Is Your Mattress Causing Your Back Pain?

The most common reason mattresses cause back pain is poor spinal support.

When a mattress doesn’t align your spine properly or fails to support key pressure points like your neck and lower back, pain and discomfort are likely to follow.

Firm mattresses can be too rigid, preventing your body from sinking in naturally and forcing it into awkward sleeping positions.

On the flip side, overly soft mattresses may let your body sink too much, placing uneven pressure on your spine and joints.

Whether you're sleeping on a bed that's too soft or too firm, both can disrupt your posture, reduce sleep quality, and lead to stiffness or pain in the morning.

Over time, chronic lower back pain linked to poor sleep can affect your focus, mood, and how you feel throughout the day (Alsaadi et al., 2010).

It’s important to take back pain seriously from the moment it starts. In this guide, we’ll break down the connection between mattresses and back pain, warning signs to watch for, and how to choose a mattress that actually supports your back health. Let’s dive in.

7 Signs Your Mattress Might Be Causing Your Back Pain

If you’re wondering whether your new mattress is giving you back pain but aren’t quite sure, we’re here to help.

The signs in the checklist below indicate that you might have a problem with your mattress. If you’ve noticed a few of these, it might be time to switch up your bedding.

1. Waking Up With Back Pain

Consistently waking up with back pain is a sure sign that your mattress isn’t giving your back the support it needs. This is especially likely if you’ve changed your sleeping position or pillow but still feel pain in the mornings.

2. Saggy or Lumpy Mattress

Saggy or lumpy mattresses are more likely to cause back pain as they can’t give as much support as they’re expired. Periodically check your mattress for lumps and bumps to avoid this.

3. A Sinking Feeling

If you feel like you’re sinking into your mattress, it means it’s not giving your spine enough support.

4. Tossing and Turning All Night

Restless sleep indicates that you can’t find a healthy position, and your mattress is not promoting healthy sleep posture.

5. Your Mattress Is Old

Like all good things, mattresses can age and expire. You should change your mattress every ten years or when it feels uncomfortable (SanSone, n.d.).

6. Your Mattress Is New

Age isn’t the only warning sign. Our bodies need time to adjust to new mattresses, too. Try out your new mattress for at least two weeks before changing it.

7. You Can Feel the Springs

Finally, if you can feel your mattress's springs, bars, or support functions through the surface fabric, it needs to go. This is a sign it’s no longer working properly.

Choosing the Right Mattress for Your Back

Buying the perfect mattress is easier when you know what to look for. Here are some factors to consider to ensure a supportive mattress and a blissful night of sleep:

Firmness level — Do you want firm support, a soft feel, or a mix of both?

Material — For extra support, look for specialised materials. Memory foam and latex are popular alternatives. The benefits of memory foam include less back pain, a supported spine, and pressure reduction.

Warranties — Mattresses with generous warranties and trial periods allow you more time to see whether the mattress leaves you with back pain or not.

Expert advice — When mattress shopping, working with an in-store expert can help you find a product that suits your individual needs.

Extra Tips For Mattress Shopping

In addition to knowing what to look for, the following tips will help you successfully shop for and physically try out a new mattress.

Take your time to explore all the options available

If purchased, give the mattress two weeks to settle into your body

If in-store, make sure you’re wearing comfortable clothes and spend a few minutes lying on each mattress

Try laying on the mattress in different positions (e.g., side or back sleeping posture)

If sharing the mattress, ensure you and your partner try it out before buying

Other Bedroom Factors That Can Affect Back Pain

Mattresses are a common culprit, but they’re not the only reason you might wake up with back pain.

Your pillow choice, sleep position, and overall sleep quality also play a big role (Van Looveren et al., 2021).

Improving your sleep hygiene can help reduce pain and prevent it from getting worse.

Sleeping on your back or side with proper spinal alignment takes pressure off your spine and helps you rest more comfortably through the night.

Upgrading your pillows can make a difference too.

Memory foam pillows are known to improve sleep quality by reducing pain, helping you sleep longer, and making you feel more refreshed in the morning (Danoff-Burg et al., 2023).

The foam gently shapes to your body, supporting your neck and spine in a healthy position while you sleep.

The Original Groove Pillow is an excellent option if you want to improve your posture and sleep better without counting sheep. The Groove X Lower Back Pillow can also help you target pesky pain.

References

• Alsaadi, S.M., McAuley, J.H., Hush, J.M. and Maher, C.G. (2010). Prevalence of sleep disturbance in patients with low back pain. European Spine Journal, 20(5), pp.737–743. doi:https://doi.org/10.1007/s00586-010-1661-x.
• ‌Danoff–Burg, S., Rus, H., Burke, C.B., Weaver, M.B., Carmon, K., Duvia Lara Ledesma and Rodrı́guezR. (2023). 0959 Use of a Memory Foam Mattress Improves Sleep Quality and Consistency. Sleep, 46(Supplement_1), pp.A422–A423. doi:https://doi.org/10.1093/sleep/zsad077.0959.
• SanSone, A. (n.d.). When Should You Replace Your Mattress? [online] Forbes. Available at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbes-personal-shopper/article/when-should-you-replace-your-mattress/ [Accessed 4 May 2024].
• Van Looveren, E., Bilterys, T., Munneke, W., Cagnie, B., Ickmans, K., Mairesse, O., Malfliet, A., De Baets, L., Nijs, J., Goubert, D., Danneels, L., Moens, M. and Meeus, M. (2021). The Association between Sleep and Chronic Spinal Pain: A Systematic Review from the Last Decade. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 10(17), p.3836. doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm10173836.