Best Mattresses for Arthritis in 2023

Medically Reviewed by Dr. Navin Ramchandani, Medical Doctor/ Diagnostician and Owner of R&R Medical Centre in Barbados.

Expert Insights from Dr. Shynda F. Miles, a board-certified specialist in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation and owner of Miles Medical Group. 

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Think your mattress might be aggravating your arthritis symptoms? “If you wake up feeling stiff, or have pain in your joints, your mattress is likely the culprit,” says Dr. Shynda F. Miles, MD.

Your mattress choice can make a big difference in managing your arthritis. If you suffer with joint pain and inflammation, a mattress that is comfortable and supportive is essential for reducing arthritis symptoms and getting a good night’s sleep. Comfort and support can be an individual preference, but experts suggest a firm base with top layers of memory foam as the ideal combination.

To help you find the right mattress that helps reduce your pain and swelling, we’ve chosen a list of the best mattresses for arthritis. All of the mattresses profiled below offer amazing support and can make a significant difference in alleviating arthritis pain.

Best Mattresses for Arthritis Sufferers

• Purple – Editor’s Pick
• Casper Wave Hybrid – Best Mattress for Hip Pain
• Puffy – Best Memory Foam Mattress
• Tuft & Needle – Best Budget Mattress
• Saatva Classic – Best Mattress for Hot Sleepers
• Layla – Best Mattress for Pressure Relief
• Amerisleep AS3 – Best Mattress for Back Pain

As you keeping reading about each of these mattresses and try to decide which is best for you, keep this advice from Dr. Ramchandani in mind: “A firm base with top layers of memory foam is the ideal combination for those with arthritis as this design offers the most relief for joint pain and inflammation.”

Please Note: Our recommendations for mattresses that help with arthritis are not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice or treatment.

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Purple

Purple is a truly unique mattress both in terms of materials and construction. It is made from a hyper-elastic polymer, which is molded into a grid pattern and is revolutionary in terms of support. It is in the foam family but unlike memory foam or latex. You won’t find another mattress like it.

“The Purple bed features a dual layer of firmer comfort foam that provides support and reduces arthritic pain,” adds Dr. Ramchandani. “This design also promotes spine alignment, which in turn alleviates arthritic discomfort.”

Under the top layer is a dual layer of firmer comfort foam for the support you need to reduce arthritis pain. This mattress is recommended for athletes because of its exceptional pressure point support and how it promotes spinal alignment. Chiropractors stress the importance of spinal alignment in reducing pain from ailments like arthritis.

In addition, we rated the Purple highly for its generous free return policy during the 100-night trial and a 10-year warranty. If you are looking for a mattress that will hold up, Purple is also rated highly in durability, so you can keep that pain away for a long time.

Read our full Purple mattress review.

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Casper Wave Hybrid

If you have arthritis and pain in your hips, the Casper Wave Hybrid is a great solution. It has that highly recommended combination of firm support and plush comfort. There is an innerspring base with layers of memory foam on top, netting both comfort and pain relief. The memory foam is contouring and creates deep support for body parts that stick out, like your hips.

“The Casper Wave Hybrid offers superb pressure relief, which is great news for those with arthritis pain in their hips,” says Dr. Ramchandani. “The memory foam works to contour to your body, while also providing deep support for your hips, helping to relieve pain.”

The Wave Hybrid is Casper’s most luxurious mattress and really can’t be beat for pressure point relief. It supports all sleep positions but is outstanding for side sleepers who need a bed with the ability to mold to their individual body shape. When the entire body is supported, it takes the pressure off muscles and joints and lets you relax at a deeper level. This results in far less pain in the joints and less overall arthritis pain.

Our review of the Casper Wave Hybrid netted high scores in a variety of areas. The mattress scores especially high in responsiveness and in durability Responsiveness refers to how easy it is to maneuver in the bed; can you roll over easily, get in and out without difficulty, that sort of thing. Durability rating looks at the lifespan of the mattress in relation to industry standards, and this mattress keeps its shape and offers amazing support.

Casper also rated highly in shipping, set-up, trial period, return policy, and warranty, all the details of your buying experience that really matter. Casper is committed to continually improving their products and service.

Read our full Casper Wave Hybrid mattress review. You can also see our roundup of best mattresses for hip pain.

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Puffy

The Puffy is a luxury firm memory foam mattress with two softer layers of memory foam and a firmer foam base that is exactly what is prescribed for arthritis. Puffy is well known for supporting all sleep styles and positions. It has great responsiveness, especially if you are a combination sleeper that changes positions throughout the night. The support from this memory foam mattress is notable and helps cut down on pain in the places arthritis lodges, so sleep is greatly improved.

Puffy also has a gel memory foam layer on top to create a cooler sleep surface. It has a second comfort layer of memory foam to support the contouring and cushioning of your body for pain associated with pressure points. The base is a firmer layer of poly foam that combined with the top layers makes for excellent joint support and is great for arthritis sufferers.

The amenities associated with buying a Puffy, like their sleep trial, return policy, and warranty are all highly rated. This bed-in-a-box mattress is shipped directly to you and is easy to set up.  It comes with a 101-night trail and free returns if it isn’t right. It rated a perfect 10 out of 10 for its lifetime warranty.

Read our full Puffy mattress review. Also, see our roundup of best memory foam mattresses.

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Tuft & Needle

Who says you can’t get a great support mattress on a budget? Certainly not Tuft and Needle, who have it as their mission to provide just that—a luxury support mattress, one that reduces aches and pains and generates better sleep, at a surprisingly affordable price. Tuft and Needle has some outstanding features and is a widely popular brand. Customers give it nearly perfect reviews.

The Tuft & Needle mattress is created with a special proprietary foam called Adaptive Foam. This material provides a great balance of contouring and adaptive responsiveness. Plus, it has a cooling gel that makes it temperature neutral so your body heat won’t become trapped in the mattress. Overall, it provides exceptional comfort and support for people with or without arthritis.

The mattress is also CertiPUR-US certified against toxic chemicals and GreenGuard Gold certified. Tuft and Needle offers a no risk 100-night sleep trial, a 10-year warranty, and received an outstanding 10 out of 10 for customer service.

Read our full Tuft & Needle mattress review.

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Saatva Classic

Do you have both arthritis pain and difficulty staying cool while you sleep? The Saatva Classic is an excellent temperature-regulating choice if you need a mattress that keeps you cool while providing great support for chronic pain.

The Saatva mattress comes in three firmness options: plush, luxury firm, and firm. If you suffer from arthritis, we’d recommend the luxury firm version, which sits at a 6/10 on the firmness scale. This level will provide the required amount of support and cushion to keep your spine aligned and hopefully reduce pain.

Not sold yet? Purchase of the Saatva Classic also comes with a 365-night sleep trial and a lifetime warranty.

Read our full Saatva mattress review. Also, see our roundup of best mattresses for hot sleepers.

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Layla

Layla is an unusual memory foam mattress that is two-sided and copper infused. These two things make it stand out from the crowd and also make it great for arthritis. You can choose the firm side or the soft side or switch back and forth. Bad back? Switch to the firm side for a few weeks. Guests prefer a soft mattress? Switch to the soft side as needed. Layla allows you to figure out your preference without having to return your mattress. If it is too hard or too soft, just flip.

In addition, they infuse the memory foam in their mattress with copper. Why copper? Because it demonstrates beneficial effects on joints and inflammation. It is known to help with rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis, so you wake with less pain and swelling.

Other things that put Layla on the list include a 10 out of 10 score for shipping, sleep trial, returns, and warranty, the particulars of which include 120-night trial period and a lifetime warranty.

Read our full Layla mattress review.

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Amerisleep AS3

The AS3 happens to be the most popular model of all the Amerisleep mattresses. It just does everything well. It has great motion isolation, sleeps cool, is long-lasting, and last but not least, is great for back and joint pain. There is nothing more you could want from this memory foam mattress.

Amerisleep is also concerned about toxic chemicals, and their mattresses have the CertiPUR-US® certification to ensure they are free from flame retardants, mercury, lead, formaldehyde, and phthalates to ensure better health and better sleep. And just like their name suggests, the AS3 is made in the USA.

Read our full AS3 mattress review. You can also check out our roundup of best mattresses for back pain.

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How to Choose the Right Mattress for Arthritis

What should you pay attention to when you purchase a mattress to support your arthritis? It can seem complicated if you aren’t familiar with all the terminology, but we will walk you through all the basics and make sure you know what to look for to be successful with your purchase. 

In this buyer’s guide, we’ll cover

• How Arthritis Affects Sleep
• What Type of Mattress is Best for Arthritis?
• What to Look for in a Mattress for Arthritis Pain

How Arthritis Affects Sleep

Arthritis and sleep have a cyclical, symbiotic, relationship. In other words, they are interconnected and feed off each other in a dependent fashion. Having arthritis and managing nighttime pain, with its predictable tossing and turning to get comfortable, can cause a lack of sleep. Conversely, a lack of sleep, caused by any number of factors like noise, sleep apnea, insomnia, or an uncomfortable mattress can be a factor in developing arthritis.

When we discuss arthritis, it is inevitable that the topic of sleep comes up, and when we talk about what can happen from lack of sleep, arthritis is high on the list. The arthritis foundation estimates that 80% of people with arthritis have trouble sleeping making it commonplace to struggle with sleep.

Related: Best mattress for neck pain

They rarely exist independent of each other. If you have arthritis, you likely have poor sleep, and if you have poor sleep, you are at a much greater risk for arthritis. “There is increasing evidence that sleep deprivation may in fact be a driver for the development or progression of inflammatory joint diseases, including RA.”

Addressing sleep if you have arthritis is crucial, and sleeping well to prevent arthritis is good preventative care. The Arthritis Foundation estimates that 91 million Americans have some form of arthritis—over one third of the population of the United States. It is considered a serious, albeit common, disorder that has reached health crisis proportions in the United States.

This plays out slightly differently depending on the type of arthritis you have, and there are over 100 different types of arthritis. The most common ones are rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and osteoarthritis (OA). Here is a little more on each of them.

Rheumatoid Arthritis

First of all, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disorder where the body mistakenly attacks itself causing inflammation that primarily affects all the joints in the body but can affect internal systems as well.

What kind of relationship to sleep do people with RA have? Statistics indicate that a high percentage have insomnia with difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep. This can be due to a number of factors like pain, stress, inability to get comfortable, medication side-effects, and more.  

The other side of this coin is that poor sleep can cause RA to flare. Lack of sleep can increase inflammation and the pain associated with RA. So, in a nutshell, it is hard to get enough sleep if you have arthritis pain, and if you don’t get enough sleep, it can make that pain worse.

Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative disorder where you start to lose cartilage in your joints, mostly the hips, knees, and thumbs. This creates friction and pain and can cause sleep loss. About 70% of people with OA are challenged with getting a good night’s sleep. Age is a primary factor in developing OA.

The cause may be different than with RA, but again, pain prevents the sufferer from getting enough sleep. The pain with OA can even become centralized and amplified making it very difficult to sleep. Ironically, one thing that really helps the pain is enough good sleep.

Is a Firm Mattress Good for Arthritis?

Given the importance of a good night’s sleep in preventing or minimizing the pain and discomfort of arthritis, the place to start is with tangibles like your mattress. What do you need in a mattress to lessen the symptoms of arthritis? And, is a firm mattress the solution?

When suffering with arthritis, you want a mattress that is comfortable and supportive. These terms however can be fairly subjective. What is comfortable or supportive varies from person to person, but a good mattress can make a difference. Experts recommend looking for a bed with firm support and only top layers of comfort foam. These top layers should be no more than three inches and come standard as part of most hybrid models, which then have firmer types of support underneath.

Should you look for a firm mattress specifically? There are a range of types of beds, different levels of support, and different firmness that can all work well for arthritis. Let’s get more specific about mattresses and the characteristics that offer the best support.

How Your Sleeping Position Factors In 

Your sleep position factors into your arthritis pain as well. There are lots of tips on various sites that suggest keeping your legs straight, not sleeping in a fetal position, and making sure you have the right type of pillow for your preferred position. The truth is, what you find comfortable is the best position for you and for your arthritis. Here are some basics for the three predominant sleep positions and things to consider when looking for a mattress.

Side Sleepers

With arthritis and for side-sleeping, you want a mattress that will really cushion your joints. Recommendations are a medium to firm firmness option and memory foam is a great choice. Make sure you have a good pillow that helps keep your spine aligned.

Back Sleepers

Sleeping on your back has the advantage of putting your body in a neutral position and taking pressure off your joints. Back sleeping is also an easier position to keep your spine aligned and stress off your head and neck. If you sleep in this position, it can be great for your arthritis., Mmake sure you have a lower profile pillow that keeps you aligned. A medium firm mattress is great for this position with coils or foam, avoid a soft mattress.

Related: Best Pillows for Back Sleepers

Stomach Sleepers

This position is not recommended because of how easily it can throw you out of alignment and cause more pain. Since we are looking to reduce pain with arthritis, if you do sleep on your stomach, look for a firmer mattress to keep you aligned or consider changing sleep positions.

What Type of Mattress is Best for Arthritis Pain?

Memory Foam Mattress

There are a lot of beds out there and memory foam has been very popular for some time, but is it good for arthritis? The answer is yes, but there are things to be aware of.

The most important thing is to get a firmer base with your mattress and a softer top. Most memory foam mattresses are layered and have a firmer base and cushier top built in. The base may be a different type of foam from memory foam. For the top of the mattress, memory foam is perfect for really supporting in a way that relieves pain.

Innerspring Mattress

Innerspring mattresses have a 6-inch high bed of coils or springs as their base. These can be pocketed coils that are individually wrapped for better motion isolation, and they generally are topped with a pillow top or quilted top layer. This type of bed, without memory foam or latex, does not do as good a job at reducing the pain of arthritis so it is not ideal for sleepers with arthritis.

Latex Mattress

Latex mattresses have a similar comforting feel as memory foam and they are very supportive. They are made from natural latex and are a great option if you are looking for a organic bed. These also will come with layers of different latex foam and other materials like wool or organic cotton. If you go for a latex mattress for arthritis, make sure you find one with a firm base that’s topped with a soft comfort layer.

Hybrid Mattress

Hybrids are one of the newer bed models with combinations of spring and foam, air and foam, or different materials for base and top. They can make an ideal bed for arthritis, and we have a number of them in our lineup for best beds for arthritis. Different types of hybrid mattresses have different attributes. For instance, a pocketed coil and memory foam hybrid might additionally offer great edge support.

How to Find a Mattress for Arthritis Pain

For a mattress to really help reduce arthritis pain, it needs to meet certain criteria. Look for good pressure relief, a firm base, a top layer that cushions and molds to your body, great spinal alignment, and motion isolation.

Pressure Relief

The pain of arthritis is generally felt in the joints, and to support arthritis, a mattress needs to support pressure points. Particularly if you sleep on your side, you need a bed for side sleepers that will accommodate by cushioning shoulders and hips, but other joints as well. When a mattress supports your entire body, it allows you to rest. Memory foam is exceptional for its ability to mold and support every part of the body that it comes in contact with.

Firmness

You might have heard that a firm mattress is good for arthritis, and this is true, but there’s more to the story. Firmness is not synonymous with support. A firmer mattress is not necessarily more supportive. Firmness refers to the amount you sink into the bed, and that amount varies for each person depending on how you sleep, your weight, and your body structure. Just as arthritis affects people differently, firmness is experienced differently.

Even so, you do need to look for a firm supportive base to your bed. A strictly firm mattress may not provide enough cushion, and a completely soft cushiony bed may not provide enough support. Look for firm as a descriptor regarding the foundation of the mattress. You can find a firm base with all types of beds.

Read More: Best Firm Mattresses

Spine Alignment

If you look on mattress sites, you will see a lot of information and graphics demonstrating how a mattress helps keep your spine aligned while sleeping. So why is this important? Why does it matter? The answer lies in understanding that a curved spine can pinch nerves and restrict blood flow. If this happens it can increase pain and cause numbness, tingling, and inflame joints. It does the opposite of what you want to happen for your arthritis.

A straight spine in comparison, helps keep everything working and flowing, and this supports a decrease in inflammation and pain while you sleep. Mattress companies work hard to create support that allows for a nicely aligned spine.

Read More: Why Spine Alignment is Important

Temperature Control

Arthritis sufferers can be sensitive to hot and cold and do better with a temperature-regulating mattress. Memory foam can be too hot, but variations on memory foam, like gel-infused or highly breathable, work well. When buying a mattress, investigate the heat retaining qualities or search for a temperature regulating mattress.

Motion Isolation

If you have arthritis, any movement can be painful. If you sleep with a partner, a child, or a pet that moves around, it can cause you pain. A mattress with good motion isolation can solve this problem and help you sleep undisturbed. Memory foam is the best material for virtually no motion transfer. Add that to a dense foam or pocketed coils base, and you have the perfect mattress for arthritis.

Sleep Trial

One of the best options you have for getting the right mattress to support your arthritis is to purchase a mattress with a sleep trial. Many companies offer up to 100-night trials so you can fully asses if indeed the mattress will lessen your arthritis symptoms. Add this to the above considerations to help ensure you get the right fit. The last thing you want is a mattress you can’t return that doesn’t seem to help your pain.

What Else Can Help?

Given that arthritis is currently incurable, it is worth doing all you can to lessen symptoms. Experts recommend paying attention to a number of areas that can impact the level of pain, and with some effort you can reduce symptoms. So, in addition to a good mattress consider the following.

Consider a Mattress Topper

Maybe you wish you could get a new mattress but don’t have the budget for it right now. If your bed is firm enough and in good condition you can opt for a memory foam topper to give you the cushion and joint support of a new bed. Toppers are a fraction of the cost and come in a number of different heights. They can really transform your bed and are easy to purchase and set up.

Manage Your Diet

Given that arthritis is an inflammatory condition, an anti-inflammatory diet can help. This means reducing or eliminating certain foods like refined carbohydrates, sugar, dairy, gluten, processed meats, and alcohol. A healthy whole foods diet with lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, pasture raised meats, and gluten free grains can dramatically impact pain levels with arthritis.

Supplements 

When it comes to supplements, you can read up on what helps arthritis, but best practices would encourage you to talk to a professional nutritionist. The world of supplementation is vast and complicated, get some support in narrowing down on what might help.

That said, turmeric, and its active ingredient curcumin, have amazing anti-inflammatory properties. You can take it in capsule form or make a tea. Many arthritis sufferers swear by Golden Tea, a turmeric-based tea you can buy or make (lots of recipes online) and drink once a day as part of an arthritis supportive regime.

Lose Weight

Although extra weight is not a criterion for arthritis, extra weight can put pressure on joints and exacerbate the condition. Putting stress on an already stressed part of the body is not advisable, so if you need to shed a few pounds, let less arthritis pain be your motivator. If you try a more anti-inflammatory diet, you may naturally lose some weight and help your body on multiple counts.

Exercise

Keeping joints fluid, from an appropriate level of exercise, can also help reduce pain and stiffness. Dr. Shynda F. Miles, MD recommends low-impact exercise, saying “Low impact exercises that promote gentle range of motion can help reduce the symptoms of arthritis.” Low impact exercises include walking, swimming, cycling, stretching, and yoga are good choices.

Hydration

Enough good clean water is critical to managing arthritis. It flushes toxins from form your system and helps reduce inflammation as well as lubricating joints. Dehydration is associated with joint pain and a well hydrated body works better overall.

Chiropractic

Seeing a chiropractor is often recommended for arthritis and endorsed by the Arthritis Foundation. Keeping the spine aligned and the nerves working helps your body function. As well, chiropractic can support better range of motion and reduce pain.

Related: Can a chiropractor help you sleep?

Practice Good Sleep Hygiene

In addition to getting that super supportive mattress, enhance your quality of sleep by doing some of the following: 

• Get exposure to sunlight early in the day
• Avoid napping
• Don’t eat after dinner
• Limit screen time in the hours before bed
• Maintain a consistent sleep schedule
• Relax before bed by taking a bath or reading
• Reduce artificial light in the evening
• Sleep in a dark, quiet, and cool room

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Summary

Looking for the best mattress for your arthritis? There are great mattresses out there that meet all the criteria for reducing arthritis pain. Buy a bed with a top comfort layer to cushion joints and a firm supportive base to keep your spine aligned. If you have arthritis, the right bed can make a huge difference. Read mattress reviews, and see that people have completely eliminated their arthritis pain while sleeping just by getting the right kind of mattress.

As a reminder, here are our top mattress picks:

• Purple – Editor’s Pick
• Casper Wave Hybrid – Best Mattress for Hip Pain
• Puffy – Best Memory Foam Mattress
• Tuft & Needle – Best Budget Mattress
• Saatva Classic – Best Mattress for Hot Sleepers
• Layla – Best Mattress for Pressure Relief
• Amerisleep AS3 – Best Mattress for Back Pain

Consider one of the above for some real improvement in getting a good night’s sleep when you suffer with pain from arthritis.