This isn't always true, but generally lower back pain from back sleeping is caused by hammocking. This is when your hips/butt sink too low which puts strain on the muscles in your lumbar area. Not all mattresses that are marketed as firm are actually firm. Especially if you carry a lot of weight in your mid section. Generally speaking, mattress toppers don't help with that. If anything they exacerbate it. A super firm topper may help incrementally, but it's a band aid solution. Answer from Chalupa3atman on reddit.com
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Mattress Clarity
mattressclarity.com › home › best mattress toppers
Best Mattress Toppers for Back Pain 2026 - Personally Tested
3 days ago - Brooklyn Bedding Gel Swirl Topper – If you don’t want to spend too much on a mattress topper for your back pain, the Gel Swirl Memory Foam topper is a good choice for a tighter budget. When sales are running, you can grab a 2-inch model for close to $100. It’s plush, contouring, and pressure-relieving, so it can help soften up a too-firm mattress that’s causing back pain.
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Sleep Foundation
sleepfoundation.org › best mattress toppers
Best Mattress Topper for Back Pain of 2025: Tested by Our Experts
A soothing latex topper with plush batting to alleviate pain and pressure points in your most sensitive areas. ... A firm memory foam topper that contours gently without sinking or hugging too closely.
Published   May 22, 2020
People also ask

What type of mattress topper is best for back pain?
The best type of mattress topper for back pain is one that cushions your back and body while keeping your spine aligned. Latex, polyfoam, memory foam, and microcoil toppers can all achieve this goal, so you should choose one that addresses the root cause of your discomfort, whether that’s lack of spinal support or pressure point pain.
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sleepfoundation.org
sleepfoundation.org › best mattress toppers
Best Mattress Topper for Back Pain of 2025: Tested by Our Experts
How thick should a mattress topper for back pain be?
A mattress topper for back pain should be thick enough to alter how your mattress feels. A model between 2 and 4 inches thick can usually achieve this. A very thin model may not make enough of a difference and you may bottom out and sink into your bed.
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sleepfoundation.org
sleepfoundation.org › best mattress toppers
Best Mattress Topper for Back Pain of 2025: Tested by Our Experts
What is the difference between a mattress topper and pad?
Mattress pads are usually thinner than mattress toppers and are designed to protect your mattress while providing a bit of cushioning, while toppers are meant to make more of an impact on your mattress’ overall feel.
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sleepfoundation.org
sleepfoundation.org › best mattress toppers
Best Mattress Topper for Back Pain of 2025: Tested by Our Experts
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ViscoSoft
viscosoft.com › collections › mattress toppers for pain relief
Toppers for Pain Relief | No More Pressure on Back, Hip or Shoulder
A plush memory foam in 2–4 inches can relieve pressure without letting you dip too far. If your mattress is too firm, choose a softer feel; if it’s already soft, pick a medium option so you don’t bottom out.
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NCOA
ncoa.org › product-resources › sleep › best-mattress-topper-for-back-pain
Find Your Perfect Mattress Topper for Back Pain 2026
We chose the Nolah Mattress Topper as the Best Overall Topper for Back Pain because its high-density foam creates a comfortable and supportive sleep surface, earning one of our highest pressure relief scores (4.75/5). The Nolah’s edge support, ...
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Sleep Advisor
sleepadvisor.org › home › best mattress topper
Best Mattress Topper For Back Pain - Tested & Expert-Reviewed - Sleep Advisor
Praised by customer reviews that emphasize its plushness—even comparing it to the feel of a hotel mattress—the Birch Plush Organic Mattress Topper combats back pain with lots of luxurious cushioning.
Published   January 3, 2025
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Sleepopolis
sleepopolis.com › home › mattress topper reviews › best mattress topper for back pain (2026), 8 options to topple tension
Best Mattress Toppers for Back Pain (2026), Tested by Sleep Science Coaches
3 days ago - The Dual Comfort Topper features a soft side and a firm side, so when it’s time to stop snuggling and get some sleep, you and your partner can roll onto your preferred firmness.
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Good Housekeeping
goodhousekeeping.com › home & outdoor products › bedroom › 10 best mattress toppers for back pain, according to a bedding expert
10 Best Mattress Toppers for Back Pain 2025, Tested by Experts
1 month ago - The best mattress toppers to help alleviate back pain include soft, medium and firm foam, latex, and fiber fill models from brands like Saatva and Tempur-Pedic.
Find elsewhere
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Turmerry
turmerry.com › extra firm mattress topper
Extra Firm Mattress Topper
Here are some of the key benefits of extra-firm mattress toppers and the types of sleepers who would benefit most: Extra-firm mattress toppers prevent excess sinking, keeping the spine properly aligned.
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Reddit
reddit.com › r/mattress › any mattress topper recommendations for lower back pain?
r/Mattress on Reddit: Any Mattress Topper recommendations for lower back pain?
July 30, 2024 -

Hey guys! I started to have lower back pain several months ago. I'm currently doing PT to alleviate the pain, however, I think I need to make a changes with regard to what I'm sleeping on. The mattress I currently have is fairly new and firm. I'm interested in buying a topper to help alleviate back pain. FYI, I am a back sleeper. There are so many different brands to choose from. Here are some questions I have for the Reddit community.

1: Do you have experience with mattress toppers? Can they assist in alleviating lower back pain?

2: Are there any brands that you recommend for toppers?

3: Any sleeping advice in general that will help alleviate lower back pain?

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Reddit
reddit.com › r/backpain › what is the best mattress topper for back pain?
r/backpain on Reddit: What is the Best Mattress Topper for Back Pain?
December 22, 2024 -

Either your bed is too soft or too firm, and you need to make changes. Otherwise, you may wake up with excruciating back and hip pain.

We have listed mattress topper recommendations for lower back pain & hip pain. Mattress toppers are an easy and economical solution to make your bed worthy of a snoozefest.

We have chosen toppers that are priced a notch higher and considered premium, these can make up for a more blissful sleep. It will feel like a whole new bed and mattress altogether. So if you are having a hard time getting a restful sleep, these high-end mattress toppers will make you sleep like a baby.

Best Mattress Topper for Back Pain in 2025

  • Tempur Pedic Adapt topper

  • Emma Premium Topper

  • Saatva Graphite memory foam mattress topper

  • Helix GlacioTex Premium Mattress Topper

  • Puffy Deluxe

  • DreamFoam Gel Swirl Memory Foam Mattress Topper

  • Bear Pro Topper

How to Choose the Best Mattress Toppers for Back & Hip Pain 2025

What is sleep if you’re just going to wake up more tired?

This can still happen if you have a bed that is either too firm or too soft. It can give you hip and back pain instead of a relaxing snooze. And here is where we based our list above.

  • Spinal alignment

This is perhaps one of the more important considerations when we are speaking of back and hip pain. When you are lying in bed, it’s easy for the spine to get misaligned, especially if you are tossing and turning at night. This series of movements can make it challenging for the mattress to keep the spine in the proper form.

That’s why a good mattress topper that can alleviate and prevent hip and back pain has to be able to keep the spine in proper alignment. Once it is, it can prevent pain from the hips and back to build up. So the topper should be able to conform to the natural curve of the body and offer enough support for the parts where it is needed.

  • Soft vs firm mattress topper

Which is better for hip and back pain, a softer bed or a firmer one? As with mattresses, the level and type of comfort are very subjective. Some sleep better with a softer bed while others dream heavily on a firmer one. Generally, though, most favor a medium firm bed, or something in between, this appeals to more people. That is why we have considered these things.

We choose softer mattress toppers and firmer ones as we. But the important thing is that despite the significant plushness or level of support, they should feel balanced too. We choose mattress toppers that have that perfect blend of support and your preferred softness level. Just keep in mind that softer mattress toppers suit lightweight folks and those who sleep on the side. Firmer mattress toppers, on the other hand, will benefit heavier folks and those who sleep on their stomach.

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Turmerry
turmerry.com › chiropractor recommended mattress topper
Chiropractor Recommended Mattress Topper
For back pain, a mattress topper between 2 and 3 inches thick usually works best. That range gives enough cushioning to relieve pressure on your shoulders and hips while still keeping your spine aligned.
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Mattress Nerd
mattressnerd.com › home › mattress accessories & bedding › best mattress toppers for back pain of 2025
Best Mattress Toppers for Back Pain of 2025 (2025) | Mattress Nerd
... Did you know you can get a great quality mattress topper even if you’re shopping on a budget? The Brooklyn Bedding Gel Swirl mattress topper provides pain relief at a fraction of what another quality mattress topper might cost you.
Published   September 14, 2023
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Mattress Firm
mattressfirm.com › shop › mattress-toppers-for-back-pain
Mattress Toppers For Back Pain | Mattress Firm
Experience the ultimate relief and support for your back with our curated selection of mattress toppers designed specifically to alleviate back pain. Crafted with innovative materials and advanced technology, our range of mattress toppers offers a luxurious solution to enhance the comfort and firmness of your existing mattress.
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Reader's Digest
rd.com › list › best-mattress-toppers-for-back-pain
5 Best Mattress Toppers for Back Pain 2024, Tested and Reviewed
November 7, 2024 - If your budget allows you to splurge on one of the best mattress toppers, then the Brooklyn Bedding Latex Topper is the way to go. This latex mattress topper is 3 inches thick, comes in seven sizes and has three firmness levels: soft, medium and firm. Senior shopping editor, Katie Bandurski, tested the mattress topper in medium firmness in hopes of alleviating her back pain.
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Themattresstoppercompany
themattresstoppercompany.com › home › pain relief
Pain Relief Mattress Toppers at The Mattress Topper Company
At The Mattress Topper Company, we specialise in mattress toppers designed to support natural spinal alignment, relieve pressure on sensitive joints, and create a more comfortable sleeping surface—ideal for anyone experiencing back pain, hip pain, shoulder pain, or general overnight discomfort. Our collection includes advanced memory foam, orthopaedic foam, and pressure-relieving designs that cradle your body while offering reliable, long-lasting support. If your mattress feels too firm, too soft, uneven, or unsupportive, a pain relief mattress topper can help you sleep more deeply and wake up feeling refreshed.
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Naturepedic
naturepedic.com › home › naturepedic blog
What's the Best Mattress Topper for Back Pain?
April 2, 2025 - Investing in a high-quality mattress topper for back pain is a practical and effective way to improve both your comfort and overall well-being. Not sure if you need a mattress topper or mattress pad? (Click the link to learn more.) 2" of smooth, extra-soft GOTS-approved latex wrapped in our signature stretch-knit fabric.
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Panda London
pandalondon.com › home › sweet dreams blog › ease your back: discovering the best mattress topper for pain relief
What Is the Best Mattress Topper for Back Pain?
September 11, 2025 - Keeping cool can help with the stress of being in pain, so this is definitely something to consider. You can also get feather mattress toppers; these are one of the softest options, helping you sink in and not move around in your sleep.
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Amazon
amazon.ca › firm-mattress-topper-back-pain › s
Amazon.ca: Firm Mattress Topper For Back Pain
Amazon's Choicefor "firm mattress topper for back pain" Options:6 sizes · 4.24.2 out of 5 stars (38.6K) 900+ bought in past month · Limited-time deal · Price, product page$54.99$54.99 Was: $69.99 · Was: $69.99$69.99 · FREE delivery Sun, Jan 11 · Or fastest delivery Fri, Jan 9 ·
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Reddit
reddit.com › r/redditforgrownups › choosing the right mattress topper for back pain
r/RedditForGrownups on Reddit: Choosing the Right Mattress Topper for Back Pain
March 13, 2023 -

Whether your mattress is too firm, too soft, or lacking in support, it can lead to the same hassle- a bad back. Instead of feeling invigorated in the morning, you’ll wake up feeling tired and drained. Not a perfect way to spend the right?

Buying a new mattress may seem like the solution, but it can be a very expensive one.  Did you know you can transform your uncomfortable mattress into a snooze-worthy zone with just a mattress topper?

Buying Guide: How we Curated our recommendations

These are more economical solutions than buying a new mattress altogether. But still, it’s a wise idea to make the proper choice. And here’s how we made ours.

  • Firmness level

How soft or how firm should your mattress topper be? It all depends on the condition of your current, is it too soft or too firm?

The goal of a topper is to improve the quality of your existing mattress and to adjust the firmness level according to your sleeping needs. 

Thus, if your mattress is too soft and lacks support that your back caves in, you need a mattress stopper that is firmer. This will lend your back that needed support and pressure relief.

On the other hand, if your mattress is too firm that it hurts your back, you need a topper that has sufficient contouring and enough plushness to render a more forgiving surface for your entire back. 

So we picked mattress toppers with varying levels of firmness, so you can find one that fits either your too-soft or too-firm bed.

  • Latex vs Memory foam

These are the two more common materials utilized in the mattress toppers we have on our list. And the better option depends on what your needs are for more relaxing sleep and a rejuvenated back. If your mattress feels the opposite of what you need, you’ll end up feeling tired with a bad back to mend

Memory foam contours the body whereas latex provides a more bouncy on-the-bed feel. Both can be effective in relieving back pain, it depends on your personal preferences. 

For more memory foam toppers, we also chose those that have decent support amidst the contours, so you will not have your back caving in. For latex toppers, we chose pieces that have a soft cushion that can lend sufficient plushness, this prevents the topper from being too firm

Our Top 10 Mattress Toppers for Back Pain

  • Plushbeds Latex

  • Nolah 

  • Linenspa

  • Serta Thermagel 

  • ViscoSoft Select High Density 

  • Lucid Gel Memory Foam

  • Tuft & Needle 

  • Saatva High Density

  • Brooklyn Bedding Micro Coil

  • Bear PRO 

Mattress toppers can significantly reduce back pain, you just have to choose well 

While a mattress topper is not the only solution to existing back pain, it can downplay the discomfort. These toppers are also made from different materials, they can be made from foam or latex. Both can help improve and minimize back pain, but they offer a different experience. 

Latex is bouncy and has that on-the-bed experience while memory foam can help you decently sink into the mattress while providing support at the same time. And both can be beneficial for your back, it just depends on what feels better for you.  Thus, trying out a topper first before purchasing will help see which can be the most suitable solution for you.