The Best Mattress For Back Sleepers: Top-7 Mattress Models & Tips
The Best Mattress For Back Sleepers: Top-7 Mattress Models & Tips
Sleeping position is one of the essential criteria to consider when choosing a mattress. Are you a back sleeper? Congratulations, this is the healthiest sleeping position. Still, it doesn’t make you immune from the problems you may face if you choose the wrong mattress.
Generally speaking, you need to find something very comfortable and really supportive. Medium-firm hybrids seem the best options (and often they are), but we also have some great models for those who look for an innerspring or all-foam mattress. So, if you are a back sleeper, just check out the list below, read the information carefully, and make your choice.
Best mattress for back sleepers: Koala’s top-7
| Name | Saatva Classic Mattress | Casper Original Mattress | Brooklyn Signature Hybrid | Avocado Green Mattress | Awara | Purple Hybrid | DreamCloud Premier Mattress |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price for Twin size | $799 | $536 | $479 | $899 | $899 | $1,399 (Twin XL) | $699 |
| Price for Queen size | $1,119 | $986 | $799 | $1,399 | $1,119 | $1,619 | $1,399 |
| Koala’s award | The best innerspring mattress | The best zone support | The best mattress for back sleepers with a great value | The best organic mattress | The best versatile mattress | The best cooling mattress | The best pressure-relieving mattress |
* Note that these are the current prices with and without discounts. We update them regularly, but you can click the link to check if the price has changed.
So, what are you looking for? Do you want to sleep on an organic or super-cooling mattress? Or maybe you are on a budget and want to find the perfect affordable mattress? Consider your own preferences and find more information on each of these models below.
Saatva Classic mattress overview: the best innerspring mattress
Mattress type: innerspring
Firmness: medium-firm
Thickness: 11,5 inches
Trial and Warranty: 180-day trial, 15-year warranty
Innerspring mattresses are popular due to the extra support they provide. Saatva mattress, in turn, is one of the most popular innerspring mattresses. Why? First, it is made of top-quality materials: the pillow top is organic, plush, and antimicrobial, coils (micro coils and support coils) are individually pocketed and very supportive, and high-density memory foam layers provide extra pressure relief. Moreover, it comes in three different levels of firmness, including medium firmness (called Luxury Firm), which is just perfect for back sleepers.
All this, along with the great breathability and motion isolation, makes Saatva Classic mattress for back sleepers — there is a nice balance of great plush feel and support (especially lumbar zone), and your hips sink into a mattress, but not too far. It is also great for couples due to its motion isolation properties.
Pros
- Made of top-quality eco-friendly materials
- Coils provide extra support
- Lumbar zone support
- Three levels of firmness
Cons
- Pretty heavy
- No plush foam feel
Other similar mattresses for your choice
| Name | Leesa Hybrid Mattress | DreamCloud Premier |
|---|---|---|
| Twin price | $899 | $699 |
| Queen price | $1,499 | $1,099 |
Casper Original Mattress overview: the best zone support
Mattress type: all-foam
Firmness: medium-firm
Thickness: 11 inches
Trial and Warranty: 100-night trial, 10-year warranty
What is so special about Casper Original mattress? It is all about support: this is one of the mattresses that provide great targeted support in 3 zones: around your shoulders, around your hips, and around your lower back. The thing is, one of its layers is more supportive in the middle, right under your lumbar area. This is exactly what back sleepers need to have a really good night’s sleep, relieve the pressure, and get rid of chronic pain. Motion isolation is good enough, too, and it also works for couples. So, if you are a back sleeper and if you really like memory foam mattresses, consider buying this one — it is a great value for the price.
Pros
- Great cooling effect
- Perfect medium firmness
- Highly responsive foam, easy to move around
- Nice memory foam feel and great support
- Good motion isolation
Cons
- Doesn’t work this good for heavier sleepers
- Pretty pricey
Other similar mattresses for your choice
| Name | Saatva Classic | DreamCloud Premier |
|---|---|---|
| Twin price | $799 | $699 |
| Queen price | $1,119 | $1,099 |
Brooklyn Signature Hybrid overview: the best type of mattress for back sleepers with a great value
Mattress type: hybrid
Firmness: medium-firm
Thickness: 11,5 inches
Trial and Warranty: 120-night trial, 10-year warranty
Did you know that Brooklyn Bedding really has its own fabric and doesn’t cooperate with middlemen? Why is this even important? Well, it affects the price in a good way. The price for a Brooklyn Signature hybrid is much lower than the prices of similar mattresses, so it is a great option for those who are on a budget but want a quality mattress. But what else is good about this mattress? A lot of things, actually. First of all, it provides perfect cooling, has great contouring properties, is very responsive and supportive due to over 900 individually wrapped coils and top-quality foam. There are also 3 firmness levels to choose from, but we recommend the medium one to all back sleepers. By the way, this mattress is good for couples, too.
Pros
- Perfectly bouncy
- Great price
- Great support due to almost 1000 coils
- Nice foam feel
- Works for couples
Cons
- Might be too firm for side sleepers
Other similar mattresses for your choice
| Name | Leesa Original Mattress | Purple Mattress |
|---|---|---|
| Twin price | $624 | $599 |
| Queen price | $874 | $1,149 |
Avocado Green Mattress overview: the best organic mattress
Mattress type: latex hybrid
Firmness: medium-firm
Thickness: 11 inches
Trial and Warranty: 365-night trial, 25-year warranty
So, Avocado Green mattress is an all-natural hybrid. Moreover, currently, it is the most popular organic mattress online. What’s the secret of its popularity? Of course, the very fact that it is made from the materials (New Zealand wool, organic cotton) from the company’s own farm, as well as the fact that all of them are certified, is impressive, but there are a few more things that make this mattress special. It combines the great latex feel with the support of almost 1,5 thousand coils. The edge support is also excellent. A sleeper’s body is on the surface, you can move around easily without sinking into the bed. It is great for all types of sleepers and couples — pocketed coils isolate motion perfectly.
Pros
- Certified organic materials from farms
- Great motion isolation
- Spinal alignment
- Bouncy and supportive
- Impressive durability
Cons
- Pretty heavy
- Quite expensive
Other similar mattresses for your choice
| Name | Awara Mattress | Birch Natural Mattress |
|---|---|---|
| Twin price | $899 | $1,049 |
| Queen price | $1,199 | $1,499 |
Awara overview: the best versatile mattress
Mattress type: latex hybrid
Firmness: medium-firm
Thickness: 13 inches
Trial and Warranty: 365-night trial, lifetime warranty
This is another great natural latex hybrid on the market. Moreover, it is pretty similar to the Avocado Green mattress that we described above. It also has those individually pocketed coils that provide extra support and isolate motion even better than Avocado. Both of them use latex foam in the comfort layer and come with organic cotton covers, too. So, Awara is also a supportive, bouncy mattress that smells nice (no chemicals — no chemical odor) and feels more than just comfortable. It is incredibly breathable due to latex and air channels in it, too. It even has a small advantage over its more popular competitor, the Avocado mattress — it has more handles, so it is much easier to move it.
Pros
- Perfect for hot sleepers
- Great for couples
- Works for heavier sleepers, too
- Cheaper than most other latex hybrids
- Extended durability, lifetime warranty
Cons
- Not as pressure-relieving as memory foam mattresses
Other similar mattresses for your choice
| Name | Birch Natural Mattress | Avocado Green Mattress |
|---|---|---|
| Twin price | $1,049 | $899 |
| Queen price | $1,499 | $1,399 |
Purple Hybrid overview: the best cooling mattress
Mattress type: hybrid
Firmness: medium-firm
Thickness: 11 inches
Trial and Warranty: 10-night trial, 10-year warranty
Interior coils, air channels, and gel are a perfect cooling combination, and this is one of the reasons why Purple Hybrid is this popular. If you are a hot back sleeper, and if you don’t mind buying a high-end mattress, this one might be just perfect for you. Purple Hybrid is made of hyperelastic gel polymer — the truly unique material that feels pretty firm and is pressure-relieving at the same time. If you are a back sleeper, your hips will sink into a mattress a bit, but other parts of your body will stay on the surface, and that is exactly what back sleepers need.
Pros
- Hypoallergenic, non-toxic, high-quality materials
- Super breathable and cooling
- No sagging
- Extended durability
- Pretty bouncy, great motion isolation
- Is good for couples
Cons
- Pretty expensive
- Not the best edge support
Other similar mattresses for your choice
| Name | The WinkBed Plus Mattress | Bear Hybrid |
|---|---|---|
| Twin price | $749 | $872 |
| Queen price | $1,299 | $1,112 |
DreamCloud Premier mattress overview: best pressure-relieving mattress
Mattress type: hybrid
Firmness: medium-firm
Thickness: 15 inches
Trial and Warranty: 365-night trial, lifetime warranty
You will not feel any pressure in your shoulders and your hips on DreamCloud Premier, and that is amazing. That makes it one of the most versatile models on the market — it is good for side and back sleepers (it might be too soft for stomach sleepers.) Just like all hybrids on the list, it has pocketed coils that isolate motions and some top-quality foam, so there is a perfect balance of nice soft feel and proper support. The contouring and edge support are great as well, so if you are looking for a high mattress that will feel and look luxurious, it might be a perfect option.
Pros
- Supportive and bouncy
- Spine alignment
- Extended durability, lifetime warranty
- Works perfectly for couples
- Works for heavier people
Cons
- Might be too high for some sleepers, especially elderly ones
- A bit hot
Other similar mattresses for your choice
| Name | Saatva Classic | Leesa Hybrid Mattress |
|---|---|---|
| Twin price | $799 | $899 |
| Queen price | $1,119 | $1,499 |
About health problems back sleepers can have
Back sleepers don’t actually sleep in one position. Here are the three most common “variations” of back sleeping.
- Soldier — arms extended at the sides, one leg is straight, another one is bent.
- Starfish — arms of a sleeper are bent up, legs (one or both) are bent, too.
- Savasana — all legs and arms are extended.
Which of these variations is the best one in terms of health? None. They all are great for your health, and the comfort and pressure relief depend not on the variation of the position you choose but on the mattress you have.
But what about the health risks that back sleepers may face? Well, here are the most common possible issues:
- Low back pain
- Sleep apnea (back sleeping can worsen it)
- Snoring (back sleeping can worsen it, too)
Despite these problems, back sleeping is still considered the healthiest sleeping position. A lot of people try to make themselves sleep on their back, actually. No matter if you are a “beginner” or an experienced-born-this-way back sleeper — follow these tips to improve the quality of your night’s sleep.
- Keep your shoulders and head a bit elevated. Your head should be positioned above your stomach. If you already have snoring or apnea, consider purchasing the adjustable base along with the proper mattress — that is how you can provide more support for your shoulders and head.
- Choose the pillow with the great contouring properties that would provide extra support for your shoulders and neck.
- Put a pillow under your neath if you have lower back pain to minimize the pressure in this area.
- Don’t eat too much before going to bed to avoid acid reflux.
What factors back sleepers should consider when choosing a mattress
Generally speaking, back sleepers should consider the same things that all sleepers usually take into account: size, materials, firmness, edge support, etc. The question is which of these criteria are more important for them and what are the specific features they should look for. Below, you can see the answers.
- Balance of comfort and proper support. Hips of a back sleeper should sink into a mattress a bit but not too far. There should be good lumbar support, as well as overall support.
- Type of a mattress. It is directly related to the previous point. Innerspring and hybrid mattresses are the best when it comes to support, so they are the best options for back sleepers. Foam and latex mattresses may be okay, too, but you need to make sure that they are supportive enough.
- Firmness. Mattresses for back sleepers should not be too soft. Medium-firm is a perfect firmness level in most cases, but if you are a heavier sleeper, you may need a firm mattress.
- Size. It is nothing extra special about this criterion unless you are a “starfish.” If you are, consider buying a wider mattress.
- Motion isolation. If you sleep alone, this is not the most important feature to consider. If you sleep with your partner/spouse, buy a mattress with great motion isolation properties — back sleepers often move around during the night.
F.A.Q
Which mattress type to choose to relieve back pain?
You should see a doctor before you choose a mattress. Still, there is a general recommendation for everyone who has back pain: choose a mattress that minimizes the pressure in specific areas, in particular, your back, hips, and shoulders. In most cases, these are supportive medium-firm mattresses, most often hybrids.
What is the proper neck position during sleep on the back?
Here are the possible neck positions:
Now you see what neutral alignment is — proper, healthy position. We recommend finding a pillow that would conform to the contour of your neck and head and avoid using a too stiff or high pillow.
What is the best mattress type for back sleepers?
Hybrid mattresses are considered the best and the most balanced mattresses for back sleepers.
What mattress firmness should back sleepers choose?
Medium-firm is an ideal firmness level for back sleepers. However, it depends on your weight, too. If you are a heavier sleeper, you may need a firmer mattress that would support your body properly.
Conclusion
Of course, a mattress should meet your personal criteria and expectations. Still, there are also a few common rules for all back sleepers. You really need great lumbar and overall support, and this is the most important criteria to consider. The easiest way to find the best type of mattress for back sleepers is to find a medium-firm hybrid, and there are a lot of them in our article, so feel free to choose the right model considering your own priorities. There are also innerspring and memory foam mattresses on the list, so if you don’t really like hybrids, just pick the alternative!
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