The Best Mattresses for Back Sleepers

When most people think about a comfy bed, images of happy families jumping into them and sinking into a plush pillow-top probably come to mind. But while it's certainly a nice image (and great marketing), super plush pillow-tops are really only great for side sleepers. If you're a back sleeper, a better bed would be outfitted with a medium-firm mattress that lets you sink in the right spots while offering good spinal alignment and plenty of support in others.

Ahead, we pull back the covers to take a closer look at the best mattress for back sleepers across several categories. Whether you're looking for a hybrid mattress, a foam mattress, or the best option for you and your mate, we've got some great thought starters.

With an all-foam construction, the Nectar Mattress checks a lot of boxes for back sleepers, but side sleepers may want to take note too. While the transitional and support layers do the heavy lifting to maintain a flat, even surface for back and stomach sleepers, the memory foam comfort layer provides a nice cushion for your shoulders and hips, ultimately relieving those pressure points. Plus, it offers good spinal alignment — something that side sleepers would no doubt appreciate.

Digging a little deeper, we find a high-density polyfoam support core that gives the mattress a medium-firm feel and provides excellent motion isolation that foam mattresses are known for. So, if you're sleeping with a partner, your nocturnal restlessness shouldn't keep them awake too.

The memory foam comfort layer and a quilted poly-blend cover come together to give the mattress a nice, plush finish. Ultimately, this mattress is an excellent choice for those who like to sink in and sleep in their mattress instead of on it.

One noteworthy drawback of the Nectar Mattress is that just like any memory foam, it traps heat and is known for sleeping hot.

Still, the Nectar Mattress has a lot going for it, and when all of the above is paired with price points that don't pull too hard on the purse strings, you have our pick for the best mattress for back sleepers overall.

‌Mattress type‌:‌ Foam
‌Firmness‌:‌ Medium firm
‌‌Trial period‌:‌ 365 nights
‌Price range‌:‌ $350 to $1,030
‌Warranty‌:‌ Lifetime, limited

‌Buy it now‌

Saatva just makes a good mattress. And for that reason, you might see Saatva featured across multiple categories because their classic mattress nicely accommodates sleepers of any size and multiple sleep positions. So, while we've already chosen the Saatva Classic Mattress as a good luxury option for side sleepers, it also hits our list as the best luxury option for back sleepers. In this case, you'll want one of Saatva's firmer options, specifically its luxury firm construction.

From the bottom up, the Saatva Classic is a hybrid mattress designed with a dual coil system and foam comfort layers that offer plenty of lumbar support, and the whole thing is finished with a plush pillow-top. In the end, you're looking at a mattress that's a nice balance of support and pressure-point relief, making it an excellent choice for back sleepers.

The dual coil system is also Saatva's answer for those who sleep hot or those who sleep with a partner. Not only do the pocketed coils and Bonnell coils improve airflow and temperature regulation but they also minimize motion transfer and disruption to co-sleepers.

‌Mattress type‌:‌ Innerspring
‌‌Firmness‌:‌ Soft to firm
‌‌Trial period‌:‌ 365 nights ($99 return fee)
‌‌Price range‌:‌ $935 to $2,450
‌‌Warranty‌:‌ Lifetime

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The DreamCloud is another mattress that works for multiple sleeping positions. Memory foam, coils, and a pillow-top beautifully come together for a hybrid mattress that's equal parts comfort and support. Ultimately, this mattress is ideal not only for back sleepers but for side and stomach sleepers as well.

For maximum comfort, back sleepers should look for a mattress that contours the curves of their body while offering enough support in the lumbar area. You want your hips to sink into the mattress but not too much, and DreamCloud nicely delivers that. On a similar note, the DreamCloud Mattress offers only one firmness level, but its medium firm is more than adequate to support back sleepers.

And while the pocketed coils do the heavy lifting to support sleepers of all body types, it also does the lion's share of the work in keeping the temperature to a comfortable minimum. Finally, this mattress also isolates motion effectively, so partners need not worry about late-night disruptions.

‌Mattress type‌:‌ Hybrid
‌Firmness‌:‌ Medium firm
‌‌Trial period‌:‌ 365 nights (30-night requirement)
‌‌Price range‌:‌ $799 to $2,098
‌Warranty‌:‌ Lifetime

‌Buy it now‌

Casper's Original Mattress offers zoned support, so it works well for most sleeping positions. While users will find firmer foams at the lower back, providing lumbar support for back sleepers, this mattress also features softer foams at common pressure points (shoulders and hips), giving side sleepers a little extra cushioning where they need it most.

Ultimately, this is a medium-firm mattress that supports the sleeper, and if you're a back sleeper who prefers sleeping on top of your mattress with little to no sinking (or one who regularly struggles with back pain), this one should be on your shortlist.

The Casper Original is an all-foam bed, but it still offers solid edge support, something foam mattresses aren't usually known for. Like most memory foam mattresses, the Casper Original Mattress offers good motion isolation, so it's also a good pick for couples.

For those who typically sleep hot, the Casper Original is designed with a layer of open-celled AirScape foam, and it's finished with a breathable cover, both of which work to help keep you cool while you catch your zzz's.

‌Mattress type‌:‌ Foam
‌Firmness‌:‌ Medium firm
‌‌Trial period‌:‌ 100 nights
‌‌Price range‌:‌ $895 to $1,695
‌‌Warranty‌:‌ 10-year limited

‌Buy it now‌

For back sleepers who tend to sleep hot, spinal alignment and temperature regulation are probably top of mind. Fortunately, the Layla hybrid mattress checks both boxes — and then some.

Unlike many other mattress brands, the Layla hybrid works well for light, average, or heavyweight sleepers courtesy of its two-sided flippable design. Lightweight or average-weight sleepers will likely do just fine on the soft side, but heavier sleepers may likely sink a bit too much for maximum comfort. It's not a problem, though; firmer support is just a mattress flip away.

For those who sleep hot, the Layla mattress is a hybrid, so it naturally sleeps cooler than an all-foam mattress, but the brand takes it a step further. A copper-gel-infused memory foam helps to transfer heat away from your body while you sleep, doubling down on its cooling ability.

And if that weren't plenty, we find that the support core is made with Layla's Max Airflow foam that's specifically designed with air channels to keep air moving.

In addition to its exceptional temperature regulation, the Layla hybrid mattress also offers excellent edge support courtesy of double coils along the perimeter and excellent motion isolation.

‌Mattress type‌:‌ Hybrid
‌Firmness‌:‌ Medium firm
‌Trial period‌:‌ 120 nights
‌Price range‌:‌ $1,299 to $1,899
‌Warranty‌:‌ 10 years

‌Buy it now‌

Back sleepers of all shapes and sizes have one thing in common: They all need a bed that's firm or extra firm. Lucky for them, the Plank Firm Luxe from Brooklyn Bedding is up to the task.

As one of the firmest all-foam mattresses on the market, this hybrid model seamlessly blends firmness and good rebound into a can't-miss mattress for any shortlist. While this mattress may be lacking in motion isolation, it still offers good edge support (increasing the amount of usable surface area). And even though it's quite firm, it still accommodates multiple sleeping positions. Put these two key factors together and you can see why it's our pick as the best mattress for back-sleeping couples.

Under the covers, we find that the Plank Firm Luxe Mattress is made of a 6-inch coil system, 2 inches of high-density polyfoam, and 1 inch of responsive TitanFlex polyfoam. While both sides are finished with a quilted layer of cotton microfiber, the firm side is just a bit thicker than the extra-firm side.

As you might have guessed, the Plank's firm finish makes it particularly great for sleepers who prefer sleeping on top of their mattress as opposed to sinking into it. Incidentally, the shallow hug of the Plank and the coil construction both work together to keep you cool while you sleep.

And if that's not enough cooling, Brooklyn Bedding offers a cooling top panel made from phase change material that's specifically designed to regulate temperature; just be advised that there's an additional charge for this type of next-level cooling.

‌Mattress type‌:‌ Hybrid
‌Firmness‌:‌ Firm, extra firm
‌‌Trial period‌:‌ 120 nights (30-night requirement)
‌‌Price range‌:‌ $924 to $1,732
‌Warranty‌:‌ 10 year, limited

‌Buy it now‌

For back sleepers who frequently deal with chronic back pain, the Helix Dusk Luxe is a great balance of cushioning and support. This mattress is a blend of pocketed coils, Helix Dynamic Foam (a responsive proprietary polyfoam with a latexlike quality), a thick layer of memory foam, and a transitional layer of polyfoam, all of which work together to keep your spine aligned, but it's soft enough to keep common pressure points comfy.

Digging a little deeper, we find that the pocketed coil system is also zoned to give your lumbar support a little boost. And if you tend to sleep hot, the coils improve airflow and increase breathability, taking your overnight temperature down a notch or two.

‌Mattress type‌:‌ Hybrid
‌Firmness‌:‌ Medium firm
‌Trial period‌:‌ 100 nights (30-night requirement)
‌Price range‌:‌ $1,199 to $2,429
‌‌Warranty‌:‌ 15 Year, limited

‌Buy it now‌

Latex hybrids are popular with back sleepers and for good reason. While these mattresses are responsive, they're also quite supportive, ultimately allowing back sleepers to lie down without sinking too much around the midsection — and paying for it the next day.

For those in the market for a good-quality latex hybrid, the Birch mattress is an eco-friendly option that ships in a box to your door. In addition to being firmer than average, the Birch mattress also offers plenty of support in the lumbar area, and it does a fine job of keeping lower back pain in check.

That said, it is a latex mattress, so users should expect a high level of bounciness. So, if you're sleeping with a partner, don't expect a lot of motion isolation. You will bounce when your partner returns from their late-night bathroom trip.

In terms of temperature regulation, the Birch mattress performs nicely. While the coil construction promotes airflow and breathability, the wool and aerated latex add some additional breathability to the top of the mattress.

For those minding their carbon footprint, it's worth noting that the Birch mattress is made with environmentally friendly materials, such as natural, chemical-free latex and organic cotton and wool.

‌Mattress type‌:‌ Hybrid
‌Firmness‌:‌ Medium firm
‌Trial period‌:‌ 100 nights (30-night requirement)
‌Price range‌:‌ $1,399 to $2,149
‌Warranty‌:‌ 25 years, limited

‌Buy it now‌

In a world of possibilities, choosing a mattress is no easy task. The best way to narrow down your options is to consider firmness levels, the plushness of comfort layers, and your body type or weight.

Ideally, back sleepers should opt for a medium-firm mattress — think somewhere around 6.5 to 7. A mattress that's softer than a 6.5 in firmness won't provide the support that back sleepers need, and anything firmer than a 7 will likely amp up the pressure on already-stressed pressure points, leading to pain and discomfort. Ultimately, a medium-firm mattress will check a lot of boxes and keep your hips and spine comfortably aligned and back pain at bay.

While comfort layers are often at the top of the list for side sleepers, they're also a notable consideration for back sleepers. Back sleepers should opt for comfort layers that are thick enough to allow some sinking into the mattress but should also opt for a mattress that offers plenty of support and cushioning, particularly in the lumbar area.

A mattress that works well for a lightweight sleeper might not offer enough support for a heavier sleeper. Similarly, while a certain mattress might be perfect for a heavier person, a lightweight back sleeper may find it too firm. So, whether you're a side sleeper, a back sleeper, or a stomach sleeper, your body type should play a critical role in your mattress purchase.