Back pain can be excruciating, but in most cases it is a dull, constant ache throughout the day, and at the end of it – especially if you are standing and working – back pain can leave you feeling helpless and tired. Especially if you suffer from sciatica, which is pain that affects your hip, back and even your outer legs, due to poor compression on a nerve root in the spine. It turns out that poor compression is most often caused by a bad mattress that only makes your condition worse. The following models in our guide are designed to get to the root of your back problems and improve not only your sleeping experience, but also the rest of your day. We’ll help you find the best mattress for sciatica.

To create this guide, we consulted with mattress experts and manufacturers, as well as users of these products, to find out what features make a difference for sciatica pain and other conditions. In our study, we considered some of the most important features, namely the thickness of the mattress – whether it holds your position comfortably even while you sleep – as well as the design of the layers and how their scientific construction affects the back. In addition, we looked at the materials used and compared the differences between a spring mattress and a memory foam mattress (etc.), and determined which of these two types of mattress would be most suitable for people with sciatica. Other factors considered were firmness, durability and even noise.

In addition to consulting with manufacturers and verified customers for each product – whether it worked or not, what the scientific design means for sciatica, etc. – we also spent time researching the mattress and its design. – we also spent time researching resources from sleep experts and doctors, targeting the root cause of sciatica and how to start preventing pain by changing beds. The following mattresses we’ve collected are organised into a comprehensive in-depth review consisting of tables – which detail each mattress with an explanation as well as the pros and cons – plus our own advice on each feature explained in our buying guide. Frequently asked questions are also addressed and answered. We hope to provide you with all the information you need to get the best mattress for your sciatica.

Sleep innovations Shiloh memory foam mattress

The Shiloh mattress is designed with layered padding that is tailored to your back and enhanced for total comfort from head to toe.

It is a 12 inch queen size bed for medium to large bodies and is made of memory foam that conforms to your body for optimal comfort on all sides. In addition, memory foam is particularly suitable for sciatica, as it is designed to accommodate all the nerve roots in the spine.

Using DuoComfort technology – with a top layer of memory foam and a middle layer containing Support-Plus foam – this US-made mattress has been proven to provide excellent pressure point relief. It is guaranteed to help your personal back alignment, especially while sleeping, not only improving each night but also ensuring you have less pain during your work day.

The top layer of sleep is made of 2.5 inch SureTemp memory foam and the bottom layer is 9.5 inch Support-Plus foam. And if that’s not enough, the mattress’s stylish appearance is matched by the included soft poly-cotton blend mattress cover.

Shipping and installation is simple, with vacuum packaging for a protected product. Best of all, this mattress comes with a 20-year limited warranty.

Live and Sleep Gel memory foam mattress

It is one of the highest rated mattresses on the market. It’s most popular for its cooling innovation, which involves using a premium gel-infused memory foam and placing it in a way that increases airflow through an open cell structure.

This bed will be more breathable than any bed you’ve ever had, which means it will circulate your body’s natural heat – so you won’t get too hot or too cold – and it will maintain the same temperature day and night before you get into it. Because who likes to climb into an icy bed?

The mattress comes in king size as well as queen, short queen, California king, full, twin XL and twin; all with a 2.5 inch memory foam cushion on an 8.5 inch high density polyurethane base.

This is the kind of mattress you would find in a luxury hotel, but for your home. Its medium-firm design helps relieve central pressure points along your spine, allowing you to sway and turn less, as well as gently realign and treat sciatica.

The soft, flexible bonus cover allows for easy care and protection of the mattress, and provides extra padding with a comfortable texture; it comes with a bonus pillow and a phenomenal 30 day trial or full refund. In addition, an amazing 20-year warranty is available.

Still, opinions are divided on its firmness: some say it’s like lying on the floor, others say it’s the ideal type of mattress to relieve back pain.

Olee Sleep Gel Infused Top Tencel memory foam mattress

Sciatica can be affected by more than just a lack of comfort at pressure points in your back, an additional element that aggravates a sciatic condition is heat; however, not with this mattress.

It is designed with layers of memory foam as well as infused with IGEL technology. By adding gel during the memory foam layering process, the end product is a mattress that cradles all your major pressure points while diffusing body temperature and pressure.

The temperature insensitive foam always stays the same, distributing your heat and preventing you from overheating or spending a cold night tossing and turning. In addition, the durable open cell foam structure is designed to improve airflow through its highly elastic material for better heat absorption as well as absorbing any type of movement for ultimate comfort.

Its top layer is a 3.5 inch IGEL memory foam with a bottom layer of Tencel blended fabric that increases durability and strength for longer use. It comes with a soft woven knit cover and an amazing 20 year limited warranty.

Zinus memory foam mattress

Featuring one of the most innovative designs, this mattress features latex-like foam that creates an incredibly responsive and durable surface.

With 10 inches of foam, this bed offers optimal comfort with just a little bit of bounce, ideal for people who are constantly changing positions and don’t want to be stuck in materials that conform to their body.

In fact, the orthopaedic layering system for all their beds is designed to lay down sheets of foam until they create a high density memory foam surface that relieves pressure while providing high density and resilience. These materials will outlast all other bed materials for longer lasting back support and sciatica relief.

Available in king and queen, full and twin beds. The patented compression technology of this mattress makes it easy to store and ship, allowing it to be compressed and rolled. In addition, all mattresses are infused with green tea, charcoal and natural vegetable oil for a healthier, odour-free design, avoiding the use of petroleum-based chemicals.

 

Memory foam mattresses at the best price

This three-layer mattress incorporates a first layer of 2.5-inch memory foam infused with odor-neutralizing charcoal, then – a 3-inch layer of super soft foam with a perforated decompression system, and finally a third layer of 6.5-inch high-density PU foam for a longer-lasting mattress with extended back support and a bit of bounce.

This mattress is designed with active reactive suspension technology to isolate your body and reduce the movement transferred between you and your partner – distributing weight and movement evenly across all pressure points of the bed’s occupants.

This bed is available in king, queen, full or twin versions, with a 10-year limited warranty. In addition, this bed and its manufacturer are PUR-US certified and meet the strict guidelines for a sustainable, emission-free bed.

This mattress uses no harmful or smelly chemicals and does not degrade as quickly as other mattresses. It would be the ideal choice for a messy or rambunctious child, especially if your child has back problems or has been diagnosed with scoliosis.

Features to consider when choosing a mattress for sciatica pain

Your sciatica is primarily a condition exacerbated by badly hit pressure points – usually from a hard mattress – along your sides and spine. The pain during the day is caused by sleeping on a hard or bumpy surface, and then intensifies when you stand, sit in a hard chair, and bend or lift incorrectly. The features of a good bed that will alleviate this pain are the materials, layers, thickness and especially the firmness of the bed. These features are discussed below.

Firmness

Firmness is a bit difficult to determine, as the firmness you want for your back tends to be different for everyone. However, the general rule is to always choose a bed with a medium firmness.

Material

Materials have a direct effect on back pain due to the compliant nature of some materials versus the hardness of others. For example, ordinary spring mattresses usually have metal components that are not organised to support your pressure points, but conform to a certain shape over time and sink into your back. Memory foam, on the other hand, is designed to isolate your body – so you don’t roll over – and distribute your weight evenly along the bed for optimal cradling of your major pressure points. In addition, harder elements that increase the firmness of your bed without making it too hard are: latex, polyurethane, densely woven memory foam (thicker layers) and top duvet covers. The best combination of materials is found in the Best Price memory foam mattress, with its three-layer design.

Thickness

Aim for a mattress with a thick base and thick edges. The majority of the top of your mattress should have some play or bounce – this is the optimal thickness for your back. One of the reasons you’ll want a bed with thicker sides is that it will be easier for you to grip the sides and get up at night (as most people tend to sink into the middle of a bed). Also, if you don’t sleep alone, you’ll want a bed that distributes your weight and your partner’s weight, otherwise the thickness of the sides and middle will be compromised by the extra weight. It is the thickness that provides that semi-support for back muscles and pressure points; a super thin bed (that you almost sink into) would provide no extra support. The Olee Sleep Gel Infused Top Tencel memory foam mattress, the LUCID latex hybrid mattress and the Zinus Viscolatex memory foam mattress are all very thick.

Number of layers

The number of layers in a bed will directly affect the thickness, firmness and pressure areas along your spine. More layers usually means optimal medium comfort (the ideal comfort for sciatica pain). The lower layers add thickness and durability to the bed, while the top layer provides comfort and cushioning while you sleep. Typically, the lightest memory foam is placed on top to support your body and regulate your heat, while the middle and lower layers distribute your weight and push away your major pressure points. Typically, you want a mattress with about 3 layers of comfort, each layer usually featuring a different type of material scientifically designed to improve the support of the bed. One of our beds that combines multiple layers for the best sleep of your life is the Olee Sleep Gel Infused Top Tencel memory foam mattress. You might also consider the Shiloh memory foam mattress from Sleep Innovations, which uses DuoComfort pressure point relief technology.

What other features should you consider?

Blanket materials

Some covers offer extra support depending on their thickness, but you won’t really be able to test this out for your back until you receive the bed and cover. If the cover doesn’t suit you, there are plenty of options in shops and online, or you may have a cover at home that you already like. Also, some materials can be rough and difficult to sleep on, such as vinyl or hard padded covers. Choose your materials based on the types of textures that will make sleeping easier.

Durability

The most durable beds are those with thicker middle and bottom layers (usually 6 inches or more). These layers should not be made of flimsy materials or memory foam from the top layer, but should be dense and able to distribute your weight evenly. Together, these elements will increase the durability of your bed. The Olee Sleep Gel top layer Tencel memory foam mattress uses thicker Tencel fabrics in its middle and bottom layers to increase durability and resistance to aging.

Motion Isolation

If you sleep with a partner, you will definitely want to consider beds that isolate movement. On the one hand, they facilitate certain adult activities and, on the other, they prevent the other person from waking you up constantly during the night. If your partner gets up early every morning to go to work and the bed tends to shift and bounce when he does – waking you up – you should definitely consider beds with motion-isolating technology. These beds adapt to your shape and distribute your weight – multiple weights when you share the bed – and so isolate any movement and tossing from your constantly moving mattress.

Noise

None of the beds on our list should be particularly creaky or noisy – in case you’re easily woken up by the noise of ordinary creaking spring beds. When buying a memory foam mattress, consider memory foam mattresses, as their conforming design dampens noise the most. The hybrid mattress on our list has springs built into its design, but these springs are usually dampened by the double-layered memory foam in the middle and on top of the mattress.

Guarantee

Only consider mattresses that have a warranty of 10 years or more. This will give you the necessary guarantee for repairs or refunds in the event of unlikely manufacturing defects. One outstanding mattress on our list actually gives you a 30-day trial period plus a 20-year limited warranty: Live and Sleep Gel Memory Foam Mattress.

Our verdict

These are the three best mattresses specific to your Sciatica, which we’ve ranked based on their layers, materials, design and price. Which one is your best mattress for sciatica pain?

Sleep Innovations Shiloh 12-inch memory foam mattress. It is highly regarded for its DuoComfort technology design that provides excellent pressure point relief.

LUCID hybrid latex mattress. This hybrid mattress was chosen as one of the best models on our list because it has the best balance of cushioning comfort and equal support for pressure point relief along the spine.

Zinus Viscolatex memory foam mattress. Not only is this our budget choice for the list, but this mattress is also designed with innovative layering that relieves pressure while providing a high-density support surface and long-term resilience.