Best Mattress For Back Sleepers List Overview
One of the most important factors in choosing a mattress is deciding what sleeper type you are. Different firmness levels and mattress construction can affect how comfortable or supportive a bed is while you’re sleeping. We’ve put together a comprehensive guide of the best mattresses for back sleepers to help you find the right mattress for you. If you’re ready to start the hunt for back sleeper mattress ideas, let’s get to it.
When it comes to finding a mattress, we almost always tell consumers first to identify which type of sleeper they are. If you’re a back sleeper, this post is for you. Now comes the hard part. You need to figure out the other elements that are important to you and start trying out beds. Fortunately, we have tested and reviewed a lot of mattresses out there. After spending hundreds of hours testing dozens of mattresses and performing tests to determine motion isolation, edge support and temperature regulation, we’ve hand-picked the best beds for back sleepers.
We are not doctors or chiropractors, and this is not an offering of health advice. We did, however, work closely with a chiropractor and physical therapist, Amy Wolkin, to help us identify key features of a mattress that would make it better or worse for a back sleeper. Still, we suggest that you research and possibly even test out a few beds before making your ultimate decision.
10 Best Mattress For Back Sleepers
- Best Cheap Mattress for Back Sleepers :NectarStarting at $399 Shop Now
- Best Budget Hybrid Mattress for Back Sleepers :AllswellStarting at $279 Shop Now
- Best Firm Mattress For Back Sleepers :Saatva ClassicStarting at $935 Shop Now
- Best Back Sleeper Bed For The Money :PlankStarting at $699 Shop Now
- Best Memory Foam Mattress :Cocoon by Sealy ChillStarting at $769 Shop Now
- Best Hybrid Mattress For Back Sleepers :Avocado Green MattressStarting at $1399 Shop Now
- Best Mattress For Heavy Back Sleepers :TitanStarting at $699 Shop Now
- Best Foam Mattress For Back Sleepers :Loom LeafStarting at $1095 Shop Now
Compare The Best Mattresses For Back Sleepers
Best Cheap Mattress for Back Sleepers
Why Nectar wins as best cheap mattress for back sleepers
The Nectar mattress is a high-quality mattress that actually comes in at an affordable price compared to the competition. Plus, Nectar often offers great discounts, making it even more affordable. This mattress is a dense memory foam mattress that’s on the firm side, which is a good choice for back sleepers.
Nectar’s best features
- The Nectar bed has a dense memory foam feel, but you won’t immediately sink in. Once the foam is warmed up by your body, you’ll slowly be hugged as it contours around your body.
- It’s very affordable compared to the competition like TempurPedic.
- Will accommodate all sleeper types but is an especially good choice for back and stomach sleepers.
Why we picked this bed
We love that not only is this a comfy memory foam mattress but that it’s also really affordable. Buying a mattress can be a huge expense, but Nectar makes it a little more approachable. If you’re petite or average size, this is a great mattress choice.
Best Budget Hybrid Mattress for Back Sleepers
Why Allswell wins as best budget hybrid mattress for back sleepers
The Allswell mattress is a four-layer bed made of coils and foam. It has a neutral feel and is a great value for the price. It’s accommodating of all sleeper types, but we think it’s especially appealing for back sleepers.
Allswell’s best features
- The foam is responsive enough that you won’t feel stuck in this bed.
- This bed is a medium to medium-firm on our soft-to-firm scale and strikes a nice balance between comfort and support.
- This is an incredible deal, with a queen size coming in under $400.
Why we picked this bed
This bed is one of the cheapest beds on the market, but it still is of great quality. If you’re on a budget and want a supportive and comfortable mattress, this is a really great option to go with. It’s ideal for back sleepers because it offers enough support to keep your spine in neutral alignment for a good night’s sleep.
Best Firm Mattress For Back Sleepers
Why Saatva Classic wins as best firm mattress for back sleepers
The Saatva Classic comes in three firmness levels to provide proper support for back sleepers, two of which sway towards the firm end of the spectrum. It has an innerspring support system with back-to-back coils and a memory foam layer to up the firmness level. While it can accommodate a variety of sleeper types, it’s a top option for back sleepers in particular.
Saatva Classic’s best features
- Available in three firmness levels for back sleepers to choose from (Plush Soft, Luxury Firm, Firm).
- Feels like a traditional innerspring mattress with a firmer pillow topper.
- Has an extra durable construction because of its dual-coil layer.
- It’s a great value for a luxury mattress. The twin size starts at $887 (MSRP), and the queen retails for $1,574 before discounts.
Why we picked this bed
It’s a great mattress to support back sleepers and works well for all body types. We feel it’s one of the best luxury innerspring mattresses you can buy online with a reasonable price tag and a wide range of options. If you want durability and long-lasting support with a sprinkle of luxury, Saatva is definitely a great go-to.
Best Back Sleeper Bed For The Money
Why Plank wins as best back sleeper bed for the money
Not only is this mattress flippable, but each side offers a different sleeping experience. Both sides will provide a solid amount of support for back sleepers, whether you’re a petite or medium-sized sleeper. You can also get a twin-size bed for under $700, so it’s a great value for the money.
Plank’s best features
- Double-sided with a firm side and a soft side.
- One of the better all-foam beds for bigger individuals.
- It has a neutral feel that most people seem to find enjoyable. It’s not viscous like memory foam, nor is it extra bouncy like latex foam.
Why we picked this bed
The brand wanted to create a durable all-foam mattress to achieve “The firmest, flattest, healthiest way to sleep” (the company’s tagline). For this reason, we had to include it on our list for back sleepers. It’s perfect for heavy body types as well, as a firm profile should translate to a medium-firm for those over 230 lbs.
Best Memory Foam Mattress For Back Sleepers
Why Cocoon by Sealy Chill wins as best memory foam mattress for back sleepers
Cocoon is a really nice budget mattress, especially if you’re looking for a dense memory foam feel. And Cocoon is actually owned by Sealy, one of the world’s largest mattress brands. It’s also pretty affordable, especially after discounts. After promotions are applied, you can walk away with a queen mattress for under $1,000.
Cocoon by Sealy Chill’s best features
- It’s a great deal, with a queen usually running under $1,000.
- We rated the mattress around a medium-firm, making it a great mattress for petite to average-weighted back sleepers.
- It has a special design meant to help keep you cool, preventing sleepers from overheating at night.
- Has a contouring memory foam feel we think you’ll enjoy if you like slow-responding, hugging feel.
Why we picked this bed
We included Cocoon because it is a great bed for back sleepers who like the viscous feel of memory foam but are on a budget and can’t necessarily afford a mattress like Tempur-Pedic. It’s also great for temperature regulation, and is one of the more affordable beds built to keep you cool. If you’re a heavier individual and love the sound of cocoon, take a look at their more supportive hybrid model.
Best Hybrid Mattress For Back Sleepers
The Avocado Green Mattress is the most sought-after natural/organic mattress online. It’s supportive, comfortable, and constructed with high-quality materials.
Why Avocado Green wins as best hybrid mattress for back sleepers
The Avocado Green Mattress is constructed of a combination of pocketed coils, organic wool, organic cotton and 100% GOLS-certified organic latex. This gives the mattress a nice, bouncy feel while still maintaining decent pressure relief. The standard option is best for back and stomach sleepers.
Avocado Green’s best features
- It’s made of organic wool and 100% GOLS-certified organic latex.
- Natural/organic latex foam is also antimicrobial and hypoallergenic, meaning it’s resistant to nasty household allergens like dust mites, bacteria, mold and mildew.
- When it comes to price, the Avocado Green isn’t the most expensive, but it’s certainly not cheap either. The twin size retails around $900, and the queen at about $1,400.
- A solid option for stomach and back sleepers.
Why we picked this bed
We added the mattress to this list as an eco-friendly choice that is a cooler mattress option with a firm, supportive hybrid design. Organic latex foam tends to be more breathable and longer-lasting than other materials like memory foam — plus, it’s good for people with allergies!
Best Mattress For Heavy Back Sleepers
Why Titan wins as best mattress for heavy back sleepers
The Titan mattress from Brooklyn Bedding is made with a firm profile and hybrid construction that we think heavy back sleepers will love. This bed is 11” thick and made with four layers. The top comfort layers are made with memory foam and the brand’s “Titan Flex” foam, which overall gives it a neutral-foam feel. This means it won’t give you that “stuck-in-the-mud” feel some memory foam beds can give you. The bottom layers are 6” pocketed coils, which is the primary reason why this bed is so supportive.
Titan’s best features
- Titan is made with a firm profile and hybrid construction for heavier people.
- This bed is 11” thick and made with four layers.
- A queen size Titan is around $1,100, which is the price of your standard foam bed in a box mattress. Plus, it can be even more affordable after discounts.
Why we picked this bed
Titan offers quality construction and comfort at an exceptional value when a lot of firm, extra-supportive hybrid beds are a bit steeper in price. Not to mention, it’s super comfortable and offers an ultra-firm profile that we think heavy back sleepers will find perfectly comfortable.
Best Foam Mattress For Back Sleepers
Why Loom & Leaf wins as best foam mattress for back sleepers
Loom & Leaf is from the luxury bedding brand, Saatva, and it’s one of the thicker all-foam mattresses offered on the online market. It’s made with a dense memory foam material that’ll be great for memory foam lovers, but it sleeps on the cooler side thanks to a special laminated cooling gel strip that really helps with temperature regulation.
Loom & Leaf’s best features
- It’s between 11” and 12” thick and made with a dense memory foam material that we think is perfect for folks who love beds with a viscous, slow responding feel.
- Loom & Leaf is designed with a laminated cooling gel spinal panel in the center to help regulate temperature and prevent you from overheating.
- It also comes in two firmness levels: Relaxed Firm and Firm.
- A queen size will retail around $1,900, but discounts can bring the bed down $100-$200.
Why we picked this bed
We love Loom & Leaf for a couple of reasons. One, because it’s made with quality materials and special technology to help make the bed sleep cooler. It’s also thick enough to support heavy back sleepers, whereas many foam mattresses aren’t.
Best Mattress For Back Sleepers Pricing
The average queen size bed is about $1,000 online. You will typically see coil mattresses just above the $1,000 mark and foam beds just below it. There are plenty of fantastic beds that we hold in high regard that are over $1,000—here’s our list of the best mattresses under $2,000. We use the $1,000 mark to say that you can get some really nice beds for not much more than $1,000. At the end of the day, you should spend however much you want on a bed.
While you should always checks for sales, coupons and deals, here are the typical prices for the mattresses on our list.
| Twin | Twin XL | Full | Queen | King / Cal King | |
| Saatva Classic | $887 | $1,087 | $1,474 | $1,574 | $1,974 |
| Plank | $849 | $949 | $999 | $1,249 | $1,499 |
| Cocoon by Sealy Chill | $730 | $770 | $850 | $1,080 | $1,310 |
| Avocado Green Mattress | $899 | $999 | $1,199 | $1,399 | $1,799 |
| Titan | $699 | $799 | $899 | $1,099 | $1,299 |
| Loom & Leaf | $949 | $1,249 | $1,799 | $1,899 | $2,199 |
Best Materials For Back Sleepers
Here are some of the best materials for back sleepers:
- Memory foam — One of the most popular materials is memory foam. It softens where pressure and heat are applied, which can cradle your body and be comfortable. However, it’s not very responsive and therefore can leave you feeling stuck in the mattress. With a firmer mattress, you’ll typically get less sinkage and therefore remain more on top of the mattress, so it won’t heat up as much as a softer memory foam bed. That said, memory foam tends to be warm, so some mattresses have gel memory foam to increase the bed’s airflow.
- Latex foam — Latex foam can offer ample pressure relief and is also responsive, durable and supportive. It also has the added benefit of allowing for a lot of airflow. Latex is less common than memory foam, but it’s often a natural material (there’s also synthetic latex) with plenty of advantages. Some people with latex allergies could have a reaction to the material, so they should check before buying a latex mattress.
- Innerspring/Coil — An innerspring mattress is defined by the core of coils that serve as the main component of a bed’s support core. Many innerspring mattresses also come with a thin comfort layer on top, like the fluffy pillow-top WinkBed offers.
- Hybrid — Hybrid mattresses combine two types of mattresses materials to harness the best features of each. The core support layer of a hybrid mattress tends to be made of innerspring coils, and there will be one or more comfort layers on top of this core support layer. The comfort layer may be composed of latex, foam, memory foam or gel, as well as wool or some other material. This comfort layer is designed to provide a sleeper with pressure relief. The core innerspring coils provide the support needed for the bed’s foundation and proper spinal alignment in back sleepers.
- Hyper-Elastic Polymer — We see this material used in the Purple mattress, and it’s unlike anything you’ve felt in a mattress. We say it feels like Dr. Scholl’s insole, and it’s very comfortable once you get used to the feel. It’s also covered in air pockets, so it sleeps on the cool end of the spectrum.
Mattress Toppers For People Who Sleep On Their Back
A mattress topper is simply a softer layer of material that lays on top of the mattress to make it softer and more contouring for your body.
Many people consider the mattress topper an affordable way to make a mattress more comfortable because they are far less expensive than buying a new mattress.
Mattress toppers come in various thicknesses from 1”-3” +, allowing the users to customize the feel of their sleep surface. A thin topper will provide a small degree of additional softness and comfort, while a thicker topper can even relieve a substantial amount of pressure.
Even though toppers can help with the contouring and support offered by a mattress, they won’t provide the benefits of a new mattress. In nearly all cases, the topper by itself won’t provide sufficient support if that’s what you need. For a back sleeper who sinks too far into a mattress, or for a mattress that’s begun sagging, the mattress topper won’t be enough. Generally for back sleepers, a mattress topper can help provide a bit more softness or a slight amount of relief at their pressure points.
Best Mattress For Lower Back Pain
We’ve heard time and time again that back sleepers suffer from lower back pain. These aches and pains can be caused by improper alignment of the spine or other joints.
One easy way to tell if you have a mattress that doesn’t offer the right levels of support and contouring for proper alignment is when you wake up sore or with pains or aches. If the soreness goes away once you get up and begin moving around, your mattress may be contributing to your ailment and. With proper support, your spine will be aligned and you’ll notice fewer issues with aches and pains after a night’s sleep.
If you’re dealing with lower back pain and you spend the majority of the night on your back, the fix is fairly straightforward. You need a firmer bed but not so firm that it doesn’t contour to the shape of your body. More specifically, you need a bed with better support.
See Also: Best Mattress for Back Pain
Why Firm Mattresses Sleep Cooler (Generally)
If you’ve read any of our other reviews, you’ll know that temperature regulation isn’t a straightforward, cut-and-dry subject. Materials, sleeping position, weight, and room temperature all affect how cool or warm a bed sleeps. What often goes overlooked, however, is that firmness plays a role as well. The firmer the bed, generally speaking, the cooler that bed will sleep. This is because the sleeper will rest on top of the bed with less of the materials coming in contact with their body. Softer beds, by design, allow for more give and necessitate that more of the bed’s surface will come in contact with their body. For example, a firmer bed such as Plank will naturally tend to sleep cooler than a plush mattress like Zinus. You can compare firm vs. soft beds more in our recent post.
Cooling Mattresses
For consumers that are willing to spend a little more on a luxury-tier cooling mattress, GhostBed Luxe is a fantastic option.
The GhostBed Luxe is one of few cooling, memory foam mattresses. It has a dense, firm memory foam feel, but what sets the Luxe apart is that it’s thicker than most foam beds (13” compared to the average 10″) and has cooling fibers woven into the top layer and cover. As a result, this bed is literally cool to the touch.
In terms of firmness, the Luxe comes in around a medium-firm on the firmness scale. And because it’s so firm, you won’t find yourself sinking into this bed as much as you would with a typical memory foam mattress—this helps limit that stuck-in-the-mud feeling as well.
There is no single best “type” of mattress for back sleepers, though we suggest (1) a firmer mattress and (2) a supportive mattress. This can be a hybrid, all-foam, or a bed like Purple.
You will almost certainly prefer a medium-firm or firm mattress for back sleepers, especially if you sleep exclusively on your back.
For most beds online, you get totally free shipping and returns, alongside a trial period. Interestingly, many brands allow you to try your new bed in your home risk-free for 100 nights or longer before you decide to keep or return it.
If you weigh over about 230 to 250 lbs, you need an extra-supportive mattress—perhaps even one that’s specially made for heavy people. These are thick-gauge coil beds such as Big Fig, Saatva HD, and WinkBed Plus.
Any mattress that includes foam as part of its construction will be subject to some amount of off-gassing. Off-gassing is the release of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from the materials used to manufacture your mattress. In general, this won’t last longer than 24-48 hours since most of the process happens in the factory before shipping. You can look for foam mattresses that use low VOCs or organic materials.
Memory foam is a viscous, slow responding material that conforms to the curves of a sleeper’s body. Poly foam typically feels more springy or bouncy than memory foam.
The choice is up to you. However, certain mattress brands these days are only available online. Buying online is easy, and the mattress is delivered right to your door, which is quite convenient. Online brands also offer lengthy risk-free trials, returns, and warranty policies.
Of the eight mattresses we reviewed, the Cocoon is the least expensive, followed closely by Titan from Brooklyn Bedding.
Why Trust Us
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