Best Mattresses for Spondylolisthesis

Spondylolisthesis is one of those conditions that can range from so mild you don’t even know you have it to so severe you can’t function because of it. Most people fall somewhere in the middle. This disease causes an array of symptoms, but the most common one is lower back pain.

The good news is your mattress can help you ease your symptoms. Finding a mattress that properly aligns your spine can help take pressure off your vertebrae and allow you to wake up feeling refreshed and pain-free.

“Spondylolistheiss has been diagnosed in around 5% of the US population with a wide range of symptoms,” notes Dr. Jordan Burns. “Finding the right mattress to help support your spine and keep it in a neutral position is crucial for anyone with symptomatic spondylolisthesis.”

Best Mattresses for Spondylolisthesis of 2024

Among the best mattresses for those who suffer just about any spinal condition, the AS2 by Amerisleep offers exactly the right balance of support, adaptability, and pressure relief to help you wake up pain-free and stay that way.

“Research has shown that firmer mattresses like the Amerisleep AS2 can help people suffering from spondylolisthesis by providing pressure-relief support and helping to reduce back pain,” says Dr. Burns. 

All Amerisleep mattresses ship free and come with a 100-night sleep trial and a 20-year warranty.

SEE ALSO: Best Motion-Isolating Mattresses

If your spondylolisthesis symptoms are interfering with your active lifestyle, check out the Zoma Hybrid. This hybrid mattress was designed by and for athletes to offer the best performance and most recuperative sleep possible.

“Mattresses like the Zoma Hybrid have been shown to provide cooler body temperatures which help to promote better overall quality of sleep and comfort,” says Dr. Burns.  

The Zoma Hybrid ships free and comes with a 100-night sleep trial and a 10-year warranty.

SEE ALSO: Zoma Mattress Review

If you want a hybrid mattress that will offer you symptom relief without breaking the bank, check out the Vaya Hybrid. This hybrid offers all the benefits of foam and coils without the usual expense.

SEE ALSO: Vaya Mattress Review

If you’re suffering from spondylolisthesis, finding the right mattress is crucial for managing pain and promoting healthy sleep. The Helix Dusk Luxe is a top contender in the world of mattresses designed to provide optimal support and comfort for those with this condition.

With its medium feel and targeted support for back and stomach sleepers, the Helix Dusk Luxe offers a balanced sleeping surface that caters to a wide range of preferences. Its carefully crafted layers work together to create a mattress that cradles your body while maintaining proper spinal alignment, making it an excellent choice for individuals with spondylolisthesis.

If you’re a hot sleeper who also happens to suffer from spondylolisthesis pain, you might consider the Nolah Evolution 15. This supportive and buoyant mattress was designed with coolness in mind.

The Nolah Evolution comes with free shipping, a 120-night sleep trial and a lifetime warranty. If you wish to save further, you can remove the sleep trial at checkout.

SEE ALSO: Best Mattresses for Athletes

If you just can’t give up on the tried-and-true innerspring mattress, check out the Saatva Classic. The Classic’s dual-core design maintains the classic feel of a traditional innerspring mattress while also fixing many of the issues that typically make innerspring mattresses a bad choice for people with back problems.

SEE ALSO: Best Tempur-Pedic Mattress Alternatives

If you’re looking for the best mattresses for spondylolisthesis and allergies alike, say hello to the Bear Elite Hybrid. The copper infusions in this mattress create an extremely hostile environment for all kinds of allergy triggers.

SEE ALSO: Zoma vs. Bear: Side-by-Side Mattress Comparison

Stomach sleepers with spondylolisthesis need a firm mattress that can keep their spines aligned despite the difficult position they adopt during sleep. Not every mattress on the market is up to the task, but the firm and comforting Helix Dawn Luxe is. This mattress offers all the lift you need to keep your spine aligned.

SEE ALSO: Best Mattress for Shoulder Pain

Those who aren’t sure which firmness level will work best for them should check out the Plank by Brooklyn Bedding. This flippable mattress offers two firmness levels to give you different options to try out. So if you’re not sure whether you need a traditional firm or ultra-firm mattress, this could be for you.

SEE ALSO: Best Firm Mattresses

Those who don’t want the environment to suffer because of their back pain should check out the Avocado Green. This mattress features organic materials that are biodegradable, recyclable, or both, and they produce much less toxic waste to manufacture.

SEE ALSO: Best Mattresses Without Fiberglass

Back sleepers who need a little extra contouring should check out the medium-firm Puffy Mattress. This mattress offers a better balance of pressure relief and support for back sleepers – who need a little more contouring than stomach sleepers.

SEE ALSO: Mattress Sizes and Dimensions

How to Choose the Best Mattress for Spondylolisthesis

Choosing the best mattress for relieving the symptoms of spondylolisthesis (or any type of back pain, really) might seem a little daunting at first. Picking the right mattress can be difficult, even for those without any kind of back pain. Picking one specifically for your back issues can be even worse.

However, you don’t have to feel like you’re taking a shot in the dark. You just need to understand a little about your spondylolisthesisVerified Source Medline PlusOnline resource offered by the National Library of Medicine and part of the National Institutes of Health.View source, its symptoms and what causes them, as well as how your sleep style and body type impact your firmness and construction needs.

What is Spondylolisthesis?

Spondylolisthesis is a condition of the spine that can cause symptoms ranging from mild to severe back pain, numbness, and more. According to the Cleveland ClinicVerified Source Cleveland ClinicRanked #2 hospital by U.S. News & World Report and one of the largest academic medical centers in America. The Cleveland Clinic serves patients from all over the world.View source, this condition “occurs when one of your vertebrae, the bones of your spine, slips out of place onto the vertebra below it.”

Sometimes, it’s possible to have spondylolisthesis and not even know it. The condition can be mild enough it remains asymptomatic. However, it can also be severe enough to cause intense lower back painVerified Source National Library of Medicine (NIH)World’s largest medical library, making biomedical data and information more accessible.View source, numbness in the legs and feet, weakness in these areas, and other issues.

Spondylolisthesis that’s severe enough may require surgery to eliminate pain and return the ability to stand and walk for long periods. For example, aspinal fusion surgeryVerified Source Medline PlusOnline resource offered by the National Library of Medicine and part of the National Institutes of Health.View sourcecan keep vertebrae from moving.

For those with milder cases that don’t need surgery, finding the right mattress can go a long way toward reducing symptoms and easing pain. Just remember, the key to alleviating symptoms is proper spinal alignment. Keeping the spine in a neutral position takes the pressure off the vertebral column and can help you wake up in the morning with reduced pain and better sleep.

Ideal Mattress Materials for People with Spondylolisthesis

When it comes to alleviating spondylolisthesis symptoms, the most important aspect of your mattress is its ability to align your spine. And when it comes to spinal alignment, some mattress types are better than others.

Memory Foam

Memory foam is one of the best mattress materials for spinal alignment. This special type of flexible polyurethane foam is fantastic for spondylolisthesis sufferers because memory foam mattresses can mold itself to your body’s shape, following the curve of your spine in a way that no other mattress material can.

This adaptability is extremely important for those who suffer from virtually all spinal disorders because it keeps the vertebral column in a horizontal line, which can alleviate pressure on the spinal column and subsequently reduce pain and other symptoms. Similarly, memory foam is a popular mattress for joint pain and other ailments.

Memory foam is also fantastic for pressure relief in other areas of the body. It’s especially good for side sleepers because it offers deep compression under the joints. This cradles pressure points and helps absorb pressure instead of amplifying it.

So if you’re a side sleeper with spondylolisthesis, memory foam may allow you to have a firmer mattress than you otherwise might have been able to have. The adaptability of memory foam mattresses for side sleepers allows it to compress better, even at higher firmness levels. This means your joints can get the cradling they need, while your spine still gets the sturdier support it needs.

Memory foam might be the best mattress material for symptom relief, but if you have certain other sleep issues, it might not be the best material for your sleep. For instance, memory foam tends to retain heat, so it might not be the best for hot sleepers. Gel memory foam mattresses do address the issue of heat retention, but some sleepers may still want more cooling.

It’s also not all that responsive, so active sleepers might want to consider an alternative.

Latex Foam

For hot sleepers and active sleepers with spondylolisthesis, latex foam is a good alternative to memory foam. This is because latex is a natural foam derived from rubber tree sap. So a latex mattress is much more breathable and more responsive than traditional memory foam.

Natural latex comes in two different varieties: Dunlop and Talalay.

For those who need extra support and buoyancy – such as stomach and back sleepers – Dunlop will work best. This is because Dunlop latex is denser and more durable than Talalay. Dunlop latex also forms the layers of organic latex mattresses.

On the flip side, side sleepers who need lots of pressure relief should consider the lighter and more contouring Talalay latex mattress. This latex variety still retains the springiness and breathability of latex, but it’s much more contouring than Dunlop.

Whichever latex variety you choose, it will be cooling, responsive, and durable. So those who like to toss and turn or tend to wake up in a sweat will do better on this type of foam than memory foam. And when it comes to how long mattresses last, latex foam withstands wear and tear best of all.

However, you should be aware latex foam wants to retain its own shape more than memory foam. This can be a pro and con, as it means the mattress will resist body impressions and sagging quite well, but won’t quite match the pressure relief of a memory foam bed.

Even Talalay latex is not quite as good at adapting to your shape as memory foam. Stomach and back sleepers may not notice the difference, but side sleepers who need more adaptability from their mattresses might.

Another issue with latex is it may trigger symptoms in people with latex allergies, so if you have a latex allergy, it’s best to stick to memory foam. Otherwise, a latex bed can be an excellent hypoallergenic mattress for allergies and asthma.

Hybrid

Hybrid mattresses can be a fantastic alternative to pure foam mattresses for those who want a little more bounce in their bed. Hybrids combine pocketed coils with layers of comfort foam on top. The individually wrapped coils in the support layer can all move independently of one another. This means hybrid mattresses can adapt to your shape from top to bottom.

Hybrid mattresses are a wonderful choice for spondylolisthesis sufferers of all stripes because their foam layers offer pressure relief, while their pocketed coils offer adaptable support, bounce, and breathability. This means whether you’re a hot sleeper, a side sleeper, an active sleeper, or anything else, the right hybrid will work for you.

Those who want a mattress that offers all the deep compression and contouring of a memory foam mattress with a little more bounce and cooling power should spring for a memory foam mattress. These are excellent hybrid mattresses for side sleepers.

If you want the most responsive and most breathable mattress possible, consider a latex hybrid. It’s an excellent choice for anyone considering mattresses without memory foam.

Hybrids might be fantastic for just about everybody, but they aren’t without their faults. Those shopping on a budget won’t like the price tag of the average hybrid. Also, if you want the most durable mattress, remember hybrids have coils. Coils lose tension and break down faster than support foams. So you will be replacing average hybrids before average foam mattresses.

Innerspring

Innerspring mattresses feature an open coil support core topped with plush materials for comfort layers. These mattresses, as a general rule, are not ideal for spondylolisthesis sufferers. Spring mattresses do have a couple of pros, but these positive attributes are vastly outweighed by the innerspring mattress’s cons.

The positive attributes of innerspring mattresses include their ability to shed heat and their responsiveness. Open coils circulate lots of air, so they can disperse heat very well and establish a cooling mattress. Innerspring mattresses also have lots of bounce, which may be what many sleepers – especially sleepers over 40 – are used to.

However, this is where the pros end. Innerspring mattresses may get their bounce and cooling power from their open coils, but they have a lot of problems because of them as well. From a spondylolisthesis perspective, open coils’ main problem is their inability to adapt.

Open coils are wired together with steel cable. This makes it impossible for them to move independently. This means they tend to sag under your weight rather than rising and falling with the curves of your body. The lack of adaptability can throw your spine out of alignment, exacerbating spondylolisthesis pain rather than relieving it.

Open coils also make lots of noise, amplify and transfer motion all over the sleep surface, and wear out faster than any other support core type. Because of all these issues, we recommend hybrid mattresses to those who want a coil support core.

SEE ALSO: Hybrid vs. Innerspring Mattresses: What is the Difference?

Ideal Firmness Level for People with Spondylolisthesis

Mattress firmness is communicated by the manufacturer using a scale of one through 10, with 10 being the firmest. However, you will typically only find mattresses ranging from three to eight on the firmness scale. This is because there’s just no market for mattresses with no give or no support.

The ideal firmness level for those who suffer back pain is medium-firm (6). Medium-firm mattresses offer the right mix of support and cushioning to ensure your body stays on top of the sleep surface and your spine remains aligned.

That being said, mattresses for back pain are still designed for varying firmness needs. Your sleep position and your body type interact with your spondylolisthesis to determine your firmness needs. You’ll need to consider all three of these factors when deciding on the right firmness level for you.

Sleep Position

Even if you have spondylolisthesis or other issues that cause back pain, your sleep position is the main factor that decides your firmness needs. This is because the way you sleep decides:

• How your body weight is distributed
• Where your pressure points are
• How your spine lines up

For this reason, your preferred sleep position decides your firmness baseline, and other factors may take it up or down from there.

Back Sleepers

If you’re a back sleeper with back pain, things are a little easier for you because the ideal mattress firmness for back sleepers (medium-firm) also happens to be the ideal mattress firmness for back pain! This means you don’t have to worry about your sleep style and back pain causing conflict in your firmness needs. You can just get the right firmness.

Back sleepers benefit from medium-firm mattresses. They need a combination of lift to keep their bodies on top of the sleep surface and contouring to allow mattresses for back sleeping to conform to the curve of their spines.

Medium-firm mattresses fit this bill perfectly. They support the spine and, at the same time, compress under the buttocks to allow for ideal lumbar support. This is part of the reason these mattresses are considered the best firmness for back pain.

Combo Sleepers

Combination sleepers don’t have a strong preference for any single sleep position. They may choose to sleep in any one of the other three positions and may even change positions one or more times during the night. Typically, combo sleepers need medium mattresses (5) to accommodate their diverse sleep preferences.

However, if you’re a combo sleeper with back pain, you might consider a medium-firm mattress. A little extra lift offers much-needed spinal support that helps keep your back more comfortable and your spine better aligned.

Only you can decide if the reduced pressure relief is a trade-off you can live with in a mattress for combination sleeping. However, if your back pain is severe enough, going up to a medium-firm mattress could help you.

Side Sleepers

Side sleepers with back pain have perhaps the hardest time finding the right firmness level, thanks to their conflicting needs. On the one hand, side sleepers need the softest mattresses of any sleep position, ranging from soft (3 to 4) to medium.

If they don’t have sufficient pressure relief, side sleepers can experience joint pain. On the other hand, back pain sufferers need medium-firm mattresses to offer ideal spinal support to relieve back pain. You may want to consider the best way to sleep on your back if you’re a side sleeper, but some may have trouble falling asleep in a new position.

The best thing to do if you’re a side sleeper with spondylolisthesis pain is to go as firm as you cang. That may mean a mattress for side sleeping with medium-soft or a medium feels. Just try to compromise between your need for pressure relief and support to get the ideal firmness level for your situation.

Stomach Sleepers

Stomach sleepers tend to have lower back pain even if they don’t have spondylolisthesis. This is because sleeping on your stomach allows your pelvis to sink into the mattress. This arches the back too far forward and pulls the spine out of alignment, leading to lower back pain, especially in the lumbar region and the area where the spine meets the pelvis.

To counter this, you’ll need a firm or even extra-firm mattress (7 or 8). The added support that a mattress for stomach sleeping can offer helps keep your spine aligned and counter the negative effects of sleeping in this position. To better relieve back pain, also sleep with a flat pillow or no pillow at all.

Body Type

Your body type may or may not impact your firmness needs. It all depends on what you weigh. Those who fall between 130 and 230 pounds can generally choose the firmness that corresponds to their sleep position.

This is because mattresses are made to support people who fall in the bedding industry’s definition of the average adult weight range. If you fall outside of this range, you’ll have to take that into account when choosing a firmness level.

Petite Sleepers

Those who are lighter than 130 pounds are considered petite sleepers. Petite sleepers typically have to decrease their firmness level from the one that corresponds to their sleep position when considering mattresses for lightweight sleepers. If they don’t, they might not get sufficient compression from their sleep surface, which translates into inadequate pressure relief during sleep.

That means a petite combo sleeper, for instance, might need a medium-soft mattress rather than a true medium one.

Plus-Size Sleepers

Plus-size sleepers tend to have the opposite problem as petite sleepers. When you’re over 230 pounds, you may wind up getting too much compression from your sleep surface. This can lead to a lack of support that causes the spine to fall out of alignment. This can lead to your mattress worsening your back pain or even becoming a primary cause of it.

That means plus-size sleepers need to go up a firmness level from the one that goes with their sleep position when browsing mattresses for heavy sleepers. For example, a plus-size side sleeper might need a medium-soft or even a medium mattress, rather than a soft one.

Saving on Mattresses for Spondylolisthesis

If you’re looking for high-quality mattresses at an affordable price, the best way to find what you seek is to browse online mattresses. Online mattress brands and web-based stores have fewer overhead costs to meet than a traditional storefront does and can pass these savings onto their customers.

When you order one of these mattresses, they’re usually carefully packed into a box and will expand after being unpacked. These mail order mattresses ship right to your front door, saving you the hassle of picking up a mattress at a store.

However, if spondylolisthesis limits your mobility and restricts your ability to lift heavy packages, you may have to consider ways to move the mattress yourself or with the help of a friend or family member.

We strongly suggest that if you’re in need of a mattress to relieve pain and improve sleep, not to put off buying it. However, if you’re looking for a new bed around one of the big mattress sales, then you might want to take advantage of mattress deals:

• Best MLK Day Mattress Sales
• Best Presidents Day Mattress Sales
• Best Sleep Awareness Week Mattress Sales
• Best Memorial Day Mattress Sales
• Best 4th of July Mattress Sales
• Best Labor Day Mattress Sales
• Best Columbus Day Mattress Sales
• Best Black Friday Mattress Sales
• Best Cyber Monday Mattress Sales

Other accessories that can improve your comfort and make it easier to live with a medical condition, such as adjustable beds for back pain, also go on sale around these days.

If a new mattress is out of your budget for the moment, you can still improve the feel of your current mattress with a mattress topper for back pain.

Mattresses for Other Medical Conditions

• Best Mattresses for Sciatica
• Best Mattresses for Joint Pain
• Best Mattresses for Arthritis
• Best Mattresses for Herniated Disc
• Best Mattresses for Degenerative Disc Disease
• Best Mattresses for Ankylosing Spondylitis
• Best Mattresses for Spinal Stenosis

FAQs

What is the best mattress for side sleepers with spondylolisthesis?

The best mattress type for spondylolisthesis sufferers who sleep on their sides is a memory foam mattress. Memory foam can compress underneath your joints to absorb pressure. This can help prevent you from waking up with pressure-related pain in your hip and shoulder joints. Memory foam’s adaptability can also help you have a firmer mattress.

Side sleepers with back pain are in a bit of a conundrum. On the one hand, side sleepers need soft mattresses to protect their joints from pressure. On the other hand, medium-firm mattresses have been shown to be the best firmness level for back pain sufferers because they align the spine the best.

While you might not be able to go up to a medium-firm mattress, memory foam’s contouring power may help you go firmer than you would be able to on less adaptable mattresses. This can help you compromise between your spine’s need for support and your pressure points’ need for cushioning.

Can an adjustable bed help me with my spondylolisthesis symptoms?

An adjustable bed can be a wonderful solution for sufferers of all kinds of spinal conditions, not just spondylolisthesis. Adjustable beds can alter their shape to put your body in a more natural and healthy position than lying flat. Lying flat can put a lot of pressure on the spinal column and certain joints, which can lead to pain or increase the pain associated with certain conditions.

Adjustable beds can elevate the legs, upper body, or both at the same time. Elevating the legs and head over the heart is called the zero-gravity pose, and it can help you reduce pain by putting the spine into a more neutral state than lying down.

This takes the pressure off your back even better than a great mattress alone. So if you have any spinal condition that leads to back pain, an adjustable bed might be the way to go.

Which mattress material is best for sleepers with spondylolisthesis?

There are several different materials that can help you alleviate your spondylolisthesis symptoms, depending on your sleep needs. Side sleepers with spondylolisthesis may do best on memory foam because of its adaptability and pressure relief.

Active sleepers could benefit from latex foam because of its natural springiness. And hot sleepers may enjoy latex or gel memory foam. Both of these materials offer fantastic spinal alignment and can help pull heat away from your body.

Hybrid mattresses can also work for just about any sleeper with spondylolisthesis. Memory foam hybrids are responsive and adaptable, while latex hybrids are springy and breathable, with all the contouring power of pocketed coils. Depending on the feel you want, one of these hybrids may be your best option.

How much should I pay for a mattress for my spondylolisthesis?

To get the ideal combination of pressure relief and spinal support to relieve your spondylolisthesis pain, you may wind up paying a little more for your mattress, especially since the cheapest mattress type – innerspring – is not the best option for spondylolisthesis sufferers.

Memory foam is the best option for you if you’re shopping for a spondylolisthesis mattress on a budget. The average queen memory foam mattress is just over $1,100 – much more affordable than hybrids or latex mattresses.

To get a hybrid or a latex mattress, prepare to spend a bit more. Hybrid mattresses come in at around $1,700 for a queen, while queen size latex mattresses are about $2,100, on average. Keep in mind these averages may not reflect what you actually pay. You may find the right bed for your spondylolisthesis for a lot more or a lot less.

What is the ideal firmness level for spondylolisthesis sufferers?

The ideal firmness level for back pain sufferers is medium-firm. However, that may not be the ideal level for your sleep position. If you sleep on your back, congratulations! Medium-firm mattresses are perfect for you.

Stomach sleepers typically need firm or extra-firm mattresses to prevent lower back pain. If you’re a stomach sleeper, it’s best to stick with that. However, side sleepers are a different story.

Side sleepers tend to need the softest mattresses, but back pain sufferers do better on medium-firm mattresses. If you’re a side sleeper, the best idea is to go as firm as you can while still maintaining enough pressure relief to protect your joints. This might mean a medium-soft mattress, or it might even mean a medium one.

Bottom Line

Spondylolisthesis symptoms are not fun, but the good news is you can alleviate them with the right mattress. Just remember to keep your sleep position and body type in mind as you decide on the best firmness level to relieve your back pain.

Dr. Burns tests each mattress at eachnight’s facility to make sure the recommendations are based on real, expert reviews.