Best Mattress for Neck Pain

We’ve probably all woken at one point or another in our lives with some sort of pain in our necks, either from strenuous activities during the day, how we slept, injury, herniated discs, or other chronic cause. Whatever the reason, it’s never a comfortable feeling, and if you wake with neck pain more often than not, then you need to pay attention how to best support it during the night.

Not only is neck pain disruptive to our sleep, since our necks support the head and is the passageway for your spinal column, neck care should be a pretty vital step in your overall health awareness. Most incidences of neck pain are fleeting, and not cause for serious concern, but if it is consistent, or associated with a specific disability or injury, then how you approach alleviating that pain each night is important. The best mattress for neck pain is going to be personal to you and your preferences, and how to determine your best choices are explained below.

We’ve compiled our best mattress reviews that support a variety of neck problems and sleeping styles for you to peruse below. Take a look at what we personally tested.

Best Mattress for Neck Pain

Causes of Nighttime Neck Pain

Neck pain is generally a result of poor posture or the weakening of neck muscles due to misuse. Since a lack of sleep also increases how our brain receptors ‘read’ pain, this discomfort often feel amplified when at rest. Trying to get comfortable due to neck pain can often feel impossible each night, which can start a vicious cycle of poor recovery. This is especially true if your nighttime sleep habits contribute to the pain.

Getting a good night’s sleep is important, as explained above. And some of the best ways to do so when neck pain is a problem include:

• A supportive sleep position for your spine.
• Using the correct pillow for your sleeping position.
• Your sleep surface should support your sleep position properly.
• Use the correct aides to help keep your spine in alignment.

Alleviating Neck Pain

When we sleep our bodies essentially slow down. Our breathing and heart rates slow, our temperatures drop, and our brain enters into a series of sleep stages. During this time our blood pressure drops and increases the oxygen flow throughout our bodies to promote healing and growth. Interrupted sleep disrupts these processes making us feel much more than sluggish and tired throughout the day. Our bodies have literally struggled to recover from the previous day, and pain association will feel amplified.

Proper neck support due to existing neck pain, or to keep neck pain from occurring, is important not only to keep you asleep through the night, but to allow your body to recover from the pain itself. This allows you to better deal with it, and promote healing of the areas in question.

Some ways to support your neck through the day to help reduce the stress you feel each night include:

• Proper posture while working at your desk or in front of a computer

• Rolling your shoulders, or getting therapeutic massage to loosen the muscles along your neck and shoulders that may be pulling the soft tissues out of place.

• Use heat and/or cooling packs to loosen muscles along your neck and reduce any tissue swelling.

• Short term use of soft neck collars to help reduce pressure along neck muscles and promote healing.

Your Natural Sleep Position and Pillow Choices

What position your body naturally falls into is something that is difficult to alter as you are likely to move into that position while you sleep. If your neck pain is worsened, or even caused by this position, you need to address this concern by using both the correct mattress and pillow combination.

Back Sleepers

Sleeping on your back is the most supportive position for your neck and spine alike. Especially if you have a pillow that conforms to your head and neck and doesn’t lift it too much. Back sleepers need a more firm mattress choice in order to provide the proper support for your natural spinal curvature. Your hip and shoulder pressure points needs to be well supported in order to keep them from sinking into the mattress, placing more strain on your soft tissues. You can also place pillows under your knees to provide for less stress on your lower back.

Side Sleepers

Side sleepers also have decent spine and neck support as long as they have a softer mattress surface to allow for pressure point contouring. The best mattress for side sleepers with neck pain is paired with a pillow that is slightly raised where your neck rests to allow it to fully relax and decompress. Pressure points on the body need to be able to sink into the mattress surface in order to keep the spine straight. Too soft a surface means these areas may sink into an unnatural position, but too firm: and the spine will not be able to properly align.

Stomach Sleepers

This is truly the worst position to sleep in as your lower back is often pulled out of alignment by improper support, and your neck is forced into a position that is out of alignment with the rest of the spine. But if it’s the position you sleep in naturally, then there are ways to make it more supportive. First, a firm mattress will help hold up your hips to keep it from sinking and causing lower back pain. Using no pillow, or a thin pillow that allows your head to rest inline with the rest of your spine, is the best you support you can provide your neck. A body pillow is also often helpful for this position to keep your neck well supported.

Mattress Construction

Recognizing the mattress materials commonly found in mattresses will help you better determine the comfort necessary for proper support. Not all materials are equal, and if you are unsure of how each differ from each other, I suggest visiting a local mattress showroom so you can experience them yourself.

Memory Foam

Memory foam and foam mattress construction uses layers to help distribute both weight and provide airflow for a contouring, comforting night’s sleep. These do come in everything from soft to firm options depending on the company, but since they are conforming to your body, they will create a slight sink under your weight. These are very popular choices for side and back sleepers.

Latex Foam

Latex foam provides a slight give without the deep contouring properties many memory foams offer. Again, offered in varying degrees of firmness, they provide a more uplifting support with excellent pressure point relief.

Innerspring and Hybrid

Often more affordable than foam, innerspring and innerspring hybrids are popular due to their overall back support, particularly for back and stomach sleepers. Hybrids include layers of foam for a contouring give and are generally a great choice for combo or side sleepers.

Quality

What you are getting for your investment is important to consider, and how to gauge the quality of your choices is important to the longevity of your purchase. There is generally is a mattress available for any budget, but lower costing mattresses may also be of lower quality and serve as more of a temporary solution.

Foam Density Measurements

Foam density (measured in pounds per cubic foot) is a direct indication of foam quality. General poly foams are not as long lasting as memory and latex foams but are often used to support and create a foundation for your surface comfort foam choices. A good indication of average quality weight places memory foams between 3.5 and 5.0 lbs/cu.ft, with anything higher of obvious higher quality.

Innerspring Size and Placement

Quality coils are of a lower gauge (thicker) made of twice-tempered steel to provide a long lasting, supportive spring that won’t break down over the life of your mattress. How coils are placed can also determine comfort quality. For example, pocketed coils move independently of one another and adjust to different weights and pressure points. A continuous coil will move as one and not provide as much contouring.

How to Choose the Best Mattress to Alleviate Neck Pain

Obviously the best way to get started in your search is to determine the proper firmness level for your natural sleep position. Since mattresses are not a one size fits all product, knowing your needs is important.

Affordability

What you can afford is always a driving factor of any major investment. If you find yourself on a budget, be sure to consider the above tips to help keep your body properly supported for the time you plan on using the mattress. Shopping around for your best pick may also help in keeping costs down.

Your Preferences

Above all, keep in mind your sleep position preferences. Don’t just choose a soft surface because you love how you sink into it. Be sure to consider if that surface supports how you sleep. It’s hard to determine what you will wake feeling like with only a ten minute trial in a showroom.

Type of Neck Pain

If you wake with neck pain, whether chronic or not, you need to address the support of your neck and spine to avoid further discomfort. The best bed for neck and back pain will properly support your overall spine, and also proper pillow choices will help.

Sleep Trials

Most companies offer pretty healthy sleep trials. Changing your surfact comfort may cause some initial discomfort, but generally you should have a good idea of how well your body has adjusted to a new bed within 30 days. If after 30 days you still are uncomfortable, then you may need to decide that this is not the best choice for you and look for an exchange, or return to find what best suits you.

You may be interested in: Best Orthopedic Pillow for Necks

Conclusion

Your unique sleeping style, preference, and the pain you are experiencing should drive your decisions concerning the best bed for you. The above choices were chosen for their personalization details from companies that provide decent sleep trials and customer service so you can ultimately get what you need, and want.

Neck pain and spinal health is best supported by the mattress that best supports your natural sleep position, and making sure to use the right pillow is also incredibly helpful for pain relief. If you have any questions, or comments pertaining to any of our above choices, please let us know below.