Best Mattresses for Arthritis in 2024

If you have arthritis, you’re probably familiar with the daily aches and stiffness, the sore elbows and knees. What you may not know is you need a special type of mattress. One that cushions your joints, protects your pressure points, and supports your spine.

These beds aren’t always easy to come by. But the wrong mattress could put more pressure on your joints rather than relieving tension. People living with arthritis need lots of cradling and contouring in their mattresses to relieve pressure on tired joints. However, you don’t want to sacrifice support. Lack of support could lead to the spine falling out of alignment, causing even more pain.

The good news is we’ve gone through the best mattresses on the market to determine the ones that will offer those with arthritis just the right amount of cradling and support. So let’s take a look.

Best Mattresses for Arthritis

Arthritis sufferers who just want an all-around amazing mattress should consider the AS3 from Amerisleep. It’s the most versatile mattress in the Amerisleep’s pressure-relieving line-up, ready to contour to the body in most sleep positions. The AS3 also possesses a more eco-friendly design than the average memory foam mattress.

How It Feels

The AS3’s medium feel will help cushion painful joints while still offering support to back sleepers and heavier side sleepers. This makes it a perfect choice for sleepers with both joint swelling and lower back pain.

Mattress Construction

This bed features Bio-Pur® foam, a memory foam made from plant oils instead of petroleum products. Bio-Pur® foam boasts loads of advantages over traditional polyurethane foam. For one thing, it’s much cooler and more breathable to keep you from sweating all night.

Bio-Pur® foam is also more responsive than memory foam. It will bounce back to its original shape without sacrificing contouring and pressure relief.

Underneath Bio-Pur® is a layer of Affinity foam with HIVE® technology. This sleep technology relies on five areas with hexagonal cutouts, arranged to ease tension in the shoulders and hips and provide support for the head, back, and feet.

The base of the AS3 is Bio-Core® foam, a material designed to withstand years of wear and tear for long-lasting support.

SEE ALSO: Best Mattresses without Fiberglass

If you’re in the market for a bed focused on recovery, the Zoma Mattress could be your new mattress. This makes the Zoma great not just for athletes but for joint pain sufferers on the mend from injuries and surgeries as well.

How It Feels

The Zoma Mattress offers a balanced feel to best meet the needs of most sleepers, feeling gently soft yet supportive when you lie down. The head and foot tends to feel more plush due to the cutouts in the top foam layer, which help the surface flex better under the body.

Mattress Construction

This bed offers three layers of foam for focused, targeted support. On top, the Triangulex™ gel memory foam layer provides cooling breathability. It also has three zones to give you targeted cushioning for your joints and support for your spine.

In the middle, the Zoma mattress has a Reactiv™ foam layer to increase the bed’s overall flexibility and response time. Just below that is a thick layer of firm support foam to fight sagging and encourage spinal alignment. All these layers combine to help you have the most restorative and recovery-focused sleep possible.

Those who want a quality mattress at a reasonable price should take a good look at the Vaya Mattress. This mattress features two layers of premium open-cell foam, affordable materials that provide for a cool and comfortable night’s sleep.

How It Feels

The comfort layer has plush and contouring memory foam to create a mattress that follows the curve of your body to keep your joints cradled and your spine neutral. The highly responsive foam also bounces back fast when you change positions.

Mattress Construction

The top layer is the aptly named Vaya Comfort Foam. This material conforms to the body and eases pressure points swiftly, eliminating any aches and pains that might build up in the joints.

Underneath the top layer, the support layer sports firm Vaya Base Foam to ensure the mattress offers stable support that will resist sagging and soft spot development as long as any expensive memory foam bed. This makes it perfect for joint pain sufferers who don’t want to buy a low-quality product but don’t have the budget to spend thousands of dollars.

Wrapped around these two layers is an airy and durable cover fabric. The cover ensures breathability and protects the foams inside for greater longevity.

If you just can’t get used to any other mattress type than an innerspring, the Saatva Classic is the Ferrari of innerspring mattresses. This luxurious mattress features a dual support core of adaptable pocketed coils and bouncy open coils for customizable yet responsive support.

How It Feels

The soft feel is great for side sleepers and petite sleepers, but if you prefer more firmness, the Classic also comes in Luxe Firm and Firm. Every firmness of the Saatva Classic features a thick pillow top with a crisp cotton surface. This pillow top is reinforced in the middle for extra back support, so sleepers won’t bow too far into the bed and experience discomfort.

Mattress Construction

The soft, squishy Euro-style pillow top mixes plush fibers and comfort foams to offer cradling support. And the hypoallergenic GOTS-certified organic cotton cover provides cooler, more breathable comfort.

Next is a memory foam layer with Lumbar Zone® Active Spinal Wire for targeted back support. This layer and the pillow top is supported not only by a transition layer of pocketed coils but a base of sturdy steel springs.

Another great feature of this mattress is its superior edge support. High-density foam rails surround the mattress on all sides. These rails provide stability, sag-resistance, and firm edge support to make getting in and out of bed a breeze.

The GhostBed Luxe may be your new best friend if you sleep hot but still want a plush and cushioning mattress. This bed boasts seven layers, each designed with cooling in mind.

How It Feels

With its medium-soft feel, the Ghost Bed luxe isn’t just for hot sleepers. It’s also great for side sleepers, petite sleepers, and combo sleepers who spend more time on their sides than their backs or stomachs. The bed gently hugs the body while also providing buoyant support.

Mattress Construction

The first five layers—Ghost Ice fabric, cooling fiber, two layers of gel memory foam, and the Ghost Ice layer—all work together to wick away heat and make your bed feel cool to the touch.

Underneath the cooling layers sits the Ghost Bounce layer. This layer is responsive like latex and contouring like memory foam. It will leave you feeling like you’re sleeping on a cloud. Finally, the durable base foam will keep the Ghost Bed sag-free and supportive for a full 25 years.

Another great offering from Amerisleep, the AS5 Hybrid combines the lift and support of pocketed coils with the cushioning and contouring of layers of soft Bio-Pur® foam. If you want a mattress with a soft feel that still has lots of cooling and bounce, this is a solid choice.

How It Feels

The AS5 comes in at a very plush 3 on the firmness scale. That makes it a good option for petite sleepers, side sleepers, and people with tender joints who just can’t take the pressure that might come with a firmer mattress.

Mattress Construction

The AS5’s ultra-breathable cover combines with its equally breathable Bio-Pur® foam. Pocketed coils encourage further air circulation to keep cool air flowing under your body all night long. A layer of Active Flex foam adds softness and response to the bed, increasing the bounce provided by the pocketed coils.

The pocketed coils have every spring encased to further deter motion transfer across the surface, while a foam base keeps the coils structured and supportive.

Those who have sensitivities to chemicals or allergens should consider the Bear Elite Hybrid. This mattress comes with copper infusions. These infusions naturally fight bacteria and mold buildup and resist common allergens.

How It Feels

The Bear Elite Hybrid comes in three firmnesses, offering a range of comfort that can suit most sleeping styles. Every mattress firmness comes with a pillowy surface that

Mattress Construction

The GREENGUARD Gold-certified Bear Elite Hybrid is also about as pure as it gets. This mattress meets some of the world’s strictest purity standards. That means those with chemical sensitivities can rest assured their mattress is free of pollutants and toxins.

The surface is a hand-quilted pillow top with technological PCM and Celliant® fibers, materials that promote temperature neutrality. The pillow top feels cushioning without allowing sleepers to sink in and feel stuck.

The comfort layer is copper-infused memory foam, promoting a mattress surface free of potentially harmful or smelly microbes. Another great thing about copper infusions is they fight heat buildup. This means the copper infusion works with the memory foam layer to remove unwanted body heat and wick away moisture.

Next is dynamic transition foam, followed by a supportive core of pocketed coils. The coils are ringed by thicker ones that provide edge support, and all of the coils rest on dense foam for mattress stability.

Some sleepers who suffer from joint pain may need an extra lift to stay on top of the sleeping surface and extra cushioning to cradle their joints. Enter the Aurora Hybrid by Brooklyn Bedding.

How It Feels

The Aurora Hybrid offers one of three firmnesses, ranging from soft to balanced to firm. Every firmness offers a stay-cool surface with plenty of bounce. Yet the springy support avoids jarring sleepers’ bodies, thanks to the pocketed coil support.

Mattress Construction

The Aurora Hybrid features three layers of comforting yet supportive foam. The comfort layer has copper and TitanCool™ infusions to resist bacteria and keep you cool throughout the night. The TitanFlex™ layer offers extra lift under the comfort layer to prevent sinkage without applying pressure to your joints.

Underneath the responsive VariFlex™ transition layer is the pocketed coil support core. This system contains up to 1032 individually encased Ascension® coils to offer additional airflow and adaptable support. This makes the Aurora a fantastic option for heavy and hot sleepers alike.

Couples looking for a great compromise in firmness should consider the Sparrow by Nest Bedding. This hybrid comes with the unique ability to change up firmness levels and even create an internal split king without the need for two mattresses.

It does this by using a removable layer of comfort foam. If you decide during or after your sleep trial that the mattress is too soft or firm, you can just swap out the foam comfort layer, and voila! A brand new firmness level.

How It Feels

Couples who have different firmness preferences can also take advantage of this customizability. It’s possible to order king and California king sizes with varying levels of firmness on either side. Firmness levels range from plush to luxe firm.

Mattress Construction

The surface of the Sparrow is a quilted top with gel memory foam and a phase change cooling cover. Next is the main comfort of Energex™ foam, responsive and contouring for sleepers’ comfort.

The transition foam is SmartFlow Support Foam, bolstered by pocketed coils that add bounce to the bed. These coils rest on sturdy base foam for mattress longevity.

How to Choose a Mattress for Arthritis

Choosing the best mattress for you depends on a lot of different factors. And when you have arthritis, things can get even more complicated.

Type of Arthritis

The arthritis pain you’re experiencing can impact your bed needs because you may experience pain in different areas of your body. This can affect your firmness needs and your material needs alike.

While there are many different types of arthritis, two of the most common forms are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Fibromyalgia is not a type of arthritis, but it can co-occur with osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, and ankylosing spondylitis. So you may also want to make sure you’re considering mattresses for fibromyalgia as you shop.

Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis happens when the smooth cartilage in between your joints wears out. This is usually due to the aging process. But it can also happen with injury. Osteoarthritis usually starts in one or a few joints, and some joints may be worse than others.

If you’re suffering from osteoarthritis, you may need a softer bed that can absorb as much pressure as possible. You might also consider a mattress that’s compatible with an adjustable base, like a hybrid or a memory foam bed.

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that attacks the joints. That means people suffering from rheumatoid arthritis may have similar pain levels in all their joints. They may also have other issues like fatigue and lethargy.

People with rheumatoid arthritis tend to experience interrupted sleep as a symptom, especially during flareups. That means you’ll need a bed that’s as conducive to deep sleep as possible, a bed that’s cooling, breathable, responsive, and cradling. Consider a gel memory foam hybrid to get the best night’s sleep.

Mattress Material

People with arthritis need extra cradling, so some materials are definitely better than others. There are four main types of mattresses to consider.

Memory Foam

Memory foam is the most contouring and pressure-relieving of all the mattress materials. That makes it one of the best mattress materials for sleepers with arthritis. Memory foam of the right firmness can follow the curve of your body to offer cushioning and support at the same time.

A memory foam mattress will take the pressure off your joints without reducing support to the spine. This means memory foam comes in at the top of the mattress material heap for most people with arthritis.

Latex Foam

Latex foam wants to hold its shape more than memory foam. It’s still contouring, but not as much as its synthetic cousin. Some people find latex mattresses’ increased breathability and responsiveness more comfortable than memory foam.

However, latex is denser and more durable than most memory foam. This means it may be more likely to put pressure on your joints if you have arthritis. You’ll need to take this into consideration when shopping for a new mattress.

Hybrid

Hybrids, especially memory foam hybrids, are another excellent choice for people with arthritis. The coil support core in a hybrid mattress is highly adaptable. And the memory foam comfort layers above the pocketed coils can protect your body from the pressure the springs exert.

The coils also keep air flowing underneath the comfort foams, outperforming pure foam mattresses in natural coolness. All that means hybrid mattresses can offer you more breathable support than foam mattresses without sacrificing contouring or pressure relief.

Innerspring

Unless they come with a thick, plush pillow top, innerspring mattresses aren’t the greatest choice for people with arthritis. Most innerspring mattresses have thinner comfort layers that don’t contour or cushion very much. This means they won’t offer you adaptable pressure relief.

In fact, innerspring mattresses can put more pressure on your joints because their tense coil systems exert a lot of force, and their thinner comfort layers offer less protection.

Bottom Line

No matter what type of arthritis you have, the best mattress can help you get a good night’s sleep. Not only that, but a great mattress may help you experience less pain even during the day. A mattress that cushion’s your joints and gently alleviates pressure can be the key to reducing your symptoms and improving your overall quality of life.

Professor Dagmara Dimitriou recommends, “to use a range of strategies to manage different pain conditions. Self-management of pain such as seeking comfort in the bedrooms to reduce pain and, in turn, improve sleep duration and quality ought to be implemented as part of it.”