Best Mattresses for Sciatica of 2023

Have you noticed that your sciatic nerve pain is worse in the mornings? If so, you’re not alone. Many people with sciatica experience their most intense lower-back pain in bed shortly after waking up—which is no way to start the day.

How you sleep—and the mattress you sleep on—can cause irritation of the sciatic nerve. The right mattress should provide pressure relief to gently support sensitive areas and solid performance in spine alignment to keep your back aligned comfortably. We’ve selected our best mattresses for sciatica, each one equipped with pressure-relieving memory foam and other features.

Compare our top picks, read the expert advice in our buyer’s guide, and find out how the right mattress can make your days and nights better.

Best Mattress for Sciatica: Our Top Picks

• Editor’s Pick — Casper Wave Hybrid
• Best Mattress for Heavy People — Saatva HD
• Best Mattress for Lifetime Warranty — Nectar
• Best Mattress for Side Sleepers — Helix Midnight Luxe
• Best Mattress for Back Sleepers — Puffy Lux Hybrid
• Best Memory Foam Mattress — Loom & Leaf

Why You Can Trust Mattress Advisor

We hold ourselves to the highest standards of integrity in our product reviews and other content by incorporating real customer feedback, empirical testing, and objective evaluations. Our results and recommendations are never influenced by the commission we may receive from brands, and products we receive are never guaranteed a positive review.

In evaluating our featured mattresses, we focus on two testing categories in our review process that are especially important to people with sciatica:

• Pressure Relief—Gently contouring around the lower back and hips
• Spine Alignment—Promoting a healthy, comfortable sleep posture

Our criteria also include whether the mattress or its brand has received an endorsement from the American Chiropractic Association or the Congress of Chiropractic State Associations. See our recap to find out how our featured mattresses stack up against these criteria.

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Casper Wave Hybrid

✅ Casper Wave Hybrid is endorsed by the American Chiropractic Association.

The Casper Wave Hybrid mattress is one of our highest-scoring luxury hybrid mattresses. Its layers of pressure-relieving memory foam, contouring latex, and supportive coils can help relieve pain the sensitive lower back area.

When you lie on the Wave hybrid, your pressure points will feel cushioned, and you’ll be supported in all the right areas. It’s these properties that earned the Wave top marks in spine alignment at our in-house testing facility—and a healthy spine means less pressure on your sciatic nerve.

One attribute that sets the Wave hybrid apart is its zoned support foam. With softer foam underneath the shoulders and flexible support at the hips, its ergonomic design works well for both back sleepers and side sleepers (the two best sleep positions for people with sciatica).

For people with pain, the key is finding a mattress that not only lessens pain, but improves sleep quality. When you sleep soundly, you’re less likely to be unable to fall back asleep if you experience symptoms. The Wave sleeps cool, is incredibly easy to move around on, and is great at motion isolation. This all comes together to help you achieve restful sleep.

Read our full Casper Wave Hybrid mattress review. You can check out other top-rated mattresses in our roundup of best mattresses of 2023.

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Saatva HD

✅ Saatva is endorsed by the Congress of Chiropractic State Associations.

It’s critical to consider body weight when buying a new mattress. People who weigh more than 230 pounds need a mattress that’s incredibly supportive. This ensures limited sagging as well as enhanced longevity.

But for those who have sciatica, ample support isn’t enough. You need a mattress with comfort layers designed to dissipate pressure without sagging. The Saatva HD mattress excels at delivering the combination of contouring and support that heavier people with sciatic nerve pain require.

Beneath an ultra-soft pillow top you’ll find 5-zoned Talalay latex. Latex is a material that hugs the curves without losing its push-back. And the zoned support ensures that you get support and give in all of the right places. Beneath latex and contouring foam, the high-durability coil base provides the necessary support for optimal spine alignment.

Finally, the Saatva HD utilizes the technology and materials to keep you cool throughout the night. Breathable cotton, naturally-cool latex, and airy coils free trapped body heat so you can sleep well in any climate.

Read our full Saatva HD mattress review or explore our top picks for the best mattresses for heavy people.

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Nectar

The Nectar mattress is one of the best-selling bed-in-a-box memory foam mattresses. Their plush gel memory foam delivers the marshmallow-y feel and reliable support that you wouldn’t expect for a budget-friendly mattress.

What sets Nectar apart from many competitors isn’t just their high quality at a competitive price—every Nectar mattress comes with a 365-night sleep trial and a lifetime warranty. This means that you have a full year to see if Nectar helps you sleep better. If it doesn’t, you can return it for a full refund. And if it does, the warranty covers your new mattress for as long as you own it.

With a design that includes a layer of gel-infused memory foam designed for optimal pressure relief, the Nectar mattress is a great option for people with sciatica who like the memory foam feel. The Nectar scores a solid 8.5/10 for pressure relief in Mattress Advisor testing, with an identical score for responsiveness. Its enveloping “hug” feel eases pressure from areas like the hips and shoulders, fitting the needs of side sleepers and back sleepers who like some cushion.

Another area where this mattress stands out is edge support (9/10 Mattress Advisor score). Good edge support lets you spread out comfortably and makes it easier to get into and out of bed without the edges sagging beneath you.

Read our full Nectar mattress review.

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Helix Midnight Luxe

✅ Helix Midnight Luxe is endorsed by the American Chiropractic Association.

The Helix Midnight Luxe is a luxury hybrid mattress with great potential benefits for side sleepers who suffer from sciatica. Layers of foam cushion the body’s curves and pocket coils provide responsive support. In Mattress Advisor testing, it performs very well for pressure relief (8.5/10) and spine alignment (9/10).

The zoned lumbar support is particularly impactful for side sleepers. Thanks to greater give at the shoulders, side sleepers are less likely to experience uncomfortable compression. And the added structure along the lumbar region stops heavier parts of the body from sinking too far, a common problem for those weighing more than 230 pounds.

We also found the Helix Midnight Luxe to offer one of the coolest sleeping experiences for any mattress. The proof is in its Mattress Advisor testing score for cooling, a very chill 9.5/10. With temperature-regulating phase change materials in the pillow top, cooling gel in the plush foam layer, and breathable innerspring coils, even the hottest sleepers can find relief on the Midnight Luxe.

Read our full Helix Midnight Luxe mattress review or check out our top picks for the best mattresses for side sleepers.

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Puffy Lux Hybrid

✅ Puffy is endorsed by the American Chiropractic Association.

The Puffy Lux Hybrid mattress has several qualities that can appeal to people who sleep on their backs, including back sleepers who suffer from sciatica. The first is its medium firmness, which rates a 6/10 on the mattress firmness scale. It’s generally a sweet spot for back sleepers, who need more firmness than side sleepers but less firmness than stomach sleepers.

The Puffy Lux Hybrid also has an 8/10 Mattress Advisor score for spine alignment, the performance category that measures how well the mattress keeps your spine in a pressure-reducing neutral position. The foam-innerspring design helps prevent sleepers from sinking too far into the foam layers.

An 8/10 cooling score also makes this hybrid a solid choice for hot sleepers. The design includes the 1.5″ Cooling Cloud Foam Layer, with gel-infused memory foam, and the heat-resistant 2″ Climate Comfort Memory Foam layer.

Puffy offers a 101-night sleep trial and a lifetime mattress warranty. The company also boasts some of the best customer ratings in the industry.

Read our full Puffy Lux Hybrid mattress review. To compare similar beds, see our roundup of best mattresses for back sleepers.

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Loom & Leaf

✅ Saatva is endorsed by the Congress of Chiropractic State Associations.

The Loom & Leaf mattress by Saatva is one of very few organic memory foam mattresses. While it’s on the pricier end of all-foam mattresses, it’s not nearly as expensive as the luxury brands it’s comfort and quality is often compared to (such as Tempur-pedic).

Thanks to its durable construction, the Loom & Leaf is one of the best memory foam beds for heavier sleepers. When you opt for the firm option, you won’t experience excessive give like with most memory foam beds. For side sleepers, the relaxed firm delivers an excellent balance of cushion and support, encouraging optimal body alignment.

The Loom & Leaf helps to relieve sciatica by supporting a neutral spine. In fact, it scored nearly perfect (9/10) in spine alignment during our in-house testing. Another perk is that it’s incredibly responsive. If you’re someone who needs to reposition often to find pain relief, responsiveness helps you do so without feeling stuck.

Read our full Loom & Leaf mattress review. You can compare similar beds in our roundup of best memory foam mattresses.

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How to Choose the Right Mattress for Sciatica

Sleepers with sciatica face two challenges: sleeping with pain and waking up in pain. The right mattress is one that encourages restful sleep while keeping the body properly aligned, relieving pressure at the sciatic nerve for better mornings. Finding the right mattress is a must for anyone struggling with sciatica.

In this guide, we’ll discuss:

• Best Mattress Types for Sciatica
• Best Sleeping Position for Sciatica Pain
• Tips for Sleeping with Sciatic Nerve Pain and Back Pain

Best Mattress Types for Sciatica

• Memory Foam: Memory foam is a particularly good choice for side sleepers with sciatica. An all-foam bed cushions the curves, relieving pain at pressure points and supporting proper body alignment.
• Latex: Latex mattresses are one of the best types of beds for people with sciatica. Latex foam is cool, responsive, and supportive, all while very gently cushioning the body.
• Pillow Top: A pillow top can be a good choice for back sleepers who like a soft yet firm sleeping experience. Because pillow top mattresses have a supportive core of springy coils, they deliver the reliable support that back sleepers need.
• Hybrid: Hybrid mattresses are an excellent option for people with sciatica. Thanks to varying comfort layers atop responsive, springy support coils, hybrids come in various firmness levels that work for all sleeping positions. With a customizable balance of cushion and support, you can find the feel that best serves your needs.
• Innerspring: Innerspring mattresses are a solid option for back sleepers who want an extra-firm mattress. For some sleepers, the firmer to mattress, the greater the pain relief. For these people, an innerspring mattress is an affordable, reliable choice.

Best Sleeping Position for Sciatica Pain

Back Sleeper – Recommended

The best sleeping position for most people with sciatic nerve pain is on the back. When you sleep on your back, it’s easy to keep your body in a healthy, natural alignment.

Related: Best Mattresses for Back Sleepers

To find pain relief from sciatica symptoms, you want to keep your spine straight and your hips in line with one another. It can take practice and props to get into the best position for your body.

Place a long pillow, either a body pillow or king-size pillow, underneath your knees. Doing so promotes a neutral curve in your lower back without stress in your hips. Also, be sure to use a pillow that keeps your neck comfortable; too lofty or too flat a pillow can result in poor spinal alignment and pain.

For stomach sleepers or side sleepers who want to try sleeping on their back, try the tennis ball trick. To do so, wear loose shorts or pants with pockets and place a tennis ball in each. If you try to reposition, you’ll be stopped by the discomfort. Another strategy is to place a row of pillows, or a body pillow, along each side of your body.

Side Sleeper – Recommended

While sleeping on your back is usually ideal for lower back pain and sciatica relief, the best sleep position can vary from one person to the next. It is possible to sleep on your side and maintain good body alignment.

Read More: Best Mattresses for Side Sleepers

To do so, you must use props to keep your hips stacked with one directly on top of the other. Ergonomic pillows designed for this purpose are your best bet, but a stack of 2 pillows or an extra-thick body pillow may do the trick.

Additionally, you want to sleep with the bottom leg extended and the top leg bent towards your chest. The fetal position, or any other curled up position, curves the lower back. And a curved lower spine often means a pinched sciatic nerve.

The biggest challenge with sleeping on your side is that most sciatica patients experience pain down one side of their body. Lying on that side often exacerbates pressure and pain. And for most side sleepers, it’s second-nature to switch sides when sleeping.

If you find yourself unintentionally sleeping on your bad side, either try sleeping on your back or using a one-sided tennis ball strategy. To do so, place a tennis ball in the pocket on the side that you don’t want to sleep on. Lying on that side will then be uncomfortable, encouraging you to sleep only on the side without pain.

Stomach Sleeper – Not Recommended

The key to finding sciatica relief at night is to keep your body properly aligned. When your hips and spine are in a neutral, supported position, there is less pressure on the sciatic nerve.

There is no way to sleep on your stomach with healthy alignment of your neck, back, and hips. The neck is kinked to one side or the other, which can cause pain throughout the back. The hips, because they are heavy, drop into the mattress, pinching the lower back. Also, most stomach sleepers cock one leg at an angle to relieve pressure. In doing so, the hips cannot be in a straight line.

With rotation of the hips and pinching of the lower spine, the sciatic nerve can quickly become aggravated. This sleeping position is bad enough for body alignment that it can be the singular cause of sciatic nerve pain.

While training your body to sleep in a different position is challenging, it’s a must for stomach sleepers who experience sciatica and want to improve their symptoms.

We recommend for front sleepers to first try sleeping on their backs to relieve pain. Not only is this typically the best position for sciatica relief, but it’s also much easier to maintain this position throughout the night. Just don’t forget to place a pillow underneath your knees to encourage a healthy spinal position.

Finding the Best Position

To get a good night’s sleep and wake up without pain, most sciatica patients will either need to sleep on their back or on their side. Because every person’s body is different, what works best for you may be different from what works for someone else.

Experiment with sleeping on your back and side until you find the position that relieves pain without interrupting sleep quality. But be sure to give any new position a prolonged trial-period of at least one week. It typically takes multiple nights to adjust to a new position.

Tips for Sleeping with Sciatic Nerve Pain and Back Pain

Outside of choosing the right sleep position and mattress, there are other things that you can do to ease the discomfort. Here are a few tips from doctors and other sleep experts.

1. Take a warm bath before bed: The warmth of a bath relaxes and soothes sore muscles, helping to melt away tension and pain. The warmth shortly before bed (around 30-60 minutes before you want to be asleep) releases brain chemicals that help you fall drift off.
2. Lightly stretch before and after sleep: Stretches help to relieve stress at problem areas. Check out stretches for sciatic pain online or work with a physical therapist for a personalized routine.
3. Practice proper sleep hygiene: Not getting enough sleep is shown to exacerbate chronic pain symptoms. Practice good sleep hygiene to increase your chances of sleeping well, such as limiting alcohol, caffeine, and TV before bedtime.
4. Talk to your doctor: If you find sciatica symptoms rob you of sleep or inhibit your quality of life, speak to your doctor or a physical therapist. Your sciatic pain may be a symptom of an underlying condition or injury, such as diabetes, a bone spur, or spinal stenosis. They may prescribe anti-inflammatory medications or other treatments to help you on the road to recovery.
5. Try an adjustable bed frame: Adjustable frames allow you to independently incline your upper and lower body. For many sleepers, sleeping in a position that’s not fully flat can relieve stress on the back and hips, easing nerve pain.

Check out our top picks for the best mattresses for back pain.

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A Closer Look at Our Selections

In evaluating our best mattresses for sciatica, we focus on each product’s Mattress Advisor score in the key categories of pressure relief and spine alignment. We also factor in whether the mattress or its brand has been endorsed by the American Chiropractic Association or the Congress of Chiropractic State Associations. Here’s a look at how our picks stack up:

MATTRESS	AVERAGE (OUT OF 10) FOR PRESSURE RELIEF, SPINE ALIGNMENT, AND CHIROPRACTIC ENDORSEMENT
Casper Wave Hybrid	9.2
Saatva HD	9.0
Nectar	8.0
Helix Midnight Luxe	9.2
Puffy Lux Hybrid	8.3
Loom & Leaf	8.7

Note: The testing categories we focus on in this chart don’t reflect overall performance. Depending on your needs and preferences, you might put more or less value on certain qualities.