Best Mattresses for People with a Herniated Disc (2023)

Type of Mattress

There are several different types of mattresses to choose from if you have a herniated disc. In this section, we’ll outline the most common options.

Memory Foam

Memory foam is a soft, cushiony material that holds its shape even after you put weight on it, hence the term “memory.” When you lie down on a mattress made out of memory foam, it will conform to the shape of your body and keep that shape during the night.

This is typically a great mattress choice for herniated discs as long as it’s high-quality and made by a reputable company. Memory foam in cheap mattresses wears out faster, so it’s important to choose a brand that is known for durability and long-lasting comfort.

Explore our picks for the best memory foam mattresses.

Hybrid

Hybrid mattresses combine an innerspring (coil) base with a memory foam or latex top layer. This type of bed is another good choice because they tend to provide the ideal blend of pressure relief and support. That being said, hybrids usually come at a higher price point.

Innerspring

Innerspring mattresses can have a harder time delivering on the needs for this issue. First of all, they don’t tend to hold their shape over the years if the bed doesn't have high-quality construction, so some people can expect uncomfortable sagging.

Second, most coils don’t allow for even weight distribution. Different parts of our bodies have varying density levels. If you lie down on a coil mattress that isn’t “zoned” to accommodate your shoulders and torso, you will likely feel it in your back.

Latex

These beds are similar to memory foam, but instead of foam, latex is made from the sap of a rubber tree. There’s also synthetic latex, which is a petroleum-based product. Research shows that this material could be beneficial for healing⁵.

We often highly recommend latex mattresses, but if you have a herniated disk in your back or neck, be sure to check that the sleeping surface is not too firm.

Spinal Alignment & Support

People with herniated discs require a sleeping surface that keeps their back in proper alignment, and their entire body should be well-supported. A poor-quality mattress will have areas that sag, further exacerbating back pain.

How do you know if your spine is in proper alignment when you’re in bed? The best way to determine this is to lie on your side and have someone take a picture of you from behind. Your spine should keep a straight line. If you don’t feel comfortable asking someone to take the picture, set a timer on your phone, prop it up on something, and take a picture that way.

Check Out Our Guide: Best Mattress for Back Pain

Sleeping Position

Your sleeping position can play a large role in alleviating the pain from herniated discs. Sleeping on your back puts the least amount of pressure on your spine⁶, and this could help alleviate pain from herniated discs. So, if you sleep on your back, continue to do so, and look for a supportive mattress with medium firmness as this will help keep your spine aligned.

Stomach and side sleepers should look for a mattress that won’t allow their hips to sag down in the mattress as this will help keep their spine neutral, though side sleepers may want to avoid a mattress that is too firm as this could cause pressure to build up on the hip and shoulder.

Weight/Body Type of Sleepers

Having a heavier body can already cause additional pressure and pain on herniated discs. Therefore, these people will want to find a bed that offers plenty of support. If heavyweight people push through a mattress’s layers too quickly because their bed doesn’t offer enough support, their spine can be put in an awkward position, which may exacerbate the pain from herniated discs.

Lightweight people often benefit from softer mattresses more than their heavier counterparts as this can help keep pressure from building up. However, when it comes to buying a mattress for herniated discs, lighter sleepers will want to make sure that it is supportive enough to keep their spines aligned.

Browse our picks for the Best Beds for Heavy People.

Firmness

People with back pain are often told to sleep on an exceptionally firm surface, or in some cases, even the floor. However, this can sometimes make it even worse.

As we’ve said, if you have a herniated disc, it’s crucial to maintain proper spinal alignment when you lie down. A too-firm surface isn’t going to allow for any contouring, and a too-soft surface won’t have as much support.

Mattress firmness is relative to your body weight since people who weigh more will feel a mattress differently than someone who is exceptionally lightweight. Medium-firm beds are often a great choice since they can provide sturdy support without sacrificing pressure relief.

Cooling

Have you ever noticed that when you’re in pain, you tend to feel hotter? If you sleep on a mattress that doesn’t allow for any airflow, your already-heated body is going to feel even more uncomfortable.

Memory foam is not known for being a cool material, mostly because the contouring traps body heat. We recommend looking for a memory foam mattress with either gel or copper infusions, which draw heat away from the body. There are also some brands that offer something called “open cell” construction that have pockets of air that get released when you put weight on them.

Hybrid and innerspring beds get extra airflow from their coil units, and latex beds are good for cooling because latex is a temperature-neutral material.

Find Out More: Best Cooling Mattresses

Motion Isolation

When you’re in pain because of herniated discs, you don’t want movement from your partner or pet to compound your issues. Therefore, if you sleep with another person or even a dog, you will want a bed that doesn’t transfer the motion that is made from their movement from their side of the bed to theirs. Memory foam mattresses are typically a solid choice for isolating motion, and these beds may be a good choice for those with herniated discs.

Sex

Herniated discs may make sex difficult because the movements involved with intercourse may aggravate your pain. Your doctor and medical professional may recommend that you refrain from sex when you have herniated discs, but if you are cleared by your doctor, you will likely want to find a bed that is responsive and bouncy.

Responsiveness is often associated with latex or latex hybrids. This is because these beds quickly regain their shape. Mattresses for sex have good bounce, allowing you to reposition more easily.

Pressure Relief

When it comes to choosing the right type of bed for pressure relief, we’ve found that memory foam mattresses often perform best. You need something that cradles the heavy parts of your body while also providing ample support. Memory foam is designed to contour all of your curves, making it a great material for pressure relief.

Looking for more relief? Explore our picks for the Best Mattress for Pressure Relief.

Edge Support

When you are sleeping on a bed with good edge support, you can utilize the entire bed without worrying about falling off the edge. This makes it beneficial for couples and those who just prefer to sleep closer to the outside of the bed.

If you have herniated discs, it may be even more important because the jerking motion that can take place when the edge of the bed gives out could make the pain worse. Edge support is usually provided by putting reinforced coils or high-density foam around the outside

Budget

Considering the amount of time that we spend in bed, and the impact that quality sleep has on our overall health, purchasing a mattress that meets our needs is extremely important. However, considering that they can also be a major expenditure, it is important to do research to ensure that we are getting the best mattress for the money.

This is particularly important if you have a medical condition that could be made worse by a mattress that isn’t providing enough support. In this instance, you will want to try to get the best possible bed that your budget allows.

Why You Need a Great Mattress if You Have Spinal Disc Herniation

We all deserve a great mattress, regardless of the medical issues we may have. However, if you have any spinal problems, sleeping on the right mattress makes a big difference.

You need to keep your spine in proper alignment, and if you have a poor-quality mattress or one that is too soft or too firm, it will push your back out of its natural position.

Conversely, a good-quality mattress will have an ideal blend of pressure-point relief and support. Pressure relief is a mattress’ ability to cradle or cushion the denser parts of your body to keep you comfortable and reduce pressure build-up.

Support, on the other hand, refers to the bed’s ability to keep your body lifted. For example, even though you want to feel a soft surface that relieves pressure when you lie down, you don’t want to sink too deeply into the surface of the bed. That’s where support comes in.

A great mattress will provide the perfect balance of both of these factors.

What Causes Herniated Discs?

Picture your spine. We’re all familiar with the line of vertebrae that goes from our skull to our lower back. There’s a space between each of these vertebrae, and within that space are discs. Their purpose is to provide mobility. They function like ball bearings.

The discs themselves are fibrous with layers of ligaments that protect a center core of gel-like fluid. If you picture the rings of a tree, that’s what a section of a spinal disc looks like. The annulus makes up the exterior part, and the soft center is called the nucleus.1

A herniation occurs when those fibers get damaged or degenerate. The inner fluid begins to push outward, distorting the shape of the disc. The result is the disc either bulges or ruptures, depending on how damaged and degenerated the fibers become.

Types of Herniated Discs and Symptoms

What is a herniated disc, and what happens if you have one?

Picture your spine. We’re all familiar with the line of vertebrae that goes from our skull to our lower back. There’s a space between each of these vertebrae, and within that space are discs. Their purpose is to provide mobility. They function like ball bearings.

The discs themselves are fibrous with layers of ligaments that protect a center core of gel-like fluid. If you picture the rings of a tree, that’s what a section of a spinal disc looks like. The annulus makes up the exterior part, and the soft center is called the nucleus.¹

A herniation occurs when those fibers get damaged or degenerate. The inner fluid begins to push outward, distorting the shape of the disc. The result is the disc either bulges or ruptures, depending on how damaged and degenerated the fibers become.

Depending on the type of spinal disc herniation you have, the symptoms vary:

Contained Herniation (Protrusion)

A contained herniation usually happens in the first two stages before the gel-like material leaks into the spinal canal, which typically happens in the third and fourth stages. This means the jelly center is still contained within the outer wall of the lumbar disc. Besides lower back pain, patients may experience symptoms such as arm and leg pain, numbness, tingling, and weakness¹.

Non-Contained Herniation (Disc Extrusion)

A non-contained herniation typically causes more severe back pain. What happens in this stage is that the gel-like material breaks through the outer wall of the intervertebral disc. The material leaks into the spinal canal and causes many painful and uncomfortable symptoms. This is why non-contained herniation is often called ruptured discs as well. The symptoms may include tingling, numbness, and pain that can be severe and long-lasting¹.

Sequestered Herniation

Sequestered herniations happen if a patient doesn’t treat non-contained herniations. What happens is that the discs beak due to the compressor, which then results in severe pain and even loss of mobility if patients ignore the symptoms long enough. Those who deal with chronic back pain may be more likely to ignore symptoms of sequestered herniation, although consulting a doctor is critical¹.

How Can A Mattress Help with a Herniated Disc?

Although herniated discs⁷ can happen in any part of the spine, they typically happen in the lower spine. Some people may not even know that they have a herniated disc, but others can experience pain from the buttocks to the foot.

Medical intervention isn’t usually required, but if you are concerned about your symptoms, you should always consult a medical professional. Fortunately, these back issues can usually be treated with at-home remedies, including using an appropriate mattress.

• Those who have lower back herniated discs⁸ should look for a mattress that is supportive to keep their spine neutral and their hips from sagging.

• Memory foam mattresses offer excellent pressure-relieving properties. If you have herniated discs in your upper back, these kinds of mattresses may bring relief to the pain around your neck and shoulders.

• Responsive mattresses, such as beds made from latex, can make it more comfortable to roll over, and this can ease herniate disc pain that may happen from changing positions.

• Medium-firm beds are often recommended for those with herniated discs⁴. Finding a bed with targeted support and a medium firmness may help with overall comfort.

What is the Best Sleeping Position for a Herniated Disc?

A slipped disc is a term often used to describe a herniation, though it’s technically a misnomer because the disc isn’t actually slipping. Rather, it’s being pushed out of place due to being misshapen.

Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, we can discuss the best sleeping position for a herniated disc. The answer to this question lies in where in your vertebral column the herniation has expressed itself: neck, thoracic or lumbar.

Here are general guidelines for each sleeping position:

Back Sleeping

Sleeping on your back is usually the best choice, though there are a couple of caveats. If your disc herniation is in your neck area, you should focus on which pillow you use. Ideally, a cervical pillow with a center opening to let your head sink while supporting your neck is best.

Also, when you sleep on your back and you have a herniated disc, you’ll probably feel most comfortable with a pillow underneath your knees.

Side Sleeping

As long as you have the right mattress, side sleeping can be a fantastic choice, especially if you have a herniated lumbar disc. You can try sleeping with a pillow between your knees to ensure that your spine doesn’t twist during the night.

You can also try a cervical pillow regardless of where your herniation is located. Keeping your cervical spine in place can help to make sure the rest of your back stays in alignment.

Explore our picks for the best mattresses for side sleepers.

Combination Sleeping

Since movement can sometimes aggravate herniated discs, combination sleepers will need to change positions carefully, which is why a more responsive bed is helpful in this case.

Also, if one of your go-to positions is stomach sleeping, you may want to find an alternative. This is because when you sleep on your stomach, your hips can sink into the bed and cause your spine to curve. When you have herniated discs, this can become a painful situation.

Stomach Sleeping

This position is not typically recommended because it can force the hips down and cause your back to arch in an uncomfortable way. If you insist on stomach sleeping, you can place a pillow under your pelvis and at your knees. For your head pillow, choose something very thin or opt for nothing at all.

Tips for Better Sleeping with a Herniated Disc

• Sleep on your back or side⁹, and avoid sleeping on your stomach when possible.

• Back sleepers can put a rolled-up towel under their lower back⁹.

• Side sleepers may want to use a wedge pillow below their legs⁹.

• Try sleeping in the fetal position¹⁰ to eliminate pressure.