Best Mattress for Neck Pain (2020): Reviews and Buyer’s Guide

Around two-thirds of people experience neck pain with no specific cause. It’s especially common once you reach middle age. Most cases of neck pain heal within days or weeks, but about 10 percent of cases may develop chronic neck pain.

There are many potential causes for neck pain. It might result from bad daytime posture, a recent accident, or age-related diseases. Your sleeping position is another factor in whether you experience neck pain. For example, stomach sleepers are likely to wake up with sore necks.

The problem could also be that you’re sleeping on the wrong mattress. If your mattress isn’t right for your sleeping style or has grown unsupportive with age, you might wake up with neck pain and other aches. The best mattresses for neck pain strike a balance between pressure relief and support for a good night’s sleep.

Best Mattress for Neck Pain

1. Amerisleep AS3

Amerisleep understands that everyone has unique sleep needs. Instead of focusing on a mattress model that suits a few different groups of people, Amerisleep casts a wide net and offers five different foam mattress models and three hybrids. Most people could sleep comfortably on at least one of these eight mattresses.

The company’s most popular mattress is the Amerisleep AS3, which is available as a memory foam or hybrid mattress. We will focus on the memory foam model because it is the original model that many sleepers fell in love with. However, we will add that the AS3 Hybrid is a good choice if you want a bouncy bed.

An Amerisleep AS3 memory foam mattress has three foam layers, all of which are certified safe by CertiPUR-US®.  CertiPUR-US® verifies that foam is made without harmful ingredients such as formaldehyde or heavy metals.

The first layer of foam is 3 inches of Bio-Pur® material. Bio-Pur® is an eco-friendly, cooler foam than what you find in a traditional memory foam mattress. The material also snaps back into shape within seconds and is quick to contour to your body for pressure point relief.

The second layer is 2 inches of Affinity with HIVE® technology. HIVE® technology contains hexagonal cutouts across the Affinity layer, creating softness where you want it and firmness where it’s most needed. The hexagonal cutouts are grouped into head, shoulder, back, hip, and feet sections.

Under your head, back, and feet, the hexagons remain close together for support. In the shoulder and hip areas, the cutouts are farther apart so they can expand, creating a more flexible cushion.

The third and final layer is 7 inches of Bio-Core®, a durable material that helps your mattress last longer. Bio-Core® gives the mattress its structure and is why Amerisleep offers a warranty beyond the normal 10 years.

When you buy an Amerisleep mattress, you’ll get a 100-night sleep trial and a generous 20-year warranty. The warranty provides full coverage on any defects during the first 10 years. Once your mattress is more than a decade old, you will bear partial costs for repairs or replacements.

2. Amerisleep AS5 Hybrid

The trouble with so many soft mattresses is that their design doesn’t incorporate support features to prevent spinal misalignment. When you sink too far into a soft mattress, your spine develops an unhealthy curve that can cause pain. The Amerisleep AS5 Hybrid has added support features to prevent painful awakenings. The bed is one of the rare soft mattresses suitable for heavy sleepers.

The first layer is 3 inches of Bio-Pur® foam, which is more breathable and responsive than traditional memory foam. Amerisleep produces Bio-Pur® foam using castor oil instead of select petrochemicals. While Bio-Pur® foam is not completely free of petrochemicals, it’s more eco-friendly than the average memory foam.

The second layer contains a material unique to the AS5, Active Flex. Active Flex limits sinkage without impacting the bed’s soft feel. The material’s responsiveness promotes a neutral spine.

The third layer is 8 inches of pocketed coils, which are wrapped to increase motion isolation. The coils are wrapped in stiff foam for protection and edge support. Edge support makes it easier to get out of bed if you’re in pain or have difficulty moving.

The fourth and final layer is a 1-inch thick foam base. This firm foam structures the coils, limiting sagging and promoting durability.

Every Amerisleep AS5 Hybrid includes a 100-night sleep trial and a 20-year warranty.

3. Zoma Mattress

The makers of the Zoma Mattress drew upon decades of experience to construct a mattress with a primary focus on recovery. The bed has a medium to medium-soft feel, according to customer reviews. It’s well-suited for side and combination sleepers.

The top layer is 2 inches of gel memory foam. A gel memory foam mattress contours to your body for pressure relief and remains cool throughout the night. There are triangular cutouts in the foam’s surface as part of the bed’s Triangulex™ technology.

The cutouts in the mattress’s head and foot increase flexibility and boost pressure relief to your head, neck, shoulders, and legs. The midsection contains no cutouts to maintain firm back support.

The middle layer is 2 inches of responsive Reactiv™ foam, which adapts to your movements. Reactiv™ also provides a bit of pushback to keep you from sinking in too deep and misaligning your spine.

The bed’s base is 7 inches of Support+ foam, a durable material that keeps the mattress in good shape. Thanks to Support+ foam, your bed should be comfortable and supportive after years of use.

You have 100 nights to try out a Zoma Mattress after it arrives at your home. If it’s not the right mattress for you, Zoma will arrange a home pickup and a full refund. The bed also comes with a 10-year warranty.

4. Zoma Hybrid

The Zoma Hybrid is designed to promote restorative rest, like the original Zoma Mattress. Some sleepers may find the hybrid feels a touch firmer because of its coil support, though the bed has a medium feel that accommodates a wide range of sleepers.

Like the Zoma Mattress, a Zoma Hybrid has a top layer of gel foam and a middle layer of Reactiv™. The layers possess the same thickness, creating a foam top that’s 4 inches thick. Together, these foams promote a responsive and pressure-relieving surface.

The pocketed coil support core contains 7 inches of wrapped springs on a firm foam base. The fabric wrappings prevent your every movement from spreading across the mattress. Motion transfer can worsen pain and disturb rest, which is why a Zoma Hybrid is a good choice for anyone who has chronic pain or plans to share their bed.

A Zoma Hybrid includes a 100-night sleep trial and a 10-year warranty, same as the Zoma Mattress.

5. Vaya Mattress

Pain relief and pure sleeping comfort shouldn’t come at the cost of breaking your budget. Vaya understands that, which is why the Vaya Mattress has a basic design to keep production costs down. The 12-inch mattress contains two layers yet provides all the support, comfort, pressure relief, motion isolation, and breathability needed for quality sleep.

The top layer is 3 inches of Vaya Comfort Foam, a lighter material than traditional memory foam. Vaya feels airy and cool to lie on, yet it’s bouncy and supportive to relieve pressure and pain no matter your sleeping position.

The bottom layer is 9 inches of Vaya Base Foam. Vaya Base Foam provides the support needed for natural spine alignment, a helpful feature that will prevent you from waking up with neck or back pain. The foam is also resilient enough to last through many years of everyday use.

When your Vaya Mattress arrives, you have 100 nights to try it out and see if it’s the perfect mattress. You also have a 10-year warranty that guards against manufacturing defects, such as sagging exceeding 0.75 inches.

6. Bear Hybrid

If you’re waking up with pain, you might want to try replacing your current bed with a Bear Hybrid. Bear promises that the hybrid mattress delivers more pressure relief than the average mattress by “filling in the nooks and crannies of your body.” In other words, it supports areas that might normally go unsupported. Neck pain is often the result of insufficient support, which full-body support and pressure relief can correct.

Sleepers often experience increased recovery because of the mattress’s Celliant® cover. Celliant® absorbs body heat and converts it into infrared energy. This infrared energy penetrates through your body and improves local blood flow for better recovery. Sleepers may even feel more energized when they wake up because of Celliant®’s effects.

Inside the mattress are five layers:

• Cool, soft gel foam. The foam relieves pressure while the gels remove excess heat from your body.
• Adaptable foam provides comfort regardless of sleeping position or bodyweight.
• Responsive and pressure-relieving transition foam.
• Extra-strong Quantum coils with enhanced edge support.
• A firm foam base.

The Bear Hybrid comes with a lengthy warranty. Instead of the industry-standard 10-year warranty, a Bear Hybrid has a 20-year warranty. Every Bear mattress also includes a 100-night sleep trial.

7. Avocado Green Mattress

Our final recommendation is Avocado’s certified organic latex mattress, a perfect fit for an eco-friendly shopper. The Green Mattress contains:

• GOLS organic certified latex. The rubber tree sap used to create the latex foam comes from sustainable sources.
• GOTS certified organic wool and cotton. The wool replaces the chemical flame retardants or fire socks that many mattress companies use.
• Tempered and upcycled steel coils for support, encased in packets for independent movement. The coils are arranged to support your hips, back, and shoulders, with a consistent feel to the edge.

For a few extra hundred dollars, you can add a pillow top filled with two inches of gentle and soft latex.

An Avocado Green Mattress includes a year-long sleep trial and a 25-year warranty. Avocado also offers white glove delivery for $249, where they’ll unbox and set up your mattress in the room of your choice and haul away your old mattress.

Causes of Neck Pain

There are many potential causes of neck pain. Even something as minor as gritting your teeth can strain your neck muscles. Common reasons why your neck might feel sore or stiff include:

• Tense, strained muscles from poor posture, holding the same pose for too long, or an uncomfortable sleep position.
• A sudden jerking of your neck, known as whiplash.
• An injury such as fractured neck bones or a damaged spinal cord.
• Compressed nerves from a herniated disc or bone spurs in your neck’s vertebrae.
• A disease such as rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, meningitis, or cancer.
• Feeling stressed. When you’re stressed, your neck muscles may tense up and cause strain.

Headaches and tight or spasming muscles may accompany neck pain. You may also find it more challenging to move your head.

If your neck pain is severe or persists for days without relief, or the pain starts spreading down to your arms and legs, you should make an appointment with your doctor immediately.

Preventing Neck Pain

If you frequently hold a position for a long time, such as sitting in a vehicle or at a desk, give yourself frequent breaks. Stand up, move around, and do some neck and shoulder stretches.

Make sure your work area is set up, so your computer monitor is roughly at eye level. Hunching over a too-low desk or constantly craning your neck for a too-high computer takes a toll on your muscles.

When sitting, your knees should be slightly below your hips, and you should take advantage of armrests. No matter if you’re sitting or standing, your ears should always be directly over your shoulders, and your shoulders should be directly over your hips.

There are several neck stretches you can do. Some are best done while standing, while others you can perform in a sitting or standing position. One simple way to stretch, no matter your position, is the side rotation:

• Your back should be straight and your head directly over your shoulders.
• Slowly turn to the side, right or left. Stop when you feel a stretch in the side of your neck and shoulder.
• Hold the position for 15 to 30 seconds. Then, slowly turn your head so you’re facing forward again.
• Then, slowly turn your head to the opposite side, repeating the process.
• Do this for up to 10 sets.

Neck and shoulder pain are often interrelated, so it’s essential to take care of your shoulders. Avoid carrying heavy bags over your shoulders, as the strain can manifest as neck pain.

Are you waking up with morning neck pain? See if you have the best pillow for your sleeping position. Each sleep position creates a different distance between your neck and your mattress. If this gap remains unfilled by the right pillow, it causes neck strain.

Side sleeping creates the most distance, thanks to the shoulders. A pillow for side sleeping should have a mid to high loft, around 3 to 6 inches thick. Douglas Krebs, DC of Chicago Spine and Sports, recommends that the pillow fills the space between your mattress and your head so that your nose stays midline.

Back and stomach sleepers have less of a gap between their neck and the mattress. A back sleeper should have a mid-loft pillow, while a stomach sleeper should have a thin pillow. However, because stomach sleeping requires you to hold your head at an unnatural angle to breathe, we advise another position.

Best and Worst Sleeping Positions for Neck Pain

Some sleeping positions are more likely to leave you waking up with neck pain than others. You may also experience morning pain if you don’t have the right mattress and pillow for your sleeping style. A good mattress should relieve pressure and support your spine, while a good pillow lifts your neck to prevent muscle strain.

Side Sleeping

Side sleeping is the most common position and comes with a few health perks. For example, you’re much less likely to snore when you lie on your side. However, you may wake up with a sore neck, a bad back, or other aches and pains if you don’t take steps to sleep on your side the right way.

The first step is to make sure you have a soft to medium mattress for side sleeping. This firmness range provides optimal amounts of pressure relief.

A pillow between your legs will promote better spine alignment from your hips to your neck. Check that your pillow doesn’t lift your head higher than your neck, which can cause your neck muscles to feel sore.

Back Sleeping

Back sleeping is an excellent position if your main goal is to keep your spine in a neutral alignment. When you lie down your back, your posture usually mimics a “standing straight” position. This straight posture supports your entire spine and reduces the risk of neck and pain.

Try a medium-firm to firm mattress for back sleeping. Do you experience lower back pain in the morning? Raising your knees with a wedge pillow or adjustable bed can reduce pressure on your spine.

Stomach Sleeping

If you’re a stomach sleeper experiencing neck pain, we advise you to switch to side or back sleeping. When you lie on your stomach, you have to twist your neck to the side to breathe. Holding this unnatural position for hours strains your neck muscles.

Stomach sleepers also have an increased risk of misaligning their spine. When they lie down, gravity is likely to push their stomachs into the mattress. As a result, gravity draws the spine out of its neutral alignment. This misalignment may cause neck pain along with back pain.

A firm mattress for stomach sleeping can prevent sinkage, along with a pillow under the abdomen. A stomach sleeper’s head pillow should be thin so that the neck is not lifted too high. Stomach sleepers may even benefit from skipping the head pillow altogether.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a memory foam mattress good for neck pain?

Memory foam mattresses usually receive high ratings from owners when it comes to relieving pain. If you want a bed that soothes neck pain, a memory foam mattress can be a good choice because of how well it conforms to your body. You sink in just enough to feel cradled, and this can improve sleep posture and minimize the distance between your sleeping surface and your neck.

How do you know if neck pain is serious?

Neck pain normally improves with home treatment. However, you should see a healthcare provider if symptoms persist. Seek immediate medical attention if your neck pain is the result of a fall or driving accident. Reach out to your a healthcare provider if:

• Your neck pain is severe or lasts several days without relief.
• Your neck pain radiates out to your arms and legs.
• You also experience headaches, numbness, weakness, or tingling.

Should I sleep without a pillow if my neck hurts?

No, it would be best if you didn’t sleep without a pillow, whether you’re experiencing neck pain or not. The sole exception is stomach sleepers. They may enjoy sleeping without a head pillow, so their necks aren’t lifted out of alignment.

However, if you’re waking up with neck pain, you might want to try changing your pillow. If your pillow is unsupportive or the wrong height, it can cause neck strain.

What is the fastest way to relieve neck pain?

You can ease a sore neck by applying ice or heat to the area. Ice is usually helpful when neck pain first manifests. After a few days, heat is better for soothing any remaining aches.

You can also try gently massaging away any stiffness or soreness. Stretch your neck muscles with slow exercises and avoid painful activities while recovering.

What is the healthiest sleeping position?

Many experts would argue that side sleeping is the healthiest sleep position. It’s linked to improved brain functions and good heart health. The position also reduces symptoms of snoring, sleep apnea, and acid reflux.

Side sleepers might experience neck pain if they’re not sleeping with the right pillow. A high-loft pillow for side sleeping provides needed neck support.

Back sleeping is a close second. It increases the risk of snoring, sleep apnea, acid reflux, and sleep paralysis. A mid-loft pillow and medium-firm mattress should ensure that a back sleeper gets a good night’s rest.

Conclusion

A bad neck can prevent you from experiencing a full night’s rest. That’s why it’s important to make sure you’re sleeping on one of the best mattresses available.

A good mattress can prevent neck strain while you sleep and soothe any aches from your day. Of course, it takes more than just the mattress, so you should check that your pillow promotes a healthy neck.