Best Mattress For Scoliosis (Side Sleepers, Back Sleepers & Stomach Sleepers)
Last Updated: April, 2024
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If you live with chronic back pain, a good night's sleep can feel like a distant dream. If you have scoliosis especially, you already know how hard it is to find a mattress that can help with the aches. You want to get back to good sleep again, but to do that you'll need the best mattress for scoliosis to help you along. If you know what to look for, you can find a mattress that gives you better sleep than you imagined while keeping your pain at bay.
According to our sleep experts, the best mattress for scoliosis is the GhostBed 3D matrix. This mattress offers excellent support for your neck, back and spine while still being soft, contouring and cooling.
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Top 7 Picks For Best Mattress For Scoliosis
GhostBed 3D Matrix
The GhostBed 3D matrix is a great fit for scoliosis sufferers due to its soft feel and amazing shoulder, hip and back support.
Nolah Original 10" Mattress
This affordable, but very impressive mattress is designed to provide next-level pressure relief and longevity. It's a great pick for side and back sleepers.
Amerisleep AS2
The Amerisleep AS2 mattress is specifically designed to help keep your spine aligned throughout the night, making it a great pick for scoliosis.
Layla Copper Infused Memory Foam Mattress
This Layla mattress can go from a firm mattress to soft. It's ideal for finding your fit.
Twilight - SweetNight Hybrid Mattress
This hybrid mattress by SweetNight has a plush cover with excellent motion isolation and support. It's also an incredible value for what you pay, it starts at just $378, and is comparable to other, more expensive mattresses.
Nectar Gel Memory Foam Mattress
You'll get great sleep with this Nectar gel mattress. It's breathable, cool and is a great mattress for side sleepers and hot sleepers.
Nod by Tuft and Needle
This Tuft and Needle mattress feels luxurious. It's also very easy to set up.
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If you suffer from scoliosis, you know how hard it can be to get to sleep at night. The GhostBed 3D matrix mattress is a perfect fit. It's a 12" hybrid mattress that uses thermal conductive gel polymer that adjusts to your body shape and temperature.
Commonly referred to as the best mattress for back sleepers, the GhostBed 3D Matrix mattress also has excellent shoulder, hip and back support. It's ideal if you need to keep the best possible spinal alignment to ease the pain associated with scoliosis. The 3D matrix is a hybrid mattress, which means it utilizes coils in the center of the mattress which helps with support, while the upper soft foam layers give you a cradled contouring feeling without overheating. These individually wrapped coils rest on a high-density foam layer.
As a company, GhostBed stands out. The company began when the owner, Marc Werner struggled with back pain after enduring multiple spinal surgeries. He couldn't find a mattress that helped with his pain, so he decided to create his own. The 3D Matrix is one of their most advanced mattresses and comes with several proprietary materials intended to keep hot sleepers cool at night.
As far as scoliosis goes, you can't get a much better experience than you'll get with the GhostBed hybrid mattress. It boasts a 101-night sleep trial and a 25-year warranty.
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When it comes to relieving the pain associated with scoliosis and keeping your spine aligned, proper pressure relief is key. In fact, it's the #1 factor that goes into whether you consider a mattress comfortable or not. If you're a back or side sleepers, you'll find that this mattress is ideal for relieving pressure in your shoulder and hips, and helps keep your spine aligned while you sleep.
Nolah is known as the best mattress for side sleepers. This label comes with confidence that you're getting a mattress that is built for relieving pressure. Side sleepers have the most issues with pressure points developing while they sleep, and this mattress does a lot to minimize that. The AirFoam cushions the hips and shoulders to alleviate pressure and promote alignment for side sleepers and individuals weighing up to 230 pounds. In terms of temperature control, this mattress outshines many of its all-foam counterparts. The AirFoam won't absorb too much body heat, thanks to its breathable composition, thus allowing you to sleep relatively cool.
Nolah is also very transparent and confident in their products. They offer free shipping, free returns and a lifetime warranty. During the first 15 years, they'll replace or repair your mattress and pay for shipping charges for covered defects. After this period, you're responsible for shipping and prorated fees for replacement or repair. For as long as you have this mattress, you can be confident it'll be comfortable and last. However, if you sleep on your stomach, you may want to consider something firmer to offer excellent pressure relief.
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The Amerisleep AS2 mattress is designed specifically to combat back and neck pain by facilitating the best possible spinal support and alignment while you sleep. This can be a game changer for scoliosis sufferers.
Amerisleep is one of the mattress companies that have been around for a while. They have a track record of great products and great customer service.
The AS2 is an all foam mattress that has great cooling features and motion isolation. If you sleep with a partner, you won't feel them move around much on this mattress at all. Unlike traditional mattresses, or hybrid mattresses with coils in the core, this all foam mattress won't transfer motion and disturb you while you sleep. Once you're in a comfortable position, you'll stay that way throughout the night. However, if you're a strict side sleeper, it's best to settle for hybrid mattresses for side sleepers.
Consistent support is critical for relieving back pain and mitigating the symptoms of scoliosis, so this medium firm mattress is an excellent choice for doing just that. The memory foam layer contours perfectly to crucial parts of the body, while the Polyfoam with Surface Modification Technology (SMT) gives extra cushioning and reinforcement underneath high-impact areas. However, since the top layer is only two inches thick, it may not offer maximum pressure relief to individuals with higher body weight (230 pounds and above).
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This is an innovative mattress for scoliosis with materials to match. It might sound strange to consider a copper infused mattress, but there’s a reason the company uses the specially constructed memory foam; it works with the thermo gel infused mattress cover to give hot sleepers cool support all night with support that matches your needs. What's more, copper is antimicrobial; hence it will help your mattress starve off harmful bacteria and keep it smelling fresh.
If you feel like you can never get the right amount of firmness level, this mattress has a surprise in store for you: you can flip it to get a firm feel from one side, and a medium firm feel from the other.
Go for the medium-soft feel if you weigh less than 130 pounds. Lighter sleepers, particularly those who like sleeping on their sides, often opt for this side of the mattress. If you're a heavy sleeper who's looking for a more conforming bed, then you might also like the soft side of the Layla mattress.
Choose the firm feel if you weigh more than 130 pounds. Sleepers who fall in this category, especially those who mostly sleep on their front, like this side of the mattress. Back sleepers weighing over 230 pounds will also enjoy the firm side of the bed.
When it comes to scoliosis pain, you need great pressure points relief, but your pain can also vary from day to day. This mattress's ability to be flipped is a great feature for people with scoliosis. The soft side will cradle your spine, whereas the firm side will provide the extra support you may need on a day you're feeling like you need it.
Layla stands behind their products, and this mattress is backed by a lifetime warranty, making it a fairly risk-free online purchase. That said, if you're on the market for the best memory foam mattress that can help you with your condition, the Layla Copper Infused foam topper might be all you need.
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When it comes to relieving pain, this mattress offers huge relief, at a very low price (it starts at $378). While a lot of mattresses that deal with back pain place the majority of their support around the mid and lower areas of your back, this one goes further. While it does help with pain throughout your body, it’s especially good for people that suffer chronic neck, hips and shoulder pain.
This is SweetNight's most popular mattress because it offers the support and longevity you expect from a hybrid, but the top is made of a plush, knitted cotton cover that makes you feel like you're sleeping on a cloud. This material also allows air circulation to help counteract potential heat retention. It comes in at around a 6.5/10 firmness, which makes it a safe bet for most people with scoliosis. It's a true medium, which the majority of people end up finding comfortable.
The Twilight features a high-density convoluted polyfoam that contours to your body shape without restricting movement. Beneath it, lies a gel-infused memory foam that acts as the second comfort layer. The memory foam provides additional conforming to minimize pressure buildup, whereas the gel infusion helps body heat escape the mattress. Lastly, the support core is made of individually wrapped tempered steel coils to enable more precise support without great motion transfer.
This bed also comes with a 10 year warranty, a 100 night sleep trial, and free shipping + returns. It's ultra affordable, but SweetNight doesn't skimp on quality. Use code SLEEPSHOP at checkout to get the best discount available.
6. Nectar Gel Memory Foam Mattress
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When you have pain, especially that from scoliosis, you know waking up can be miserable and painful. That’s what makes this Nectar mattress a real stand out; you can sleep for a nap or a full night, and you’ll wake up feeling refreshed with very little, if any more aches. It works even if you’re not a back sleeper, stomach and side sleepers are also perfectly supported throughout the mattress. It prevents hot spots too, which makes it a great fit for a wide range of different sleepers.
Nectar Sleep provides a 365-night sleep trial for their gel memory foam mattresses, which is much longer than the periods offered by most competing brands. This gives you more time to test your mattress and return it for a full refund if it doesn't suit your needs. They also offer a lifetime warranty for shoppers who purchase the bed from the company website or an authorized retailer.
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7. Nod by Tuft and Needle
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The Nod bed in a box by Tuft and Needle is convenient and comfortable. It’s designed a bit differently from other best memory foam beds, in that uses ‘responsive’ memory foam. That means that rather than removing all movement, this hybrid mattress allows you enough bounce to be able to move comfortably, but won’t wake up the sleeper on the other side if either you or your partner needs to get up. It has a nice medium feel, with enough support to keep your body happy, and just the right amount of softness to keep the rest of you happy.
Scoliosis Pain: What You Need to Know About Mattresses For Scoliosis
Scoliosis is a spinal curvature that often develops among children going into puberty due to the rapid growth that is experienced. Scoliosis will create an abnormal curvature of the spine, often causing it to shift to one side or the other. While the majority of scoliosis cases can be mild, with little side effects, more serious cases of scoliosis can cause a person significant pain alongside other symptoms.
Often, this includes muscle spasms, pain throughout your body (especially the mid back and neck), as well as sensitivity to heat or tingling and numbness. These symptoms can cause major disruptions during sleep, and make it more difficult to find a comfortable way to sleep.
Scoliosis causes vital structural changes to the body, so it's essential to look for a mattress that minimizes pressure points in the hips and shoulders and delivers strong spine support. Many individuals with scoliosis swear by a medium-firm bed that provides the best balance of pressure relief and support. Still, others find that a zoned mattress relieves pressure points and provides targeted support.
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Features of Best Mattresses for Scoliosis Pain
Different Types of Memory Foam
Most of the best mattresses for scoliosis pain are made of foam, or a foam hybrid. Pretty much all modern foam mattresses are layered, which keeps the benefits that foam provides without sacrificing support that scoliosis sufferers need. Latex mattresses are a newer option. But they are rising in popularity because of the different levels of support they can achieve, as well as how they are cooler than other materials. They provide pressure relief without conforming closely to the body. Their resilient surface will help distribute your weight to provide support while allowing you to switch positions easily.
Memory foam mattresses have been a long time favorite, since they conform to your shape to give you a cradled feel. Hybrid mattresses combine the best of both worlds; they use both foam and insulated springs. They give the comfort that foam brings, with the support and slight bounce that coils have. This makes them perfect for patients who suffer from pressure points but require an extra supportive bed.
Innerspring mattresses are steadily decreasing in popularity as most people are now starting to explore alternatives with thicker comfort layers. Although they provide good airflow and a solid support system, they're not cozy enough for people with scoliosis. So, if you have an innerspring mattress, you can either purchase a mattress topper for additional support and comfort or look for a new bed that can help you relieve the pain.
Firmness and a Great Support System
Mattresses are available with different levels of firmness that range from soft to firm, with some variations on each end, depending on the manufacturer and the mattress type. Finding the right firmness level is vital in easing the pressure and pain on your spine. Although each patient responds uniquely to mattress firmness in relation to scoliosis, there's a tendency for people with back stiffness and pain to prefer stiffer mattresses.
Most firm high density mattresses still have a good, soft comfort layer on top. Your weight and build will create different feelings of support, heavy people will need a firmer mattress with the soft comfort layer. A mattress that is too soft will create a sinking effect when you lay on it, which can result in more aches and pains when you wake up. You want a mattress that will give your pressure points some pressure relief. A supportive mattress will help alleviate pain and keep you asleep throughout the night, and is essential for long term scoliosis patients.
In contrast, sleepers who weigh less than 130 pounds need plusher and closer conforming mattresses. This will help reduce pressure points while allowing their shoulders and hips to sink in appropriately for proper spinal alignment.
Ease of Motion and Motion Transfer
When you have scoliosis pain, you need to look at two aspects of motion in regards to your mattress. First, you want to make sure the mattress doesn’t sink much, since that will make it more difficult to move and adjust yourself through the night. You also want to look at a mattress that has good motion isolation. Essentially, this means that the mattress won’t transfer movement from the other side of the bed, which is critical for people with scoliosis pain.
Quality
When you’re dealing with chronic pain, the quality of your mattress is even more important. You don’t need to get an extravagantly expensive mattress, but you do need to take the time to choose a high quality mattress. You spend a lot of time sleeping (or you will, once you upgrade your mattress), so it’s worth trying out the best mattresses to test their quality for yourself, whenever possible. If you’re stuck between a couple different mattresses, here’s an easy way to choose: settle on the mattress that comes with better warranties and satisfaction guarantees. The longer you can try a mattress, the better you can choose one for the long term.
Pressure Relief
Adequate pressure is essential no matter your sleeping position. Stomach sleepers will have the most pressure points and issues with spinal alignment. If you have pressure in your hips and shoulders, try adding extra support under your lower back or hips and sleeping on your back. This added comfort layer of support (a pillow is a good choice) will help alleviate pain that even the best mattress can't change. If you're considering high density foam beds, keep in mind that they may or may not be the most supportive mattress for pressure point relief. High density foams will be firm, but won't be as responsive and pressure relieving. People with scoliosis need a good night's sleep for their health. A bad night's sleep will impact how you feel during the day too.
Considering Different Sleeping Positions
In addition to getting a scoliosis-friendly mattress that feels comfortable and comes with some level of firmness to offer adequate support, the correct sleep position can greatly help in promoting a healthy neutral environment and improve your sleep.
When choosing mattress firmness, you should bear in mind that different sleep positions put stress on different body parts. This can significantly impact individuals dealing with scoliosis, especially those with shoulders, hips, or rib cages.
Scoliosis manifests in two main different ways: in either your upper or lower back. These are called Thoracic Scoliosis and Lumbar Scoliosis, respectively. Here’s what you need to know to get the best sleep positions for the kind of scoliosis pain you have:
Lower Back (Lumbar) Scoliosis
If you don’t already, consider switching to sleeping on your back with some extra pillows (or towels) placed for support and as a comfort layer to help with pain around your hips. Back sleeping is considered the healthiest sleep position as it encourages natural spinal alignment. This is especially effective for seniors, and you can find the best mattresses for them here. If you're a back sleeper, you should sleep on a mattress that's soft enough to prevent pressure build-up, yet firm enough to keep your spine aligned on an even plane. This simply translates to a medium-firm bed for most sleepers, though it will also depend on your body type.
You’ll probably notice pain in your lower back and hips throughout the day, so when you go to sleep on your back, add some to the extra cushion. Aside from maintaining a healthy sleep position and having a good mattress for back pain, it's wise to invest in a properly-customized pillow to help promote better spine health. So, use a small pillow or even a rolled up towel in the arch of your lower back and your hips. If you still wake up with aches and pain, try adding a small towel behind your neck (but keep using your regular pillow too).
Upper Back (Thoracic) Scoliosis
Side sleepers need extra support to deal with Thoracic scoliosis. A sleeping surface that's too soft may allow your hips to sink in excessively, thus interfering with spinal alignment. Alternatively, a bed that doesn't allow your shoulders and hips to sink in far enough can lead to pressure buildup in these sections, contributing to lower back pain. The best fix is to go for a mattress that will contour just enough to enable your shoulders and hips to settle naturally.
Also, try placing a pillow or towel between your knees to start evening out your posture; you may need to try different sizes to find the most comfortable fit. If you have pain in the middle of your back, or hips and shoulders, try a towel or blanket to support the upper area of your ribs.
If you have thoracic scoliosis, you may notice tension or pressure points between your shoulders. A little support goes a long way, so put a small pillow or folded blanket (or towel) in the middle of your upper back, just below your shoulder blades.
Note that most physicians advise against stomach sleeping for people with scoliosis. This sleep position forces your neck to bend at unnatural angles and enables your hips to sink in excessively, which can put pressure on your spine. That said, you'll be better off sleeping either on your back or sides.
The Importance of a Sleep Trial & Warranty
Most bed-in-a-box companies offer a sleep trial period. This can range anywhere from 90 night sleep trial, to a lifetime trial and warranty period. A 10 year warranty is the standard, and most companies have competitive sleep trial periods because buying a mattress online is always a risk.
Some companies may offer a 5 year warranty, but keep in mind that a 10 year warranty is the standard. A company that isn't willing to ensure their products with a 10 year warranty, the standard amount of time, should raise an eyebrow.
When you're weighing the pros and cons of a handful of mattresses for people with scoliosis, a sleep trial is critical. Just because the mattress feels good the first night doesn't mean you'll love it long term. If you have scoliosis, you need a bed that will help with spinal alignment and pressure relief for the long term. A 90 day trial is the minimum, but the longer the better, with a 100 night or longer trial being preferable. The more time a company is willing to give you with the mattress, especially a memory foam one, the more comfortable you should feel getting a product from them to relieve aches and pains.
Conclusion
Scoliosis pain can be a huge obstacle in your life, especially when it comes to getting the rest you crucially need to perform on a daily basis. With the best mattress however, you can support your spine in the most important areas; after you've slept on the best bed designed to eliminate scoliosis pain, you'll feel like a new person.