The Best Mattress for Back Sleepers

Back sleepers have different needs from their side or stomach-sleeping counterparts; they need a mattress construction that favours the right firmness and support levels to keep the spine in proper alignment and weight centres from developing pressure points.

So as a back sleeper, where do you start in your search to find the best mattress for your sleep style? Typically, a medium-firm mattress is the best starting point for back sleepers, or anyone who suffers back pain in general. Both groups are often worried about sinkage – how deep you descend into the mattress. But a little sinkage is fine so long as you get a mattress with high-density foams designed to contour your body. If there’s one key takeaway here, it’s that you need proper support.

We’ve reviewed over 100 mattresses and hired third-party engineers to perform a variety of tests. Here are our recommendations for the Top 3 Best Mattresses for Back Sleepers.

Best Cooling Mattress For Back Sleepers: Octave

As a back sleeper, you need to be careful when selecting your mattress firmness. Why’s that? Because lower back support is so critical. Too soft a mattress can pull your spine away from its natural arch, causing misalignment and pain. A mattress that is too firm will also cause your back to ache since there is no give in the top comfort layer.

Octave contains a layer of Elastex® foam designed to target pressure points in your shoulders, back, and hips. It also features a support foam layer with five pressure-relief zones to help promote spinal alignment. Octave mattresses are all medium-firm and engineered with cooling features like a CryoFusion™ cooling nanofibre cover, heat-dissipating copper-infused memory foam, and phase-change material that’s cool to the touch.

Starting at just $699, each Octave mattress also comes with a 365-night sleep trial and a free bedding bundle.

Read Octave Vista Review Shop Octave Vista

Best Foam Mattress For Back Sleepers: Douglas

The best mattresses for back sleepers are usually memory foam and latex mattresses. Both feature slow-response, high-density foams designed to slowly contour to the shape of your body. The end result is a mattress that supports the natural curvature of your spine.

Douglas is a medium-firm mattress that’s a good fit for any sleep style, whether you like to sleep on your back, your side, or your stomach. The ecoLight® foam comfort layer is designed specifically to cradle and support the body. The Douglas gives back sleepers the support necessary to sleep comfortably through the night, while also providing softness and comfort for those who love a snuggly feeling.

Douglas mattresses start at just $599. Every Douglas mattress comes with a 365-night sleep trial and a free bedding bundle.

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Best Spring Mattress For Back Sleepers: Logan & Cove

Proper spinal alignment should be the number one priority when lying in bed. Compromise this objective and you are just asking for back pain that flares up during the day.

The Logan & Cove is the only hybrid mattress on our list. Hybrids usually offer more contouring than traditional innerspring mattresses. Offering the best of both worlds, the pocketed coils and foam work in sync to relieve your body where pressure points are most likely to develop. They also keep a bit of the bouncy response that many mattress shoppers enjoy.

Back sleepers who want the tried-and-tested sturdiness of springs ought to take a closer look at the Logan & Cove lineup. This mattress is characterized by its layers of foam and zoned pocketed coils that conform to the sleeper’s movements. Logan & Cove mattresses start at $799 and come with a 365-night sleep trial and a free bedding bundle.

Read Logan & Cove Review Shop Logan & Cove

Is Sleeping On Your Back Better For You?

Chronic back pain is one of the leading reasons why people choose to sleep on their back, so picking a proper mattress has all sorts of implications for your quality of life. Here are some pros and cons of sleeping on your back:

Final Thoughts

As a back sleeper, be sure to the get the mattress that best supports the natural alignment of your spine. This will help you reduce the likelihood of developing or aggravating existing back pain. A mattress with poor contouring and support forces your body to rest at an unnatural angle, and this prevents your tired muscles from relaxing completely. The three mattresses featured above can help provide your entire body with the comfort and support it needs.