Best Mattress for Joint Pain of 2023

Joint pain is an issue that affects us all at one point or another. Sometimes it’s just temporary, resulting from an injury or illness. Other times it may just be something we have to live with indefinitely due to aging or health conditions.

No matter the cause of your joint pain, finding the right new mattress to relieve your pressure points and distribute your body weight can go a long way to helping you both get a good night’s sleep and wake up pain-free in the morning.

If you’re looking for a new mattress that’s a Jack of all trades, the highly versatile Amerisleep AS3 may be for you. The AS3 is a more natural take on traditional memory foam.  swaps out some of the petroleum products found in polyurethane foam to create a more plant-based version of memory foam. That makes it the best memory foam mattress for arthritis sufferers with sensitivities.

“Inflammation in the body is the most common reason for joint pain,” says Dr. Jordan Burns. “The Amerisleep AS3 mattress provides pressure-relieving support to help aid in the healing process.” 

How Lying Down Feels

The AS3 mattress conforms to the body in most positions, cradling joints to prevent pressure build-up. Side sleepers can sink in far enough to lower tension in the shoulders and hips, while back sleepers will feel buoyed for optimal spine support.

“Studies have shown that memory foam mattresses, like the Amerisleep AS3, help evenly distribute body weight across the surface of the mattress to help alleviate joint pain and provide a higher quality of sleep,” says Dr. Burns.

Inside the Mattress

The top of the AS3 is a plant-based foam more responsive than traditional memory foam and more breathable to boot. It’s also a wonderful alternative to latex for people who have chemical sensitivities and a latex allergy as well. In fact, the Bio-Pur® foam is fantastic for people with all kinds of allergies. It fights mold, mildew, dust mites, and bacteria alike.

The Bio-Pur® foam isn’t the only great feature of this mattress. The AS3 also boasts a HIVE® transition layer to offer targeted pressure relief to different areas of the body. This can help alleviate shoulder and hip pain for arthritis sufferers.

Another amazing feature of the AS3 is its Bio-Core® support layer. This ultra high-density foam doesn’t just offer you excellent spine alignment. It also extends the life of this memory foam mattress considerably. The AS3 will fight sagging and soft spot development for a full two decades. That’s why it boasts a 20-year warranty as well as a 100-night sleep trial.

SEE ALSO: Amerisleep Mattress Review

Athletes whose joint pain is due to intense training or physical workers who experience joint pain due to their jobs should consider the Zoma Mattress. This medium memory foam mattress is designed by and for athletes to aid in restorative and recuperative sleep.

“The Zoma Mattress with its cooling gel memory foam helps provide pressure relief for overall joint pain to keep you cool and comfortable throughout the night,”says Dr. Burns.

The Zoma Mattress comes with a 100-night sleep trial and a 10-year warranty.

How Lying Down Feels

Stretching out on the Zoma Mattress, sleepers tend to notice how pleasantly chill it feels as it presses lightly against their bodies. The cool gel infusions maintain a relatively low temperature that furthers relaxation, helping sleepers dirft off faster and rest longer.

Inside the Mattress

On top, you’ll find the ventilated AirCloth cover. This cover works with the perforated gel foam comfort layer to both pull heat away from your body and keep cool air flowing around it. This makes the Zoma one of the coolest pure memory foam mattresses in its price range.

The middle layer of the Zoma is called the Reactiv™ transition layer because it puts the bounce back in the bed. This transition layer is designed to increase the Zoma’s responsiveness, so it springs back into place as soon as you change positions.

Underneath these memory foam layers rests the Support+ core. This ultra-dense base foam stands up to anything you throw at it. It provides tons of spinal support to aid you in recovery and prevent back pain. This support layer also makes the Zoma an extremely durable mattress for its price. Expect it to last at least 10 years.

SEE ALSO: Zoma Mattress Review

Those looking for the best memory foam mattress for arthritis that won’t break the bank, look no further than the Vaya Mattress. This quality mattress has just two memory foam layers to help cut costs without sacrificing comfort.

Don’t let the price tag fool you. This mattress was built to last. It still comes with an industry-standard 10-year warranty. That means you can expect at least a decade of comfort for an amazing price. The Vaya Mattress also has a 100-night sleep trial to let shoppers thoroughly try it out.

How Lying Down Feels

Vaya engineered its main mattress to have a top that’s soft yet responsive, balancing cushion and support for a medium to medium-firm feel. People with joint pain can stretch out and have sensitive areas supported, limiting pressure build-up. The mildly plush cushion also makes it easy to relax and fall asleep.

“Medium-firm mattresses, like the Vaya mattress, are optimal for keeping a neutral skeletal alignment to help alleviate joint pain and pressure,” says Dr. Burns.

Inside the Mattress

On top, the Vaya features its airy and cool ventilated cover. This cover can help keep air flowing around your body to wick away sweat and body heat all night long. It’s also ultra-soft to provide you extra comfort as you sleep.

The cooling cover works with the open-cell Vaya Comfort Foam to help get even more cooling air circulating around your body. The Vaya Comfort Foam is also a highly contouring memory foam. That makes it perfect for arthritis sufferers who need all the pressure relief and joint cushioning they can get.

Underneath the Vaya Comfort Foam, you’ll find a thick support layer of Vaya Base Foam. This layer offers lots of lift to counter potential sinkage in the soft comfort layer. The support layer also makes the Vaya just as durable as many more expensive offerings.

SEE ALSO: Vaya Mattress Review

Those who suffer from arthritis pain and allergies alike should think about the Nolah Evolution 15. The graphite-infused foam has antimicrobial properties that can protect you from all kinds of allergens, including mold and bacteria.

Graphite infusions aren’t the only thing the Evolution has to brag about. This mattress also has multiple cooling technologies like its AirFoamICE™ layer and its AirBreath™ heat escape gusset. That means even the hottest sleeper can find comfort in this mattress.

The Nolah Evolution 15 has a 120-night sleep trial period and a lifetime warranty.

Inside the Mattress

As we mentioned, the main top layer of the Evolution is AirFoamICE™ foam, a cooler version of Nolah’s original AirFoam™ comfort material. A quilted High Thermal Conductivity Euro top with cooling ArticTex™ fabric and a breathable border gusset completes this cooling surface.

Underneath the AirFoamICE™ foam is a supportive foam for added resiliency and a dense transition foam for buoyancy. These layers keep sleepers from feeling as if they’re sinking too far or trapped in the mattress.

The Evolution also boasts some of the most advanced edge support technology on the market. Its E.D.G.E™️ Rails wrap around the pocketed coil support core to prevent the edge of the bed from collapsing and provide ultimate stability in the middle of the mattress.

The Evolution also offers an excellent mix of cushioning and support to relieve pressure points and provide healthy spinal alignment. Its high-density transition foam provides support to the lumbar area and cradling to prevent shoulder and hip pain. It also protects you from potential pressure caused by the HDMax™ Tri-Zone™️ coil support layer.

Finally, the Evolution also comes in three different firmness levels. That means sleepers of any body type and sleep style can enjoy this cooling and supportive mattress.

SEE ALSO: Nolah Mattress Review

If you’re looking for a mattress for arthritis and joint pain that can also keep you cool as a cucumber, check out the Ghostbed Flex. Every layer of this memory foam hybrid mattress was designed to offer extreme coolness and relieve pressure at the same time.

Another feature this mattress has to brag about is its unbeatable durability. With a 25-year warranty, the Ghostbed Flex is one of the most durable memory foam hybrids out there. It’s moving into natural latex territory in terms of longevity. The mattress also comes with a 101-night sleep trial period.

How Lying Down Feels

The GhostBed Flex is a bouncy mattress with a conforming foam top, easing pressure points while adapting swiftly to even the most minuscule of movements. The bed has a medium feel that edges more toward firmness than softness, so it’s well-matched for people with joint pains who want to feel supported all night long.

Inside the Mattress

On top, the quilted cooling cover works with a layer of cooling fiber to create a feel that’s cool to the touch. Underneath, two layers of gel-infused memory foam work to pull heat away from your body. When the heat gets pushed down to the coil layer, it’s circulated out of the mattress to keep you cool and comfortable all night.

The individually wrapped coils also work with the Ghost Bounce layer to make this mattress highly responsive as well as extremely cool. And the high-density base layer ensures maximum motion transfer control, while the reinforced coils offer the best edge support.

Meanwhile, the luxury firm feel is perfect for maintaining healthy spinal alignment for those who prefer stomach sleeping as well as relieving back and neck pain for back sleepers.

SEE ALSO: Best Hybrid Mattress for Side Sleepers

If you just can’t give up the feel of an innerspring mattress, the Saatva Classic solves a lot of the problems inherent to traditional innerspring beds without losing the coolness or bounce that so many sleepers have come to love.

The Saatva Classic comes with a 180-night sleep trial and a 15-year warranty. However, there is a nominal pickup fee charged for any Saatva mattress returned during its sleep trial.

How Lying Down Feels

The Classic offers tons of pressure relief for those who have arthritis symptoms and lots of temperature regulation for those who need cooling comfort. The Classic also boasts three different firmness levels, from plush soft to luxury firm to firm. That means this bed can accommodate all sleep positions.

Inside the Mattress

On top of the Classic, you’ll find a three-inch Euro top that provides tons of contouring to relieve pressure. Below this, the Classic maintains adaptability with a layer of individually wrapped pocketed coils that can mold themselves to your shape.

What makes the Classic unique is that it places a layer of open coils underneath the pocketed coils. This helps maintain the bounce of a traditional innerspring mattress, while the pocket coils allow for more adaptability than a traditional innerspring bed would have.

The Saatva Classic also features superior edge support over a traditional innerspring. Its firm foam rails prevent the edges of the mattress from collapsing and also have the added benefit of increased stability.

SEE ALSO: Best Mattress That Won’t Sag

Those who love to toss and turn should check out the Purple Hybrid. This hybrid mattress features the proprietary GelFlex™ Grid, also called the Purple Grid™. Made of highly responsive gel, this grid allows for maximum airflow and bounces right back as soon as you change sleeping positions.

The Purple Hybrid has a 100-night sleep trial and a 10-year warranty.

How Lying Down Feels

The original Purple Hybrid has a medium to medium-firm feel. Combine that with its superior contouring ability, and it’s a fantastic mattress for back sleepers. But it’s also versatile enough for combo sleepers.

Inside the Mattress

The Grid™ is not made of foam. It’s made of a hyper-elastic gel that contains no foam whatsoever. That means the top layer of the Purple Hybrid has one of the fastest response times on the market as well as being ultra-contouring.

The grid layer also works with the pocketed coils in the support core to provide the ultimate bounce and breathability. So it not only springs back into place when you move. It also wicks heat away from you, so you don’t wake up in a sweat.

Sandwiched between the hyper-elastic gel grid and the pocket coil support core, you’ll find a layer of cushioning transition foam that shores up the support and protects your joints from pressure caused by the coil support core.

If you’re looking for a mattress for arthritis or joint pain on Amazon, look no further than the Zoma Start. This medium-firm bed is available exclusively on Amazon right now, and it offers everything the original Zoma Mattress has for a more affordable price.

So those budget shoppers and Amazon shoppers who want comparable features to the original Zoma Mattress for a better price should consider the Start as an alternative. The Zoma Start is backed by a 10-year warranty.

How Lying Down Feels

The Zoma Start has a relatively firm feel that allows for minimal sinkage, though its memory foam surface is still conforming enough to support most sleeping positions. The gel infusions and breathable mattress cover also ensure the bed stays cool and dry throughout the night, excellent for anyone in a warmer climate.

Inside the Mattress

The Start makes a few simple changes to the original Zoma’s manufacturing process to cut costs in ways that you won’t notice when you’re sleeping on it. For example, the original Zoma Mattress features Triangule™ technology to provide zoned support to different body areas. The Start swaps this technology for one sheet of gel foam.

The Start also has a thicker support layer and thinner comfort and transition foam layers. This makes it slightly firmer than the Original. However, these changes don’t alter the comfort or support of the Zoma Start in a significant way. What they do alter is the Start’s price.

SEE ALSO: Best Mattresses on Amazon

Arthritis and joint pain sufferers looking for a natural mattress that’s as bouncy as a latex mattress and as contouring as a memory foam mattress should check out the Organica by Amerisleep. This Talalay latex hybrid mattress is one of the best mattresses on the market for arthritis pain sufferers who are also active sleepers.

How Lying Down Feels

The Organica feels soft and buoyant thanks to its mix of latex foam, organic wool, and cotton fabric. These materials also keep it cool throughout the night, helping body heat escape the bed quickly.

Inside the Mattress

The Organica features a GOTS-certified organic cotton cover that offers all-natural breathability and moisture absorption. The cotton cover combines with the highly breathable latex foam and pocketed coils to circulate air through the whole mattress.

The Talalay latex is not just breathable. It’s also much bouncier than memory foam without sacrificing much of the contouring. If you’re an active sleeper but still need pressure relief, you might consider this as an alternative to a memory foam hybrid.

The pocketed coils up both the bounce factor and the contouring power of this mattress. Each coil of this hybrid mattress can move independently of the others. That means the support can adapt to your body without losing bounce. And it can bounce back without causing motion transfer.

One of the features that makes this among the best mattresses for arthritis pain sufferers is its layer of Joma Wool. The wool layer sits between the cover and the latex foam comfort layer. It provides an extra layer of pressure relief and also acts as a natural fire barrier, eliminating the need for synthetic flame retardants.

SEE ALSO: Best Mattresses Without Fiberglass

If you’re not sure of your firmness needs or just want to have some options, you might consider a flippable mattress like the Layla Hybrid Mattress. While most hybrids feature top-down construction that means you cannot turn it upside down, this hybrid mattress was made to be flipped.

How Lying Down Feels

The Layla features two firmness levels. The soft side offers tons of plush foam that alleviates joint pain and offers tons of cushioning for your pressure points. The firm side boasts lots of support to relieve back pain and keep you lifted onto the sleeping surface.

The soft side is perfect for petite and average-weight side sleepers, while the firm side is excellent for heavier and average-weight stomach sleepers.

Inside the Mattress

Being a flippable mattress isn’t the only thing the Layla has to brag about. One great feature of the Layla Hybrid is its copper-infused foam top, featured on both sides. Copper is a highly thermoconductive material that helps pull heat away from your body. It’s also a natural antimicrobial agent to fight dust mites, mold, and bacteria.

Underneath the copper-infused foam on each side is transition foam with channels that offer targeted support and added air circulation. The core of the mattress is pocketed coils, featuring a double coil perimeter for superior edge support and maximum motion transfer control.

SEE ALSO: Mattress Sizes and Dimensions

Potential Causes of Joint Pain

Though joint pain is among the most common ailments that humans experience, it still has a number of factors that contribute to its development.

Some of them are simple and straightforward. Others may need a doctor’s diagnosis and treatment. If you’re experiencing joint pain, talk to a health practitioner about available methods for relief.

Age

Sometimes, things like shoulder and hip pain are just caused by the simple facts of aging. In this case, your doctor may be able to offer relief, but there may be no single health condition causing the pain Read more about best mattresses for hip pain here).

Bursitis

Bursitis occurs when the fluid sacs that cushion joints and bones become inflamed. This condition most commonly causes shoulder, elbow, and hip pain.

Gout

Gout occurs when the chemical serum urate builds up in your body. This chemical creates sharp crystals around your joints, especially those of your big toe. These crystals can lead to agonizing flareups that last days or weeks.

Infection

Believe it or not, viral and bacterial infections can sometimes cause pain in the joints. For example, septic arthritis may develop when a bacterial infection in another part of your body spreads from that part to one or more of your joints.

Injury

Sometimes injuries to the joints can cause pain in them. This pain may be temporary or longer-term, depending on the nature of the injury and how long it takes to heal. Examples of injuries that can cause joint pain include:

• Sprains and strains
• Dislocations
• Fractures/bone breaks
• Torn ligaments or tendons
• Tears in rotator cuffs

Obesity

When your joints have to carry too much extra weight, it causes them stress. Due to this stress, you may experience ankle, knee, and hip pain. Obesity can also contribute to joint damage and osteoarthritis development over time.

Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is the most common cause of arthritic pain. It occurs when the cartilage in the joints breaks down and wears away. This is a natural process that happens with age, and it most commonly causes hand, knee, and hip pain.

Repeated Use

Workers and athletes who perform repetitive motions may start to experience wear and tear or even stress injury on the joints that bear the brunt of these movements. Repetitive motion injuries can often occur when you don’t take enough breaks to rest your joints and muscles.

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that attacks the joints. It can cause symptoms ranging from pain to swelling and even loss of joint function. Symptoms can come and go, or they can be more stubborn and last a long time. RA may also affect other body parts.

Tendinitis

Tendinitis occurs when the cords that bind your muscles to your bones (called tendons) become inflamed or irritated. This inflammation can cause sharp pain in your joints. It may also cause swelling and stiffness that can make it hard to move the affected joint or joints.

Pointers for Choosing the Right Mattress for Joint Pain Relief

Those who need joint pain relief need softer mattresses that offer tons of pressure relief. However, not all joint discomfort is created equal, nor is every human body, which means different joint discomfort sufferers will need different mattresses.

You’ll also want to keep mattress warranties in mind. Understanding the mattress warranties offered can help ensure you’re protected in case of any defects or issues with the mattress. 

When selecting a mattress, there are various factors that you should consider. But the biggest two factors are your sleeping position and body type. These factors have the biggest impact on your mattress needs.

Best Mattress Construction for People with Joint Pain

When it comes to joint pain, some mattress materials are better than others. Depending on how active you are when you sleep and how much temperature regulation you need, you can choose from one of several different mattress types.

Memory Foam

Memory foam is among the best mattress materials for joint pain sufferers. This special type of flexible polyurethane foam was originally designed by NASA to cushion pilots during high-velocity flights. However, as soon as the bedding industry got wind of memory foam, its popularity as a bedding material soared.

This was mostly because nothing beats memory foam when it comes to pressure relief. A memory foam mattress can follow the curve of your body in a way that no other foam can. It can compress under your hips and shoulders and rise to meet the gap in your waste or lumbar region. This relieves pressure points and offers total spine alignment.

Thus, memory foam can offer the kind of pressure relief to those with joint pain that almost nothing else can. However, there are a few downsides to this material to consider.

One of the biggest issues with memory foam is its slow response time. Memory foam can take forever to bounce back to its original shape. While there are infusions that can help counter this problem, most memory foam mattresses will be slower to respond than others. If you tend to stay pretty still at night, this won’t be a problem. If you like to toss and turn, it could be an issue.

Another drawback of memory foam is its heat retention. Traditional memory foam was almost unbearably hot. Since the 90s, there have been tons of improvements to make memory foam better at regulating its temperature. Among other things, you have infusions and gels and open-cell construction to establish cooling memory foam mattresses.

However, even all those improvements don’t make memory foam as cool as other materials. So that’s something you need to think about if you’re a hot sleeper.

Latex Foam

Natural latex comes from the sap of the rubber tree. Liquid rubber sap is processed into two different varieties of latex foam: Talalay and Dunlop. Talalay is lighter and springier, while Dunlop is denser and more durable.

Active or hot sleepers who want a highly contouring foam with lots of pressure relief should consider Talalay latex as an alternative to even the best memory foam mattress. Talalay isn’t quite as contouring as memory foam, but it’s close. However, Dunlop is found inside organic latex mattresses, which are quite durable.

Latex is also much bouncier and more breathable than memory foam. So those who wake up in a sweat or like to toss and turn may appreciate latex over memory foam. Our memory foam vs latex mattress guide covers the two in far more depth for anyone interested.

Dunlop latex might not be as good an alternative to memory foam as a Talalay latex mattress. Dunlop tends to hold its shape, and it’s a lot denser. Thus, Dunlop makes for a great mattress if you want a highly durable or highly supportive mattress. But it may not be the best choice for those who deal with joint pain.

Arthritis and joint pain sufferers who happen to be eco-conscious should definitely look into latex mattresses. Natural latex is almost entirely free of synthetic ingredients, meaning its production spews a lot less toxic waste. It’s also biodegradable, so it won’t hang around too long after you throw it away.

And latex’s durability means you won’t be replacing your mattress as often, thus reducing your waste and carbon footprint. A latex mattress can last more than a decade easily, longer than how long most mattresses last.

One group of people who need to watch out for latex mattresses are those with a latex allergy. Latex is very hypoallergenic if you don’t happen to have a latex allergy. If you do, you could be putting yourself at risk. Even though you’ll have sheets and a mattress protector between you and the latex, it’s still better for allergic individuals to stick with memory foam.

Hybrid

Hybrid mattresses are another excellent construction for those with arthritis and joint pain. They combine all the best aspects of coil mattresses with all the best aspects of foam mattresses. This creates a mattress that’s bouncy like an innerspring and contouring like a foam mattress.

Hybrids pull this off by layering at least two inches of comfort foam on top of a support core of pocketed coils. The pocketed coils move independently of one another, allowing the mattress to adapt to your shape all the way through. Combine that with one to several layers of contouring foam, and you’ve got one pressure-relieving mattress.

The coils in a hybrid mattress also provide tons of airflow and responsiveness. That means if you want the contouring of memory foam without all the heat retention or slow response time, you can get a memory foam hybrid.

Hybrid mattresses can be made with memory foam or latex foam. Choose a memory foam hybrid for more pressure relief and a latex one for more bounce and breathability.

The main issue with hybrid mattresses is their price. It costs a lot to put all those coils and foam layers together. Combine that with the decreased durability of coils, and hybrids wind up being the most expensive mattress over time. They’re great for relieving joint pain. But they’re not so great if you’re shopping on a budget.

SEE ALSO: Hybrid Mattress Buying Guide

Innerspring

Innerspring mattresses have open-coil support cores and typically thinner comfort layers. They’re not very good at adapting to your shape and offer little to no targeted pressure point relief. That means you should typically stay away from innerspring mattresses if you want to alleviate pressure and get quality sleep.

The exception to this rule is if the innerspring mattress has a thick pillow top. Pillow top mattresses essentially add extra contouring to innerspring mattresses to offer targeted pressure point relief.

So if you suffer from arthritis and joint pain, and you just have to have an innerspring, make sure you get one with a thick pillow top. There are pillow tops and Euro top mattresses, with a pillow top being visible and an Euro top being hidden under a mattress cover.

Best Firmness Level for Sleepers with Joint Pain

Choosing a mattress firmness is one of the most important aspects of finding the right mattress for you. The wrong firmness can leave you sinking and stuck inside your mattress. Or it can leave you with little to no pressure relief. That means you need to be sure you purchase a mattress that’s the ideal firmness for you.

Mattress firmness is measured on a scale from one to 10, with one being softer than a fluffy bunny and 10 being hard as a granite countertop. Usually, you won’t find mattresses that fall below a three or above an eight because there’s no market for too-soft or too-firm beds.

Sleep Position

Your sleep style is the single most important factor in deciding your firmness needs. What sleep position you favor decides how much pressure relief and support you need and where you need it.

Those who suffer from arthritis and joint pain may need to go a little bit softer than the firmness level that corresponds to their needs to get the pressure relief they need. But they shouldn’t go too much softer in a mattress for arthritis, or they risk not having enough spinal support.

Back Sleepers

Back sleepers typically need medium-firm mattresses. This is because they need a balance of firmness and contouring that will keep their bodies lifted onto the sleeping surface while still allowing the buttocks to sink to fill in the lumbar region. A medium-firm mattress is often just the right fit, although some may prefer a medium feel in a mattress for back sleeping and joint pain.

Combo Sleepers

Combination sleepers like to change things up. They might switch sleeping positions from night to night or even multiple times throughout the night. That means they typically need a bed that is sitting in the middle in terms of firmness.

Medium mattresses are excellent mattresses for combination sleepers. These mattresses are versatile enough to accommodate multiple sleep positions, making them perfect for those who don’t adopt just one.

Side Sleepers

Side sleepers need the most pressure relief of any sleep style. Sleeping on your side presses your hip and shoulder joints into the bed, and if you don’t have a conforming mattress for side sleeping, pressure will build up in these areas.

A soft to medium mattress can protect you from pain in your pressure points by compressing underneath your hips and shoulders. This has the added benefit of encouraging spinal alignment for side sleepers.

Stomach Sleepers

Stomach sleepers need firmer mattresses (sevens or even eights) to protect them from lower back pain. Stomach sleeping causes your pelvis to sink into the bed. This overarches the spine and causes back pain. Firmer mattresses for stomach sleeping can counter this sinkage and keep your pelvis lifted onto the sleeping surface where it belongs.

If you want to go down to a medium-firm mattress to cushion your joints, try putting a thin pillow underneath your hips when you sleep. This can also counter sinkage and keep your spine aligned if you need a softer mattress to relieve your joints. You might also consider trying to move away from stomach sleeping, as it’s the unhealthiest sleep position.

Body Type

Your body weight doesn’t have as much of an impact on your firmness needs as your sleep position, but it does have some influence. You should think of your sleep position as giving you a baseline firmness level. You’ll then move up or down from there, depending on your body type.

Average

Average-weight sleepers are between 130 and 230 pounds. Since most adults fall somewhere between these numbers, mattresses are typically designed with this weight range in mind. That means people who are of average weight can just buy a mattress with the firmness that works for them. They don’t have to go up or down.

Petite

Petite sleepers are under 130 pounds. When you’re lighter weight, you may find mattresses that correspond to your sleep position are too firm. Your weight may not compress them enough to offer you the kind of contouring and pressure relief you need for a good night’s sleep.

That means you may have to go down a firmness level from the one that corresponds to your sleep style to get the right amount of contouring in a mattress for lightweight sleepers. For example, stomach sleepers normally need a firm mattress, and back sleepers need a medium-firm. But petite stomach sleepers may need to go down to medium-firm.

Plus-Size

Plus-size sleepers fall on the other end of the spectrum. They weigh over 230 pounds, so they tend to have the opposite problem of petite sleepers. Heavier sleepers may find the firmness level that fits their sleep style allows too much sinkage.

That means if you’re a plus-size sleeper, you should consider going up a firmness level when looking at mattresses for heavy people. This will provide you with the lift you need to keep you on top of the sleeping surface instead of letting you sink down into it.

Mattress Sizes

FAQs

Could my sleeping position be causing my joint discomfort?

Different sleeping positions can cause pain in different areas. For instance, side sleeping can cause shoulder and hip pain if you’re doing it on a firmer mattress. Stomach sleeping can cause lower back and neck pain because it inhibits proper spinal alignment.

So if your joint pain has a known cause, your sleep position likely isn’t to blame. But if you wake up experiencing joint discomfort for no apparent reason, you might think about what sleeping positions you’re adopting throughout the night.

What is the best mattress for arthritis pain?

The best mattresses for arthritis and joint pain will be either all-memory foam or memory foam hybrids. Memory foam can contour best to all sleeping positions to offer superior pressure relief for those who suffer chronic pain in their joints. Arthritis patients who don’t sleep hot or toss and turn can go for a pure memory foam mattress.

Meanwhile, the best mattress for arthritis sufferers who do like to toss and turn throughout the night or tend to sleep hot is a memory foam hybrid. This mattress will still contour to offer pressure relief, but it’s much more responsive and breathable.

Are there mattress toppers that can offer pain relief?

A mattress topper can absolutely help those who need a soft mattress to relieve shoulder or hip pain (like side sleepers) but don’t want to go for a whole new mattress. A thick plush topper can lower your mattress’s foam firmness level without you needing to replace it.

The great thing about toppers is they can also change the feel of your mattress as well as its firmness level. Toppers come in all sorts of materials like latex and gel-infused memory foam. So if you’re looking for a solution to add more contouring or cooling to your mattress, a topper could be it.

Which firmness level is best for joint pain relief?

Whether you need a firm or soft mattress depends on your sleep position. Side sleepers need a soft mattress to prevent shoulder and hip pain. That goes double for side sleepers who also have arthritis.

The best mattress for arthritis patients who are back and combo sleepers is a medium-firm because these sleep positions require a mix of support and cushioning to maintain proper spinal alignment.

Those who prefer stomach sleeping should look into a firm to extra firm mattress. These are the best mattresses for people who need extra lift to maintain healthy spinal alignment.

Can the wrong mattress cause joint pain?

A less-than-ideal mattress can definitely cause joint pain. For instance, arthritis sufferers who aren’t getting enough pressure relief may experience back and hip pain from improper spinal alignment and too much pressure on the hip joints.

An overly plush mattress can cause the opposite problem. If you don’t get enough spinal support, you could experience pain due to improper spinal alignment. This is especially true if you already have another condition that causes chronic pain in your back.

Bottom Line

There are lots of things you can do to relieve joint pain, and getting the right mattress is among the best ones. A mattress that fits your firmness needs and contours to your shape can help you sleep well at night and wake up free of pain in the morning.

Just keep in mind that joint pain isn’t the only thing that impacts your mattress needs. You’ll need to consider your sleep style, body weight, and other factors. So remember, there is no best mattress for arthritis patients. There’s just the best mattress for you.