Best Mattresses for Scoliosis (2023)

Expert Insights from Dr. Navin Ramchandani, MD, a Medical Diagnostician and Owner of R&R Medical Centre in Barbados and Dr. Ben Kersenbrock, D.C., owner of Kersenbrock Chiropractic in Orlando, FL. 

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“Scoliosis is a condition that causes a sideways curvature of the spine, and can cause you to experience frequent sleep disturbances due to the uncomfortable pain,” says Dr. Navin Ramchandani.

The right mattress can help counter these concerns and go a long way toward better sleep.

For help in finding the best bed, see our top 5 picks for best mattresses for scoliosis. We have highlighted things that can help reduce pain and induce better sleep for scoliosis sufferers. All the beds in this list are hallmarked by cushion and contouring that supports the spine so your muscles can relax.

By clicking on the products below, we may receive a commission at no cost to you, the reader. It’s how we fund our Mattress Lab and bring you better mattress reviews and comparisons.

Best Mattresses for Scoliosis

• Layla – Best Mattress for Back Pain
• Nectar – Best Mattress for Combination Sleepers
• Tuft & Needle – Best Budget Mattress
• Casper – Best Mattress for Side Sleepers
• Helix Midnight – Best Mattress for Hot Sleepers

All of the mattresses we recommend for scoliosis have been extensively tested in our Mattress Advisor Mattress Lab. Each bed had an individual assessment that measures mattress performance on a scale of 1 to 10 in a number of categories including durability, cooling, motion transfer, edge support, pressure relief, responsiveness, and spinal alignment.

We also take a look at the company and evaluate how well their services including shipping, trial period, setup, warranty, and return policy. We rate these in comparison to industry standards. We also check out how responsive the company is to customer concerns and if they are making any kind of social or environmental impact. We combine all the score into a weighted total to derive our overall Mattress Advisor rating.

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

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Layla

Layla is a flippable mattress made of different types of foam. “The Layla mattress features infused copper, which has been known to lessen pain by reducing inflammation and swelling,” says Dr. Navin Ramchandani.

The mattress comes in two different firmness options depending on which side you choose, either medium soft or medium firm. Medium firm is considered best for back pain and scoliosis.

“Sleeping on a mattress designed to alleviate back pain can help alleviate pain caused by Scoliosis as well,” says Dr. Ramchandani.

If the firmness isn’t just right for you, you can try flipping the Layla and sleeping on the other side. Both sides have great contouring, help with lower back pain, and support the spine with scoliosis.

Related: Best Mattress for Back Pain

As for Layla’s ratings, the mattress had great overall performance and received a perfect score for responsiveness. What’s this mean? When you move around, the Layla will quickly adapt to your body’s movement. With scoliosis, movement can mean pain, so responsiveness is important.

There are no hassles when you purchase a Layla. The mattress comes with free shipping and free returns, a 120-night trial period, and a lifetime warranty. This means there are no hassles when you purchase a Layla. You won’t be disappointed with the Layla mattress or the way they do business.

Read our full Layla mattress review.

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Nectar – Best for Combination Sleepers

The Nectar mattress has three foam layers, including a layer of gel-infused memory foam designed for pressure relief. Factor in its medium-firm feel (6/10) plus great responsiveness and the Nectar has the potential to help combination sleepers with scoliosis sleep more comfortably as they change sleeping positions during the night.

Nectar has other features that helped it make our list. The foams in the Nectar mattress are CertiPUR-US certified which ensures it is non-toxic with no dangerous chemicals being off-gassed.

Nectar offers a year-long sleep trial and lifetime warranty. You can’t find a better trial period or warranty in the business and won’t be disappointed in the mattress or how Nectar supports your buying experience.

Read our full Nectar mattress review.

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Tuft & Needle – Best Budget Mattress

If you are looking for a great mattress at a great price Tuft and Needle is worth considering. We chose it for one of our best mattresses for scoliosis because it offers exceptional support. Tuft and Needle is a luxury mattress that will reduce pain and help you sleep better. It comes with amazing customer service and exceptional reviews and ratings.

Related: Best Cheap Mattress for Your Budget

Tuft and Needle was an early start-up in the bed-in-a-box internet mattress revolution. They set out to create a new memory foam that performed better than standard memory foam. They call it adaptive foam and it has many notable qualities. It molds to the body but is not overly clingy, with good motion isolation.

It scores well in responsiveness and is quite easy to move around on. Tuft and Needle added cooling gel to address the concerns of hot sleepers and create temperature neutrality. It made our list of best mattresses for scoliosis because of its outstanding support for back pain and amazing contouring properties.

The Tuft and Needle is also environmentally friendly with a GreenGuard Gold certification for healthy levels of chemical off-gassing and a CertiPUR-US certification against toxic chemicals. They received a perfect 10 out of 10 for customer service and offer a no risk 100-night sleep trial along with a 10-year warranty, so you can feel confident when purchasing this mattress.

Read our full Tuft & Needle mattress review.

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Casper – Best for Side Sleepers

The Casper is an all-foam mattress with four layers and zoned support. The different zones in the middle layer help with back pain and can provide a much more comfortable sleep for people with scoliosis. Casper is a leader in the field and a top choice for best mattresses for scoliosis because of its unique construction that helps keep your spine supported. It is designed for all sleep positions but works especially well with side sleepers who need support for shoulders and hips.

Related: Best Mattresses for Side Sleepers

This mattress has great edge support, so you can get in and out easily or sit comfortably on the edge. The Casper is also very responsive, making it ideal for combination sleepers who move around. The memory foam property known as motion isolation is famous for keeping you undisturbed by others’ movements throughout the night.

The Casper is rated highly overall, but there are some areas of note. Casper offers free shipping and free returns, a 100-night sleep trial, and a 10-year warranty. They also have a great donation program for people (and Canines) in need of beds.

Read our full Casper mattress review.

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Helix Midnight – Best for Hot Sleepers

The Helix Midnight is Helix’s medium firm and most popular mattress. The Midnight, however, is just one of seven mattresses that Helix makes, and they have a very unique process to customize a mattress just for you.

If you suffer with scoliosis pain, you can find a Helix mattress perfectly matching your needs by taking Helix’s Sleep Quiz. You answer questions about your sleep preferences, sleep position, firmness preferences, and questions about your height, weight, age, and pain regularity to be matched to a mattress that works for your body shape.

The Helix Midnight, along with their entire line of mattresses, is a hybrid of memory foam and innersprings. It scores high in cooling and is great for hot sleepers. It also performed exceptionally well in edge support, motion transfer, and durability. All these areas matter for ease of maneuverability and pain management.

Related: Best Cooling Mattresses for Hot Sleepers

Helix has a 10-year limited warranty and a 100-night sleep trial that begins once you receive your mattress. If after sleeping on the bed for a month or more, you find just isn’t right, Helix will even offer to send you a topper that is slightly softer or harder to help adjust the fit. If the bed still isn’t ideal for you, you can return everything at the end of the trial. Rest assured Helix wants the bed to work and will work with you to get a custom fit.

Read our full Helix Midnight mattress review.

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Choosing the Right Mattress for Scoliosis: Buying Guide

It may surprise you that a mattress can make a substantial impact on chronic pain and on quality of sleep, but it can. If you read mattress reviews, there are tens of thousands of testimonials to this effect.

In this mattress buying guide for scoliosis, we will look expressly at the following:

• How to Sleep with Scoliosis
• Best Mattress Type for Scoliosis
• What to Look for in a Mattress for Scoliosis

How to Sleep with Scoliosis

Scoliosis can be mild, moderate, or more severe, and with the more severe cases, there can be considerable pain associated. The pain often stems from muscles having to work overtime to help balance a body where the spine has grown and aligned disproportionately. This often manifests as a form of back pain and can be very disruptive to sleep.

There are two basic kinds of pain with scoliosis, musculoskeletal pain and nerve pain. They can result in pain from hips to neck and even in legs with sciatica pain in some cases.

Related: Best Mattresses for Hip Pain

They key to managing scoliosis pain while sleeping is to two-fold. Have a daytime routine that supports your scoliosis including exercise and good nutrition, and a nighttime routine with good sleep hygiene and a supportive bed. Exercise can strengthen muscles and keep joints lubricated for less pain.

Good nutrition is essential, as scoliosis is associated with numerous nutritional deficiencies, a common one being melatonin, the sleep hormone. You may want to talk to a medical professional about supplements for scoliosis and if taking melatonin might help with sleep. The right mattress, pillows, sleep position, and sleep routine can go a long way towards reducing pain and getting better sleep.

Can a Bad Mattress Cause Scoliosis?

A bad mattress is definitely not the main cause of scoliosis, and the medical literature acknowledges there is no exact known case for the disorder. It happens most frequently during growth spurts in puberty and may be caused by many different things.

However, some professionals believe that a mattress that is too soft can, in fact, cause scoliosis in some cases in both adults and adolescents. They caution against soft foam beds that don’t support spinal alignment.

Best Mattress Type for Scoliosis

With scoliosis, you want a bed with good cushioning and good support. You might think that a softer bed would offer more cushion, but they are not recommended for scoliosis. A medium to medium firm bed is a better fit. Rather than coming from softness, good cushioning can come from a good supportive foam that contours to the body. Below is more on specific types of mattresses.

Memory Foam Mattress

A medium or medium firm memory foam mattress has the type of contouring that supports muscles and relieves pain. It is an excellent choice for scoliosis pain. There are some beds made entirely of memory foam that can work well, but you may need to look for one with a firmer foam core or innersprings to give enough support. You do not want a bed that is too soft or unsupportive. You can also look for memory foam that is extra breathable or has a gel component for cooler sleeping.

Innerspring Mattress

Innerspring mattresses are made with a base layer of springs or coils and usually have a pillow top of quilted synthetic or cotton. These are the beds with lots of bounce and little in the way of contouring or direct support. They don’t generally offer the kind of pressure relief you get with memory foam and latex. Since taking the pressure off overworked back muscles is part of the goal with scoliosis, an innerspring is not ideal.

Latex Mattress

Latex is a type of foam similar to memory foam but made from more natural materials. You might look for a latex mattress or a hybrid if you want memory foam without the chemicals or are looking for an eco-friendly bed. Latex, like memory foam, is very cushioning and supportive. It relieves pressure, allows muscles to relax, and is highly contouring. These supportive mattresses can cost a bit more than memory foam, and you need to double check if it is all-natural latex because there are latex blends as well.

If, in addition to scoliosis, you have any breathing problems or chemical sensitivities, latex can work as well as memory foam and is highly recommended. Some additional benefits of a latex mattress include its natural breathability because of the material used like flax, wool, organic cotton, or coconut hills.

If you choose a latex mattress for your scoliosis, it’s best to pick one with a medium-firm firmness level that offers support and durability on a firm base.

Hybrid Mattress

Hybrid mattresses are made of more than one type of material. Commonly, you find hybrids made from memory foam or latex with innerspring or pocketed coils for a base. In the right combination, these can make excellent beds for people with scoliosis.

They are often super supportive and great for pressure relief. Hybrids have wonderful features like superior edge support and great airflow for cooling. Look for a hybrid that has a top comfort layer of memory foam or latex to best support scoliosis.

What to Look for in a Mattress for Scoliosis

Below, we do a little deeper dive into some of the terms references above. Things like sleep position, pressure relief, firmness and contouring, spinal alignment are important to understand when purchasing a mattress to help with a condition like scoliosis. All of these things can improve or detract from pain reduction and a good night’s sleep.

Sleeping Positions

Whether you are a side sleeper, back sleeper, or stomach sleeper, there is a type of mattress designed to suit you. Keep reading to learn all the important considerations about different sleep positions, mattress choice, and scoliosis.

Side Sleepers

If you sleep on your side, you want a mattress that cushions your entire body, so muscles and joints are well supported. Side sleepers do well on memory foam, latex, and hybrid mattresses that are topped with a latex or memory foam comfort layer.

Side sleeping is a good position for people with scoliosis but can be augmented with the right pillows like a pillow for knee support.

Back Sleepers

Back sleeping is considered a good position for keeping the spine neutral and taking pressure off your head and neck. It is one of the best sleep positions for scoliosis. The best mattresses for back sleepers are foam or latex beds with a medium-firm to firm firmness level. You don’t need as much cushion as with side sleeping. Again, certain pillows can help take pressure off and give additional support.

Stomach Sleepers

For scoliosis, sleeping on your stomach can exacerbate the condition. Stomach sleeping is bad for proper spinal alignment, and it is very difficult to get the support you need in this position or reduce pain.

Related: Best Mattresses for Stomach Sleepers

Some experts believe that stomach sleeping at a critical developmental point can actually cause scoliosis. Stomach sleeping is not recommended for scoliosis, but if you can’t stop sleeping on your stomach, then it’s best to choose a firm mattress, so you don’t sink as much and don’t throw your spine further out of alignment. It also helps to add a pillow with a low-profile to keep your head and neck in a more neutral position.

Pressure Relief

When you have scoliosis, pressure points need cushioning and pressure relief is crucial to pain relief and good sleep. Latex and memory foam mattresses have a quality called viscosity that allows the body to sink deeply and be more fully held. This is one reason they are so popular, because they offer a very different kind of support for taking the pressure off all parts of your body. Pressure relief is what allows your muscles to relax and stop working so hard. When they relax the pain goes away.

Firmness

Depending on your weight, size, and sleep position, you may sink more or less than another person. Firmness levels are not experienced the same by all individuals. People with scoliosis come in all shapes and sizes, but even very slight people, if they sink too much, can experience additional strain on their backs. A medium to medium firm mattress is recommended for scoliosis for the right combination of cushion and support.

Spine Alignment

Quality mattresses are built to keep your spine aligned, but some do better than others. With scoliosis you are starting with an existing spinal curvature that may be causing pain, restricting blood flow, or pinching nerves. Finding a bed with good support for spinal alignment is important to relieve tension and keep your back in the best alignment during sleep.

Throwing your curvature out further, with a mattress that is too soft or one that doesn’t support well, would only aggravate the problem. Look for a mattress that is highly rated in spinal alignment to help with scoliosis.

Related: Why Spine Alignment is Important

Mattress Accessories

Sleep with scoliosis can be improved with support pillows or a mattress topper.

Pillows

With a curved spine it can help to have knee pillows for added support, and it is important to try and pair your pillow with your sleep position. For instance, if you are a side sleeper, there are recommendations for best pillows for this position. There are also pillows that target specific areas like neck pain.

Of further note is that manufacturers make pillows to go with their mattresses. They are designed to work in tandem and keep the spine aligned and your body supported in relation to the type of mattress. Since people with scoliosis tend to sleep hot, there are breathable or gel memory foam pillows to help with cooling.

Mattress Toppers

If you aren’t in the market for a new mattress but would like some added cushion to help relieve pain, a mattress topper can be a great solution. Toppers are essentially a small mattress that is usually made from cotton, wool, latex or memory foam. They come in a variety of heights and sizes, are affordable, and easy to set-up. To support your scoliosis, choose a medium firm plush foam topper.

Speak with Your Doctor

Good sleep is part of managing any health condition, especially scoliosis. The right mattress can be part of an overall treatment plan developed by your doctor or medical professional and should not be substituted for professional medical advice.

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Summary

The right mattress can go a long way towards reducing pain and improving sleep with scoliosis. Talk with your doctor about their recommendations for improving sleep and consider a new bed from one of our specifically chosen mattresses for scoliosis.

To recap, here are our top-rated mattresses for scoliosis:

• Layla – Best Mattress for Back Pain
• Nectar – Best Mattress for Combination Sleepers
• Tuft & Needle – Best Budget Mattress
• Casper – Best Mattress for Side Sleepers
• Helix Midnight – Best Mattress for Hot Sleepers