6 Best Mattresses for Sciatica in 2025: The Complete Buying Guide
We deeply researched, tested, and scored the best mattresses for sciatica in 2025. Our top recommendation is the Saatva Rx.
- According to our testing, the best mattress for sciatica is the Saatva Rx.
- The mattresses we reviewed ranged in cost from $1,499–$3,295 for a queen-sized mattress.
- Medium-firm mattresses are generally the most comfortable for people who have sciatic symptoms, but this can vary depending on personal preference, sleeping position, and body weight.
Our mission at NCOA is to support everyone’s right to age well. So we take the time to research, test, and recommend products that can help you live a healthier life. We’ve spent more than 2,500 hours researching and testing mattresses to give you the most accurate product reviews. To find the best mattresses, we:
- Consulted with sleep specialists like doctors, occupational therapists, and physical therapists for guidance on choosing the best mattress
- Put more than 130 models through a series of 19 different tests at our in-house lab
- Mystery-shopped more than 40 brands
- Surveyed more than 2,000 older adults on their sleep quality
- Interviewed experts on the importance of good sleep for older adults
- Worked with older adult testers to evaluate mattresses and get their opinion
- Read thousands of verified customer reviews
We’re constantly testing new mattresses and sleep products to give you the most accurate and up-to-date recommendations. Read more about our mattress review methodology.
Back pain has many causes and is one of the most common health concerns among adults. Sciatica is a frequent cause of back pain. So if you are currently experiencing sciatica pain, or have ever had it, you’re not alone. Up to 40% of people have sciatica symptoms at some point in life, and these symptoms can make it difficult to sleep.1 So you might now be on the hunt for the best mattress for sciatica.
Sciatica isn’t an actual diagnosis. It’s a medical term for nerve pain—specifically pain in the sciatic nerve. This nerve starts at your spinal cord and runs down through your buttocks and down the back of both legs. Even without treatment, sciatica often goes away on its own in four to six weeks.2 But some people have more severe symptoms and a longer recovery.
“Sciatica can significantly impact sleep for older adults, especially depending on the underlying cause. If there’s spinal degeneration, disc narrowing, or stenosis reducing the space where the sciatic nerve runs, that compression can worsen when lying down,” explained Mark El-Hayek, a chiropractor and owner of Spine and Posture Care.
Having the right mattress can make a big difference in easing your pain and improving your sleep. To choose the best mattress for people with sciatica, we examined those that offer the best support and pressure relief. The Saatva Rx mattress was our top choice.
- Excellent for pressure relief
- Extra lower back support for better spinal alignment
- Works well for all sleeping positions
- Eases pressure on hips and shoulders
- Foam and hybrid options
- Works well for all sleeping positions
- Excellent pressure relief
- Easy to move around
- Extra lower-back support
Best mattresses for sciatica in 2025
- Saatva Rx: Best Overall
- Nectar Premier: Best for Side Sleepers with Sciatica
- Helix Midnight Luxe: Best for Low Back Pain and Sciatica
- The WinkBed Luxury Firm: Best for Arthritis and Sciatica
- Bear Elite Hybrid: Best Cooling for Sciatica
- Birch Natural: Most Accessible Mattress for Sciatica
Comparing the best mattresses for sciatica
| Comparison Features | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Score (out of 10) | 9.9 |
9.7 |
9.8 |
9.7 |
9.6 |
9.1 |
| Type | Hybrid |
Foam and Hybrid |
Hybrid |
Hybrid |
Hybrid |
Hybrid |
| Firmness | 6.5 |
5.5 |
5.5 |
6.5 |
6.5 |
6.5 |
| Pain relief score (out of 5) | 4.99 |
4.07 |
4.86 |
4.8 |
4 |
4.73 |
| Accessibility score (out of 5) | 4.94 |
4.36 |
4.74 |
4.44 |
4.29 |
4.99 |
Top features of the best mattresses with sciatica
We considered the following features when selecting the best mattresses for sciatica in older adults.
Pain relief score
Unique to NCOA, a high pain relief score refers to a mattress that provides the right balance of pressure relief and ease in getting in and out of bed due to a balance of bounce, support, and firmness. Since pressure and certain movements can cause nerve pain from sciatica, this score is key to finding the right mattress.
Good pressure relief
We looked for mattresses with good joint pressure relief in various sleeping positions, particularly along the back and hips, for added comfort while sleeping.
Spinal support
Mattresses that help maintain a neutral spine position can help ease the strain on your back, hips, and legs.
Firmness
Medium to firm mattresses are most effective in relieving back pain, including symptoms of sciatica, according to research.3
Understanding our scoring
Our mattress recommendations are based on our thorough research and testing. We created two scores:
- Accessibility score: A combined score reflecting factors that make it easier for older adults to move around and get in and out of bed.
- Pain relief score: A combined score reflecting factors that help relieve pain while in bed.
Saatva Rx: Best Mattress Overall for Sciatica
We chose the Saatva Rx as our “Best Mattress Overall” because of its excellent pressure relief and support to help ease and protect against sciatic pain. It scored high in support, cooling, motion transfer, and pressure relief—more than any other mattress we reviewed.
- Scored the highest in pain relief
- One of our top mattresses in all-around scoring
- Excellent responsiveness and cooling features
- Our pain relief score: 4.99/5
- Accessibility score: 4.94/5
- Mattress type: Hybrid
- Brand’s firmness rating: 6.5/10
Why we chose the Saatva Rx as the Best Overall for Sciatica
We were impressed with the high scores of the Saatva Rx in almost all of our categories, including support, pressure relief, bounce, and cooling. This, along with Saatva’s three firmness options, makes this mattress suitable for most people, no matter their sleeping position. That’s no surprise—the Saatva Rx mattress was developed specifically for people with chronic back and joint conditions.
The top memory foam layer has good contouring, but bounces back quickly, unlike traditional memory foam mattresses. The materials are made for promoting spinal alignment and relieving joint pain caused by pressure points. Those with sciatica can benefit from this support, where your weight is spread out evenly so that it can decrease the chances of aggravating nerve pain.
Our testers reported their weight felt evenly distributed while side sleeping. There wasn’t pressure on joints, and the mattress felt really comfortable. With sciatic pain, it can help to sleep on the unaffected side. Back sleeping can also be comfortable for many people with sciatica. One tester noted the Saatva Rx kept their spine neutral and the mattress did a good job at spreading out their weight so there wasn’t pressure on the low back and hips.
Saatva Rx pros and cons
Pros
- Relieves common pressure points
- Cooling features to help those who get warm at night
- One-year trial period
- Free white glove delivery
Cons
- Motion isolation wasn’t as good as other mattresses we tested
- Not the strongest edge support
- More expensive than some mattresses we tested
Our testing experience with the Saatva Rx
One of our testers for the Saatva Rx is a combination sleeper, meaning they prefer to change positions throughout the night rather than remaining in just one position. They spent time in each position during the testing process and found a good bounce to the mattress. This helps you switch positions, especially if you have sciatic pain acting up. “It feels good switching positions, and the pressure is even throughout my body,” she noted.
But another tester thought the edge support wasn’t as good as some of the other mattresses we tested. “Sitting on the edge of this bed, I feel like I might fall forward. My bottom sinks extensively, and I’m at least halfway down the edge of the mattress. If I needed assistance to get out of bed, I would definitely need a cane or walker.”
Who is the Saatva Rx right for?
The Saatva Rx is great for anyone who needs some extra support and pressure relief. Those with chronic pain, including sciatica, back pain, and arthritis, can feel like painful joints are cradled and weight is evenly spread. It’s also a good option for those who like to sleep in different positions throughout the night. Our testers tried out back sleeping, side sleeping, and stomach sleeping, and felt comfortable and supported in all three.
| This mattress may work for me if I: | |
| Have chronic pain | Yes |
| Have trouble getting in and out of bed | No |
| Feel hot at night | Yes |
| Switch positions while I sleep | Yes |
Saatva Rx customer experience
- Trial period: 365 nights
- Shipping: Free white-glove delivery
- Warranty: Limited lifetime
Customer service
You can contact Saatva customer service by:
- Phone: 877-672-2882, available 24/7
- Email: info@saatvamattress.com
- Live chat: Available via the chat icon on the website, 24/7
- Calling or visiting a viewing room
Payment options
- Ways to pay
- American Express
- Visa
- Mastercard
- Discover
- Google Pay
- PayPal
- Discounts? Yes, Saatva offers $225 off a purchase of $1,000 or more to adults 65 and older, military members and their families, health care professionals, government employees, and more. This cannot be combined with other offers. Find more information here.
- Financing: Yes, Affirm
Nectar Premier: Best for Side Sleepers with Sciatica
We chose the Nectar Premier as our Best for Side Sleepers with Sciatica because of the support it provides for side sleeping. We liked how weight was distributed evenly and there wasn’t pressure on the joints, especially the hips and shoulders, where pain can build up when side sleeping.
- Excellent pressure relief scores
- Good cooling features
- 365-night trial period
- Our pain relief score: 4.07/5
- Accessibility score: 4.36
- Mattress type: Foam and hybrid
- Brand’s firmness rating: 5.50
Why we chose the Nectar Premier as the Best for Side Sleepers with Sciatica
If you are a dedicated side sleeper and are living with chronic pain like sciatica, it’s important to sleep on a mattress that cradles your pressure points, such as your shoulders and hips. Side sleeping is actually the most popular sleeping position, according to research.3
The Nectar Premier comes in both memory foam and hybrid options. The hybrid mattress gives excellent support and pressure relief for the shoulders and hips while side sleeping. “Hybrid mattresses are often a great option because they combine a memory foam layer on top that helps distribute pressure evenly through the body with a spring base that adds support and stability underneath,” said El-Hayek.
The memory foam option gives more contouring, so your body feels like it’s getting a little hug from the mattress. It also had good motion isolation due to its dense memory foam. We especially like Nectar Premier’s one-year trial period. When you’re dealing with chronic pain, getting a new mattress can help, but the pain doesn’t go away quickly. A one-year trial period can really help you figure out if the mattress is helping your sciatic pain.
Nectar Premier pros and cons
Pros
- Offers a one-year trial period to test out the mattress
- Good motion isolation for those who have a bed partner
- Excellent pressure relief during testing
- More cooling than other memory foam mattresses
Cons
- Not as responsive as other mattresses due to its memory foam
- Memory foam mattress only has one firmness option
- Might be too soft for some sleepers
Our testing experience with the Nectar Premier
While one of our testers found the memory foam option to be a bit too soft, she found the hybrid mattress to be excellent for pressure relief. “Everything feels aligned. No pressure at all on the hips and shoulders,” she said.
While the top of the Nectar Premier Hybrid didn’t feel cool to the touch, another tester actually felt more of the cooling features while lying down. “There’s a space you can feel where there’s more airflow, so when I lie down, I can really feel the cooling at work. But I don’t feel that at all until I lie down.”
Who is the Nectar Premier right for?
The Nectar Premier is an excellent choice for people living with sciatica and who prefer to sleep on their side. Those who sleep with a partner will benefit from the motion isolation, so you won’t feel as much of their movements. It’s also a good choice for those who are hot sleepers. Those who need to move around more easily may prefer the Nectar Premier Hybrid over the memory foam version because it offers better bounce.
| This mattress may work for me if I: | Nectar Premier Hybrid | Nectar Premier Memory Foam |
| Have chronic pain | Yes | Yes |
| Have trouble getting in and out of bed | Yes | No |
| Feel hot at night | Yes | Yes |
| Switch positions while I sleep | Yes | No |
The Nectar Premier customer experience
- Trial period: 365 nights
- Shipping: White-glove delivery for added cost, free shipping
- Warranty: Limited lifetime
- Financing: Yes
Customer service
You can contact Nectar customer service by:
- Phone: 888-863-2827, available seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. PT
- Email: support@nectarsleep.com
- Live chat: Available via the chat icon on the website, 24/7
- Calling or visiting a store
Payment options
- Ways to pay
- American Express
- Visa
- Mastercard
- Discover
- Splitlt
- Amazon Pay
- PayPal
- Discounts? Military members, first responders, and health care professionals take note: you can get a 5% discount, although it cannot be combined with other offers.
- Financing: Yes, Affirm. Nectar also offers a lease-to-own option through Acima.
Helix Midnight Luxe: Best for Low Back Pain and Sciatica
We chose the Helix Midnight Luxe as our Best for Low Back Pain and Sciatica because its firmness and bounce made the mattress responsive to movements. It provides good support for the lower back and other pressure points, helping to ease back pain and sciatica.
- High pain relief scores
- Excellent support and cushioning
- Good pressure relief
- Our pain relief score: 4.86/5
- Accessibility score: 4.74/5
- Mattress type: Hybrid
- Brand’s firmness rating: 5.5
Why we chose the Helix Midnight Luxe as the Best for Low Back Pain and Sciatica
Sciatica and lower back pain are tough enough to deal with on their own. But if you’re experiencing both, you might have a lot of trouble getting comfortable at night. The Helix Midnight Luxe has excellent bounce and responsiveness. This means it’s easier to move around in bed and change positions. If you have pain, you want to be able to change your positioning to ease your symptoms.
The Helix Midnight Luxe also helps distribute your weight evenly, easing the pressure off painful points such as the hips, low back, and shoulders. The firmness of the memory foam layer gives good contouring, and the zoned coils help to support your body. This support also helps to keep the spine in alignment and helps distribute pressure over the lower back and hips when back or side sleeping. The mattress also has an extra pillow top layer for more cushioning, and an optional Glacio Tex cooling cover for extra coolness.
“I had to sleep in a recliner for a while. I'm a stubborn old man. I'm very stubborn. So, I just put up with it, the pain and everything.”
—From our focus group
Helix Midnight Luxe pros and cons
Pros
- Firmness makes it easier to switch positions in bed
- Excellent responsiveness
- Good support in all sleeping positions
Cons
- Mattress doesn’t have handles, which can make it harder to move
- Not as great of edge support compared to other mattresses
- Lower motion isolation scores so bed partners may feel movements
- Shorter warranty than other mattresses we reviewed
Our testing experience with the Helix Midnight Luxe
One of our testers, a higher weight (or a body weight of more than 230 pounds) combination sleeper, felt the firmness of the Helix Midnight Luxe made it easier to move around in bed and change position. You certainly don’t want to be dealing with back pain and sciatica and struggle to turn over in bed.
Our testers mentioned feeling quite supported when lying down. “My hips feel aligned nicely. I don’t feel much pressure on my side. There’s slight pressure on the hips, but otherwise I feel supported.” Another tester thought there was good support while both back and side sleeping, and didn’t feel any added pressure on the spine while stomach sleeping.
Who is the Helix Midnight Luxe right for?
The Helix Midnight Luxe is best for people who need extra cushioning for pressure points, as well as a supportive mattress to hold the spine in a neutral position. Those who are living with chronic pain, which can include low back and sciatica, might appreciate the firm sleeping surface.
| This mattress may work for me if I: | |
| Have chronic pain | Yes |
| Have trouble getting in and out of bed | No |
| Feel hot at night | Yes |
| Switch positions while I sleep | Yes |
Helix Midnight Luxe customer experience
- Trial period: 100 nights
- Shipping: Free shipping
- Warranty: Limited lifetime warranty
- Financing: Yes
Customer service
You can contact Helix customer service by:
- Phone: Call 831-777-5976, available Monday through Friday from 12-6 p.m. ET
- Text: Texting HELIX to 67069, available Monday through Friday from 12-6 p.m. ET
- Live chat: Live chat via the bottom right corner of the website, available seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. ET
- Email: help@helixsleep.com
- Website: Submit a contact form
- Calling or visiting a showroom
Payment options
- Ways to pay
- American Express
- Visa
- Mastercard
- Google Pay
- Discover
- Shop Pay
- Amazon Pay
- PayPal
- Google Pay
- Discounts? Yes, the company currently offers a discount for military members, first responders, students, and teachers. The discount code can’t be combined with other promotional codes.
- Financing: Yes, through Affirm
The WinkBed Luxury Firm: Best for Arthritis and Sciatica
We chose The WinkBed Luxury Firm as the Best for Arthritis and Sciatica because it earned excellent scores in the pain relief tests we performed. It also had a solid bounce, so someone who has arthritis can move more easily to change positions.
- Excellent at relieving pressure and providing support
- Good bounce and responsiveness to move around in bed
- Cooling features to help remove heat while sleepingy
- Our pain relief score: 4.8/5
- Accessibility score: 4.44
- Mattress type: Hybrid
- Brand’s firmness rating: 6.5
Why we chose the WinkBed Luxury Firm as the Best for Arthritis and Sciatica
The WinkBed Luxury Firm was our top choice for people who have sciatica and arthritis. For anyone dealing with arthritis, WinkBed also has some other helpful features, such as good responsiveness and bounce, to make moving around easier.
Arthritis can actually make your sciatica symptoms worse, according to El-Hayek. It thins out the discs in your spine, narrows the space where the sciatic nerve leaves the spine, and creates more swelling around the joints. “When someone lies down and stays in one position for too long, especially if arthritis or spinal degeneration is already compressing the sciatic nerve, this can increase the irritation and trigger worse symptoms,” explained El-Hayek.
The WinkBed Luxury Firm mattress was firm and supportive enough for different sleeping positions. Side sleepers will benefit from pressure relief on their hips and shoulders, especially if they have arthritis in these areas. The level of cushioning and support makes sleeping on your back comfortable without sinking too much into the mattress. In fact, during testing, our tester noted a great balance between pressure relief and support, joking that she could “just lie there forever.”
WinkBed Luxury Firm pros and cons
Pros
- Firm and supportive to relieve pressure points
- Good cooling features
- Good bounce and responsiveness for those with mobility concerns
- Lifetime warranty
Cons
- Heavy mattress, at 135 pounds, and no white-glove service
- More expensive than some mattresses we tested
- Cover isn’t removable
Our testing experience with the WinkBed Luxury Firm
One tester appreciated how comfortable they felt while side sleeping, saying, “I like this for side sleeping. I don’t feel any pressure building at the shoulders and hips, but I still feel support.” It was easy to move around on the mattress, and our tester didn’t feel trapped in the pillow top.
But getting to the edge of the bed might be more challenging for some people with mobility issues, such as those who need support while walking. One tester commented, “I feel like I can slide easily if I sit close to the edge. There’s too much sinkage to use my hands to get up and down.”
Who is the WinkBed Luxury Firm right for?
The WinkBed Luxury Firm can be a great choice for those who like to sleep on their side, but are also dealing with arthritis and sciatica. Lighter-weight sleepers (those under 130 pounds) who like sleeping on their back may benefit from some extra support with a small pillow under the low back to help keep the spine in its natural curve.
| This mattress may work for me if I: | |
| Have chronic pain | Yes |
| Have trouble getting in and out of bed | No |
| Feel hot at night | Yes |
| Switch positions while I sleep | Yes |
WinkBed customer experience
- Trial period: 120 nights
- Shipping: Free shipping
- Warranty: Limited lifetime
Customer service
You can contact WinkBed customer service by:
- Phone: Call 855-946-5233, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. ET
- Email: info@winkbeds.com
- Chat: Live chat in lower right corner of website, available Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. ET
- Calling or visiting a showroom
Payment options
- Ways to pay
- American Express
- Visa
- Mastercard
- Discover
- Google Pay
- Shop Pay
- Apple Pay
- Discounts? Yes, the company currently offers an additional $50 off to military members and their families, first responders, law enforcement, and health care workers. This can be combined with other offers.
- Financing: Yes, WinkBeds offers financing through Bread Pay and Katapult.
Bear Elite Hybrid: Best Cooling Mattress for Sciatica
We chose the Bear Elite Hybrid as the Best Cooling Mattress for Sciatica because it had the highest cooling score among the mattresses we reviewed. The mattress features copper-infused memory foam, which naturally provides cooling properties, and the top of the mattress was cool to the touch
- Scored highest in cooling testing
- Has the feel of memory foam without trapping heat
- Our pain relief score: 4/5
- Accessibility score: 4.29/5
- Mattress type: Hybrid
- Brand’s firmness rating: 6.5/10
Why we chose the Bear Elite Hybrid as the Best Cooling Mattress
Sleeping hot shouldn’t be another reason why you’re tossing and turning. We selected the Bear Elite Hybrid as the best cooling mattress for those with sciatica. Sciatica can keep you up at night, so you don’t want night sweats to be one more problem to solve.
The Bear Elite Hybrid is made up of memory foam and pocketed zoned coils. While memory foam has a reputation for sleeping hotter given its dense material, the Bear Elite mattress has memory foam infused with copper. This copper foam makes it cooler than other memory foam mattresses.
Bear Elite Hybrid pros and cons
Pros
- High-tech cooling top
- Limited lifetime warranty
- Offers white-glove delivery (though it’s an extra fee)
Cons
- Edges aren’t as supportive as other mattresses
- Our tester thought the quilted topper could be uncomfortable for some
- Didn’t do well at isolating motion from a partner
Our testing experience with the Bear Elite Hybrid
One of our testers mentioned the Bear Elite Hybrid felt cool to the touch. For back sleeping, one of our testers found that their weight was pretty evenly distributed. While they felt they were sinking into the mattress, it didn’t feel like it was too much in one area. But other mattresses in our review had better edge support than the Bear Elite. Most of our testers felt they needed their hands to assist them in getting out of bed, and the edge seemed to collapse more than they would prefer.
They also thought side sleeping evenly distributed pressure points and kept the spine in a neutral position. “If anything, my lower back and hips feel like they’re sinking in a little too much, but nothing too noticeable,” one tester noted.
Who is the Bear Elite Hybrid right for?
People who are living with sciatic pain and need some cooling features in their mattress may appreciate the Bear Elite. While it’s a hybrid mattress, the material feels like dense memory foam and quickly bounces back. This may be good for those who like the feel of memory foam but want more breathability in their mattress.
| This mattress may work for me if I: | |
| Have chronic pain | Yes |
| Have trouble getting in and out of bed | No |
| Feel hot at night | Yes |
| Switch positions while I sleep | Yes |
Bear Elite Hybrid customer experience
- Trial period: 120 nights
- Shipping: Free shipping
- Warranty: Limited lifetime
- Financing: Yes
Customer service
You can contact Bear customer service by:
- Phone: Call 844-311-0035, available Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET
- Email: support@bearmattress.com
- Chat: Live chat via the bottom right corner of the website, available Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET
Payment options
- Ways to pay
- American Express
- Visa
- Mastercard
- Discover
- Shop Pay
- Discounts? Yes, the company currently offers a 40% discount for military members, first responders, law enforcement, health care workers, and teachers. This discount can’t be combined with other promotional codes.
- Financing: Yes, Bear offers financing through Affirm.
Birch Natural: Most Accessible Mattress for Sciatica
We chose the Birch Natural as our Most Accessible Mattress for Sciatica because it has excellent bounce and support. These features not only support your spine in a neutral position but also help you move around more easily in bed to change to a more comfortable position.
- Scored the highest in accessibility testing
- Excellent bounce for easier movement
- Great support for keeping your spine neutral
- Our pain relief score: 4.73/5
- Accessibility score: 4.99/5
- Mattress type: Hybrid
- Brand’s firmness rating: 6.5/10
Why we chose Birch Natural as the Most Accessible
We assign an accessibility score to each mattress we test. It measures how easily you can get in and out of bed, how stable the mattress edge is, and how comfortably you can change positions while in bed. You might be looking for pain relief, but if a mattress is difficult to get in and out of, or to move to a more comfortable position, it can be frustrating and even put you at risk for a fall.
If you have sciatica and like to sleep on your side, it can help to sleep on the opposite side of the pain. We appreciated Birch Natural’s pressure relief and support of the hips and shoulders.
We gave it a perfect 5/5 for its bounce. When a mattress has good bounce, it makes it easier to change position, which is helpful if you’re having sciatic pain and need to adjust your body or turn over. It also helps when you need to move to the edge of the mattress to stand up. We also gave it a perfect 5/5 score for edge support. That means we were able to sit confidently on the edge of the mattress without feeling like we were going to slide of
The Birch Natural pros and cons
Pros
- Great support for back sleeping
- Good bounce for ease of movement
- Great edge support
- Organic cotton wicks away moisture
Cons
- Not as firm as other mattress options
- May feel your sleeping partner’s motion more than other mattresses
- No handles, which could make it more difficult to move the mattress
- Only a 100-night trial period
Our testing experience with the Birch Natural
One of our testers, a combination sleeper, appreciated the edge support of the Birch Natural. They were able to lie on the very edge of the mattress and didn’t feel like they were sinking into the mattress. “I can feel something on the inside that’s firm and holding me up.” They also said it’s “definitely easy to roll” on the mattress, and didn’t feel like they were fighting the material when switching positions.
There was a small amount of sinkage in another tester’s hips when on their side, but overall, they felt comfortable and supported. “My shoulders push in a bit more, but I don’t feel like I’m sinking into it.” On their back, one tester noted they felt like their weight and pressure points were equally distributed. If you’re dealing with sciatic pain, sleeping on your back can help relieve the pressure on the nerve.
Who is Birch Natural right for?
If you sleep with a partner or have a smaller-sized mattress (or both!), you may like how you’re able to sleep even at the edge of the Birch Natural mattress without feeling like you’re going to fall off.
The Birch Natural is a good choice for people who have mobility issues and may also have sciatic pain. Its excellent bounce makes it so you can get in and out of bed without struggling. If you have concerns about falls, the Birch Natural helps you sit right at the edge of the bed and bounce back quickly once you stand.
| This mattress may work for me if I: | |
| Have chronic pain | Yes |
| Have trouble getting in and out of bed | Yes |
| Feel hot at night | No |
| Switch positions while I sleep | Yes |
Birch customer experience
- Trial period: 100 nights
- Shipping: Free shipping
- Warranty: Limited lifetime warranty
- Financing: Yes
Customer service
You can contact Birch customer service by:
- Phone: Call 917-540-5525, available Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET
- Email: info@birchliving.com
- Chat: Available Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. ET
- Website: Submitting a contact form
Payment options
- Ways to pay
- American Express
- Visa
- Mastercard
- Discover
- Shop Pay
- Discounts? Yes, the company currently offers a 40% discount for military members, first responders, law enforcement, health care workers, and teachers. This discount can’t be combined with other promotional codes.
Financing: Yes, Birch offers financing through Affirm
Our process testing the best mattresses for older adults with sciatica
To find the best mattresses for older adults with sciatica, we tested mattresses with devices that would sense pressure, as well as other methods such as heating equipment and a heat detection gun. We also had older adults personally test these mattresses and share their thoughts on how they felt. We ranked mattresses for firmness, bounce, pressure relief, and support.
Pain relief
Our pain relief score measures how likely each mattress can help ease pain symptoms, such as leg pain. For this, we looked at pressure relief, firmness, edge support, and bounce and had our testers rate these along with their experiences of using the mattress. We wanted to know if they felt any areas of pressure on joints.
Pressure relief
We rate pressure relief on a scale of one through five, with five being the best for pressure relief. We base these scores on our testers’ experiences with the mattress. We also use a pressure relief map to look at where there may be areas of pressure, which would show up as red or orange. The colors blue and green show areas where pressure is being spread out.
Spinal support
We tested spinal support by having testers lie on their side, back, and stomach and asked them how they felt. We wanted mattresses that were supportive throughout the spine, but still offered enough cushion to relieve pressure on the joints. We understand that older adults need a supportive mattress for spinal alignment, especially if they have sciatica.
Firmness
We evaluated mattress firmness by having our testers lay in all positions to assess its comfort and support. Studies find a medium-firm to firm mattress is ideal for older adults because they offer enough cushioning for joints such as the shoulders, hips, knees, and elbows.4 Those with sciatica, low back pain, and hip pain can benefit from more medium-firm mattresses to help with pressure relief.
But that doesn’t mean a softer mattress is the wrong choice for you. If you are at a higher body weight, then you may prefer a mattress on the firmer side. Those who are a lighter weight may feel more comfortable with a softer mattress.
Almost 33% of participants in our March 2025 survey of sleepers who have chronic pain reported they had sciatica. It was the second most common cause of chronic pain after lower back pain.5
Understanding Sciatica
Sciatica can be a pain in the butt (literally) when it comes to sleep. There are a lot of ways to ease the symptoms, but sleeping on a quality mattress with plenty of support can help you get the sleep you need.
How sciatica affects your sleep
“The more disrupted sleep becomes, the less recovery the body gets, which can lead to more inflammation and even more symptoms the following night,” said El-Hayek. It can be a frustrating cycle.
“As the body becomes more still at night, pressure builds in the lower back which can irritate the sciatic nerve increasing sharpness, burning, numbness, and pain in the back and legs,” said El-Hayek. This can understandably cause you to wake up and can make it harder for you to get comfortable enough to fall asleep.
The role of a mattress in sciatica relief
The role of a mattress is important in getting relief from sciatica. And the wrong mattress can make your symptoms worse. It’s like Goldilocks: A soft mattress can make your body sink too much into it, which doesn’t give enough stability through your hips and low back, according to El-Hayek. But too firm of a mattress can create pressure points and stiffness through your body that can aggravate the sciatic nerve.
El-Hayek recommends a hybrid mattress that has good support. “Cheaper versions often don’t offer the right spring support underneath,” he said.
Sleeping positions to reduce sciatica pain
Side sleeping is the ideal position to be in if you’re dealing with sciatica symptoms, according to El-Hayek. Back sleeping would be the next best position, and you can use a pillow under your knees to take the pressure off your low back and spine.
5 ways to sleep better with sciatica
There are other ways to help you sleep better with sciatica besides your mattress. There isn’t an official sleeping position for sciatica, but some of the same positions that help with back pain can help with sciatica. Home remedies can also help decrease symptoms, but you may need to talk with your health care provider if your symptoms aren’t going away or they’re particularly bothersome.
Five tips for sleeping better with sciatica are:
- Use pillows: Use a pillow between your legs when side sleeping. When on your back, put a small pillow under your knees to relax the muscles and keep the natural curve of the spine.
- Sleep with the painful leg on top: This way, there’s less compression on the sciatic nerve on the inflamed side.
- Avoid sleeping on your stomach: This can aggravate your lower back and make your symptoms worse. If this is your favorite position, try putting a pillow under your hips to help give some extra support.
- Try some gentle stretches before bed: Gentle stretching can help ease your pain and also help strengthen the muscles around your hips.6
- Try a heat pack or cold pack: Use heat or ice for 20 minutes at a time. Cold helps reduce the initial inflammation when you first have symptoms. Heat helps speed up the healing process by increasing blood flow to the area.
How much do the best mattresses for older adults with sciatica cost?
The mattresses we tested in this review for our best mattresses for those with sciatica ranged from $1,499–$3,295 for a queen-sized mattress.
But in addition to the size of the mattress you purchase, there are other factors that can affect the price, such as the materials used, certifications, and features such as cooling covers or pillow tops. Many mattresses require an additional cost for white-glove delivery, but Saatva mattresses offer this service for free.
How to save money on mattresses
It’s a big deal to buy a new mattress. You want to make sure you find a comfortable one, especially if you’re dealing with chronic pain issues like sciatica or a herniated disc. Here are some tips for saving money on a mattress:
- Many mattress brands offer financing plans, which may be a better deal than putting the purchase on your credit card.
- Mattress brands typically offer sales, especially around major holidays like Labor Day, Memorial Day, and Black Friday.
- You may be able to find discounts and other offers, such as sale codes, to help offset some of the price.
- Sometimes, a “bed-in-a-box” mattress may be a better deal. But if you have mobility issues or another concern that might make it harder to set up a mattress yourself, you might want to ask for some help, like a relative or friend.
- If you are a health care worker, teacher, student, or are in the military, you may be eligible for certain discounts.
- Some stores offer floor models for sale at a discounted price.
- Look for mattress brands with long trial periods or warranties, so you have a longer chance to try out your new mattress to make sure you like it.
Frequently asked questions
Sciatica often goes away on its own within four to six weeks, even without treatment. So you don’t need to go out and buy a new mattress for sciatica. But if you’re in the market for a new mattress or you have sciatica that comes and goes, you’ll want a supportive mattress that has good pressure relief. We like the Saatva Rx best for these features, but the other mattresses we reviewed offered a lot of good features that can ease the symptoms of sciatica and chronic pain in general.
Yes, a bad mattress can trigger sciatica symptoms. Really firm mattresses can create too many pressure points, but a soft mattress may not give you enough support through your lower back. If you have an old mattress or a lower-quality mattress, you may not get the support you need.
Medium-firm mattresses can provide enough support to hold your spine neutral, while also not putting too much pressure on certain areas such as the shoulders, low back, and hips.
Medicare may cover a mattress for older adults with sciatica, subject to specific qualifications. If the mattress is considered durable medical equipment (DME), Medicare will cover 80% of the cost. But Medicare will only cover pressure-reducing beds, mattresses, and mattress overlays to prevent bed sores. It needs to be considered medically necessary, and needs a prescription from your health care provider.7
Questions? Reach out to reviewsteam@ncoa.org.