sleep, this mattress should help you stay cool.Back Pain
This bed is perfect for anyone suffering from back pain.Side Sleeping
Ideal for average weight side sleepers.Financing Options
Brooklyn Bedding Aurora Hybrid Mattress
Material
Hybrid
Firmness
Multiple firmness options
Trial Period
120 nights
Warranty
10-year warranty
Shipping Method
Free shipping
Price Range
$$$$$
Hot Sleepers
If you often overheat while you sleep, this mattress should help you stay cool.Back Pain
This bed is perfect for anyone suffering from back pain.Side Sleeping
Ideal for average weight side sleepers.Financing Options
The Brooklyn Bedding Aurora combines cushioning foams with an 8″ support layer of pocketed coils. Despite this hybrid construction, the foams make it a very soft bed that should appeal to side sleepers, especially folks who suffer from orthopedic hip and shoulder pain. They’ll sink into the layers, getting a cuddly hug from the mattress.
Pros
- Both the cover and the comfort layer are made with Phase Change Material, which is cool to the touch and helps dissipate body heat.
- The coils have plenty of room for airflow, further helping make the Aurora a cool-sleeping mattress.
- Even though this is a soft bed, it should be responsive enough for combination sleepers.
Cons
- Stomach sleepers will probably need a firmer bed, and even some back sleepers may require something with more support.
- The edge support isn’t all that impressive.
Explore this bed further in our full Brooklyn Bedding Aurora mattress review.
Best Orthopedic Mattress for Back Pain – DreamCloud Premier
The DreamCloud Premier is a hybrid, bed-in-a-box mattress that feels very luxurious and offers lots of firm support and soft pressure relief. It's a great choice for back sleepers and combination sleepers, who should appreciate its responsiveness. We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types: Financing options are available for this mattress. The DreamCloud Premier is a hybrid, bed-in-a-box mattress that feels very luxurious and offers lots of firm support and soft pressure relief. It's a great choice for back sleepers and combination sleepers, who should appreciate its responsiveness. We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types: Financing options are available for this mattress. The DreamCloud Premier is a hybrid, bed-in-a-box mattress that feels very luxurious and offers lots of firm support and soft pressure relief. It's a great choice for back sleepers and combination sleepers, who should appreciate its responsiveness. We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types: Financing options are available for this mattress.DreamCloud Premier Mattress
Material
Hybrid
Trial Period
365 nights
Shipping Method
Free shipping
Firmness
Medium-firm: 6.5/10
Warranty
Lifetime warranty
Price Range
$$$$$
Hot Sleepers
If you often overheat while you sleep, this mattress should help you stay cool.
Back Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight back sleepers.Side Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight side sleepers.Financing Options
DreamCloud Premier Mattress
Material
Hybrid
Warranty
Lifetime warranty
Firmness
Medium-firm: 6.5/10
Shipping Method
Free shipping
Trial Period
365 nights
Price Range
$$$$$
Hot Sleepers
If you often overheat while you sleep, this mattress should help you stay cool.Back Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight back sleepers.Side Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight side sleepers.Financing Options
DreamCloud Premier Mattress
Material
Hybrid
Firmness
Medium-firm: 6.5/10
Trial Period
365 nights
Warranty
Lifetime warranty
Shipping Method
Free shipping
Price Range
$$$$$
Hot Sleepers
If you often overheat while you sleep, this mattress should help you stay cool.Back Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight back sleepers.Side Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight side sleepers.Financing Options
If you struggle with orthopedic back pain, you’re going to want a mattress that helps keep your spine straight. The hybrid DreamCloud Premier accomplishes this with an extra-tall 8.5″ layer of coils at the bottom. Each coil is individually wrapped, allowing them all to move independently and conform to your body.
Pros
- While this is a firm mattress overall, there is some contouring and pressure relief from a comfort layer of memory foam and a Trueloft Eurotop layer right on top.
- The DreamCloud Premier has exceptional edge support, allowing you to comfortably spread out and sleep near the end of the bed.
- When paired with the edge support, the responsiveness of the DreamCloud Premier makes it one of the best mattresses for couples.
Cons
- Some sleepers have reported that the DreamCloud Premier sleeps a bit hot.
For more on the DreamCloud Premier, head on over to our full mattress review.
Best for Kids – Nectar Premier Copper
The cooling technology in this mattress sets it apart. A lot of memory foam mattresses trap body heat and sleep hot, while the Nectar Premier Copper works to fix this issue, and sleeps cooler than any other mattress in the Nectar Sleep line. We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types: Financing options are available for this mattress. The cooling technology in this mattress sets it apart. A lot of memory foam mattresses trap body heat and sleep hot, while the Nectar Premier Copper works to fix this issue, and sleeps cooler than any other mattress in the Nectar Sleep line. We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types: Financing options are available for this mattress. The cooling technology in this mattress sets it apart. A lot of memory foam mattresses trap body heat and sleep hot, while the Nectar Premier Copper works to fix this issue, and sleeps cooler than any other mattress in the Nectar Sleep line. We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types: Financing options are available for this mattress.Nectar Premier Copper Mattress
Material
Foam
Trial Period
365 nights
Shipping Method
Free shipping
Firmness
Soft: 6/10
Warranty
Lifetime warranty
Price Range
$$$$$
Hot Sleepers
If you often overheat while you sleep, this mattress should help you stay cool.Back Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight back sleepers.Side Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight side sleepers.Financing Options
Nectar Premier Copper Mattress
Material
Foam
Warranty
Lifetime warranty
Firmness
Soft: 6/10
Shipping Method
Free shipping
Trial Period
365 nights
Price Range
$$$$$
Hot Sleepers
If you often overheat while you sleep, this mattress should help you stay cool.Back Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight back sleepers.Side Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight side sleepers.Financing Options
Nectar Premier Copper Mattress
Material
Foam
Firmness
Soft: 6/10
Trial Period
365 nights
Warranty
Lifetime warranty
Shipping Method
Free shipping
Price Range
$$$$$
Hot Sleepers
If you often overheat while you sleep, this mattress should help you stay cool.Back Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight back sleepers.Side Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight side sleepers.Financing Options
As kids get older, their bodies constantly change, often resulting in growing pains. The all-foam Nectar Premier Copper could be a good sleep remedy to this, thanks to comfort layers of memory foam that cushion sensitive joints. These layers are also infused with gel and a Phase Change Material to help young sleepers stay cool at night.
Pros
- Side sleepers should be especially comfortable on this bed.
- Because the Nectar Premier Copper has a medium firmness of 6.5/10, back sleepers should also enjoy the mixture of comfort and support.
- You’ll find some additional cooling in the cover, which contains polyethylene and copper fibers to promote airflow.
Cons
- Heavier sleepers over 250 pounds will most likely want a firmer and more supportive mattress.
Intrigued? Read more in our full Nectar Premier Copper mattress review.
How to Find the Best Orthopedic Mattress
When shopping for a mattress that can help maximize comfort, keep the following terms and information in mind:
Firmness
Firmness describes how a mattress feels when you lie down on it. A firmer mattress provides more push-back against the body and has a level sleeping surface. A softer mattress has increased sinkage and a plush feel. A medium-firm mattress offers a balance between push-back and cloud-like conformity.
Mattress firmness is rated on a 1–10 scale, with 1 being the softest and 10 being the firmest. 6.5 is the mattress industry standard for medium firmness. The best firmness level for you will depend on your sleeping position, personal preferences, and the type of orthopedic pain you experience.
Support
Firmness and support refer to different mattress characteristics. Firmness describes the degree of push-back and rigidity of the mattress surface, while support refers to structural features that help keep the spine aligned and the neck in a neutral position. These features typically include steel coils and/or foam layers. A supportive mattress also prevents excessive sinkage or “bottoming out” of the materials under body weight.
Pressure Relief
Pressure relief refers to the ability of a mattress to alleviate tension in parts of the body like the shoulders, hips, and lower back. A mattress that provides pressure relief is especially important for people who sleep on their sides or have joint or neck issues. Contouring foam comfort layers can be key to pressure relief, particularly if you suffer from orthopedic pain.
Orthopedic Pain and Sleep Position
Now let’s look at another important part of choosing the right mattress: sleep position. Each sleep position has pros and cons that can impact spinal alignment and affect the health of the joints and spine. Let’s start with the most common of all the sleep positions.
Side-Sleeping
Side-sleeping is the most popular sleep position and may occur on either side. Some folks who sleep on their sides lie in a fetal-type position or with one or both legs down.
Pros:
- Sleeping on your side can prevent the tongue from falling into the throat, reducing the risk of snoring or sleep apnea. Left side sleeping can also reduce acid reflux by preventing acid from flowing into the esophagus.
Cons:
- Side-sleeping can cause shoulder, arm, and/or hip pain due to pressure from the mattress and poor spinal alignment. Pressure on the jaw from sleeping on your side may result in jaw pain.
Mattress firmness is an important factor for side sleepers with orthopedic pain. A medium-soft mattress can provide pressure relief and prevent too much sinking. Heavier folks who sleep on their sides may do best with a medium-firm mattress that prevents excessive sinkage and curvature of the spine.
Back-sleeping
Sleeping on the back is often touted as the healthiest of all the positions. Back sleeping may be recommended for people with orthopedic conditions or after certain types of joint surgery.
Pros:
- Sleeping on the back keeps the neck and head in a neutral position and aligns the spine. Back-sleeping also distributes body weight and minimizes tension on pressure points. Sleeping on the back can reduce pressure on the side and front of the hips, shoulders, and knees.
Cons:
- Back-sleeping can cause the tongue to fall into the throat and increase the risk of snoring and sleep apnea. Also, some people find back-sleeping uncomfortable, especially over long periods of time.
The right mattress for back sleepers with orthopedic pain is typically a medium-firm model that cushions the shoulders and hips and prevents gapping between the mattress and lower back. If you weigh more than 225 pounds, you may prefer a firmer mattress that prevents too much sinkage into the comfort layers.
Stomach-sleeping
Stomach-sleeping can put stress on the neck and spine, and is generally considered the least-healthy of the sleep positions.
Pros:
- Sleeping on the stomach can keep the tongue from blocking the airway and lower the risk of snoring and sleep apnea. It may also help clear the lungs during respiratory infections.
Cons:
- Stomach-sleeping can cause poor back alignment and lead to muscle and joint pain.
Stomach sleepers who experience orthopedic pain should consider a firmer mattress to support the spine and reduce sinking of the torso. Heavier stomach sleepers typically feel more comfortable on a very firm mattress that helps to maintain spinal alignment and decrease neck strain.
Mattress Types
Now that we’ve talked about sleep positions and their potential impact on orthopedic pain, let’s look at the pros and cons of the most common types of mattresses. Most of them can easily be found in stores, online, and as bed-in-a-box models.
Memory Foam
Memory foam is a polyurethane foam that feels plush and conforms to the body. It’s available in a range of firmness options, from soft to extra firm.
Pros:
- Memory foam absorbs motion and decreases the transfer of motion between partners who share a bed.
- It’s responsive to body heat and is known for its ability to relieve pressure on the joints. This can be helpful for folks who suffer from orthopedic pain, particularly side sleepers.
- Memory foam mattresses are one of the most popular mattress materials and are now one of the most affordable.
Cons:
- Memory foam mattresses that don’t include innerspring or pocketed coils may not provide adequate support for folks who weigh more than 225 pounds.
- Some forms of memory foam retain body heat and make sleeping uncomfortable. This is less likely with newer forms such as those infused with gel and copper.
- Less edge support can cause sloping or poor spinal alignment for folks who sleep close to the edge of the mattress.
Latex
Latex foam is made from the sap of the rubber tree. Latex is a natural product with a quick response to pressure and a bouncier feel than memory foam.
Pros:
- Latex’s open-celled structure makes for natural ventilation and cooler sleeping.
- The material can be a good choice for people who suffer from orthopedic pain and prefer natural materials
- The natural buoyancy of latex can be helpful for stomach sleepers, who may sink too deeply into a memory or poly foam mattress.
- Latex comfort layers may be more supportive than memory or poly foam, and are a great option for heavier sleepers.
Cons:
- Latex is a natural material that requires harvesting. As a result, mattresses made from latex may be more expensive than memory or poly foam.
- Foam made from latex tends to transfer more motion between bed partners than memory foam.
- Latex doesn’t hug the body like memory, and poly foams and may feel less comfortable to some sufferers of orthopedic pain.
Poly Foam
Poly foam is made from polyurethane and has a quick response to pressure. The material is often used to support or complement memory foam or latex.
Pros:
- When used in a comfort layer, poly foam can offer pressure relief and cushioning for aching joints and muscles.
- The material can feel light and breathable, which may be a benefit for hot sleepers.
- Poly foam is often more affordable than other more durable mattress materials.
Cons:
- Less expensive poly foam can degrade quickly.
- Poly foam may have less of a responsive feel than memory foam, which conforms to the body and cradles joints.
Hybrid
Like an innerspring mattress, a hybrid utilizes a steel coil core for durability and structure, but adds memory foam, poly foam, and/or latex comfort layers for pressure relief and support. Innerspring mattresses are not typically recommended for folks who suffer from orthopedic pain, as they often sleep best on comfort layers that cushion the joints and muscles.
Pros:
- Hybrid mattresses contain pocketed coils, which are quieter and transfer less motion than traditional innersprings.
- The foam comfort layers of a hybrid can offer plush pressure relief for pain sufferers.
- Hybrid mattresses may be cooler than all-foam models and can be a good choice for folks who sleep warm.
Cons:
- The coil structure of a hybrid mattress may transfer motion, making it feel bouncier and disturbing to a bed partner.
- Hybrid mattresses may be heavier and more difficult to move.
- Less expensive hybrids may not be as durable as those made from pricier materials such as low-gauge steel coils and cooler memory foams.
Last Word From Sleepopolis
Orthopedic pain doesn’t have to keep you awake. Pressure relief and support are key factors to remember when shopping for a mattress, along with primary sleep position. No matter what your budget or preference of mattress material, you can find a durable mattress that helps to mitigate pain and provide a great night’s sleep.
Summary: The Best Orthopedic Mattresses of 2022
| Mattress | Best For | Price (Queen) | Coupon | Review |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saatva Modern Foam | Editor’s Pick | $1,495 | Saatva Coupon | Read Our Review! |
| Brooklyn Bedding Aurora | Hybrid | $1,749 | Brooklyn Bedding Coupon | Read Our Review! |
| DreamCloud Premier | Back Pain | $1,399 | DreamCloud Coupon | Read Our Review! |
| Nectar Premier Copper | Kids | $1,798 | Nectar Coupon | Read Our Review! |
