Why You Can Trust CNET Best Mattress for Back Sleepers in 2024
Are you a back sleeper looking for a good new mattress? Check out our tested top picks for back sleepers.
- Certified Sleep Science Coach, Certified Stress Management Coach
Not every mattress is created equally. What might work for heavy people might not work for lighter back sleepers. If you're the latter, you need a mattress that’s supportive enough to keep your spine aligned at night, but not so firm that you’re uncomfortable. Here’s the thing: Many good bed options achieve the sweet spot between support and comfort. You’ve got a lot of options to sort through.
At CNET, our team of experts has tested over 200 mattresses, so we know precisely what back sleepers need. However, what works for someone else may differ from your ideal mattress match. That’s why I chose several beds for this list that are best for different types of back sleepers so you can find which most closely resembles your needs.
What's the best mattress for back sleepers?
Getting a feel for the Saatva Classic mattress.
In general, back sleepers tend to prefer firmer mattresses because they provide enough support to keep your spine in a natural position while you’re sleeping. As such, most of the mattresses on this list will lean toward the firmer side of the scale. So, you’ll want to choose a medium to medium-firm mattress (6 out of 10) or higher.
While testing, we found that the best overall bed for back sleepers is the Saatva Classic mattress. Saatva is a luxury mattress with a comfy pillow top and a two-coil layer support system. Any back sleeper will love the comfort and support of the Saatva mattress.
Video: Best mattress for back sleepers
Watch CNET Video Producer Owen Poole review the best mattress for back sleepers.
Best mattresses for back sleepers
Mattress price scale:
$ = Budget: $799 and below
$$ = Average: $800 to $1,699
$$$ = Premium: $1,700 and up
These reflect MSRP or list prices. Sales might make a mattress less expensive, but are always changing.
Back sleepers need both comfort and support. The Saatva Classic mattress offers both, with extra durability added in. It feels like a traditional innerspring mattress, though it has a couple of important upgrades. The airy pillow top gives it a neutral and responsive feel with plenty of pressure relief.
The classic Saatva is unique for its back-to-back coil layers, which give you optimal support through the night. Most hybrid beds only have one coil layer. When shopping Saatva, you choose between three firmness options: plush soft, luxury firm and firm. Back sleepers will want to opt for either the luxury firm model (around a 7 out of 10 firmness) or the firm (9 out of 10.)
It isn’t the cheapest bed out there, but the high-quality materials, extra support and exceptional comfort make this luxury bed worth the money.
Learn more in our Saatva Classic Mattress Review.
Pros:
- Dual-layer innerspring
- Multiple firmness options
- Good for heavy body types who need more support
- Two height options: 11.5 inches or 14.5 inches. According to Saatva’s website, the support and comfort should be the same, it just depends how high you want your bed to be.
Cons:
- Potentially too firm for petite body types
Saatva Classic
During Purple’s latest release of its new mattress lineup, the Purple Restore mattress debuted as the first model of the Premium Collection. It replaces the familiar Purple Hybrid mattress. It’s got a new look with a sleek gray and purple cover, though the hybrid construction is similar as it’s a direct replacement for the previous hybrid model. However, you can now choose between two firmness levels: soft or firm. The firm model is the best option for back sleepers.
You’ll get the unique gel-like feel that Purple is known for; it feels like you’re floating against the grid. It’s a little squishy but incredibly responsive, so you won’t feel stuck in it. The Purple GelFlex Grid is one of those things you either love or hate. Thankfully, Purple gives you a 100-night trial to decide whether you like it.
Learn more in our Purple Restore mattress review.
Pros:
- Firm option is excellent for back sleepers
- Breathable Purple grid
- Unique feel
- Supportive coil base
Cons:
- Expensive
- Polarizing gel-like feel
Purple Restore Mattress
If you’re a back sleeper and you love the feel of memory foam, look no further than the Nectar mattress. It’s an affordable memory foam mattress that’s firm enough to give back sleepers all the support they need. We rate the Nectar mattress around 7 out of 10 or medium-firm. It provides a lot of pressure relief thanks to the memory foam construction, but it’s still firm enough to support your spine.
You get the classic, dense memory foam feel with the Nectar mattress. As you slowly sink into the bed, it cradles around your curves until you almost feel like you’re in a cocoon. Switching positions can make it a little tricky because of how slow-moving the memory foam is, but if you’re a strict back sleeper, that shouldn’t bother you.
Learn more in our Nectar Mattress Review.
Pros:
- Affordable
- Great for memory fan lovers
- The medium-firm profile makes it good for back sleepers
Cons:
- Slow-moving memory foam isn’t for everyone
- Switching positions takes more effort
Nectar Memory Foam
If you’re like me and love the feeling of a pillow top, you’ll like the WinkBed mattress. I can’t say enough good things about its fluffy pillow top. The combination of pocketed coils, foam layers and pillow top finish make it a thick and durable mattress.
The WinkBed mattress is available in three firmnesses: soft (medium-soft or 3), luxury firm (medium or 5) and firm (medium-firm or 7). There’s also a Plus option for heavier sleepers that falls at about an 8 or 9 out of 10. Back sleepers will want to opt for at least the firm option to make sure they have enough support.
Despite having a hotel luxury appeal, the WinkBed mattress is surprisingly affordable. It’s not what I would consider a budget pick, but for the quality you get, WinkBed is a great deal. Learn more in our WinkBed mattress review.
Pros:
- Accommodates all body types
- Super comfortable pillow top
- High-quality materials
- Responsive mattress with excellent edge support
Cons:
- A little pricier than other options
The WinkBed
Getting too hot at night can significantly affect your sleep quality. Several mattresses out there have some sort of cooling technology incorporated. Still, no other brand does it quite like the Brooklyn Bedding Aurora Luxe mattress. It’s one of the coolest mattresses we’ve tested, thanks to the CooperFlex foam and Titan Cool cover.
With a mix of sturdy, pocketed coils and squishy foam, this bed has a neutral foam feel that most people will like. It’s not going to give you that stuck-in-the-mud feeling like the Tempur-Pedic. The Brooklyn Bedding Aurora Luxe mattress has three firmness levels: soft, medium and firm.
Back sleepers will want to stick with the firm option, which we found to be about a 7 out of 10. It’s not the firmest option out there, but it will be supportive enough to ensure you don’t sink into the foam layers too much but offer enough pressure relief to sleep comfortably.
Learn more in our Brooklyn Bedding Aurora Luxe mattress review.
Pros:
- It’s a physically cool mattress
- Firm profile is recommended for back sleepers
- Neutral foam feel appeals to most people
Cons:
- Soft and medium firmness profiles will not provide enough support for back sleepers
- Expensive
Brooklyn Bedding Aurora Luxe
If you’re looking for a budget mattress for back sleepers, look no further than the Allswell Brick. From the retail giant Walmart, the Allswell Brick won’t have the bells and whistles other beds have, like zoned support or a cooling over. But it’s a solid bed that no-fuss back sleepers will enjoy.
The Allswell Brick mattress is a hybrid bed with a coil support layer, 2 inches of transition foam and copper-infused memory foam. It’s finished with a firmer quilted top panel, which gives the Allswell Brick its firm foam feel that you won’t sink into. We found it to be a medium-firm, or a 7 on our scale, making it perfect for back sleepers.
When you open your Allswell Brick mattress, it might feel softer than you expect. Don’t worry, that’s normal. Since it was compressed in a box, achieving its full firmness takes a few hours.
Learn more in our Allswell Brick Mattress Review.
Pros:
- Great budget choice
- Medium-firm profile is excellent for back sleepers
- Easy to move around on
Cons:
- Off gassing is expected for this bed
- Lacks the unique features of other mattresses
The Allswell 10" Hybrid Mattress in a Box, Twin
The Titan Plus mattress is a firm mattress specifically made to support heavier body types. The Titan mattress is among the firmest beds we’ve tested. We rate it firm, though it may feel a little softer depending on how much you weigh. But no matter what, it’s firm enough to give a back sleeper exactly what they need.
The Titan mattress has a neutral foam feel, which I would consider a safe choice for people who aren’t sure what type of feel they prefer. The average person is going to like how this bed feels. However, since it’s so firm, we only recommend it for heavier people who are strict stomach or back sleepers.
Read our full Titan Plus mattress review for more.
Pros:
- Extra supportive coils
- Optional cooling cover addition
- Affordable mattress for the quality
Cons:
- Overkill for people under 150 pounds
- It might be too firm for even average or lightweight back sleepers
Titan Plus
As the name suggests, the Plank mattress is firm. It has a flippable design with a firm and extra firm side. We’d rate the firm side as medium-firm, or 7, and the extra firm side as medium-firm to firm, or 8. Some people aren’t going to see the value in a flippable mattress, but if you’re someone who does, you get two chances to find your ideal firmness.
One of the best parts about this mattress is the price. Usually retailing around $1,332, this bed is often discounted to under $1,000. Hot sleepers will be happy to know that you can add a cooling cover for around $150.
The Plank mattress has an all-foam construction. Most people will sleep just fine on this bed, though heavier body types probably want to choose the Plank Luxe hybrid mattress. The supportive coil base is going to serve you longer over time.
Learn more in our Plank mattress review.
Pros:
- Option cooling cover
- Good budget choice
- Backed by the American Chiropractic Association
Cons:
- Heavier body types should opt for the Plank Luxe mattress
Plank Firm Natural Mattress
Comparing the best mattresses for back sleepers
| Mattress | Mattress Type | Price (Queen MSRP) | Sleep trial | Warranty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saatva Classic | Hybrid | $1,995 | 365 nights | Lifetime warranty |
| Purple Restore | Hybrid | $2,399 | 100 nights | 10-year warranty |
| Nectar | Memory foam | $1,099 | 365 nights | Forever warranty |
| Winkbed | Hybrid | $1,499 | 120 nights | Lifetime warranty |
| Brooklyn Bedding Aurora Luxe | Hybrid | $2,265 | 120 nights | 10-year limited warranty |
| Allswell Brick | Hybrid | $427 | 100 nights | 10-year warranty |
| Titan Plus | Hybrid | $1,249 | 120 nights | 10-year warranty |
| Plank | Hybrid | $1,332 | 120 nights | 10-year warranty |
Other mattresses we’ve tested
You’ve just read our picks for the best mattresses for back sleepers. There were a few more that we considered that are worth mentioning. Though they didn’t make the cut for this list, we still think they’re really great mattresses.
DreamCloud Premier: This is a 14-inch hybrid mattress that has layers of comfy foam and a plush pillow top. The DreamCloud Premier has a responsive memory foam feel. We found it to be between a medium to a medium-firm on our scale, making it good for back sleepers. The DreamCloud Premier is also available in an all-foam construction.
Leesa Oasis Chill: The Oasis Chill is a new hybrid mattress from Leesa that we really liked while we tested it. We’d recommend the Cushion Firm model for back sleepers; it’s about a medium-firm on our scale. It has a responsive pillow top feel and a zoned support coil system that can help people with back pain. We would consider it an actively cooling mattress, though it’s not the coolest out there.
DreamFoam Chill: If you’re looking for a budget foam mattress good for back sleeping, check out the DreamFoam Chill. After discounts, you can get the DreamFoam Chill bed for under $500. It’s available in five different height profiles, with the 10-inch being the most popular. That 10-inch model is a medium-firm to firm, about an 8 on our scale. We compare how it feels to the Plank mattress.
Loom & Leaf: Saatva's Loom & Leaf mattress is an all-foam mattress with two different memory foams for comfort layers and a plush pillow top. It’s available in two firmness options: relaxed firm and firm. Either option is going to serve back sleepers well.
How we tested the best mattress for back sleepers
Our team of sleep and mattress experts has tested over 200 mattresses collectively. During that time, we’ve established testing methods that assess each mattress for each key performance factor.
We test all mattresses the same, though when selecting which beds make our best lists, we consider each option based on the topic. In this case, it’s back sleepers. There are several perfectly good mattresses that we rate highly, but won’t won’t make this back sleepers list because they are better suited for someone else.
Firmness: We’ve rated every mattress we’ve ever tested for firmness, comparing them to each other. This has allowed us to establish a firmness scale ranging from soft to extra firm. Mattress for back sleepers will fall on the firmer side of the scale -- medium to medium-firm and up.
Feel: When testing and rating how a mattress feels, we touch and feel the bed while watching how the materials respond. Is it light and bouncy? Or does it take a while to snap back like traditional memory foam?
Durability: We hypothesize a bed’s durability based on its construction. Beds with steel coil bases generally hold up better in the long run, though plenty of foam mattresses have a good lifespan.
Best body type: Using the firmness and construction of each bed, we determine who is best suited for a bed. For example, heavier body types need the extra support of coils. Petite body types will find that mattresses feel firmer because they put less pressure on them.
Best sleeping position: We also consider sleeping position when testing mattresses. We lie on each mattress in every position -- back, stomach, side and combination -- taking extra care to note how it feels on our backs and pressure points.
Motion isolation: We use a few tests for motion isolation. First, two people lie on the bed and bounce around to see if the other can feel their movements. This is essential if you have a partner who moves around often at night. We also place a glass of water on the edge of the mattress and roll and bounce around to see if it tips over.
Edge support: Think of edge support as the strength of the bed’s perimeter. We sit and lie on the edge of each bed and rate how well it supports our weight. If we feel we might roll off it, the bed doesn’t have good edge support.
Check out how we test mattresses for even more of the nitty-gritty of our process.
What to consider when shopping for a bed as a back sleeper
Back sleeping is the second most common sleeper style, providing several advantages including neutral spinal alignment and preventing back and neck pain. On top of the various personal preferences that will help determine which bed you should choose, how you sleep also factors in.
Let’s discuss what factors will help you narrow down your ideal bed when comparing the top options for back sleepers.
Firmness
Back sleepers need a firmer mattress for quality sleep. If a mattress is too soft, you’ll sink in unevenly, and your spine will be out of alignment. This can contribute to back pain.
Remember that firmness is a scale, and just because you’re a back sleeper doesn’t mean you have to opt for the firmest bed out there. You don’t have to sacrifice comfort to get the support you need. We recommend plenty of supportive beds for back sleepers that fall at around a medium to medium-firm level.
Body type
Your body type will influence two main things when shopping for a mattress: firmness and construction. Depending on how much you weigh, you will put more or less pressure on a mattress, determining how you will experience the mattress. Petite body types will find that beds will feel firmer because they don’t put much pressure on them. Alternatively, heavier body types will find that beds feel softer, so they may want to opt for firmer options.
Your body type will also influence which construction you should get. Generally, heavier body types should buy hybrid mattresses with steel coils for optimal support and comfort. They're a safer choice in the long run.
Budget
Beds will cost you a decent chunk of change; there’s no way around it. Identifying your budget will help you filter out many options, making your search more manageable.
While the average mattress costs $800 to $1,200, several good options are outside this range. You can find budget mattresses as low as $300 and luxury options well over $2000.
Best mattress for back sleepers FAQs
What type of mattress is best for back sleepers?
Generally, the best mattress for back sleepers will be medium-firm to firm mattresses. However, the type of medium-firm mattress you choose is up to you. If you like the cradling feeling of memory foam, there are several memory foam beds like Nectar that back sleepers will like.
If you’re a larger person, investing in a hybrid mattress will give you the most bang for your buck. The steel coils offer extra durability and support.
What mattress firmness is best for back sleepers?
Back sleepers tend to find that firmer mattresses are more comfortable for them. We recommend that back sleepers choose at least a medium to medium-firm mattress, which translates to a 6 out of 10. For many back sleepers, even firmer beds are better to ensure they get enough support through the night.
Are memory foam mattresses good for back sleepers?
Memory foam mattresses are excellent for back sleepers who like the sensation you can only get from memory foam. If you choose a firmer construction, memory foam mattresses can give you what you need to sleep comfortably as a back sleeper.
Why does my back hurt more on a soft mattress?
When you sleep on a mattress that’s too soft, it allows your middle section to sink too far in. This puts your spine out of neutral alignment, contributing to back pain.
Soft mattresses are great for side sleepers because they relieve pressure around the shoulders, hips and knees. They just aren’t the best choice for back sleepers.
Read more: Best Mattress for Side Sleepers