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Firm or soft mattress for back pain?

Back pain sometimes becomes so unbearable that it can keep people away from physical activity. So, treating or managing back pain is essential to remain active and healthy. There would be many reasons for back pain, like an injury or health issues, but the mattress could also be a culprit here.

A bad mattress can cause back pain. In contrast, a good mattress that adapts to your body curves can relieve pressure points and alleviate back pain.

Buying the best mattress for your back is not simple as it looks. You must consider many factors and preferences before buying a mattress. Investing in a high-quality mattress is an authentic way to achieve your desired comfort level for your body.

We have reviewed some mattresses that are a good option for your back pain (also check 10 amazing mattresses for back pain).

Let’s have a look at them.

Should You Choose a Firm or Soft Mattress for Back Pain?

Top 5 mattress for back pain

Amerisleep AS3

Highlights
- #1 mattress in a box in the USA
- 14000+ happy customers
- Tailored to adapt to most body types and comfort
Warranty
20 years
Trial period
100 nights
Material
Memory foam
Save $450 on any of our Award Winning Mattresses

Sleep cooler and better with this hybrid mattress

AS3 hybrid mattress by Amerisleep combines foam layers and bouncy pocketed coils that structure your body and keep you elevated in a healthy environment. The cover is made of fiber with high energy transfer abilities. The refreshed cover is so breathable that it will keep you cozy. Also, its plant-based Bio-Pur material provides cooling all night. The open-cell design keeps the airflow ongoing, which means cool sleep and no sweating.

The Bio-Pur memory foam has a rapid response time that will prevent heat build-up. It will bounce back just in seconds and relieves pressure points. It is resistant to dust mites or mold and made up without harmful chemicals. Bio-Pur layer contours your body while the coils respond well to body movements.

The pocketed coils provide bouncy support to the body and keep it aligned and lifted. These coils improve edge support and limit motion movement.

Amerisleep offers free shipping, a 20-years warranty, and a risk-free trial for 100 nights. The mattress can be paired up with bed frames and bases provided by Amerisleep since they have compatible frames and bases for this mattress. It will enhance your sleep duration due to the increased comfort level.

In a nutshell Once you lay down on this mattress, you don’t want to get up. This mattress is so comfortable and conforms perfectly to your sleeping position. Side, back, and stomach sleepers can rest well and wake up fresh (check the best selling mattresses for stomach sleeper). An eco-friendly and comfortable production that will help you feel relaxed and cozy. Say no to back pain now!

Naturepedic Halcyon

Highlights
- Superior quality
- Personalized comfort
- Modern design
15% OFF SITEWIDE

Experience the luxury in your room

Halcyon mattress by Naturepedic contains high-quality craftsmanship and stylish design to create an elegant look and feel. Halcyon mattress is a certified organic mattress that is handcrafted carefully.

The fabric is comfortable and soft when touched. Its multi-layered zipper construction allows you to customize the mattress as per your needs, which changes over time.

The mattress can swap layers so you can modify the way it feels after years have passed. It has fibers like luxury wool, cashmere, and alpaca, which throw the moisture away and keep you cool all night.

Naturpedic has used certified organic cotton as a filling for the mattress. The luxurious stretch knit fabric is very soft and conforms to your body. Its organic wool provides natural fire protection and keeps the temperature according to the weather. Alpaca and cashmere fibers blend with organic wool, which results in a luxurious quilt that gives you a deeper, uninterrupted sleep.

Naturepedic mattresses are GOTS certified, Made-safe certified, and GreenGuard certified. There are no flame retardants, adhesives, glues, or polyethylene foam. They offer 25 years limited warranty. Naturpedic has a nice variety of sheets and pillow covers which you can choose from to add up to your mattress for a comfier look.

In a nutshell You can easily trust Amerisleep mattress as they are skilled craftsmen. If you suffer from severe back pain, this mattress might help you release pain. The best quality you can trust.

Emma original

Highlights
- #1 selling in all Europe
- Perfectly balanced for all body types
- Medium-firm range
Exclusive offer : Up to 50% OFF

Ideal for providing targeted body support

An aching body and painful sleep make the morning irritable. The stress and tiredness you build over the day also accompany you throughout the night if your mattress is not your ideal type. Emma’s original mattress uses the harmony of perfect firmness and support. It makes your irritable nights peaceful.

Emma’s original incorporates a breathable, airy, and porous top cover that makes it soft to the touch as if you are playing with cotton.

Its high-quality memory foam convenient layer makes it permeable. It feels cool while lying on it. It evaporates all the moisture keeping it dry, gifting those you sweat fewer nights.

Its zoning technology allows them to use layers of varied thickness and firmness to provide targeted body support. Thicker in the middle for the spine and hips and thinner above to support the neck and head.

The mattress lets your body weight spread equally across the surface (also check 10 amazing mattresses for overweight people). It provides accurate sinking and support according to the body part, thus eliminating any body aches.

Add their soft, airy cotton bed sheets to your Emma mattress to make your nights plus and dreamier. In addition, their mattress protectors will make the venture more durable.

Finding the right mattress size that can adjust to any bed frame is very important and might be difficult for some. Emma provides a range of sizes that allow you to find the right match according to your bed and requirement. The good thing about these is that they are compatible with any adjustable bedding (also check 10 good mattresses for an adjustable bed).

In a nutshell It is a trustable mattress that provides you with a 10-year warranty so you can make a confident purchase. Their 365 nights trial lets you explore your comfort with Emma’s Original mattress.

Molecule Hybrid mattress

Highlights
- Cooling support
- Extra plush quilted top
- Designed to maximize comfort
Special offer: Free Shipping with Our Discount Code

A high-end mattress with a double support system

Good sleep is not just a luxury to take for granted. Instead, it’s a process aimed at much higher advantages and your body’s way to regenerate and heal.

It’s not just the sleep you want; sleep quality is also required. On molecule is designed to use both the cooling phenomenon of foam and the adaptable coil support system.

Its cotton cross-stitched top is what makes the cover so enchanting. The cover is soft and bouncy yet firm to support the body.

It’s cool and breathable, evaporating any moisture, thus giving you quality sleep all year round. You don’t even need to cover it with a bedsheet. The luxury surface provides a smooth roll that you can enjoy directly.

It’s a blend of five support layers, and the foam technology allows the air to circulate between the layers. The porous matrix in the foam allows the mattress to breathe, thus aiding in getting rid of any build-up of heat. It keeps the mattress cool so that even lying on it is sensational (check the top rated cooling mattresses for hot sleeper). You will never want to get off your bed.

The On Molecule Hybrid mattress’s excellence is its use of a coil system. Its individually wrapped coils provide improved edge support that wouldn’t let you slip or slide across the edges.

The two elements combined deliver customizable and accommodative support to different body parts. The mattress embraces the contours of your body so that it’s perfectly aligned, preventing any soreness.

On-Molecule mattress toppers will make the hybrid mattress durable. Their plush quality pillows will make the ideal combo of support.

In a nutshell The hybrid mattress comes with a 365-night risk-free trial. You can familiarize yourself with the hybrid technology and find the perfect comfort.

Ghostbed luxe mattress

Highlights
- Made in USA
- The Coolest Bed in the World
- 7 Layers of Comfort
Exclusive offer : Up to 50% OFF

Ideal for hot and side sleepers

If you suffer from body aches and disturbed sleep, then ghost bed luxe is here to help you. Its seven layers of comfort easily cushion the sensitive body parts.

It will help your spine, hip, and shoulders to straighten properly, benefiting from reducing all your discomfort. You can check their adjustable bases to treat your back and spine problems for enhanced effects. It is also suitable for side sleepers (check the top rated mattresses for side sleeper) while yet offering sufficient edge support. Its gel memory foam layer conforms to your body to relieve pressure areas.

Its ghost fabric cover and patent ice-cooling technologies make it ideal for hot sleepers. It will regulate body temperature absorbing all your sweetness and moisture. For added cooling effects, include their Ghostbed memory foam topper with your mattress.

It’s a noise-free mattress that won’t disturb your sleep or your evening parties if any of your guests arrive.

It’s a medium plush mattress that means you can sink and sag and enjoy the toss and turn with remarkable motion isolating properties with your partners. It will allow multiple movements from any side of the bed, which is good for combination sleepers.

Its cool, breathable fabric and high-density base layers increase its durability. You can have a peaceful and soothing sleep for many years.

Its ghost bounce layers provide support to every curve of your body. It can make itself adjustable to a majority of sleep positions.

Most foundations and bed frames are compatible with The Luxe. You can use a sound box spring or any movable foundation.

In a nutshell It’s the perfect mattress for hot sleepers. Its cooling layers make it a fascinating purchase to have comfortable and peaceful nights. Users can enjoy its 25-year warranty, ensuring safe returns.

What’s The Difference Between a Firm and a Soft Mattress?

You must change your mattress if you are dealing with continuous back pain. A bad mattress doesn’t provide your back with adequate support, so you need to figure out which type of mattress will suit you.

You need a mattress firmness to relax your body fully. A soft mattress feels plush when touched, and the body sinks into the mattress when you lay down. They have comfort layers like latex and memory foam, whereas firm mattresses are harder to touch. They hold up the body and prevent it from sinking into the mattress. Firm mattresses are more supportive and provide an even surface to sleep on.

How Can I Make My Bed Firmer?

There are many strategies that you can apply to make your mattress firmer. These include:

  • Try placing your mattress on the floor.
  • Replace the box spring with a new one because when the box spring loses its strength, they don’t work well and make your mattress softer.
  • You can try getting a mattress topper for your mattress. Many soft mattress toppers are available on the market, but you need to search for the ones that make your bed firmer.
  • Rotate your mattress to prevent sagging and softness.
  • If your mattress has a removable cover, you can replace the damaged layers, which is an affordable way to make a mattress firmer.

These options can help you in making your mattress firmer.

firm or soft mattress for lower back pain

What Firmness Level Is Considered Too Hard and Too Soft

Mattress firmness level can be measured using a comfort scale from 1 to 10. You can check the level details below:

  • 1 -2 Extra soft mattresses; with almost no firmness.
  • 3 – 4 Soft mattresses; so that when you lay down, you feel like sinking into the bed.
  • 5 – 6 Medium-firm mattresses; is a mixture of both soft and firm. You will feel comfortable with a slight sinking feeling.
  • 7 – 8 Firm mattresses; they provide additional support and a firm surface to your bed.
  • 9 – 10 Extra firm mattresses; some people find it too hard to sleep, but mostly heavy sleepers find it suitable for support.

Advantages of a Firm Mattress

  • A firm mattress is important in setting up your sleep pattern, health, and comfort.
  • They are more supportive than any other soft mattresses.
  • They hold up your body and prevent sinking it too far.
  • Best for older people and those with neck, back, and joint pain.
  • A firm mattress will keep the spine aligned with the neck.
  • You can rest more on a firm mattress than a soft one; otherwise, a softer surface won’t help you settle the back pain.

Drawbacks of a Firm Mattress

Advantages of a Soft Mattress

  • They are soft to touch, cozy, and comfortable (check 10 mattresses with great comfort).
  • Good for side sleepers as they require a softer surface which allows contouring of shoulders and hips to relieve pressure.

Drawbacks of a Soft Mattress

  • Due to sagging issues, a soft mattress can become less durable and unsupportive.
  • Extremely softness can cause aches and pain for the stomach and back sleepers.
  • Heavyweight people will have trouble sleeping on it as they sink into the mattress.

Are Firm Mattresses Good for Back Pain?

Yes. Firm mattresses are very good for back pain. The mattress ensures that the sleeper does not sink into the mattress, so the spine stays in neutral body alignment. The firm mattress provides good support, which helps alleviates back pain.

Is A Soft Mattress Good for Back Pain?

A too-soft mattress can cause the hips and back to sag and disturb spine alignment. The medium-firm mattress will be a good option to avoid back pain.

How do I know if my mattress is too soft?

Signs your mattress may be too soft include:

  • You feel like you sink deeply into the mattress, throwing your spine out of alignment
  • You experience shoulder, hip, or back pain from lack of support
  • You find it very difficult to move or change positions on the mattress
  • You feel like you’re sleeping “in” the mattress rather than “on” top of it

Our Recommendation

There are endless options for choosing a mattress which means both soft and firm mattresses are available within your budget. You have to consider some factors before buying the mattress. Those factors include your sleeping position, areas of pain you are suffering from, and your comfort level. So, selecting a soft or firm mattress is your choice. We are sure you will find the best available mattress according to your preferences (also check 10 great mattresses).

Firm or soft mattress for back pain FAQs

How Do I Know If My Mattress Is Too Firm?

Below are the few signs which show you have a too firm mattress.

• You will feel uncomfortable
• It does not contour the body
• You will wake up with back and neck pain

Do Firm Mattresses Get Softer?

Yes. Every mattress gets softer within 50 to 60 nights of daily use. But it does not mean it has become uncomfortable. Instead, it is only the firmness of a new mattress that reduces over time.

Are Firm Mattresses Bad for Side Sleepers?

Side sleepers should avoid the firm mattress because it does not provide the right support required by this position. It results in pressure on the shoulder and hip and afterward causes pain.