If your pain is most intense when you wake up in the morning, it can be an indicator of poor or unaccommodating bedding. But even if your mattress isn’t a direct cause of your tension, the wrong bed can exacerbate symptoms, whether it’s the incorrect firmness level or indented with lumps and bumps. The best mattress toppers for back pain cater to your sleep posture and pain points, promoting better spinal alignment and pressure relief. After testing 12 top-rated models, our team selected the Saatva Graphite Mattress Topper as our top pick, which adds support and cushion to your mattress and features corner straps to stay put.
The best mattress toppers for back pain offer a comfortable blend of support and cushion, tailored for your sleep position.
ILLUSTRATION: FORBES / PHOTO: RETAILER
“A topper can improve contouring and provide pressure relief, which helps the spine settle into a more natural alignment while you sleep,” says Dr. Ari Hoschander, a board-certified plastic surgeon. In addition to our best overall choice, we recommend a range of options below that breathe life into your old mattress, with varying firmness levels to cater to different sleep postures. With that said, a mattress topper shouldn’t be considered a remedy or solution for back pain, and it’s important to consult a primary care physician for sound medical advice if you experience chronic pain.
You’d like a topper with a removable cover for easy maintenance
You’re a side sleeper in need of an ultra-soft topper
Saatva is home to quality mattress and bedding products at a hard-to-beat value, and its graphite-infused mattress topper proved to be supportive, contouring and breathable. “This mattress topper is one of the more comfortable ones I’ve tried, immediately upgrading the extra-soft mattress I was using during testing to a medium firmness level,” says one of our testers. Another praises its comfort for when her back injury flared up. “It provided me with much-needed relief,” she says. “At the time, I was sleeping on a firmer mattress, so it was a welcome addition.”
The topper is 3 inches thick, made with graphite-infused memory foam to help draw away body heat. According to one tester, both she and her husband slept more temperature-neutral and it didn’t trap warmth. At each corner is an elastic strap to minimize shifting, and a soft organic cover protects the exterior. But keep in mind it’s not removable and requires spot cleaning.
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A mattress with too much sinkage can provide inadequate spinal support, especially for a stomach or back sleeper. But a firm mattress topper, like the Nolah Luxury Firm model, lifts the spine without compromising pressure relief. Our tester called it one of her favorites from all the toppers she tried, adding that “it significantly increased the firmness of my bed, despite being only 2 inches thick. To make a soft bed firmer, I highly recommend this.”
Made with two layers and an organic cotton cover, Nolah’s dense AirFoam provides a bulk of the topper’s comfort and mimics the contouring feel of the brand’s top-rated Signature Mattress. If you’re a hot sleeper, you can opt for the cooling upgrade for an additional fee. It’s also equipped with corner straps to help keep your topper better secured to your mattress, but the cover is spot clean only.
Best Memory Foam Mattress Topper For Back Pain
Enjoy A Contouring, Doughy Feel With Two Firmness Options
Puffy
Puffy Deluxe Mattress Topper (Queen)
Forbes Vetted
Forbes Vetted ratings are based on thorough evaluations by our editorial team to help you choose the best products with confidence.
4.0
Material: Memory foam | Height: 2.5 inches | Cover: Rayon and polyester | Warranty: Lifetime | Trial: 101 nights
Best for:
Making a firm bed feel softer
Personalizing your firmness level
Easy cover maintenance
Staying put on your mattress
Skip if:
You’re a dedicated stomach sleeper
You weigh over 250 pounds and need better support
Memory foam is known for its slow-moving feel that conforms to your body’s curves, maintaining your shape in its foam for a few moments until it returns to its original form. The Puffy Deluxe Topper provides that doughy feel without undermining spinal alignment. “I sank right into it and could feel it providing pressure relief everywhere my body made contact with the mattress,” says our tester. “My husband even called it a 'budget Tempur-Pedic,’ because it reminded us both greatly of the Tempur-Adapt Topper.”
Its design features memory foam and an elastic skirt with 15-inch pockets that slips over your mattress like a fitted sheet and prevents the topper from sliding. You also have your choice of a firm or soft profile, which accommodates a wide range of sleeping positions and body types.
Best Mattress Topper For Side Sleepers With Back Pain
Plush Comfort With Balanced Support And Relief
Tempur-Pedic
Tempur-Pedic Tempur-Adapt Mattress Topper (Queen)
Forbes Vetted
Forbes Vetted ratings are based on thorough evaluations by our editorial team to help you choose the best products with confidence.
You’d like to test your topper before fully committing
Selected as our top choice in best mattress toppers, the Tempur-Adapt from Tempur-Pedic offers a traditional memory foam feel that cushions your hips and shoulders, without making you feel stuck. “I sank slightly into it, but it didn’t trap heat and it was very easy to move around on,” says our tester. “With a bit more firmness, I think it would have been one of my favorite mattress toppers. Still, if your firm mattress is causing back pain and pressure, I highly recommend this topper.” Its plusher profile appeals most to back and stomach sleepers, and those prone to night sweats can upgrade to a cooling cover for an additional $80 (for a queen size).
Best Pillow Top Mattress Topper For Back Pain
Designed With 5 Inches Of Plush Comfort That Doesn't Fall Flat
Coop Sleep Goods
Coop Sleep Goods Original Mattress Topper (Queen)
Forbes Vetted
Forbes Vetted ratings are based on thorough evaluations by our editorial team to help you choose the best products with confidence.
You’d like to drastically change your bed’s firmness
You have a tall bed (around 13 inches or higher)
To give your mattress a refresh without drastically adjusting its firmness or feel, consider a pillowy topper like the Original model from Coop Sleep Goods. “I was very skeptical before I tried it,” says our tester, adding, “I figured that it would be lumpy and that I would be able to feel each of the individual baffle boxes when I moved.” However, she found she was pleasantly surprised by its comfort.
Although it looks like down, its plush baffle boxes are stuffed with cross-cut memory foam and soft microfiber clusters, giving it a squishy and supportive feel. It didn’t change the firmness level of our tester’s already soft bed, “but the memory foam fill offered a significant upgrade in pressure relief.”
Best Cooling Mattress Topper For Back Pain
A Hybrid Construction Supports The Spine And Promotes Airflow
Helix
Helix Premium Mattress Topper With GlacioTex (Queen)
Forbes Vetted
Forbes Vetted ratings are based on thorough evaluations by our editorial team to help you choose the best products with confidence.
4.3
Material: Memory foam and microcoils | Height: 3.75 inches | Cover: Polyester and polyethylene | Warranty: 1 year | Trial: 120 nights
Best for:
Regulating temperature and keeping you cool
Supportive comfort and a cushioned feel
Fastening to your mattress
A range of body types and sleep postures
Skip if:
You prefer a removable, washable topper cover
The Helix Premium Mattress Topper helps put night sweats to rest while providing unmatched support and pressure relief where your body needs it most. I tested the luxury plush model, which has a cushy, pressure-relieving feel perfect for a sleeper looking to soften up their firm bed. Its cover is subtly cool to the touch with a slick and smooth surface, which provides immediate relief when you tuck yourself into bed. It’s also the first topper I’ve tried with a coil and foam construction, which gives it a more supportive feel.
Comparable to a miniature mattress, it has three different foam layers to provide targeted support and relief, while a row of microcoils are sandwiched in the middle to support the spine and enhance airflow. I recommend the luxury firm model to back and stomach sleepers, while the luxury plush is ideal for side sleepers and back sleepers under 250 pounds.
Best Latex Mattress Topper For Back Pain
Gentle On Your Spine, Joints And The Environment
Earthfoam
Earthfoam Mattress Topper (Queen)
Forbes Vetted
Forbes Vetted ratings are based on thorough evaluations by our editorial team to help you choose the best products with confidence.
Making your bed feel more supportive from edge to edge
Back, stomach and combination sleepers
Eco-conscious individuals
Those who sleep hot
Skip if:
You’d like a topper with straps
Not only is latex more responsive than memory foam, it’s also more breathable, durable and environmentally friendly. This topper utilizes natural and organic materials from core to cover, including GOLS-certified latex sourced from farmers in Sri Lanka and GOTS-certified cotton and wool. Our tester uses the brand’s pillow, and her daughter sleeps on a twin-sized Earthfoam bed that she deems “extremely comfortable,” so she says, “I wasn’t all that surprised when I ended up loving the topper, too. It slightly increased the firmness of my soft bed and likewise improved the edge support.”
After testing, we found it has a medium firmness level, but its structured, middle-of-the-road feel helps refresh most beds that are either too soft or too firm. Its main downside is it doesn’t come with corner straps that fasten to your mattress, so it may shift if you tend to toss and turn.
How We Tested The Best Mattress Toppers For Back Pain
We first considered mattress toppers from top-rated brands and tested a majority of them for at least a week, with the exception of the Helix Premium Mattress Topper, which was tested in a panel with mattress and sleep editors.
During testing, we kept track of key metrics for accommodating back pain, including comfort, pain and pressure relief, firmness and temperature.
We only considered mattress toppers with a four-star customer satisfaction rating or higher, prioritizing quality choices that cast a wide appeal.
What To Consider When Shopping For The Best Mattress Toppers For Back Pain
Materials
Most mattress toppers are made from memory foam or latex. Either of these can be excellent choices for back pain. Memory foam morphs to your body’s curves, providing a gentle hugging feel that can be pressure relieving for those with back pain. Latex foam tends to be a bit firmer than memory foam and doesn’t provide the same degree of contouring, but it provides better lift and support for the spine.
Firmness
Choosing the right firmness level can make a difference in your quality of sleep, as it impacts spinal alignment and pressure relief. “A soft topper can relieve pressure, whereas a harder one can provide support,” says Dr. Hana Patel, medical doctor and resident sleep expert at Time4Sleep. Keep in mind, the heavier you are, the softer a mattress topper feels—and the less you weigh, the firmer it feels. “I would avoid buying a topper that is too soft because this can sometimes worsen existing back pain,” she says. “A firmer mattress topper might seem more uncomfortable, but it will likely help your back pain in the long run.”
Sleeping Position
“The secret to maintaining our natural ‘S’ shape curves in the spine is proper posture, which is a key component when it comes to helping back pain,” says Patel. Since mattress toppers aren’t designed to suit all sizes, it’s important to also consider your sleep posture when narrowing down firmness.
“Back sleepers tend to do best with a medium-firm topper because it supports the natural curve of the lower spine without letting the hips sink too much,” says Hoschander.
Side sleepers are typically better off on a medium to soft model that cushions your hips and shoulders. “This reduces pressure points and allows the spine to stay level,” Hoschander adds.
Stomach sleeping, on the other hand, isn’t recommended by medical professionals when you live with back pain, as your spine can sink out of alignment, which aggravates symptoms.
Why Trust Forbes Vetted
Our editors and writers have produced hundreds of best lists, individual reviews, guides and comparisons, building a comprehensive library of sleep content. They rely on their collective testing knowledge, thorough research and advice from medical experts to inform their recommendations.
McKenzie Dillon, author of this story, is a mattress and sleep editor at Forbes Vetted with over six years of experience in the health and wellness space. With a focus on the sleep category, she is a certified sleep science coach and has tested hundreds of sleep products, from the best hybrid mattresses to high-end sleep tech.
Bridget Chapman is the senior mattress and sleep editor at Forbes Vetted and oversees all topics and product recommendations. She has over a decade of reporting experience and has extensively tested sleep products, including the Tempur-Pedic Adapt Mattress Topper.
We consulted two medical experts for their expertise on back pain, spinal alignment and finding the most accommodating topper: Dr. Hana Patel, medical doctor and resident sleep expert at Time4Sleep, and Dr. Ari Hoschander, a board-certified plastic surgeon who commonly treats women with back pain.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Yes, “particularly when the underlying mattress is either too soft or too firm,” says Hoschander. “A topper can improve contouring and provide pressure relief, which helps the spine settle into a more natural alignment while you sleep.” But it’s important to keep your dominant sleep posture in mind when selecting a firmness. However, if your mattress has reached its lifespan and has noticeable sags or indents, a mattress topper won’t be a viable fix.
It primarily depends on your main sleeping position. Back sleepers should consider a medium-firm topper that keeps the spine from sagging, while side sleepers need a medium to soft model that cushions pressure points.
