As you might have expected, back and hip pain is a wildly common issue for a large portion of the population, and affects almost everyone at some point – no matter their sleeping position. When we go to bed, it’s vital that our mattresses support our pressure points, and evenly support our body’s contours to prevent pressure building up.
If you’re someone who suffers from back or hip pain, then a new mattress and adjusted sleeping position might be a good place to start. There are a few things to keep in mind depending on the type of sleeper you are, and we’ve outlined these below:
- If you’re a side sleeper, it’s always a good idea to invest in a mattress that’s soft atop and firm and supportive below; you want hips and shoulders to dip, and your sides to be elevated when side sleeping.
- If you’re a back sleeper, you’ll want a medium-firm to firm mattress overall that providers pressure relief and ensures no sagging whatsoever, which will ultimately alleviate back pain.
- If you’re a stomach sleeper, then you’ll want a mattress that’s contouring on its top comfort layer, and as firm as possible below that. You may know, stomach sleeping is highly advised against because of its negative effect on sleepers, and its causes of hip pain.
Although the best mattress for your sleep position and pain relief requirements will ultimately be a highly personal choice, we’ve outlined a few suggestions below to make it a little easier to find the right mattress.
The Memory Lux by WinkBeds
Landing a top spot on our list, is the Memory Lux bed, by WinkBeds. This is a memory foam mattress that offers great firmness levels, and its custom-designed foam layout ensures that the mattress offers optimal hip joint support, without relying on innersprings.
There are three ideal firmness levels on the Memory Lux, with a 4, 5 and 7 option. The 5 and 7 options are ideal for almost all sleepers, and being a little on the firm side, these variants will offer the most upper cushioning and support for anyone looking at buying into a softer mattress.
Weight distribution is ideal on the Memory Lux as the AirCell foam has been integrated in a way that ensures no sagging as well as little motion transfer. That said, you and anyone else who sleeps in the bed will have a disturbance-free sleep, as well as a sleeping surface that’s been designed explicitly to reduce lower back pain and hip pain.
Finally, the Memory Lux is a little expensive, however, for a quality mattress such as this, the price tag isn’t too much to swallow.
Perks
Tencel Cover Stays Cool
AirCell Foam Layers for Targeted Pressure Relief
Medium-firm Mattress
Great Motion Isolation
Casper Mattress
To the mattress that’s more of an ‘everyman’ the Casper Mattress is a mixed memory foam mattress which makes it a medium-firm variant sitting solidly at a 5 on the firmness scale. A mattress firmness of 5 makes the Casper a little more on the softer side, which means side sleepers with low bodyweight will feel most at home here.
There’s a good chance that sleepers with chronic pain will also love the Casper, given that the multi-layered foam conforms to body, whilst maintains enough support for pressure relief. In addition, motion isolation is outstanding, so if you’re one to toss and turn, or sleep beside a toss-turner, you won’t be constantly woken up.
A major standout for this mattress is the ‘sinkage’ that allows limbs to be elevated as we sleep, great for issues such as tendinitis or general aches and pains.
Edge support is also ideal on Casper, with the mattress strengthened at the edges to keep from sagging or dipping when someone sits on or sleeps by the edge.
Perks
10-year Warranty
100-night Sleep Trial
Multi-foam Design
Breathable Foam Layers
Firm Polyfoam
Nectar Mattress
For a mattress that’s been designed with a ‘premium’ memory foam, the Nectar Mattress comes close to being your best bet at combatting shoulder pain, midsection pressure and other joint pain. There’s optimal body contouring going on here, and the medium-firm level of 6 makes the support layers inside the mattress a perfect medium for side, back and stomach sleepers.
You’ll find minimal motion transfer here, with multiple comfort layers ensuring that support and body cradling is optimal, though not too sensitive to movement. For hotter seasons, the mattress is also highly breathable, keeping you cool, but not too cool.
One big stand out here is the sleep trial, where you’ll find a 365-day trial that allows you to test out the mattress for a whole year, and really see what’s it got to offer. Most sleepers should notice that the mattress’s gel-foam layers and mattress topper offer a fantastic sleeping experience, so returning the mattress will be unlikely.
Perks
Year-long Trial
Single Firmness Option
Disperses Body Heat
Medium-soft for Ideal Contouring
Leesa Mattress
The Leesa is the ultimate sleep partner for low-to-average weight pain sufferers with the mattress’s sag-free support system making an appearance here. A firmness level at 5 means the sinkage is ideal here for side sleepers or those who’d like to stray from a firmer mattress. If you’re a relatively lightweight person, you’ll find that the firmness level of 5 is perfect for all sleeping positions, and when paired with the cushioning foam top layer at the top, you’ll be well supported.
On the Leesa, mattress reviews have also touted that the bed has the ability to relieve pain from chronic issues and medical conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and issues associated with sciatic nerve problems. The mattress also helps to ensure a pain-free sleep by cradling the body rather than just holding it up, perfect for anyone recovering from hip fractures and other bone breaks.
Lastly, the price point for this mattress is fantastic, especially when you consider the multiple foam layers you’ll find inside it. There’s a 10-year warranty, a 100-night sleep trial and optimal motion isolation for anyone who has trouble staying asleep if a partner moves too often.
Perks
Multiple Foam Layers
Medium Firmness
Suitable for All Sleeping Positions
Best for Lightweight Body Types
Hip Pain Buying Guide
With those mattresses out of the way, we’d like to go over some of the important factors to consider when buying a mattress that ensures you’re not going to cause pain on top of what you’re already dealing with.
It’s always good to understand the type of pain you’re dealing with, and that should begin with a trip to your GP or a chiropractor. This is down to the fact that different mattresses can help with different types of pain. For example, bursitis will have different mattress requirements when compared to chronic issues such as arthritis.
Determining Sinkage
To begin, you’ll want to determine sinkage and your body weight. If you’re lighter or heavier you’ll again have different requirements for your mattress. A lighter individual will be fine with a softer mattress at around 5 on the firmness scale, whereas a heavier person might need a 6 to a 7 to get a similar result.
We suggest testing mattress firmness levels in store if you’re not too sure what your ideal firmness level is, and remember that you should feel your joints like hips and shoulders ‘dip’ into the mattress a little with your spine being held up.
Sleeping Positions
It’s also imperative to choose a mattress type, material and firmness based on the way you sleep. Innersprings, for example, will be ideal for back sleepers as they’re often a little harder than latex mattresses and memory foam, though as a side or front sleeper, you’ll want a different variant.
The Rundown:
- Side Sleepers should opt for a comfortable middle ground between soft and firm. This makes sure that shoulders and hips can ‘fall’ into the mattress for pressure relief, and the spine and legs can be elevated and supported.
- Back Sleepers should opt for a more firm mattress that keeps the body relatively flat. If you’re sleeping on a mattress that’s dipping at the hips, you’ll be causing some pretty serious back pain.
- Front Sleepers should also opt for a firm mattress because sleeping on your stomach flattens the spinal curve in your back, so any sinkage is essentially not ideal. We suggest choosing a mattress with a comfort layer atop, and a firm base below to make sure there’s a reduced chance you’re causing damage to your back.
What to Look for in a Mattress
If you’re going out on your own to find a mattress that’s ideal for your sleeping type and to relieve hip and back pain, then we have a couple of points or features to look out for. These will help to give you the best pain-free sleep possible.
Motion Isolation
It’s always good to look for a mattress that touts motion isolation as you’ll be less likely to be woken in your sleep; however there’s a secondary perk to this. Most mattresses with ideal movement dispersion will also be supportive and prevent overuse dipping. That said, you’re not going to be stuck with a mattress that dips further and further over time, causing more issues.
Mattress Material
Depending on your sleep requirements, you’ll need to choose a mattress that offers the best support, and that’s where great materials come in. For almost all sleepers, latex and memory foam variants are the best, with coils and innersprings being the least effective. If budget allows, hybrid mattresses are also a great option as these will give you the best of both worlds, with perfect support, great movement isolation, airflow and more.
Conclusion
With all of that said, it should be a little more clear what you’ll need to invest in when it comes to a great night’s sleep without hip pain or back pain. Always consider a mattress’s ability to support your pressure points while also maintaining optimal sinkage and movement isolation.
Although it may seem like a good night’s sleep is impossible for you, it genuinely isn’t. With the right mattress, pain types of all kinds and rarities can be dealt with, and with mattress brands working hard to develop beds that specifically work for these pain types, it’s becoming easier than ever to find a sleeping surface that ensures a pain-free sleep.
