Best Mattresses For Sciatica 2025

Type: Innerspring hybrid | Firmness: Plush, luxury firm or firm | Delivery: Free white glove delivery ($99 returns) | Trial: 365 nights | Warranty: Lifetime

What you’ll love:

• Customizable firmness and height
• Zoned design and sturdy edges
• Free in-room delivery and mattress removal

Keep in mind:

• Prone to motion transfer
• Costs $99 to return

The Saatva Classic is a luxury innerspring hybrid designed to promote proper alignment and boasts several features that accommodate those who live with sciatica pain. The center of the mattress features a thick layer of firm pocketed coils and a spinal wire to support the lumbar, along with a strip of high-density memory foam to relieve pressure. Surrounding the perimeter is a high-density foam rail for stable edges so you can easily climb in and out of bed. In the comfort layer is a layer of microcoils which helps reinforce the spine and prevent sagging. 

Choose from three firmness levels as well as two height options: 11.5 or 14.5 inches. Plush offers ample pressure relief for side sleepers while back and stomach sleepers should consider the luxury firm option for a supportive option that doesn’t compromise on cushion. And for sciatica, you may want a shorter, firmer mattress. Luckily, you get ample time to test it out since Saatva offers a full year to try it out at home. There’s also a lifetime warranty and free white glove delivery with optional removal of your old mattress and foundation, a nice perk if you’re dealing with a bad back. Honorable mention goes to the Saatva Rx, a specialty mattress made for sleepers with chronic and serious back and joint conditions. It features more pressure-relieving materials and better motion isolation.

What our testers say: In our Saatva Classic review, former Forbes Vetted editor Lindsey Vickers (who tested the Luxury Firm version) says, “The Saatva Classic has outstanding edge support. Sitting and lying on the side of the mattress is no problem.” Meanwhile, she adds, “It was supportive enough that I never woke up with pain in my lower back, which is something I frequently have after sleeping on mattresses that are softer.” Senior mattress and sleep editor Bridget Chapman adds, “The Saatva Classic is a really high-quality option with outstanding edge support.”

Type: Hybrid | Firmness: Medium-firm | Delivery: Free shipping and returns | Trial: 365 nights | Warranty: Lifetime

What you’ll love:

• Excellent value for money
• Balanced comfort and support for back sleepers
• Dampens movement well for a hybrid

Keep in mind:

• May be too firm for strict side sleepers
• Edge support could be better

If you struggle with sciatica, studies have shown (and our expert agrees) that a medium-firm mattress can help promote comfort and better spinal alignment to curb pain—and the DreamCloud is one of our favorites (especially for the money). With a soft cashmere-blend cover, an inviting pillow top, and thick pocketed coil layer for support, it wouldn’t look out of place at a 5-star hotel. In reality, it’s one of the most affordable mattresses out there. 

A queen fetches less than $700 during regular DreamCloud mattress sales. You also receive free shipping and returns, a one-year sleep trial and a lifetime warranty. This hybrid stands out for its exceptional motion isolation, and at 12 inches tall it shouldn’t be too prohibitive for most people to get in and out of bed. Back, stomach and combination sleepers in particular should appreciate its supportive profile and pressure-relieving memory foam.

What our testers say: Forbes Vetted mattress and sleep updates writer Alexandra Garrett says, “While back sleeping, the DreamCloud Hybrid properly held and supported me—I even felt some areas of my lower back decompressing, similar to what I felt on the Saatva Firm and Bear Elite. I like that there is a nice balance of support and cushioning. And even as a lightweight sleeper under 150 pounds, I enjoyed this bed while lying on my side. My hip and shoulder felt relaxed with no pressure build-up and my spine felt aligned, so I’m not worried about my back pain flaring up.”

Forbes Vetted readers get 27% off sitewide and two free Dream Pillows with a mattress purchase or free bedding bundle (two Dream Pillows, sheet set and mattress protector) with a Luxe or Elite mattress purchase using code FORBES27.

Type: Hybrid | Firmness: Medium | Delivery: Free shipping and returns | Trial: 100 nights | Warranty: Lifetime

What you’ll love:

• Balanced comfort for side sleepers (and some back sleepers)
• Great pressure relief plus dedicated lumbar support
• Optional GlacioTex cover is effectively cooling

Keep in mind:

• Some people may find it too plush
• At 13.5 inches, it may be too high for shorter sleepers

Side sleepers feel the most pressure against their shoulders and hips. This means a side sleeper’s mattress should be ultra-forgiving in these places and offer plenty of pressure relief, without losing out on support. In our experience, the Helix Midnight Luxe offers a nice balancing act between the two. Although this is one of the softest beds on our list with a 6-rated medium firmness (out of 10), it has firmer coils in the middle to prevent your midsection from sinking and around the perimeter for stronger edge support, along with multiple memory foam layers to help cushion your joints. We recommend people with sciatica opt for the ErgoAlign layer upgrade, which makes the center of the mattress underneath your back more supportive, sturdy and helps promote spinal alignment. If you tend to break into a sweat in your sleep, go for the upgraded GlacioTex cover ($199) to enhance the breathability of this hybrid so you can remain comfortably cool at night.

What our testers say: Garrett sums up her Helix Midnight Luxe review by saying, “Side sleepers, back sleepers and back-pain sufferers should appreciate the bed’s excellent pressure relief and support. Hot sleepers can keep cool with the mattress’ GlacioTex cover and breathable hybrid construction, and combination sleepers can benefit from the Midnight Luxe’s slight bounce and lifted feel.” Chapman adds, “This mattress tested really well for cooling, support and motion isolation, so I think it’s a great fit for couples.”

Type: Hybrid | Firmness: Firm | Delivery: Free shipping and returns | Trial: 120 nights | Warranty: Lifetime

What you’ll love:

• A durable combo of coils, latex and high-density foam
• Specialty LumbarLayer at the center of the mattress
• Supports 450 pounds per side (900 pounds total)

Keep in mind:

• No in-room delivery option for this heavy bed

A typical mattress supports up to 250 pounds per side, but the WinkBed Plus can accommodate up to 450 pounds per side. (For insurance, the brand says it’s been pressure-tested by a third-party to ensure durability.) This hybrid also yields an innerspring feel and features high-density foam, a seven-zone latex layer and reinforced coils. There’s a specialty LumbarLayer for extra support in the middle, as well as enhanced edges so you can sit comfortably. The cherry on top is its light and fluffy pillow top, which makes the bed feel more luxurious and cushy. Although it’s rated firm, sleepers over 350 pounds may find it closer to medium-firm. Shipping is free, but the WinkBed Plus is an unwieldy mattress so we recommend finding someone to help you set it up, especially if you’re dealing with a sciatica flare-up.

What our testers say: ”The WinkBed Plus is extremely supportive, but it still has the same high-end feel as the other WinkBed models,” says Chapman. “Its materials make it quite bouncy and easy to move around on, and make it a great cooling option for hot sleepers.”