Featured Products
Leesa Original: A best-value blend of foams and springs. Soft but firm with a little hug. An all-foam mattress.
Natural Hybrid Mattress: Crafted for cool, comfortable sleep, this medium-firm design combines breathable organic cotton, moisture-wicking Joma Wool®, and supportive natural latex for buoyant rest.
Reserve Hybrid Mattress: Sink into a luxury mattress with cradling memory foam, motion-absorbing comfort, cooling cover, and sleek style, all boxed up for effortless bliss.
What is the Best Mattress for Back Sleepers?
Getting a good night’s sleep is about more than just your beauty sleep. Consistently hitting that sweet spot of seven or more hours can cut your risk of health issues like obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. Plus, it sharpens your memory and keeps your mood more stable, which means you’re less likely to spiral into depression or anxiety.
It’s not just about health, either—sleeping well makes you sharper on the job. Fewer mistakes, fewer accidents, and greater productivity at work. It’s a win all the way around.
For back sleepers, it's all about finding the perfect blend of comfort and support to keep your spine aligned. The right mattress is a game changer for your sleep quality and, by extension, pretty much every aspect of your life. With so many options available, we've created this guide to help you choose the best mattress for back sleepers.
How Do I Choose a Mattress If I Sleep On My Back?
There are three main factors to consider as a back sleeper. A good night’s sleep depends on your mattress's firmness, contouring, and material. Keep the following factors in mind, and you’ll be on the right track to selecting the perfect mattress.
Firmness: There are soft, medium-firm, and firm mattresses. The firmness level dictates how ‘hard’ the mattress is.
Contouring: Some mattresses cradle your body, whereas some remain firm. The level of contouring varies between mattress types.
Material: Mattress material varies between a memory foam mattress, a traditional innerspring mattress, and a hybrid mattress.
What Mattress Features Are Important for Back Sleepers?
It's so important to select the right mattress that provides cozy pressure relief in your ideal sleep position.
Medium-firm options
Here’s the deal: most back sleepers should look for a medium-firm memory foam or hybrid mattress. The medium-firm feel is the most comfortable for back sleepers because it prevents heavier body parts from sinking too deeply into the mattress, keeping your spine in neutral alignment while cushioning your shoulders, hips, and lower back.
However, there are exceptions, and heavier-weight back sleepers may prefer a firmer mattress that provides the extra support they need. Lighter-weight back sleepers can get away with a softer feel, but even very small individuals usually prefer a medium-firm mattress. Even the best soft mattress tends to do more harm than good, failing to provide neutral spinal alignment throughout the night.
Contours to your body
You want to make sure that the material contours to your back to reduce pressure points at the shoulders and hips. A mattress that has enough contouring to provide comfort without sacrificing back support is your best bet.
Made from memory foam or hybrid materials
An all-foam bed or a hybrid mattress is ideal for back sleepers because they’re made from responsive and adaptable foam that contours to your body and relieves pressure points. Memory foam mattresses allow for maximum comfort. Hybrid mattresses offer comfort with maximum support.
What’s the Best Type of Mattress for Back Sleepers?
The Leesa Original mattress is an expert favorite: Wirecutter named it one of "The Best Memory Foam Mattresses You Can Buy Online" for a reason. It gives you a balanced, memory foam comfort that cradles your body while you sleep. It also offers support for spinal alignment and pressure point relief. It’s pretty much like sleeping on a cloud.
For those who prefer the greater support of a hybrid (and who have a slightly upgraded budget), the Reserve Hybrid Mattress is the name in sleepy-time luxury. An excellent solution for any sleeping style, it combines the responsive support of springs with the cushioning comfort of memory foam.
If you and your partner prefer different mattress types (which many couples do), don’t worry. The Adjustable Base Pro in a King size with two Twin XLs allows each person to adjust their side independently for custom comfort.
Why are memory foam and hybrid mattresses the best for back sleepers?
So, what makes a foam or hybrid mattress so great for back sleepers specifically? A memory foam mattress will adapt to every body type and sleeping position (whereas a traditional innerspring mattress may not).
Memory foam mattresses also give you exactly what you need in a mattress: they provide the support you're looking for as a back sleeper with the comfort you want in a mattress. These mattresses are made with responsive and adaptive foam that keeps you cool while you sleep, for all of our hot sleepers out there. A foam mattress will keep your spine and neck aligned so that you wake up ache-free.
Yes, memory foam has long been the go-to for back sleepers, but our hybrid mattresses also take sleep to the next level, contouring to your body so you wake up pain-free. They combine memory foam and individually wrapped springs. The memory foam adapts to your sleeping position, and the springs provide enhanced support where you need it.
(Psst! The Legend Hybrid has two layers of individually wrapped springs, with a micro spring layer for our most advanced support.
What Are The Best Pillows For Back Sleepers?
Finding a great pillow is just as important as finding a supportive mattress. Imagine the terrible contrast between a cushioning, supportive mattress and a pillow that’s hard as a rock. It’s not an ideal situation.
Regardless of your sleeping position, your neck should be in a neutral, slightly elevated position while you sleep. This can help prevent waking up with neck pain and may be helpful for people with sleep apnea.
At Leesa, we offer a range of pillows perfect for back sleepers. The Natural Latex Pillow is a great choice for people who want something buoyant with safe-for-sleep latex. The Talalay latex core bounces back and keeps its shape despite how much pressure your head exerts on it throughout the night.
If you’re looking for a cooling pillow that will cradle your shoulders, neck, and head, the Ultra Cool Reversible Pillow or the Adjustable Chill Pillow are the go-to choices. They’re not just supremely cooling. These pillows can be molded, flipped, and adjusted to your exact needs.
Ready to get a good night’s sleep? Take a look at our award-winning mattresses and Leesa pillows that are perfect for back sleepers.
Tips for Sleeping Comfortably on Your Back
Now that you've identified the best medium-firm mattress for back sleepers, you're ready to get comfy. If you're an aspiring back sleeper, it can be hard to change your sleeping position, especially if you’ve been a side sleeper or a stomach sleeper for a long time.
Back sleeping can be helpful for those struggling with back pain, but it may not feel natural at first. You may have to practice for a while if you want to start sleeping on your back regularly. Be patient. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither is your sleep routine.
Below are a few tips to help you out.
Tip #1: Find the right position
Begin by lying completely flat on your bed. Try lying down with your arms by your sides, raising them above your head in a goalpost position, or stretching them out straight on either side. If you sleep alone, try the starfish position, which involves pointing your arms and legs toward the corners of the bed.
Tip #2: Prop yourself up
Elevate your upper body by using an adjustable bed or a set of pillows that are angled. This may help you stay on your back while sleeping. Elevated sleeping also helps those who suffer from sleep apnea and acid reflux.
Tip #3: Elevate your knees
For pressure relief on your spine, keep it aligned by propping up your knees. There are special pillows for this very purpose, but the same effect is easily achieved by placing a pillow or rolled-up towel under your knees.
Tip #4: Create a barrier
Make a cushion barrier on either side of you. This will cradle you while sleeping on your back and prevent you from turning over in your sleep. Rest your arms on a pillow on either side of you for extra comfort and security. This method is especially helpful for active sleepers who toss and turn throughout the night.
Mattress shopping made easy
Often, when you think of mattresses and mattress shopping, you picture squeaky innerspring beds and big showrooms with too many options. But getting a new mattress doesn’t have to be a nightmare.
You can order a Leesa mattress online and have it shipped directly (for free) to your door in a box. Open the box, take off the plastic, and watch your Leesa mattress come to life. Then, you get 100 nights to decide if you love it, and if you don’t, you can send it back for a full refund (with a free return).
There’s no squeaking, no sagging, and no showrooms. With Leesa, there’s also the option of financing. It’s easy. At checkout, just choose Affirm for a fast, easy application (no hard credit check is required). Do you prefer PayPal Credit? That’s an option too.
And don’t worry—our risk-free trial still applies when you finance. So go ahead, sleep better now, and pay later.
FAQs
Is memory foam better for back sleepers?
Memory foam mattresses are often considered to be the best mattresses for back sleepers because they cradle the heavier parts of the body and relieve pressure on the spine. Spinal pressure relief and alignment are of the utmost importance when selecting a mattress.
How long does it take to break in a new mattress?
We know it's fun, but don't jump on your mattress to wear it in. Breaking in a mattress takes nothing other than time. It usually takes about 3-4 weeks to break in your new mattress. The higher the density of the memory foam, the longer it will take to break in. All memory foam mattresses soften over time, but not enough to change from a medium-firm feel to a softer feel.
Read through this Mattress Guide to help you make the best decision for your needs.
Is a firm or soft mattress better for back sleepers?
A medium-firm to firm bed is the best bed for back sleepers. Average-weight sleepers tend to prefer medium-firm mattresses, while heavier sleepers prefer a firmer feel. Lightweight back sleepers are often comfortable on a softer mattress.
You've got to try it out for yourself. The best firm mattress may fail to stand up to the comfort of a medium-firm mattress. Remember, no mattress should cause back pain; instead, ensure proper spinal alignment and great pressure relief.
