Best mattress for sciatica sufferers
The Best mattress for Sciatica Sufferers and patients are Medium firm. A mattress which will distribute weight and pressure evenly will help sciatica patients relieve pain and provide required rest. Research from various manufacturers and scientists list a number of brands and mattresses which are perfect for sciatica patients. Apart from getting the right mattress, its also important that you know the right positions to sleep on these mattresses if you are suffering from sciatica.
| Brand | Type | Ratings | Comments | |
| Saatva Mattress | Hybrid | 4.8/5 | Adjustable, Pressure Reliving, Tested and approved by Ciropractors | Read Review |
| Bear Mattress | Hybrid / Foam | 4/5 | Best mattress for Recovery. Designed for Atheletes. Aides Faster recovery | Read Review |
| Avocado Mattress | Latex | 4.3/5 | Natural and Organic Mattress. Firm, Yet Soft. Latex Hybrid. Pressure reliving | Read Review |
| Nectar Sleep | Memory Foam | 4/5 | Most affordable mattress. Memory foam. Firm, Durable | Read Review |
| Spine Align Mattress | Hybrid | 4/5 | Crafted for spine & Back Related problems. Recommended by Doctors | Read Review |
What Type of mattress is best for sciatica Nerve pain?
Its usually not the kind of mattress which is important when it comes to sciatica patients but the comfort and firmness. The mattress should not be too firm or too soft. Sciatica Nerve pain is caused by the pinching of sciatica nerve and happens if you excert pressure on the affected area . The Mattress should also be comfortable to sleep on. Considering the sleeping position, an adjustable mattress with an adjustable base would be a great choice. But if you are not willing to purchase an adjustable base, consider investing in a few good pillows. Any mattress you purchase should be based on a few criteria. To begin with, you would want to ensure that the quality is right. The durability , Comfort and your other health conditions should also be taken into consideration
A mattress should not sag over a period of time. This is one of the most important factors when purchasing a mattress. A quality mattress should last you 6 years to 10 years. If a mattress is going to sag the second or third year, chances are you have invested in a poor mattress. It’s not just the money that matters, but the more you sleep on a bad mattress, the higher the chances of you having bad sleep, back pains and other health issues. You would want to ensure that the quality of the mattress is good. You may also want to consider the material used in the mattress and if you are allergic to it. Some of us are allergic to Latex and some others don’t do so well with Memory foam or foam in particular. You may want to be aware of what suits you and what doesn’t before you purchase your mattress. If you are already suffering from sciatica, you wouldn’t want to sleep on a mattress which is uncomfortable and add more problems. Comfort is also an issue. While its wonderful to sleep on a fluffy plush mattress, its not always the best mattress to sleep on when you have a health condition like sciatica. You should be looking for a mattress which is medium firm and does not hug you when you sleep. With that said, many people do go out and buy a firm mattress. Firm mattresses are equally bad as a soft one as it puts unwanted pressure on certain parts of your body. Be sure that you sleep on a mattress for at least half an hour before you purchase one. Over time, the mattress does tend to go soft. So you may want to purchase a slightly firmer mattress than what you prefer.
Other factors which are important when you buy a mattress is the heat retention of the mattress and air flow. If you are in a colder region, you wouldn’t worry a lot about heat retention, but its always good to keep the mattress to the right temperature and not accumulate heat over the night.
Memory Foam Mattress For Sciatica Patients
Memory foam mattresses are the most widely sold mattresses in the USA. There are 1000’s of brands and some of them have more than 4-5 models at anypoint of time with variations in the foam. Memory foam mattresses have evolved over time. Its not one of those mattresses where layers of foam are glued one on top of the other and covered with a cotton sheet with some padding on top to look pretty. Mattress companies today have taken the time and effort to research sleep, diseases and conditions. It has become important by the hour to find out what customers are looking for and cater to their specific needs. For people with back pain, Sleeping disorders or menopause, the company is required to find solutions else lose customers. Research in memory foam mattresses were conducted by a lot of mattress companies but what is more interesting is the research done by doctors and scientists. When it comes to Sciatica, Most patients understand that undue pressure on certain parts or points of the body can create discomfort and excruciating pain. Doctors and scientists have researched many mattresses and they all agree to one thing. A medium firm mattress is perfect for people suffering from Sciatica. But when it comes to memory foam mattresses, there are a few advantages and some disadvantages too.
To begin with, Memory foam mattresses, sleep hot. This is a major problem with people with health issues. May it be sleep apnea, Sciatica , scoliosis or back pain related issues, if you don’t get enough proper sleep, your recovery will slow down and conditions often worsen. This problem has been countered with various methods and cooling technologies including gel foam, Graphite foam or charcoal infused foams, all of which have helped keep the mattress cool to some degree. Choosing a pure memory foam mattress which does not have a cooling technology involved would not be a wise move even if you are living in a cooler region of the world.
The second major drawback is the problem of movement. Memory foam mattresses tend to sink in the user. This is excellent for pressure relief, providing a balanced pressure through out the body creating a straight spine. Unfortunately, this also creates a problem moving around in the mattress when you sleep. It becomes difficult after 15 minutes of lying in the bed to move around. So when you are sound asleep and move around (which is perfectly natural) your body needs to force the movement. When you cant move easily, you tend to wake up and then move around. Imagine moving at least even 5 times in your sleep and waking up 5 times. You have poor quality sleep even with just 5 position shifts. A normal person shifts 20-30 times in their sleep. You could only imagine the quality of sleep you will get if you cant move around.
But all is not bad for memory foam mattresses after all. Even with the few glitches, the memory foam mattress is still one of the most preferred mattresses, just because its affordable and pressure relieving. Some of the best memory foam mattresses in the industry include the nectar and the Loom and leaf mattress by saatva.
The Nectar sleep mattress is considered to be one of the most affordable memory foam mattresses in the market. They are gel infused, and come in a box. Its Medium firm but for most people, it feels a bit too firm for their taste (unless you are over 200lbs). The Nectar sleep mattress comes with a lifetime warranty and a 365 night trial. They are compatible with adjustable Bases and are recommended for people with sciatica.
The Loom and Leaf mattress by saatva is a time tested mattress. The Saatva company is one of the few companies that started research and accreditation on health issues related to mattresses. Their mattresses were approved by chiropractors and orthopedic specialists to be suitable for a range of conditions including Scoliosis, Sciatica and back pain. The Loom and leaf mattresses carry all the benefits of the saatva mattress and comes with a 15 year warranty & 120 night trial.
Memory Foam Hybrid Mattresses
While memory foam mattresses are good, the Hybrids are an improvement to the pure memory foam mattresses. They are much cooler, bouncier and also easy to move on. All that which was a matter of concern in a memory foam mattress were corrected with the Hybrid mattresses.
The construction of the Hybrid mattress involves encased coil in one layer which helps the mattress maintain the right pressure. Though the memory foam does a good job of maintaining the right pressure, the addition of encased steel enhances the pressure relief feature. The Memory foam with the cooling technology helps the mattress air out better, keeping the mattress cool. While memory foam mattresses were conforming, the Hybrids were equally conforming yet easy to move on. The hybrid mattresses were also bouncier than the traditional foam mattress with the encased steel. While this may put of many people who are facing a condition, its usually not of concern if there is not going to be a lot of jumping around in the bed or sexual activity. With Bouncy mattresses, the concern of movement, technically termed motion isolation or motion transfer is addressed in the hybrid mattresses. The construction of the hybrid enables minimal Motion transfer and they are tested extensively.
Overall, the memory foam hybrid mattress is an improvement to the already existing Memory foam mattress in the market. Though they are a bit expensive compared to the traditional foam mattresses, they come with the benefits which cannot be overlooked. For people with sciatica, the memory foam mattresses are easier on their body. They conform well and provide the rest required. An adjustable memory foam hybrid mattress is one of the best few purchases you could consider especially if you are suffering from sciatica
The Best few hybrid mattresses include Saatva and Dreamcloud. Both the mattresses are luxury brands but have a perfectly constructed mattress to handle sciatica and back problems.
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The saatva mattress is one of the few mattresses which is certified by orthopedic specialists and chiropractors and is recommended extensively for patients suffering from back problems, post surgery, Scoliosis, Sciatica and more. Its also one of the first few mattresses to be sold online. The saatva mattress comes in 3 firmness levels and 2 different thicknesses. No matter if you are thin or overweight, if you are suffering from a condition, you can be sure that the saatva will most likely help you sleep better. They come with a 15 year warranty and 120 night trial.
The Dreamcloud mattress falls under the luxury category of the hybrid mattresses. They come in the medium firm category and are perfect for those who weigh less than 200lbs. For people who are heavy the dreamcloud mattress may seem to be a bit too soft and is not recommended if you suffer from sciatica or any health condition. The good thing about the dreamcloud mattress is that it comes with a lifetime warranty and a 1 year trial.
Latex Mattresses
IT may sound astonishing by the first latex foam was invented in 1920 and the first latex mattress was constructed in 1931. The Growth has been slow for the latex mattress with Memory foam always taking the lead. Slowly but surely, the latex mattress found its way into popularity over time. It has surpassed memory foam in terms of benefits and quality, even durability. Latex mattresses come in Talalay and Dunlop the former a bit more softer than the latter. They are sourced from trees, rubber and thus natural. There is a bit of processing which makes the foam soft and good for mattresses. Over time, the process has been less chemical induced and more natural. This makes a Latex mattress more preferred than memory foam. Latex mattresses are durable. They don’t sag as fast as the memory foam mattresses. They are also very conforming and adapt easily. It’s easier to move around a latex mattress as compared to the memory foam counterparts. Latex mattresses are also known to be naturally cooler than memory foam mattresses
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Latex mattresses have evolved over time and are better than Memory foam mattresses in many ways. For people with Sciatica, the Latex mattress could be one of the best choices. Yes they are a bit more expensive than the memory foam mattresses but it’s surely worth the small increase in price.
Some of the best memory foam mattresses in the market are all natural. The foam and the covers are all natural. While pure memory foam mattresses are layers of Latex sheets one on top of another arranged particularly to the requirements of comfort, there is no concern of noise due to springs and the life of the mattress is considerably higher than that of memory foam, Hybrids and inner coil mattresses. Plushbeds and Latex for less has some of the best Latex mattresses in the industry.
Plushbeds offer both latex and latex hybrids. The plushbeds, botanical bliss is one of the best latex mattresses in the industry. It’s durable and recommended by Chiropractors. It is medium firm, supportive and pressure relieving. The botanical Bliss mattress comes in split king and queen sizes too. They are compatible with adjustable bases.
Latex for less is an affordable Pure latex mattress. ITs is also one of the few latex mattresses which are flippable. Both sides of the mattress are usable and they offer different comfort levels on both sides. While one side is firm , the other is medium firm. There are 2 layers , one talalay for the softer side and the dunlop for the firmer side. The mattress is extremely durable
Latex Hybrid Mattresses
Latex hybrid mattresses are good for people who prefer a bit of bounce. While its not one of the best mattresses for sciatica, when you want to keep away any form of motion transfer, some of these mattresses are crafted so well to avoid motion transfer altogether. They are constructed with encased coils and latex foam on top. The latex foam varies depending on the design. Some vendors and companies offer dunlop latex for a firmer mattress while others offer the talalay option. For people suffering from sciatica, the Dunlop is the most preferred. If you are a person below 150lbs, consider a medium firm talalay mattress though. You don’t have to worry about heat retention in any latex mattress and with the latex hybrids, the heat retention problem is next to none.
If you ever intend to buy a latex hybrid, you would be put off by the price tags. Anything which is natural or organic today ,costs a bit more than the usual and when it comes to mattresses, it goes without saying that they are pricey. But there are a few mattresses which are 100% organic and still pretty affordable.
Go for latex hybrid mattresses which are organic, the ones with the highest warranty. The warranty is just for the steel coils which is encased. The foam , usually will last a long long time, but the steel will give in to the weight over time. So if you find a mattress which has a good warranty and a low gauge steel coils, you should consider the mattress.
Some of the best latex hybrid mattresses include the Avocado green mattress and the plush beds hybrid Bliss. Both the mattresses are all natural but avocado green takes it up a notch by providing a full vegan option
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One of the few 100% natural and organic mattresses in the industry, the Avocado green comes with 365 night trial and a 25 year warranty. They do have a complete vegan option where wool is replaced with cotton and the entire mattress is free from chemicals. It’s a hybrid and a near luxury mattress
The plushbeds hybrid mattress is 100% organic mattress, pure latex with no memory foam or polyurethane used in it. Its affordable, and luxurious at the same time. The mattress comes with 25 year warranty and a 100 night trial. They come in 2 firmness levels and all the standard sizes. They are compatible with adjustable bases.
Can memory foam mattress Cause sciatica?
Sciatica is a condition which occurs due to other conditions. Sleeping on a memory foam mattress is not one of them. A slipped disc, herniated disc and Spinal Degradation are known to be common causes of sciatica. The excruciating pain in your legs are due to the pinching effect on your sciatic nerves due to a bulged spinal section. A detailed video depicting the problem can be seen on Spine Health website at https://www.spine-health.com/video/sciatica-interactive-video?jwsource=cl
Though a mattress cannot be the cause for sciatica, it can create an effect on the condition. Your choice of mattress can help relieve pain when you are suffering from sciatica or worsen it. A good mattress could be the factor which can help you sleep better at night or worsen your condition and give you sleepless nights.
how to lay in bed with sciatica
As mentioned earlier, A mattress alone cannot be the answer to your sciatica problem. Its the sleeping position too. How you lie down, how you wake up and how much time you lie on the mattress and in what position, all comes into play when you are suffering from sciatica. The most recommended position by doctors and researchers are to lie on your back with an elevated knee and slightly elevated head / upper body. This position can be easy if you already have an adjustable bed and a compatible mattress.
For side sleepers, using a pillow between your legs and bending it to a slight fetal position and a pillow under your head to keep your spine aligned is usually recommended. Sciatica patients are recommended not to sleep on their stomach as it may worsen your condition.
While lying down and waking up, ensure that you don’t lie down straight to your back. Instead lie down on your sides and then roll over to your back. This avoids any strain to the spine. Ensure that you wake up on your side too.
Keeping the sleeping position in mind, you would want to ensure that you use a slightly softer mattress if you are a side sleeper. For a back sleeper a medium firm mattress should be perfect.
Is a firm mattress better for sciatica?
There had been confusion in the past when people were recommended a firm mattress for back problems. Most doctors recommend a firm mattress and what they mean is a mattress which is not very soft or a firmer mattress than what you already have. Most people took this differently and went out to buy the most firm mattress in the market in hopes of solving their back problem. With sciatica, A firm mattress is not better. On the contrary, a firm mattress can worsen sciatica problems. A firm mattress will not distribute pressure evenly and you will wake up sore the next morning. The perfect choice for a back sleeper suffering from sciatica is the one which is medium firm. It should be firm yet soft. Depending on your weight , you may find a firm mattress soft, if you are too heavy or a soft mattress to be on the medium firm range if you are light. The only way to get the right feel is by lying on a mattress for a while and see if its comfortable for you.
Can I sleep on my side with sciatica?
Though its not recommended, You can sleep on your side if you are suffering from sciatica. If you are a side sleeper , ensure that you place a pillow between your knee and your neck is well supported. An Adjustable base and compatible mattress will not work very well if you are a side sleeper and suffer from sciatica. Go with a medium firm mattress and a thick pillow. Ensure that the mattress does not retain too much heat as you will be sleeping with a lot of pillows and heat can add up fast and make sleep uncomfortable.
Don’t fret, if you are a side sleeper it doesn’t make things worse. Though doctors recommend that you sleep on your back, there is no harm in sleeping on your sides as long as you have the proper mattress and its supportive.