What level of firmness is best for people with arthritis?

Unfortunately, there's no cut-and-dry answer to this question. Finding the right mattress firmness for your arthritis symptoms is highly individualized, says Dr. Tambar: “There is not one specific mattress firmness that is best for arthritis; for some people, a softer mattress offers more comfort, and for others, a more firm mattress offers more support.” We can help you determine the level of support that would be the most beneficial for you, though. Dr. Domingues recommends considering your weight, for one: He says a person weighing 400 pounds will have a different experience on a soft mattress than a person weighing 150 pounds. (In general, a higher weight requires a firmer mattress to avoid sinking or sagging.) You also have to consider whether the mattress is the right firmness for the amount of pressure you tend to place on your spine when you sleep. “It's important that the mattress be firm enough to allow a person to maintain a neutral angle, where the hip and spine, and the neck and spine, are aligned,” says Dr. Domingues. “It's all about the pressure you make from hip to spine that determines whether you might experience more pain.”

Are there any mattress firmness levels that can further irritate arthritis?

Again, it’s highly individualized, says Dr. Tambar. In general, a firmer mattress is preferred over a softer one for people with arthritis, especially arthritis of the back. At the same time, Dr. Tambar warns that a firm mattress can irritate the myofascial structures under the skin, leading to more pain. Basically, mattresses aren’t made “bad” or “good.” The only bad mattress is one that doesn’t support you enough to allow for proper alignment or causes or worsens chronic pain.

The 8 Best Mattresses for Arthritis of 2023

There’s nothing worse than trying to fall asleep on an uncomfortable bed. Quality sleep is hard enough to come by, but getting a good night’s sleep can be even harder when you suffer from arthritis. Joint pain, stiffness, and tenderness can make it hard to get comfortable. That’s why it’s imperative to find a mattress that fits your specific needs and helps relieve any aches and pains.

“Having a quality mattress is a good investment because it helps make sure you wake up feeling healthy and energized,” says Steven Shoshany, DC, Director and Founder of NYC Chiropractic and Spinal Decompression Center. And since humans spend over a third of their lives sleeping, it only makes sense to buy a comfortable mattress that makes your life a little easier.

When looking for a mattress for arthritis, consider the firmness level, materials, and ability to relieve pressure to provide the most comfort. We researched dozens of mattresses by reading product descriptions and customer reviews and evaluated them for mattress type, materials, thickness and firmness levels, and return policies. Our editors also tested two popular mattresses at home for four weeks, evaluating each for comfort, support, sleep quality, and overall value. Based on our research and testing, here are the best mattresses for arthritis on the market today.

Our Top Picks

Best Overall:

Tuft & Needle Hybrid Mattress at Tuft & Needle

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Best Budget-Friendly Mattress:

Nectar Gel Memory Foam Mattress at Amazon

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Best Mid-Range:

Saatva Classic Mattress at Saatva

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Best Adjustable Mattress:

Layla Hybrid Mattress at Amazon

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Best Cooling:

WinkBeds WinkBed Mattress at Winkbeds.com

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Best for Back Pain:

Casper Wave Hybrid Mattress at Amazon

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Best Customizable Mattress:

Helix Sleep Custom Mattress at Helix

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Best Hybrid:

Casper Wave Hybrid Snow Mattress at Amazon

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In This Article

Our Picks
How We Selected and Tested
What to Look For
FAQ
Why Trust Verywell Health

4.7

Tuft and Needle

Pros

Layers of foam and coils
Individually-wrapped springs
Dent-resistant pillowtop

Cons

Not ideal for stomach sleepers
Lacking edge support
May be too soft for heavyweight sleepers

We chose this Tuft & Needle's Mattress as our top pick because it has multiple layers of foam designed to keep you comfortable while you sleep while keeping the pain away. Inside that unassuming exterior, you’ll find individually-wrapped springs, which reduce motion transfer and respond to all of your middle-of-the-night position changes, along with two layers of foam and a comfy pillow top. The foam layers are also with graphite to wick away more heat than many other foam mattresses, keeping you cool while you sleep.

The Tuft & Needle hybrid is a medium-firm mattress, which makes it a perfect fit for the majority of users. Speaking of users, many reviewers rave about never wanting to leave this bed in the morning (and, most importantly, waking up pain-free).

Price at time of publication: $1,395

Firmness: Medium firm | Thickness: 12 inches | Type: Foam and springs | Trial Length: 100 days

Pros

Affordable with frequent discounts
Two layers designed for cooling
Works for all sleeping positions

Cons

Takes a long time to “off-gas” (i.e., lose its chemical smell)
Contours closely, so it may be harder to shift positions

Worried that buying a mattress online will a) cost a fortune and b) leave you stuck with a mattress you hate after the first few weeks? The Nectar Memory Foam Mattress addresses both of those concerns: With an affordable price tag and a full year (yes, 365 days) to return it, there’s almost no risk—and potentially a lot of rewards—in choosing a Nectar.

Nectar is a foam-only mattress, meaning it has no springs or coils, which people either love or hate. If you want a closely-conforming sleep surface that’s supremely gentle on your joints and pressure points, an all-foam mattress like the Nectar is exactly what you need (but people who really need the “bounce” of a traditional mattress may be less than thrilled). Still, the Nectar has more than a few things to love, like multiple layers designated for cooling, a stable base layer, and almost no motion transfer between co-sleepers.

Price at time of publication: $899

Firmness: Medium firm | Thickness: 12 inches | Type: Foam | Trial Length: 365 days

4.2

Saatva

Pros

Traditional mattress, not a bed in a box
Dual-coil design with multiple cushioning layers
Customized firmness and mattress height

Cons

Springs may be uncomfortable for some
Doesn’t reduce motion transfer

If you’re looking for a mattress that falls right in the middle of economy and luxury, the Saatva Classic Mattress retails at around $1,400 for a queen size and is a great choice for arthritis sufferers. As far as specs, we love all that the Saatva has to offer: sag-proof inner coils, a 3-inch pillow top, customizable firmness levels, and strong, structured edges for stability. You also get 180 days to decide if the Saatva Classic is right for you, so if you’re worried about the impact of innersprings on your arthritis, you can change your mind if it’s just not a comfy fit.

Price at time of publication: $1,795

Firmness: Plush soft, luxury firm, and firm | Thickness: 11.5 or 14.5 inches | Type: Innerspring | Trial Length: 180 days

Layla

Pros

Reduced motion transfer for co-sleepers
Dual-sided mattress for soft or firm support
Removable cover for washing

Cons

No medium firmness option
Lacking edge support

The folks at Layla know how intimidating the world of online mattress-buying can be, so they’ve created a flippable model—meaning one side features a soft sleeping surface, and the other side features a firm one, so you can literally flip the mattress over to get the perfect level of firmness for you. Deep inside the Layla Hybrid Mattress is a 6-inch layer of individually-wrapped coils, surrounded (on both sides) by extra layers of foam. So whatever side you choose to sleep on, you can rest assured—pun intended—that you’re getting the best that the Layla Hybrid has to offer.

The mattress also features antimicrobial odor protection, a removable cover for easy washing, and could be used by all kinds of sleepers, from stomach to back to side, and fits any type of bed, including adjustable beds.

Price at time of publication: $1,099

Firmness: Soft or firm, depending on side used | Thickness: 13 inches | Type: Foam and springs | Trial Length: 120 days

Courtesy of Winkbed

Pros

Four firmness options, including “firm plus”
Extra edge support
Three layers of heat dispersion to help you sleep cool

Cons

Not as conforming as a typical memory foam mattress
Not ideal for side sleepers

If you’re rolling your eyes at other mattresses’ claims of cooling features, reserve all judgment until you hear about The WinkBed. On top of being an ultra-comfy foam and spring mattress available in four different firmness levels, it devotes three whole layers to keeping you cool while you sleep—a great choice when paired with a set of breathable sheets.

Using patented Triple Layer Heat Dispersion technology, The WinkBed’s top half is made with eucalyptus-based Tencel fabric, a gel-infused memory foam pillow top that doesn’t retain heat, and an airflow-promoting system of pocketed coils. Together, these three features help wick away moisture, increase breathability, and encourage an overall cool, dry sensation while you sleep. To top it all off, its edge system is reinforced to provide maximum support if you’re a “half out of the sheets at night” kind of sleeper.

Price at time of publication: $1,799

Firmness: Soft, firm, firmer, and firm plus | Thickness: 13.5 inches | Type: Foam and springs | Trial Length: 120 days

4.9

Courtesy of Casper

Pros

Designed to alleviate back pain with zoned support
Continuous pressure point relief while sleeping
Layers of cooling gel and breathable foam

Cons

Expensive
May not be firm enough for some
May not be comfortable enough for "hot sleepers"

We’re sure a lot of the mattresses on this list are back pain-friendly, but the Casper Wave Hybrid Mattress is our top choice for back pain relief for good reason. Providing support and proper alignment is key to reducing back pain. In testing, we found the combination of memory foam and coils provided a buoyant feeling that hugs the body and also provides just the right amount of firm support to wake up refreshed and with less back pain or stiffness. The Wave includes a perforated gel layer for cooling, an upper foam layer that hugs your curves, and deep-set, sturdy springs meant to provide additional support and maintain the shape and integrity of your mattress for years.

Designed to lift your pressure points—reducing both sagging and pain—the gel-based zones of this mattress, located under your waist and low back, help keep your spine in perfect alignment while you sleep, whatever position you choose, something to consider if you are using a posture corrector. The person that tested this mattress felt their spine was aligned throughout the night in all sleeping positions, which allowed them to wake up feeling energized and pain-free. This mattress even helped them recover from a previous back injury.

We like that the Wave Hybrid is responsive and conforms to your body to provide custom support where you need it while also maintaining motion isolation so a partner won't be disturbed if you move around. We also found the mattress has excellent edge support thanks to the firm border around the bottom coil layer that makes getting in and out of bed easy. We found this mattress quick to set up as it was fully expanded in under two hours, and while it had a chemical smell at first, it faded away within 36 hours and didn't cause a headache or any issues with the first night's sleep.

Price at time of publication: $2,895

Firmness: Medium | Thickness: 13 inches | Type: Foam and springs | Trial Length: 100 days

Courtesy of Helix

Pros

Sleep quiz helps you identify what mattress features you need
Pressure point relief for side sleepers
Reinforced edge support

Cons

May be too firm for some

There are a lot of mattresses under the Helix umbrella, but don’t panic about choosing the best one for you—the personalized sleep quiz can take care of that, ensuring that you get the right model with the perfect firmness and sleep support to accommodate your unique needs.

By taking the two-minute questionnaire (answering questions about how you sleep, who you sleep with, and how often you feel pain after sleeping all night), Helix narrows down your mattress options to hone in on that “just right” choice. Or, if you prefer to search the options for yourself, Helix makes it easy to identify the right mattress for you based on your preferred firmness level, your pressure point and body contouring needs, and your preferred sleeping position.

Regardless of the mattress you choose, you have 100 days to decide if you want to keep it or switch it out for another style.

Firmness: Medium firm | Thickness: 12 inches | Type: Foam | Trial Length: 100 days

4.7

Casper

Pros

Heat dissipating bands to prevent overheating
Cooling cover stays cool to the touch
Firm support for back sleepers

Cons

Edge support is weak
May be too firm for some

There are several hybrid mattresses on this list, but this mattress from Casper has so many features that it was an easy choice as our best hybrid mattress. A combination of memory foam and a bottom layer of coils provides comfort, while gel pods in the waist and low back area provide support. A cool touch cover, thin cooling gel, and imbedded bands that dissipate heat make this mattress perfect for anyone that sleeps hot.

In testing, we found the mattress to be firm and supportive with no sagging or soft spots, and the cooling features provided a comfortable atmosphere, so we didn't wake up sweaty and overheated. The person who tested this mattress felt it improved their sleep by allowing them to go to sleep faster and not need to shift around a lot to find a comfortable position.

The Wave Hybrid Snow has the right amount of cushion and support and is perfect for someone who likes a firm mattress that provides back support but still cushions your joints, so you wake up feeling refreshed. We like that the mattress expanded in under a minute upon set up, and there was only a very faint chemical smell that faded away almost immediately. The edge support on this mattress was a little lacking which may not matter to some but was worth noting.

Firmness: Firm | Thickness: 13 inches | Type: Foam and springs | Trial Length: 100 days

How We Selected and Tested

To select the best mattresses for arthritis, we relied on home testing and guidance from experts in rheumatology and spinal health. Our experts gave recommendations on what makes a good mattress for arthritis, including levels of firmness and support.

Using those recommendations, we researched the product details of mattresses offered by top-rated brands. We paid attention to firmness, materials, and trial periods. We also researched customer reviews for additional information.

We also tested two mattresses in our homes for a minimum of four weeks. Verywell Health editors were asked to sleep on the mattresses and note what type of sleeper they are (side, back, stomach), how well supported they felt, if their sleep was improved over the course of the month, and how they felt in the mornings. They also noted how long it took for the mattress to fully expand when first set up, if there was a chemical smell, and how long it took to fade. We rated the mattresses on a scale of 1 (would not recommend) to 5 (highly recommend) for comfort, support, sleep quality, and overall value.

What to Look for in Mattresses for Arthritis

Firmness

In order for a bed to give you the proper support, it needs to be more firm than it is soft. So it’s important to find mattresses that have layers beneath the memory foam to add a little resistance while still providing the comfort needed to cushion your joints.

Dr. Shoshany says it’s important to avoid a sinking bed because if it sags, with time, it “will start canopying, and that’ll create a whole list of problems down the road.” According to the Sleep Foundation, sagging mattresses can throw your spinal alignment out of whack, increasing pain and pressure in your neck and back.

At the same time, you can’t go so overboard with the firmness level that it feels like you’re sleeping on a rock. According to Siddharth Tambar, MD, a rheumatologist with Chicago Arthritis and Regenerative Medicine, “you should be looking for a mattress that is firm enough to offer adequate support for your neck and lower back, but soft enough to allow you to lie on your side without causing aches in your hips and shoulders.”

Pressure Relief

Buying a mattress to help with arthritic pain is a very purposeful process. You will want to look for a mattress that highlights the specific target areas for relieving aches and pains, such as the shoulders, hips, and lower back.

For many consumers, a major source of pressure relief comes from memory foam mattresses rather than coiled mattresses. Foam helps to relieve pressure points in the body without feeling too soft, which is helpful for anyone suffering from joint pain.

“We don’t want sagging in any specific areas,” explains Dr. Shoshany. “I think for someone that has arthritis, memory foam over coils is really good.”

Interestingly, there is some debate over whether latex foam or memory foam is better for relieving painful pressure points. While most people opt right for memory foam, assuming it to be superior, a 2017 study in the Journal of Chiropractic Medicine suggests that latex foam may outperform the traditional polyurethane memory foam, better-reducing body pressure and more evenly distributing pressure points as well.

Trial Period

In an ideal world, you would buy a mattress in person so you can test it out by lying on it in the position you sleep in at home before committing, says Vinicius Domingues, MD, a rheumatologist from Florida and a medical advisor to CreakyJoints.

“While there are a lot of new options for mattresses now, like hot and cool temperatures or variable, adjustable firmness, for the person with arthritis the most important factor is whether you have enough support to achieve a neutral angle,” he explains.

But it may not be affordable or even feasible for you to drive around from store to store testing out mattresses—and the market for online mattress retailers has been booming lately, making it easier than ever to buy online, try the mattress out in your own home, and then decide if you like it enough to keep it.

Considering the trial period on your mattress is particularly important when you’re buying your mattress online and haven’t gotten the chance to test it out in person. It takes a while to “break in” a new mattress, so the longer the trial period, the better. Most online mattress retailers offer at least a 100-day trial period, while some offer as long as 365 days to send it back if you don’t like it.

However long the trial period, we suggest looking into the terms and conditions of any return policy: While a company may say you can simply return it if you hate it, there may be restrictions or exclusions that apply to your purchase.

Your Preferred Sleep Position

Mattress manufacturers often design mattresses to accommodate back, side, or stomach sleepers since different sleeping positions usually require different types of support. One 2010 study in Applied Ergonomics suggests that sleeping-related pain can be reduced in people with lower back pain when they choose the right sleeping surface for their preferred sleep position.

It’s important to purchase a mattress made for the type of sleep you usually do, especially if you suffer from arthritis.

“A mattress cannot affect arthritis, but your quality of sleep and whether you experience increased pain because of how the mattress supports you are reasons to concentrate on finding a comfortable position on the mattress,” says Dr. Domingues. “People with lordosis...may find that stomach sleeping is uncomfortable [while] people living with spondylitis or ankylosing spondylitis need to especially support their back.”

Frequently Asked Questions

What level of firmness is best for people with arthritis?

Unfortunately, there's no cut-and-dry answer to this question. Finding the right mattress firmness for your arthritis symptoms is highly individualized, says Dr. Tambar: “There is not one specific mattress firmness that is best for arthritis; for some people, a softer mattress offers more comfort, and for others, a more firm mattress offers more support.”
We can help you determine the level of support that would be the most beneficial for you, though. Dr. Domingues recommends considering your weight, for one: He says a person weighing 400 pounds will have a different experience on a soft mattress than a person weighing 150 pounds. (In general, a higher weight requires a firmer mattress to avoid sinking or sagging.)
You also have to consider whether the mattress is the right firmness for the amount of pressure you tend to place on your spine when you sleep.
“It's important that the mattress be firm enough to allow a person to maintain a neutral angle, where the hip and spine, and the neck and spine, are aligned,” says Dr. Domingues. “It's all about the pressure you make from hip to spine that determines whether you might experience more pain.”
Are there any mattress firmness levels that can further irritate arthritis?

Again, it’s highly individualized, says Dr. Tambar. In general, a firmer mattress is preferred over a softer one for people with arthritis, especially arthritis of the back. At the same time, Dr. Tambar warns that a firm mattress can irritate the myofascial structures under the skin, leading to more pain.
Basically, mattresses aren’t made “bad” or “good.” The only bad mattress is one that doesn’t support you enough to allow for proper alignment or causes or worsens chronic pain.

Why Trust Verywell Health

Sarah Bradley has been writing health content since 2017—everything from product roundups and illness FAQs to nutrition explainers and the dish on diet trends. She knows how important it is to receive trustworthy and expert-approved advice about over-the-counter products that manage everyday health conditions, from GI issues and allergies to chronic headaches and joint pain.