By Bridget Chapman,Forbes Staff,McKenzie Dillon
Copyright forbes
Neck pain can hinder a full night’s rest, as posture changes and other subtle movements trigger discomfort, leading to regular nighttime disruptions. Sleeping on the right mattress can help maintain alignment in the cervical spine, relieve pent-up pressure and get you on track for more quality shut-eye. After researching and testing hundreds of models, our editors chose the Saatva Classic as the best mattress for neck pain overall. It’s a durable and supportive choice with a dual-coil design, zoned layers and multiple firmness options to accommodate a range of sleeping positions.
The Saatva Classic is our top choice for the best mattresses for neck pain, alongside beds from Nectar, Plank and Leesa.
Illustration: Forbes / Photo: Retailer
“Waking up with sore muscles in your neck or back is a sign that your mattress is the culprit,” says Dr. Hooman Melamed, board-certified orthopedic surgeon in Beverly Hills, especially “if you notice your pain improves during the day but returns at night.” Having a bed that supports your body and the natural curvature of your spine is key for pressure relief and alignment, so we’ve included additional mattress recommendations that suit different needs and preferences. However, pain relief doesn’t end with your mattress. To further enhance your sleep setup, explore our picks for the best pillows for neck pain as well.
Our Top Recommendations
Best Mattress For Neck Pain Overall: Saatva Classic (Queen)
Best Memory Foam Mattress For Neck Pain: Nectar Premier (Queen)
Best Hybrid Mattress For Neck Pain: Leesa Sapira Chill Hybrid (Queen)
Best Mattress For Side Sleepers With Neck Pain: Helix Midnight Luxe (Queen)
Best Firm Mattress For Neck Pain: Plank Firm (Queen)
Best Mattress For Neck Pain Overall
A Strong, Dual-Coil Design With Customizable Touches
Saatva Classic (Queen)
Type: Innerspring | Firmness: Plush soft, luxury firm or firm | Shipping: Free white glove | Trial: 365 nights | Warranty: Lifetime
Most sleeping positions and body types
Those who’d like free mattress setup and old mattress removal
Good ease of movement and edge support
Supporting the lumbar and cervical spine
People who’d like their choice of height (choose from 11.5 or 14.5 inches)
You’re a side sleeper under 150 pounds
You prefer a contouring memory foam feel
You’d like free returns
The Saatva Classic is unlike your average innerspring mattress, as it utilizes both a layer of zoned pocketed coils and a layer of springs for maximum support, combining spinal lift with pressure point relief. It also features a slab of memory foam under the lumbar region for contouring comfort, and the brand’s patented spinal wire that provides added reinforcement. Its finishing touch is a quilted Euro top for a fluffy and pillowy feel, which is given an antimicrobial treatment to prevent the growth of household allergens. “Pressure seems to be alleviated from the lower back and hips,” says one of our testers while trying the luxury firm model, adding that “there is a sense of weightlessness.”
We also found the Saatva Classic is very responsive, meaning you don’t feel “stuck” in its foam layers and you can switch positions effortlessly. “I prefer a hybrid or innerspring over a memory foam, so I especially appreciate how easy it is to move around on,” says our tester. With three firmness levels to choose from and two heights, people with neck pain can customize this made-to-order mattress to their liking. See more of our testing insights in our in-depth Saatva Mattress review.
Best Memory Foam Mattress For Neck Pain
Contouring Foam Relieves Pressure Along Your Joints
Nectar Premier (Queen)
Type: Memory foam or hybrid | Firmness: Medium-firm | Shipping: Free (in a box) | Trial: 365 nights | Warranty: Lifetime
Back, side and combination sleepers
Couples who are easily disturbed by each other’s movements
Those who’d like a hugging and conforming feel
You’re a dedicated stomach sleeper over 150 pounds
You weigh over 250 pounds (consider the hybrid)
If doughy and contouring pressure relief is what you’re after, the Nectar Premier checks a lot of boxes for those living with neck pain. It has a slow-moving and conforming profile that morphs under your curves as your body heat warms the foam. It feels dense and supportive without compromising on comfort, and maintains alignment for back and side sleepers—preventing sagging that can lead to pain and pressure buildup. Although the brand rates it medium-firm, our testers found it leans more toward a softer, medium feel. As a result, it offers a little too much give for stomach sleepers over 150 pounds who need medium-firm to firm support to prevent their hips from sagging.
Couples can appreciate the Nectar Premier’s ability to stop motion from traveling across the mattress, limiting nighttime disturbances. It also offers better ease of movement than traditional memory foam beds. According to one of our testers, “The foam takes a few moments to bounce back to normal, so it does make you work a little harder to switch [postures], but it’s not enough to disturb you at night.” That said, consider the Nectar Hybrid for a more responsive feel, in addition to better spinal support, especially for those weighing over 250 pounds.
Best Hybrid Mattress For Neck Pain
Enjoy Premium Upgrades And Balanced Comfort
Leesa Sapira Chill Hybrid (Queen)
Type: Hybrid | Firmness: Plush, medium-firm or firm | Shipping: Free (in a box) | Trial: 100 nights | Warranty: Lifetime
Most sleep postures and body sizes, thanks to multiple firmness options
Hot sleepers
Couples or those with mobility issues needing good ease of movement
You want free returns
You’d like excellent edge support
The Leesa Sapira Chill is a feature-rich hybrid mattress with upgrades that typically cost extra on other beds, like a cooling cover that pulls heat away from the body and helps regulate temperature. Its primary support layer is a system of pocketed coils, zoned for targeted pressure relief and spinal support where your body needs it most. Four comfort foam layers sit above the durable steel coils, including memory foam for contouring support and a more breathable and light airflow foam.
Senior mattress and sleep editor Bridget Chapman has been sleeping on the plush model of the Leesa Sapira Chill for over a year and says, “It comfortably cradles my shoulder and hip while also offering enough support to keep my spine in alignment while side sleeping,” adding that her lumbar region is amply supported while back sleeping. She also praises its effective cooling abilities, and calls it a worthy competitor to the Brooklyn Bedding Aurora Luxe, our best cooling pick overall. Dedicated side sleepers, like Chapman, should consider the plush model, while the medium-firm and firm models are better suited for back and stomach sleepers who need reinforced lift under the spine. See more of Chapman’s and our other testers’ thoughts in our full Leesa Sapira Chill Hybrid review.
Best Mattress For Side Sleepers With Neck Pain
Plush Pressure Relief Where You Need It Most
Helix Midnight Luxe (Queen)
Type: Hybrid | Firmness: Medium | Shipping: Free (in a box) | Trial: 100 nights | Warranty: Lifetime
Side and back sleepers
Most body types
Couples seeking good motion isolation
Hot sleepers (optional cooling cover upgrade)
You need an ultra-soft or extra-firm mattress
The Helix Midnight Luxe has wide appeal because of its balanced blend of support and pressure relief. Side sleepers with neck pain can find the proper contouring and give they need for hip and shoulder relief, but it can cater to other sleep positions as well. We recommend adding the ErgoAlign layer upgrade, which adds a noticeably lifted feel in the center of the mattress and helps prevent excessive sagging. Our tester says, “The ErgoAlign design delivers a noticeable improvement in comfort for side sleepers, especially for the pressure relief on my shoulders and my spouse’s hips.”
And according to Alexandra Garrett, mattress updates writer and long-term tester of the Helix Midnight Luxe, “I need a mattress that cradles my shoulders and hips—and the Midnight Luxe more than sufficed, relieving the pressure I typically feel around these areas.” In addition to the support layer upgrade, hot sleepers can pay to add a cool-to-the-touch cover. Our testers also found the Midnight Luxe has good motion isolation, thanks to the blend of comfortable foams and quilted pillow top. This allows couples to rest more soundly without increased disturbances from each other’s movements. Learn more in our full Helix Midnight Luxe review.
Best Firm Mattress For Neck Pain
A Versatile Design With Two Firmness Levels In One
Plank Firm (Queen)
Type: Memory foam | Firmness: Firm and extra-firm | Shipping: Free (in a box) | Trial: 120 nights | Warranty: Limited lifetime
Stomach, back and combination sleepers
Those looking for a very firm mattress
People who’d like to try two firmness levels (flippable design)
Hot sleepers (optional cooling cover upgrade)
You sleep on your side
You weigh over 250 pounds (try the hybrid Plank Firm Luxe instead)
Depending on your dominant sleeping position, a firm mattress can promote a healthy sleep posture by keeping your spine in a straight alignment. For back and stomach sleepers, the flippable Plank Firm Mattress gives you the chance to try two firmness levels in one: firm and extra-firm. You can identify the firmness that is most comfortable for your needs, or you can make use of both sides over time. You sleep more on top of the mattress than “in” it, thanks to its firm and dense memory foam layers.
“As someone who deals with regular back pain, I could see this being really nice for back or stomach sleepers who need some extra lift in order to feel comfortable at night,” says one tester. Hot sleepers can also upgrade to a GlacioTex cooling cover, which gives the bed a noticeably chill sensation to help regulate temperature. Just keep in mind that both sides of the Plank are quite firm with minimal sinkage, so most side sleepers and lightweight folks should choose a softer mattress to get deeper pressure relief.
RECOMMENDED BY FORBES VETTED
The 14 Best Mattresses Of 2025: Our Testing Panel’s Unanimous Picks
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Why Trust Forbes Vetted
We have a vast library of sleep content covering topics from the best mattresses for specific pain points to guides on expert-approved nighttime routines for better sleep, and we rely on our editors’ collective testing experience, extensive research and expert advice to help inform our articles.
McKenzie Dillon is a mattress and sleep editor at Forbes Vetted with six years of experience in the health and wellness space that’s included a heavy focus on sleep. She has tested over 100 different mattresses, including several of the beds listed in our roundup, and has a sleep science coach certification.
Bridget Chapman is the senior mattress and sleep editor at Forbes Vetted with four years of mattress testing experience and over a decade of reporting and editing expertise. She’s tested over 200 different beds and has also earned her sleep science coach certification.
For this article, we consulted Dr. Hooman Melamed, a board-certified orthopedic spinal surgeon based in Beverly Hills, for his expertise on easing nighttime neck pain with the right mattress.
How We Chose The Best Mattresses For Back Pain
Our seasoned editors carefully selected and approved every mattress on this list, highlighting those that meet specific criteria designed to support individuals with neck pain.
We leaned on our testing experience and gathered insights from team members who live with pain themselves, and selected mattresses that stood out for being supportive, pressure relieving and accommodating for a variety of sleepers.
We considered several other important features in the best mattresses for neck pain, like good motion isolation, ease of movement and temperature regulation.
We consulted a medical expert and let their advice help guide our recommendations.
We sifted through customer reviews and only included mattresses that have a 4-star rating or higher.
What To Look For In The Best Mattresses For Neck Pain
Selecting a mattress always requires careful consideration, but especially when you’re living with sleep-debilitating pain.
It’s important to keep the entire spine in alignment and support the natural curvature of your body to prevent your mattress from exacerbating your symptoms. Although it can be tempting, Melamed suggests that “you pass on mattresses that are too soft because they force your body to sink, which strains the spine.” A mattress that’s too firm, on the other hand, can press into your joints and cause pressure to build up.
“If you sleep on your back, your mattress should be firm enough to support your spine, but cushiony enough to relieve pressure points,” says Melamed, and we suggest a medium to firm profile. Side sleepers should consider a medium mattress for better joint relief, and lastly, stomach sleepers are typically most comfortable on medium-firm to firm profiles.
Your body type plays a big role in how firm or soft you perceive a mattress to be, so it’s important to take that into account when choosing the right firmness level. The more you weigh, the softer a mattress feels—and contrarily, the less you weigh, the firmer. Because of this, sleepers who weigh less than 150 founds typically need a softer mattress, while those who weigh more than 250 pounds should consider a firmer mattress. (Most mattresses are designed with average-weight sleepers—150 to 250 pounds—in mind.) Along with choosing a firmer feel or a bed designed for heavy people, we also recommend sleepers over 250 pounds consider a hybrid mattress, because the steel coils in the foundation keep you more supported and are more long-lasting than all-foam mattresses.
Ease Of Movement
Whether you have a habit of tossing and turning in your sleep or overexertion leads to neck pain, it’s beneficial to have a responsive bed that doesn’t apply resistance when you go to switch postures. Hybrid mattresses tend to offer better ease of movement than all-foam models, and at the same time, offer more spinal support for those dealing with soreness.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Melamed, Beverly Hills orthopedic spine surgeon, says yes. “If your mattress begins to sag, it can throw your spine out of alignment, leading to a strained neck.” He adds that your mattress should support your head, neck and back in a natural position, helping to reduce future pain.
Melamed suggests a memory foam or latex foam type because “they contour to the body and reduce pressure.” Hybrid mattresses that are made with a blend of comforting foams and steel coils can also be beneficial, since they deliver targeted support to the spine.
Consider a medium mattress with balanced support and pressure relief, which properly keeps your cervical spine in alignment while relieving pressure from your hips and shoulders. That said, a medium-firm mattress may be better for side sleepers over 250 pounds.
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