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Our team of Certified Sleep Science Coaches have reviewed 600+ mattresses and accessories for over seven years using proprietary analysis and hands-on testing. We assess each bed for support, cooling, firmness, pressure relief, and more.
We’ll be discussing our top picks for the best mattresses for pressure points with considerations for pressure relief, comfort, contouring, and the needs of side sleepers who end up with more pressure on their shoulders and hips.
Often, the cause of a bad night’s sleep is the wrong mattress. If you find yourself waking up with achy joints, or if the pain is preventing you from falling or staying asleep, consider investing in the best mattress for pressure points. Many models on the market are designed to prevent a buildup of pressure around these sensitive areas. The best mattresses for pressure points vary based on your personal needs and preferences, so we created a roundup with some of our absolute favorites.
Our Verdict: What’s the Best Mattress for Pressure Points?
Our expert reviewers chose the DreamCloud as the best mattress for pressure points for its breathable hybrid construction and pillowy comfort layer, which offers plenty of cushioning for achy joints.
Our team of sleep specialists have reviewed hundreds of mattresses, using proprietary analysis and hands-on testing to establish easy-to-understand scores. In addition to an overall score, we measure subscores for support, edge support, cooling, motion transfer, durability, trial period, and warranty.
Hands-on testing in our sleep lab
For those struggling with pressure point pain, we wanted to make sure that these beds had plenty of proper support. We also considered beds with high scores in their trial periods and warranties, so sleepers have time to discern whether or not their mattress is best for their needs. That’s why all of our mattresses score above-average in support, with five of them scoring at least a 4 out of 5. Each and every mattress scored above a 4 out of 5 in their sleep trials and warranties.
If you want the pressure relief of a foam mattress with the durability and support of an innerspring, try the DreamCloud. It’s a hybrid bed, so it combines a pillow-top and a memory foam comfort layer with sturdy individually-wrapped coils. Lightweight sleepers compress less layers, so they should get sufficient pressure relief. Heavier sleepers might find the DreamCloud has a firmer feel, since they sink closer to the support layer.
What our testers say: “The DreamCloud is a high-quality hybrid mattress, and I particularly enjoyed it on my back. It’s a firmer mattress, so it really supports my back. It might not be the best for side sleepers because of that, however. But it’s durable and supportive for some stomach sleepers, too.” – Marten Carlson, Lead Reviewer
What We Love About the DreamCloud
The DreamCloud feels slightly firmer than average, so we recommend it for back sleepers looking for great pressure relief.
This mattress feels very bouncy and easy to move around on. It would be a great mattress for sex.
Hot sleepers shouldn’t overheat on the DreamCloud. Its innerspring coil layer allows for ample airflow below its gel-infused memory foam layers.
What to Keep in Mind About the DreamCloud
Its innerspring coil layer gives the DreamCloud a bouncy, responsive feel. Fans of a slow-moving foam feel should opt for an all-foam mattress.
Side sleepers won’t find a lot of pressure relief on the DreamCloud. Its top comfort layer won’t compress as much as a softer mattress would.
Other User Reviews
The DreamCloud Hybrid mattress has a 4.6 out of 5 star rating from 8,734 customer reviews on its product page. Many users found the DreamCloud cool and comfortable and said it improved their sleep quality. Some customers thought the DreamCloud was too firm to be comfortable, especially when side sleeping.
We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types:
Back Sleepers
This bed’s strong support is ideal for back sleepers because it helps keep the spine neutrally aligned.
Back Pain
This bed is a good match for anyone struggling with back pain, as it cushions the lumbar region and has enough support to keep the spine neutrally aligned.
Stomach Sleepers
This mattress is ideal for stomach sleepers as its firm support promotes spinal alignment.
Side Sleepers
This bed offers pressure relief at both the shoulders and hips, making it a great fit for side sleepers.
Couples
This bed has great motion isolation so you will not feel your partner tossing and turning at night.
Financing Options
Financing options are available for this mattress.
The Nectar gives you a slow-moving, memory foam feel through 3” of gel-infused foam. There’s not only plenty of sinkage, but the gel infusion prevents the trapping of heat. That way, you get adequate pressure relief without overheating at night. The Nectar’s medium-firm construction is a result of its 2” transition layer and high-density foam base. This adds durability and makes it easier to move around the mattress. Because of its foam construction, the Nectar does a great job of isolating motion, which is very important for couples.
What our testers say: “Memory foam mattresses are great for offering pressure relief, and the Nectar mattress should be at the top of your list if that’s what you want. I really enjoyed side sleeping on this mattress because of it’s ability to cradle my shoulders and hips.” – Marten Carlson, Lead Reviewer
What We Love About the Nectar
The Nectar mattress has a slow-moving feel that offers lots of body contouring and pressure point relief. You’ll feel like you are sleeping “inside” the mattress rather than on top of it.
Combination sleepers should find a balance of comfort and support from the Nectar. We think its most comfortable while back and side sleeping.
All Nectar mattresses come with a risk-free 365-night sleep trial and a forever warranty that covers damages for the lifespan of your mattress.
What to Keep in Mind About the Nectar
Since the Nectar mattress feels medium-firm, it won’t offer enough support to most stomach sleepers or heavyweight sleepers. Instead, they should check out our best mattresses for heavy people page.
Fans of a bouncy, responsive mattress probably won’t enjoy the “quicksand” feel the Nectar mattress has.
Other User Reviews
The original Nectar Memory Foam mattress has a 4.7/5 star rating from 50,754 customer reviews on the Nectar website. Several customers with shoulder, back, or joint pain said the Nectar mattress offered them total relief and restful sleep. Some negative reviewers mention how they wish the Nectar was slightly softer for even more pressure relief.
Chronic pain like arthritis makes it incredibly difficult to sleep, especially when the pain gets worse at night. The Helix Sunset Luxe could be a good option for addressing this, as it excels at relieving pressure points. This luxury bed is labeled as one of our best soft mattresses. A cushy pillow-top, Helix Responsive Foam and a thick layer of memory foam should relieve pressure on your body and joints. It boasts a cooling cover for added comfort.
What our testers say: “The Helix Sunset Luxe is a high-quality hybrid mattress, and I particularly enjoyed it on my back. While it’s a softer mattress, its zoned coils gave me the lumbar support I required.” – Marten Carlson, Lead Reviewer
What We Love About the Helix Sunset Luxe
Helix Luxe mattresses come with several cooling materials including a breathable Tencel cover and copper gel memory foam.
Sleepers should gently sink into its quilted pillow top and plush foam comfort layers to experience pressure point relief.
Its individually wrapped coil layer is zoned for extra lumbar support and reinforced edge support.
What to Keep in Mind About the Helix Sunset Luxe
Its pocketed coil support layer gives the Sunset Luxe a bouncy, hybrid feel. It feels more responsive than a slow-moving all-foam mattress.
The Sunset Luxe is not firm enough to provide most back sleepers with adequate support unless they weigh close to 130 lb or less.
Other User Reviews
On Helix’s website, the Sunset Luxe has earned a 4.4 out of 5 star rating based on 1,064 customer reviews. Happy customers loved the plush feel and quality construction of the Sunset Luxe. Some customers were unsatisfied with how soft and unsupportive the Sunset Luxe felt, which can be subjective based on your body type.
We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types:
Back Sleepers
This bed’s strong support is ideal for back sleepers because it helps keep the spine neutrally aligned.
Stomach Sleepers
This mattress is ideal for stomach sleepers as its firm support promotes spinal alignment.
Back Pain
This bed is a good match for anyone struggling with back pain, as it cushions the lumbar region and has enough support to keep the spine neutrally aligned.
Hot Sleepers
This bed features extra cooling technology, making it great for hot sleepers.
Side Sleepers
This bed offers pressure relief at both the shoulders and hips, making it a great fit for side sleepers.
Hip Pain
This bed should be comfortable for anyone struggling with hip pain since it contours the hips and keeps them supported.
Seniors
This bed is perfect for senior sleepers, as it provides them support and easy mobility.
Financing Options
Financing options are available for this mattress.
As we get older, sleep can become challenging. We might develop joint pain or sleep hot. Luckily, seniors should fall in love with the WinkBed. Its Euro-top and cooling gel-infused foam cradle sensitive joints and promote cooling. As soft as this mattress is, it’s also supportive. The bouncy innerspring feel makes it easier to move around on top of the mattress. Stellar edge support helps sleepers get in and out of bed.
What our testers say: “As people age, the pressure points along the back and shoulders start to ache. WinkBed has a thick comfort layer that can help with older side sleepers. And back sleepers can feel exceptional lumbar support from the zoned coils in the bottom. I felt all of that when I was testing this mattress. I tested the luxury firm model, but it does come in different firmnesses for all sorts of people.” – Marten Carlson, Lead Reviewer
What We Love About the WinkBed
The WinkBed is available in four firmness options, including a Plus model designed for heavyweight sleepers. The Luxury Firm model offers a great balance of comfort and support for back and side sleepers.
All of the WinkBed’s foam layers are CertiPUR-US certified, which means they do not contain harmful chemicals. Its Tencel cover is also OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 certified and is certified by the Forest Stewardship Council to be sustainably sourced.
Its bouncy, responsive feel and reinforced edge support make the WinkBed easy to move around on.
What to Keep in Mind About the WinkBed
The WinkBed is a bouncy innerspring mattress, and it doesn’t isolate motion well. This is something couples should keep in mind if they are easily disturbed by the other person’s movements.
This is a luxury mattress with a luxury price point to match. A queen size WinkBed costs $1,799 before any sales or coupons.
Other User Reviews
The WinkBed has an impressive 4.8 out of 5 star rating from 8,573 customer reviews left on its product page. Many customers loved WinkBed’s luxurious craftsmanship and how it was able to relieve their back or joint pain. Some customers found the model of the WinkBed they purchased either too firm or too soft, which can be subjective.
Best Pressure-Relieving Mattress for Side Sleepers- Saatva
Best Pressure-Relieving Mattress for Side Sleepers
Saatva Mattress
The Saatva is an organic mattress that is both comfortable and supportive. This mattress comes in multiple firmness options to fit a variety of sleepers.
We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types:
Back Sleepers
This bed’s strong support is ideal for back sleepers because it helps keep the spine neutrally aligned.
Stomach Sleepers
This mattress is ideal for stomach sleepers as its firm support promotes spinal alignment.
Back Pain
This bed is a good match for anyone struggling with back pain, as it cushions the lumbar region and has enough support to keep the spine neutrally aligned.
Hot Sleepers
This bed features extra cooling technology, making it great for hot sleepers.
Seniors
This bed is perfect for senior sleepers, as it provides them support and easy mobility.
Financing Options
Financing options are available for this mattress.
The Saatva mattress comes in three different firmnesses (Plush Soft, Luxury Firm, and Firm). For the best pressure relief, we recommend the Plush Soft version. A 3” pillow-top provides cushioning to one’s joints. This is good news for side sleepers, who need a thicker comfort layer to cradle pressure points at the shoulders and hips.
What our testers say: “While I tested the Luxury Firm model of the Saatva Classic, I can say that the Plush Soft model will work wonders for side sleepers. It does have coils at the bottom, but the top layer will be soft enough to provide good pressure relief.” – Marten Carlson, Lead Reviewer
What We Love About the Saatva
Side sleepers should feel lots of body contouring and plush cushioning from the Saatva mattress’s luxurious Euro pillow top.
This mattress is made from extra-supportive 13-gauge tempered steel coils and has a reinforced edge. These features should keep the Saatva from sagging.
Both its Euro pillow top and its pocketed coil layer have zoned lumbar support to help keep your spine aligned.
What to Keep in Mind About the Saatva
Saatva is a luxury bedding company, and the Saatva mattress is a high-end price that could be out of some shoppers’s budgets.
The Plush Soft model is the only suitable model for side sleeping. The other models don’t offer as much pressure relief.
Other User Reviews
On Saatva’s website, the Saatva Classic mattress has an impressive 4.8/5 star rating from 3,312 customers. Many customers were pleased with the mattress’s craftsmanship and the brand’s white glove delivery service. Some customers who bought the Plush Soft model wished that it was even more soft for even more pressure relief.
Those suffering from hip pain know how important it is for a mattress to take the pressure off. We’d love to introduce these folks to the Nolah. It’s a soft all-foam mattress that combines plushness with lots of support. The proprietary AirFoam comfort layer is pressure-relieving, but also responsive and breathable. So, you should still find it easy to move around on this mattress.
What our testers say: “The foam in the Nolah mattress is great because it’s really easy to move around on but it’s still soft enough to give good pressure relief. It can cradle your joints along your shoulders and hips.” – Marten Carlson, Lead Reviewer
What We Love About the Nolah Original
The Nolah mattress feels slightly softer than average, so side sleepers should receive great body contouring and pressure relief. It’s also supportive enough for some back sleepers.
Nolah’s AirFoam is designed to dissipate body heat better than traditional memory foam. The Nolah mattress also comes with a breathable Tencel cover to prevent heat from trapping.
Although the Nolah has a responsive feel, it also isolates motion very well which makes it a good mattress for couples.
What to Keep in Mind About the Nolah Original
You may notice a slight chemical smell while your Nolah mattress is fully expanding. After being put in a well-ventilated room, we noticed the smell disappeared after 48 hours.
Since the Nolah is softer than average, it is not a good match for stomach sleepers.
Other User Reviews
On Nolah’s website, the Nolah Original 10” mattress has a 4.7 out of 5 star rating. Many customers love Nolah’s quality customer service and how the Nolah Original offers a great balance of support and pressure relief. Keep in mind that visitors on the Nolah site cannot sort or filter through all of their customer reviews.
As a company, Bear prioritizes rest and recovery. The Bear mattress is made especially for athletes, but anyone can benefit from its top-tier pressure relief. The secret, of course, is the Bear’s memory foam construction. There are two comfort layers, the first being a graphite-infused gel foam layer, which assists with cooling. The second layer is a transition foam that helps with ease of movement.
What our testers say: “I like the all-foam construction of the Bear mattress for pressure points. Memory foam contours around your body and is great for pressure relief that way. It’s not incredibly supportive for stomach sleepers, but side and back sleepers should enjoy some good body contouring.” – Elisa, Reviewer
What We Love About the Bear
This mattress has a medium-firm feel which is great for back and side sleeping. Lightweight stomach sleepers could also find enough support on the Bear mattress.
The Bear mattress has several features to prevent people from sleeping hot. It has a gel-infused memory foam layer to regulate body temperature and a choice between a Tencel cover and a Celliant cooling cover.
We’ve named the Bear mattress as one of the best mattresses for the money. It is a high-quality, long-lasting mattress that you can purchase for less than $1,000 for a queen size.
What to Keep in Mind About the Bear
The Bear mattress has a slow-moving foam feel, so it doesn’t respond quickly to your body weight.
This mattress has decent edge support, but its edge is not as solid as other mattresses on this list.
Other User Reviews
According to Bear’s website, the Bear Original has a 4.7/5 star rating based on over 10,000 customer reviews. Several positive reviews mention that the user’s back, hip, and joint pain was minimized after a few nights of sleeping on the Bear mattress. A few reviewers found the Bear to be firmer than average, which could be influenced by their sleep position and body type.
Brooklyn Bedding has amazing products that are sold at very affordable prices. This mattress is extremely high-quality and a great option for combination sleepers.
First off, the Brooklyn Bedding Signature Hybrid is available in three different firmness options: Soft, Medium, and Firm. We tested the Medium version, so our comments apply specifically to that firmness. Our testers found it provided the best pressure relief specifically for lightweight sleepers. Average-weight (130 – 230 lb) back sleepers also felt very comfortable, but our testers found it didn’t perform exceptionally well for anyone else. One thing we all agree on, though, is that the price of the Signature Hybrid is a huge selling point. Most of the time, a queen can be purchased for under $1,000, as it’s often on sale. For a mattress pressure relieving mattress of this quality, that’s hard to beat.
What our testers say: “The Brooklyn Bedding Signature Hybrid mattress is a great budget-friendly option for many back and side sleepers. It has a responsive feel, making it easy to move around on top of the bed. It’s also available in three firmness levels, so it should work for a variety of sleepers.” – Marten Carlson, Lead Reviewer
What We Love About the Signature Hybrid
Because the Brooklyn Bedding Signature Hybrid is available in multiple firmnesses, it’s more likely to accommodate your specific needs. For example, we recommend the Medium version for all lightweight sleepers, so the Firm version could be a good fit for heavyweight sleepers.
Back sleepers should also find that the Medium version of the Signature Hybrid is a good fit for them. Our lightweight and average-weight mattress testers found it to do an excellent job of relieving pressure, while out heavyweight tester found that it did a good job relieving pressure while he was on his back.
What to Keep in Mind About the Signature Hybrid
For couples, we would recommend a mattress that does a better job of isolating motion. On the Signature Hybrid, you’ll likely find that when your partner tosses and turns it disturbs your side of the bed, which can be a big problem if you’re a light sleeper. We suggest the Nectar instead.
Other User Reviews
The Signature Hybrid has an average rating of 4.7 out of 5, based on 11,043 user reviews on the company website. 129 of the 5-star reviews mention the bed’s impressive ability to relieve pressure around sensitive areas of the body. Notably, there’s only one 1-star review that claims the mattress was unsuccessful at alleviating aches and pains.
The ideal mattress for pressure points provides relief from these sensitive areas. This is typically accomplished by a soft, plush, pressure-relieving surface. That way, the pain points are cradled and cushioned, preventing the buildup of pressure as you sleep through the night. Mattresses with thicker comfort layers or foam mattresses are known to excel at this.
Who Should Get a Pressure-Relieving Mattress?
Athletes
These folks need a mattress that prioritizes rest and recovery. A mattress known with nice pressure relief is ideal for healing and restoration, so these sleepers don’t wake up with pain at pressure points like the hips and shoulders. Athletes need a supportive mattress base for their musculature, and to keep their spine aligned.
Sleep becomes tricky for those with chronic pain, since a bad mattress can exacerbate pain, and bad pain can ruin sleep. This cycle can be put to a stop with a pressure-relieving mattress. It should cradle sensitive joints to alleviate pain and prevent it from waking you up in the middle of the night.
Side Sleepers
Sleeping on one’s side puts quite a bit of pressure on the hips and shoulders. Sleeping on a mattress that’s too firm can build up pressure on these areas. Consequently, you could wake up feeling sore. So, a pressure-relieving mattress contours to the body and eases up on the pressure, letting you have a restful sleep.
Heavyweight sleepers compress through more mattress layers, so they’re more likely to find a mattress to be firm. Lightweight sleepers, on the other hand, do best on soft and pressure-relieving mattresses since they don’t sink through as many of the layers.
Pressure-Relieving Mattress Considerations
Firmness
The mattress industry ranks mattress firmness on a scale from 1 to 10. While 1 is the softest mattress firmness, 10 is the firmest. 6.5/10 is considered as medium-firm.
Most pressure-relieving mattresses are going to be on the softer side of the firmness scale. However, it is possible to have a firmer mattress with a thick comfort layer or luxurious pillow-top that does the trick. What’s most important is whether or not the mattress suits your body type and sleeping position.
Body Type
Lightweight sleepers: under 130 lb
Average-weight sleepers: between 130 – 230 lb
Heavyweight sleepers: over 230 lb
Sleepers of different body types feel mattresses differently. Because heavy sleepers sink through more of the mattress, they require more supportive beds. Lightweight sleepers only compress so many layers, so they typically do well on softer, more pressure-relieving beds.
Sleeping Position
Sidesleeping requires a softer mattress with lots of pressure relief, since folks put the most weight on their hips and shoulders.
Back sleepers do well on pressure-relieving mattresses as long as they’re balanced with support. The lumbar region requires cushioning, but the hips need to be elevated.
Stomach sleepers should focus on a mattress with a thinner comfort layer. They require lots of support to keep the spine in proper alignment.
Combination sleepers should avoid super soft pressure-relieving mattresses if they can, since it inhibits movement. They do better with bouncier constructions, such as latex or innerspring beds.
Other Considerations
Cooling
Some pressure-relieving surfaces, like memory foam mattresses, tend to trap heat as you sink into the material. If you’re a particularly hot sleeper, try to find a pressure-relieving bed with cooling properties. There are many foams out there that are infused with cooling gel. Hybrid mattresses with thicker comfort layers could be good options, since their supportive coils allow room for airflow.
Softer mattresses tend to be less durable. Foam is such a popular material in pressure-relieving mattresses, and it’s also more prone to sagging. However, there are many high-density and high-quality foam options available. A hybrid mattress could be a good option for those in search of pressure relief and durability. The sturdy coils at the base of the bed allow for a sturdier construction.
Pressure-relieving mattresses are known for their ability to isolate motion. Beds with low motion transfer are ideal for couples or those who sleep with a pet because the material is able to isolate movement. So, if your partner tosses and turns, this shouldn’t wake you. Mattresses with thinner comfort layers, such as innerspring beds, don’t isolate motion well.
Responsiveness
If you’re a combination sleeper, a senior citizen, or someone wanting an “on-top-of” feel, consider the responsiveness of a mattress. Responsiveness refers to how bouncy a bed feels. Beds with thinner comfort layers (like innerspring or latex mattresses) tend to be far more responsive.
These all-foam beds typically incorporate memory foam in the comfort layer, which is made of viscoelastic polyurethane foam.
They’re known for providing unmatched contouring and pressure-relief.
Couples should love how well foam isolates motion. Side sleepers, those with chronic pain, and those wanting a softer feel should like the plushness of memory foam.
These eco-friendly mattresses have constructions derived from rubber trees.
They’re known for their cooling ability, durability, and responsive nature.
Anyone wanting a long-lasting mattress should like latex beds. Eco-conscious shoppers and hot sleepers should find something to enjoy. Combination sleepers should like the ease of movement.
No
How Do You Relieve Pressure Points When Sleeping?
Use a pressure-relieving mattress.
Try back sleeping to prevent pressure buildup around the shoulder and hips.
Buy an adjustable bed, ideally one with lots of customizability and even massage settings.
Mattress Warranties and Sleep Trials
Warranties
Read the fine print on mattress warranties, because every company has different policies. These are incredibly important policies because they protect you, the customer, from having to pay in full for a damaged or defective product.
Sleep Trials
Different companies provide different lengths of sleep trials. This allotment of time allows the customer to figure out whether or not they want to keep the mattress. Use this time wisely and consider if it truly matches your needs and preferences.
Where to Find the Best Deals
Holiday Sales
Presidents Day (February), Memorial Day (May), Labor Day (September), Cyber 5 (November), and Christmas (December) are five times of the year where many mattress companies significantly slash their prices.
The best way to relieve pressure points in bed is to sleep on a pressure-relieving surface. This means a bed that contours to your body and prevents your joints from hitting the firmest parts of a mattress. You can achieve this best by purchasing a pressure-relieving mattress, a plush mattress topper, or an adjustable bed.
Is memory foam good for pressure points?
Yes, memory foam mattresses are known best for providing unmatched comfort and contouring. It’s a popular material in the best mattresses for joint pain.
Why do my pressure points hurt in bed?
The right mattress is absolutely crucial for alleviating pressure points. Firmness is important, since one that’s softer or harder can cause pain. Your sleeping position can have an impact; for instance, side sleepers put a lot of weight on their shoulders and hips. You may also have an older, worn-out mattress that needs to be replaced.
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Lauren Hapgood
Performance Publisher
About Author
Lauren is a Performance Publisher at Mattress Clarity, where she writes and edits mattress content to keep readers updated on sleep products. Lauren is committed to helping readers find the best sleep products for their lifestyles and is even a Certified Sleep Science Coach! She earned her bachelor’s degree in creative writing from the University of Washington. When she’s not compiling lists of the best beds on the market, you can find Lauren running on a trail, reading classic novels, or napping on her favorite mattress (her best talent).
