Julia Guerra

By Julia Guerra

mbg Contributor

Julia Guerra is a health and wellness writer reporting for mindbodygreen, Elite Daily, and INSIDER.

Scott Nass, M.D., MPA, FAAFP, AAHIVS

Medical review by

Scott Nass, M.D., MPA, FAAFP, AAHIVS

Board-certified Family Physician

Scott Nass, M.D., MPA, FAAFP, AAHIVS is a family physician and HIV specialist in California. He takes a holistic approach to healthcare, incorporating principles of functional medicine and using food as medicine when working with patients.

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August 31, 2022

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The only thing worse than not being able to fall asleep at night is waking up in the morning with aches and pains. Sure, you could chalk it up to an unusual sleep position, but if you can’t remember the last time you were consistently waking up pain-free, your bed might be to blame. Ready to make a change? Consider treating yourself to one of the best mattresses for pressure points currently on the market.

Can a mattress relieve your pressure point pain?

While those experiencing pain upon waking should speak to a doctor to identify the root cause of the problem, board-certified orthopedic spine and neck surgeon Rahul Shah, M.D., tells mbg that some mattresses have been shown to help alleviate pressure point pain.

This is because certain mattresses and mattress toppers are designed to accommodate areas of stiffness and ensure your weight is evenly distributed throughout the night. However, Shah stresses that not all mattresses and mattress toppers are created equal, so it’s important to consider all of your options before committing to a purchase.

Related: The 9 Best Mattresses For Neck & Back Pain

How we picked.

Mattress type & materials

Each mattress on our list was designed to ease pressure in areas where people tend to wake up with pain—shoulders, hips, and legs. We prioritized beds made with natural materials like cotton, wool, and latex since they tend to be easier on the environment and less likely to emit compounds that can cause respiratory irritation and skin irritation as you sleep.

There are a few factors to consider when reviewing a brand’s reputation: Whether or not it has a loyal fanbase, how its products are rated/reviewed, and its customer service. For each brand on this list, we read through customer testimonials, noted product ratings, and analyzed customer service reviews.

To what lengths is a brand willing going to reduce its carbon footprint? We reviewed how each mattress is created, packaged, and delivered to assess its overall environmental impact. 

It’s one thing to say a product is made with natural materials, but where are they being sourced from? Are they organic? Has the product been previously recognized for its high quality and received certifications? We got to the bottom of these questions for this list.

mbg’s picks of the best mattresses for pressure points of 2022:

Pros

  • Highly rated by Sleep Number customers
  • Comfort and firmness are adjustable on both sides
  • Smart mattress connects with the SleepIQ app to track your sleep health

Cons

  • Made with synthetic materials

Materials: Polyurethane foam

Sizes available: Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, California King, Split King, FlexTop King, Split California King, Flextop California King

Trial period: 100 nights

Warranty: 15-year

Sleep Number mattresses are made from a proprietary blend of petroleum-based polyurethane foam and fabric. (Though it isn’t ideal that Sleep Number uses synthetic materials for its mattress, the brand does plainly lay out its sustainability practices and goals.) Inside the cushiony-soft mattress is an air chamber that allows users to adjust its comfort and firmness levels to their sleep preferences via remote control located in the SleepIQ app on their phone.

The mattress also contains a “sense and do” technology that tracks and measures your biometrics (i.e., your average heart rate, breathing rates, movements, etc.) while you sleep so it can adjust to your individual needs automatically. What’s more, the Sleep Number m7 360 Smart Bed mattress is adjustable on both sides of the bed. This means that should your stats differ from those of your partner, each sleeper can still clock in their best night’s sleep.

How it arrives:

The Sleep Number m7 360 Smart Bed Mattress is delivered by professionals who will not only fully assemble your new mattress but also show you how everything works. Users note there is an adjustment period, and it can take a few nights to find the best settings for your sleep preferences. Once you do, however, you’re in for an excellent night’s rest that’s easy on the back, neck, and shoulders.

Pros

  • Features a GelFlex Grid to support pressure points
  • Clean Air Gold Certified, Nontoxic, Hypoallergenic
  • Free shipping

Cons

  • Made with synthetic materials

Materials: Polyurethane foam, Spandex, Polyester

Sizes available: Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, California King, Split King

Trial period: 100 nights

Warranty: 10-year

Purple believes that you don’t have to sacrifice comfort for support in a mattress (and we have to agree). The Hybrid Premier 4 Mattress is designed with a unique GelFlex Grid that’s made from nontoxic, hyper-elastic material engineered to *flex* underneath your pressure points while still supporting the rest of your body. This technology, paired with individually wrapped stainless steel coils, amplifies the mattress’ pressure-relieving benefits.

Purple Mattress is known for its smart marketing campaigns, but its products come highly recommended, too. The Hybrid Premier alone has over 1,900 reviews on the brand’s website, garnering a solid average of 4.4 out of a potential five stars.

How it arrives:

In terms of delivery, a standard purple mattress is only available via FedEx or UPS and is dropped off in a recyclable box at your doorstep. In-home delivery is offered when you purchase one of its hybrid mattresses—either the Hybrid or Hybrid Premier. This means a professional from Purple will come inside, set up your mattress wherever you’d like it, and take away your old mattress for you.

Pros

  • Made from certified organic materials
  • Greenguard Gold Certified, MADE SAFE® Certified, STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX®: Class 1 Certified
  • Needle tufted by hand, not glue made from toxic chemicals
  • Free shipping

Cons

  • Some users note it works best with a topper
  • At first, emits a smell that not everyone finds pleasant

Materials: Organic wool, Organic natural latex, Organic cotton

Sizes available: Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, California King, Twin

Trial period: 365 nights

Warranty: 25-year

For those looking for an all-organic mattress for pressure points, your search stops here. The Avocado Green Mattress is made from 100% organic latex, wool, and cotton. It has over 17,600 reviews to date and an average of 4.7 out of a potential 5-star rating.

A standard mattress is 11 inches thick, and 3 of those inches are made from GOLS-certified organic latex rubber foam to ensure optimal firmness, comfort, and support. (You can also choose to upgrade your mattress by adding a European-style topper that’s filled with an additional 2-inch layer of organic latex for extra pressure point relief.) What’s more, the Avocado mattress contains up to 1,414 individually tuned steel coils that are meticulously arranged in 5 distinct ergonomic zones to keep your back aligned and your weight evenly distributed to relieve pressure point pain.

How it arrives:

You can opt to have your Avocado mattress delivered in a recyclable box and set it up yourself, or pay to have professionals deliver and assemble it for you (and take away your old mattress) for a fee starting at $249.

Best memory foam mattress for pressure points: The Nectar Premier Copper Mattress

The Nectar Premier Copper Mattress

VIEW ON Nectar | $1,200

Pros

  • Cooling for hot sleepers
  • Affordable
  • Generous warranty and sleep trial

Cons

  • Uses synthetic materials
  • Users claim there is an adjustment period if you’re switching from a spring mattress

Materials: Polyurethane foam, Copper fibers, Gel memory foam

Sizes available: Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, California King, Split King, Twin

Trial period: 365 nights

Warranty: Lifetime

You might recognize Nectar for its bestselling memory foam mattress, but another option not to be overlooked is the brand’s Premier Copper bedding. Its five-layer construction is made from copper fibers, polyethylene (plastic), and gel memory foam, as well as a mix of premium and conventional foams. Copper fibers are cooling and the mattress’ gel memory foam is infused with phase change materials that adapt to your body’s temperature. Ergo, while foam naturally traps some heat, this particular mattress is marketed as a cooler option (a selling point for warm sleepers). The inclusion of adaptive memory foam and two extra inches of conventional foam is also worth noting, as the combination offers sleepers more support, and stability, and relieves pressure off the shoulders, hips, and legs.

How it arrives:

Nectar mattresses arrive in a box and can weigh anywhere between 40 and 83 pounds. Per its product page, the mattress needs 24 hours to expand and air out before it’s ready to be slept in. As far as that out-of-the-box smell, reviewers note it can linger for a couple of days or weeks. Still, the mattress has received over 44,400 reviews and an average of 4.8 out of a potential 5-star rating to date. 

Pros

  • Made with natural and organic materials
  • Hypoallergenic
  • Award-winning for back pain relief
  • Affordable

Cons

  • Users note there is an adjustment period

Materials: Organic wool, Organic cotton, Natural latex

Sizes available: Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, California King, Split King, Twin

Trial period: 120 nights

Warranty: Lifetime

The Nolah Natural 11″ Mattress is the best latex mattress for pressure points, and if you don’t take our word for it, its 16 pages of rave reviews should do the trick. The mattress is impressive across the board, from its use of all-natural and organic materials to its lifetime warranty, clearly deserving its 4.7 out of 5-star rating.

The star of Nolah’s show is its Talalay latex, which is responsive and works with your sleeping body, not against it (think the responsiveness of memory foam without the extra chemicals). Talalay also offers 33% more pressure relief than synthetic latex, so it’s better for those sensitive areas that need a bit more TLC while you snooze.

Still not sold? The reviews on this one really speak for themselves. One satisfied customer writes, “I knew I wasn’t sleeping well but holy moly after one night sleep on this mattress I felt like a whole new person. Woke up feeling more refreshed with no aches and pains.” Another noted, “The greatest surprise of all was the relief of hip pain! Truly happy for this and the overall sleep benefits.”

How it arrives:

You have two options when it comes to Nolah delivery: Either your mattress is shipped to your door via FedEx or you can opt for “white glove service,” in which a third-party logistics partner of Nolah will either remove your old mattress, set up your new mattress, or both. However, the service does cost extra.

Pros

  • Designed with Zone Support Max for optimal spinal alignment
  • Cooling for hot sleepers
  • Designed with springs to prevent sinking
  • Made with recycled materials

Cons

  • Made with synthetic materials

Materials: Polyurethane foam, Gel memory foam, Natural latex

Sizes available: Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, California King, Twin

Trial period: 100 nights

Warranty: 10-year

The Casper Wave Hybrid Snow Mattress offers sleepers a lot to love, especially those in the market for a mattress for pressure points. This particular mattress is Wave’s most supportive offering, thanks to its Zoned Support™ Max technology and 78 gel pods that lift your lower back for better alignment and optimal relief. It’s also an awesome mattress option for warm sleepers, as its Airscape™ 3 technology features three layers of breathable foam and thousands of perforations that keep hot air circulating away from your body.

The Wave Hybrid Snow Mattress is rated just over 4 out of 5 stars, with customers highly recommending giving the bedding a try for yourself. One reviewer noted, “I suffered from back pain and was in a desperate need for a new mattress… Overall I am extremely happy with my choice and fully recommend the Wave Hybrid Snow to anyone.”

How it arrives:

Options for in-home delivery and setup are available. A Casper professional will deliver your mattress to your preferred bedroom, set it up, and remove all the packaging, so you don’t have to. Disposal options for previously owned mattresses are also available, but the service costs $199, plus tax. Your mattress is ready to be slept on once it lies flat. This could take minutes, or longer, depending on the dimensions of the mattress.

How to choose.

Now that we’ve highlighted some of the best mattresses for pressure points on the market, it’s your turn to choose which option is the best for you. It’s a very personal decision; you want a mattress that meets your specific sleep needs but that also aligns with your morals. So, what are the kinds of criteria you should be considering?

According to Shah, anyone in the market for a mattress designed to relieve pressure point aches and pains should prioritize mattresses that conform to the neck, back, and spine. Your preferred sleep position is also worth noting, but remember that oftentimes, people change positions as they sleep. Ergo, finding a mattress that caters to all pressure points, not just specific areas along the body, is key. 

FAQs

What is the best type of mattress for pressure points?

Mattresses that provide sleepers with quality support are key to those struggling with pressure point aches and pains. That said, Shah debunks the myth that a “supportive” mattress translates to a stiff mattress. “In my experience, I have known individuals to have varying experiences with going with just stiffer mattresses,” he tells mbg. “As such, I would initially recommend folks consider different stiffness levels when trialing mattresses.”

Is memory foam good for pressure relief?

While, unfortunately, memory foam is not the most sustainable material, it is beneficial for those suffering from pressure point aches and pains. This is because memory foam accommodates different areas of stiffness. That said, Shah notes that there are many different types of memory foam, so you’ll want to try one versus another to identify your best fit.

The takeaway.

If you’re constantly waking up on the wrong side of the bed due to aches and pains you acquire overnight, your mattress may be the culprit.

When choosing which of the best mattresses for pressure point relief is right for you, there are a few things to consider, including how the mattress is made, what it’s made of, the brand’s reputation, and whether or not its sustainability principles reflect your personal preferences. Keeping these details in mind, you can rest assured there exists a mattress for you and your budget.