Best Mattress For Neck And Shoulder Pain

Medically Reviewed by Dr. Gregory Minnis, DPT

Dr. Gregory Minnis is a physical therapist with an interest in orthopedic manual therapy. He graduated from the University of St. Augustine in Florida with a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree. His work experience includes orthopedic physical therapy, sports medicine, neurological rehab, advanced assessment and treatment of running injuries, and advanced treatment of the pelvic complex, spine, and extremities. He loves spending time outdoors biking, skiing, and surfing.

Top 5 Mattresses For Neck, Back, And Shoulder Pain

What Makes These The Best Mattresses For Neck Pain

For this important post, we sought the counsel of Dr. Ranvir Sahota of Synapse Chiropractic. We discussed, in-depth, some causes of neck, back and shoulder pain as they relate to sleep and your mattresses. We also went through an in-person demonstration and presentation about proper spinal alignment and health. We relied heavily on his professional opinion in order to assemble this list.

Even so, we do sincerely recommend you consult your physician and/or chiropractor before you purchase a new mattress or change anything in your daily routine. Even if you get the best mattress for shoulder pain in general, you may find that you have different needs.

In addition to working closely with Dr. Sahota, we spent hundreds of hours researching, testing and producing our list and this post. We hope it helps you find the best mattress for back and neck pain.

Compare the Best Mattresses For Neck Pain

Best Foam Mattress For Shoulder Pain

Nolah Original 10

Why it’s Great

The Nolah mattress has three layers and a soft, unique profile that is somewhere between poly foam and memory foam. It’s built specifically for side sleepers.

Best for

Side sleepers and people that want a soft bed

If you’re looking for a bed-in-a-box mattress

Sleep Positions

Back, Side and Stomach

Product Details

Firmness

Soft

Type

Mixed Foam

Temp

Neutral

Nolah is a softer all-foam bed that’s extremely comfortable and is most ideal for strict side sleepers. It’s comprised of three layers of foam, including a top layer that feels somewhat like memory foam but without the quicksand feeling common with older memory foam beds.

Nolah is also a fantastic value. The MSRP might float around $1,000 for a queen size, but after a discount, it typically sells for around $900.

Nolah is made in the USA and comes with a 15-year warranty. Like most bed-in-a-box mattress companies, it also offers free shipping and returns, plus a 120-night risk-free trial period. Nolah is not a mattress for heavy individuals, but if you are a medium or petite sleeper, it should do just fine.

Why we picked Nolah as a mattress for shoulder pain —It offers a great amount of pressure relief for your shoulders and hips as long as you’re a side sleeper. It will do a good job of cradling your body and alleviating pressure.

Best Memory Foam Mattress

Layla

Why it’s Great

Layla is a memory foam mattress that’s flippable and features a “Soft” and “Firm” side.

Best for

People that like memory foam mattresses

If you want a soft bed

Sleep Positions

Back, Side and Stomach

Product Details

Firmness

All

Type

Memory Foam

Temp

Neutral

Layla is a comfortable, two-sided flippable mattress that has quite a bit of memory foam. It has a “soft” side and a “firm” side, which allows you to try out two firmness levels on the same mattress.

You should start with the soft” side, as that offers the greatest amount of pressure relief. The firm side feels more like a medium or medium-firm. Side sleepers should be fine on either side, but if you’re concerned with your shoulder pain, again, the “soft” side is the way to go.

Why we picked Layla — Layla is reasonably priced and comes with a lifetime warranty. It boils down to comfort, dual firmness levels and value. You’re kind of getting two mattresses for the price of one.

Pick For Couples

Helix Dawn

Why it’s Great

Dawn is a firm mattress from Helix Sleep. It has pocket coils and dense foams such that we think back and stomach sleepers in particular will really like this bed.

Best for

If you like firm mattresses

People that need a supportive bed

If you want a really good value

Sleep Positions

Back, Side and Stomach

Product Details

Firmness

Firm

Type

Mixed Foam

Temp

Neutral

Helix is one of the most unique mattress companies out there. Unlike most companies that offer between one and three firmness levels, Helix allows you to personalize your bed, including its firmness, support and coolness. Helix has a Sleep Quiz on their website that matches you up with the Helix bed that best suits your sleeping habits.

Helix is probably the outright best mattress for couples, given that you can personalize each side of the bed or try out a blend that works for both partners.

Beyond that, Helix offers supportive hybrid mattresses and a model for individuals who weigh over 250 lb. There’s also a mattress cover that incorporates a phase-change material that makes the bed cool to the touch.

Why we picked Helix for our best mattress for shoulder pain list —Ultimately, what we like about Helix is the sheer number of options. Rather than have us guess which bed is best for your situation, with Helix you can select whichever bed you feel is best for you.

Best Pillow Top Mattress For Back And Neck Pain

WinkBeds Classic

Why it’s Great

WinkBed is a thick, durable hybrid mattress that includes a comfortable euro pillow top. In our opinion, it’s one of the best mattresses you can purchase online.

Best for

Consumers looking for a supportive yet comfortable hybrid mattress

If you want to choose your firmness preference

Sleep Positions

Back, Side and Stomach

Product Details

Firmness

All

Type

Pillow Top

Temp

Neutral

WinkBed is our top pick as the best pillow top mattress for back and neck pain. It’s one of the most impressive mattresses out there. It’s a 15” monstrosity that’s perfect for heavy people who need a durable mattress. It has two layers of coils, and there’s even a mattress for heavy people specifically called WinkBed Plus.

WinkBed comfortable mattress that has a plush pillow top. This is the type of bed you nestle into and never want to get out of. And, given its firmness level (close to a medium-soft), it’s a fantastic option for side sleepers with neck and back pain. You will get plenty of support from the coil layers but also pressure relief thanks to the comfort layers on top and the pillow topper.

Why we picked WinkBed —Perhaps the worst thing about the WinkBed mattress is that it’s (somewhat) difficult to find sheets that fit. You need stretchy sheets because it’s 15″ thick. Beyond that, however, if you’re okay with the price, it’s hard to do better than the WinkBed. Simply put, it’s one of the most comfortable mattresses we’ve ever tested. For multiple reasons, we believe it will be a great option for those with shoulder pain as well as neck and back pain.

Best Cooling Mattress

Brooklyn Bedding Aurora

Why it’s Great

Aurora is one of the best cooling hybrid mattresses online. It’s made in the USA, comes in multiple firmness options, and has a cool-to-the-touch cover.

Best for

Hot sleepers that want a cooling mattress

All body types

All sleeping positions (comes in three firmness options)

Sleep Positions

Back, Side and Stomach

Product Details

Firmness

All

Type

Soft Foam

Temp

Cooling

The Brooklyn Bedding Aurora is possibly the coolest mattress on the market right now. Brooklyn Bedding combines 8” pocketed coils with various layers of foam and then a cover with a phase-change material woven in. The bed is cool to the touch and could possibly be too cool for some people out there. You have to sleep quite hot to want Aurora.

The Aurora mattress is basically the same bed as the Nest Bedding Alexander Signature Hybrid because Brooklyn makes both mattresses in a facility in Arizona. Aurora just comes in more firmness levels.

Why we picked Aurora — The Aurora comes in a soft, medium and firm feel, which gives you the ability to select which firmness is right for you and your pain. As a heads up, the medium option is still quite soft. It offers plenty of pressure relief and great support thanks to those 8” coils.

Best Mattress For Neck Pain Pricing

Here are the prices of our best mattress for back and neck pain list. Be sure to check the individual websites and our deals information for any available sales or coupons.

Why Trust Us

Get the kind of sleep you’ve only dreamed of with some help from our team of mattress experts. We personally test more than 175 of the best sleep solutions from over 60 leading brands on site, so you can be sure you’re getting unbiased reviews, fair comparisons and personalized recommendations.

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The Review Team

• 

  Wesley Ott

  Combo Sleeper

• 

  McKenzie Dillon

  Combo Sleeper

• 

  Jack Reynoso

  Combo Sleeper

• 

  JD Christison

  Combo Sleeper

Causes Of Neck And Shoulder Pain

There’s no one root cause of neck and shoulder pain. You could be experiencing pain for several reasons, including:

• Irritated joints
• Pulled muscles
• Pinched nerves
• Strained ligament

Whatever the cause, it doesn’t feel good. To find the best mattress for spinal stenosis or any other kind of back or neck issue, visit your doctor to learn more about your particular needs.

What To Look For In A Mattress If You Have Shoulder and Neck Pain

If you’re experiencing back or neck pain, here are a few things to consider:

• Look for support. You don’t want your mattress to be too soft, and a hybrid mattress with an extra supportive construction is helpful. That said, side sleepers can get away with a slightly softer mattress because they need a little additional pressure relief.
• Consider pressure relief. You want your mattress, of course, to be comfortable. But you also need it to provide pressure relief. We think mattresses with a medium firmness level provide that sweet spot between pressure relief and support.
• Look beyond your mattress. Pillows and other accessories make a big difference when it comes to proper spine alignment.

Note that firmness is subjective based on your weight. The lighter you are, the more firm the bed will feel. This is why we present firmness on a spectrum—it’s not the same for everyone.

Sleeping Styles And Mattresses For Neck And Back Pain

When it comes to neck and back pain, it’s important to pay attention to your body. If it’s not making you better, get rid of it and move on—that’s why we include so many beds with free returns. This guide to body types will hopefully help you pick the best mattress for neck pain on the first try.

Side Sleepers

Side sleepers will want beds with more pressure relief. Because you’ll be putting a lot of pressure on your shoulders, you’ll need the mattress to compress quite a bit. Firmness is up to you, but if you get too firm of a mattress you can make your existing shoulder pain worse—and it can also cause even more neck or back pain.

See also: Best mattresses for back pain

Back Sleepers

Back sleepers generally prefer firmer mattresses that make them feel like they’re sleeping on top of the mattress, not in it. That will also help to prevent your hips or shoulders from sinking too far into the mattress, which can stretch your muscles and throw your back out of alignment. Anywhere in that medium to firm range is a good idea for back sleepers.

Stomach sleepers

Stomach sleepers should firmer beds so that they don’t sink in too much. Having said that, sleeping on your stomach is not advisable if you have neck issues. It’s easy to irritate your neck while sleeping on your stomach.

If you are a strict stomach sleeper and you simply cannot learn to sleep on your side or back, get a thinner pillow to help make your pain better. You don’t want your neck overly angled upwards, as that can put extra stress on your muscles, ligaments and joints. If you’re committed to sleeping on your stomach, try to sleep flat. The more you contort and twist your body, the more you could be pulling yourself out of alignment and making your situation worse.

Pillows For Bad Shoulders, Necks, And Backs

If you have upper back and neck pain, check your pillow first. We’ve seen plenty of stomach sleepers using a too-thick pillow, which could make the upper back and neck pain worse.

Here a few we recommend in our review of the best pillow for stomach sleepers:

• Brooklyn Talalay — Best Overall
• Leesa Hybrid — Best Cooling Pillow Option
• Casper — Best Down Pillow
• Helix Pillow — Best Shredded Foam Pillow

You can also look into getting a medical pillow for shoulder pain along with one of the best mattresses for back and neck pain if you and your doctor think it could be helpful.

Best Mattress For Neck Pain Summary