5 Best Mattresses for Neck Pain of 2026: Doctor Reviewed

Best Memory Foam Mattress for Neck Pain: Nectar Premier Memory Foam

Score: 9.9 out of 10

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Pros and Cons

Pros

• Memory foam layers “hug” the body
• Isolates movement very well
• Great pressure relief and spinal alignment in every position

Cons

• Weak edge support
• Most expensive on this list

Features

• Materials: Memory foam
• Firmness: Medium firm
• Trial: 365 nights
• Warranty: Lifetime

Key takeaways from our testing

Memory foam that cradles your shoulders. If you like the sinking feeling of memory foam and how it hugs your body, give the Nectar Premier Memory Foam a close look. Our testers rated it 4.5 out of 5 for pressure relief across all sleeping positions. “I don't feel any pressure building up,” said Donna. She was surprised how comfortable it felt on her stomach, since she rarely sleeps that way. Stomach sleeping tends to make neck pain worse because of how it twists your neck, but if you can’t sleep any other way, this mattress is a strong choice.

Absorbs motion. Like most memory foam mattresses, the Nectar Premier excels at limiting motion. That means your partner’s movements are less likely to wake you. Testers gave it a perfect score in this assessment. “I’m really impressed with the motion isolation and would recommend this for couples,” said Donna. Our lab team judged the mattress’s motion isolation further by doing a ripple test. They placed a beaker of red liquid on one side of the bed, while a tester moved on the other side and recorded how much the beaker and liquid shook. The Nectar Premier aced that test — the only mattress on this list to do so.

Edges sink too much under weight. The Nectar Premier, like many all-foam mattresses, scored lower in edge support because it doesn’t have a coil base. “I think the edge support is really lacking in this mattress,” Donna said. “It’s not awful, but it's definitely not assisting or supporting me.” Another drawback of the Nectar Premier: It’s the most expensive on this list by about $100. If you’re looking for a more budget-friendly mattress for neck pain, we recommend the Brooklyn Bedding Signature Hybrid.

Best Mattress for Back and Neck Pain: Saatva Classic Luxury Firm

Score: 9.7 out of 10

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Pros and Cons

Pros

• Zoned support layer helps keep the spine aligned
• Good bounce and strong edges
• Three firmness levels and two height profiles

Cons

• Retains heat
• Poor motion isolation

Features

• Materials: Hybrid
• Firmness: Luxury firm
• Trial: 365 nights
• Warranty: Limited lifetime

Key takeaways from our testing

Zoned support reinforces the spine. The Saatva Classic Luxury Firm offers a unique zoned support layer and dual-coil system, which means the mattress has two layers of innersprings (most have just one). This construction gives the bed an extra level of back support. Allison particularly liked the zoned support layer, which is firmer through the lumbar area and helps keep your spine neutral. “The zoned support is doing wonders for my lower back,” she said. She also liked how the Saatva Classic kept her hips, spine and neck aligned. However, she did report some pressure on her shoulders when lying on her stomach.

Easy to move around. The Saatva Classic nabbed a perfect score in our bounce test, where we dropped a 15-pound ball on the bed’s surface and measured how high it bounced. The ball bounced 28 inches high — the highest bounce we recorded. The bed also provides strong edge support, with a rating of 4.5 out of 5 in both seated and lying positions. High-density foam rails around the mattress’s perimeter seal the deal. However, good bounce comes at the cost of motion isolation. Our testers rated it a 2.5 out of 5 for motion isolation, the lowest on this list.

Poor temperature regulation. Our tests found the Saatva Classic is not the best choice for hot sleepers. It performed poorly in our cooling gun test. Our lab tester recorded a temperature difference of 25.9 degrees, one of the highest on this list. If you’re looking for a bed to ease neck pain and help you stay cool, we recommend the Helix Midnight.

Best Hybrid Mattress for Neck Pain: Nolah Evolution Luxury Firm

Score: 9.8 out of 10

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Pros and Cons

Pros

• Relieves pressure on neck and shoulders
• Zoned support layer promotes spinal alignment
• Comfortable, plush pillow top

Cons

• Average motion isolation
• High price

Features

• Materials: Hybrid
• Firmness: Luxury firm
• Trial: 120 nights
• Warranty: Lifetime

Key takeaways from our testing

Plenty of pressure relief for the neck and shoulders. The Nolah Evolution Luxury Firm is a hybrid mattress with individually wrapped coils, zoned support, and a plush pillow top that helps cradle and reinforce the shoulders and neck. “I feel very good on my side and back — my hips are supported, and my spine is aligned,” said tester Dana, a 67-year-old combination sleeper with neck and back pain. “Even in my shoulders and neck, I feel really great.” She also reported no pressure buildup when lying on her stomach, which is usually the position that aggravates neck pain the most.

Great bounce. A bed's bounce or responsiveness determines how easy it is to change positions or get out of bed. Karin, a 54-year-old side sleeper, said, “I feel like it is springing me out of bed and just need my legs to stand.” Our lab team conducted a bounce test on the Nolah Evolution and recorded a 19-inch bounce. The average bounce rate for this list was 17.7 inches. But there’s a notable drawback to good bounce: weaker motion isolation. The Nolah Evolution Luxury Firm earned a middling score of 3.5 out of 5 for its ability to limit motion across its surface.

Expensive. This bed features several high-quality, updated elements that help relieve discomfort, such as zoned coils and foam layers. However, those features come at a cost — the Nolah Evolution Luxury Firm is the second-most expensive bed on this list.

How we tested the best mattresses for neck pain

We started our process by researching the market. What mattresses are popular and why? Who has the best customer reviews — and are the reviews legitimate? After talking with medical experts, we narrowed our list from 50 mattresses to the more than 30 we tested in our lab.

To identify their strengths and weaknesses, we used controlled tests to assess things like edge support, bounce and temperature regulation. Then we recruited more than 15 testers, ages 50 and older, to give us their unbiased feedback.

These testers answered questions like: Did the mattresses provide good pressure relief on your neck and shoulders? Is your neck supported and cradled in every sleeping position? Do your neck, shoulders and spine feel aligned when lying down? Beds that excelled in our tests made our list of the best mattresses for neck pain. For more details, see our mattress testing methodology.

How to choose the best mattress for neck pain for you

If you’re looking for a new bed and overwhelmed by the number of choices on the market, you’re not alone — in our survey, nearly half (47 percent) of respondents with neck pain said the large number of mattress options was the hardest part of buying a new bed.

Not every mattress will suit your needs if you have neck pain, so the key is to narrow down your pool of options right from the start. Consider these important factors.

Sleeping position

About 3 in 4 (73 percent) of our survey participants with neck discomfort said firmness was their top priority for their next mattress. Comfort and firmness can vary by individual, but your primary sleeping position determines where your body needs cushioning and support. This directly affects the firmness you should seek when shopping for a mattress.

“In general, no one mattress firmness is ideal for those with neck pain," says Dr. Rahul Shah, board-certified orthopedic spine surgeon at Premier Orthopaedic Associates in Philadelphia. "Different mattress firmness levels can affect folks differently depending on individual size [and] neck contour, as well as individual ailments causing neck pain."

Manufacturers set the firmness scale from 1 to 10, with 10 being the firmest. The firmness of a bed affects how comfortable it feels, whether you’re getting enough support and whether it helps keep your spine aligned. Sleeping on a mattress with the wrong firmness level can worsen neck discomfort by straining the muscles in your neck and shoulders.

Here are firmness recommendations based on sleeping position:

• Side sleepers. Side sleepers usually prefer a softer bed with pressure relief. Our experts recommend a soft to medium-firm mattress (4 to 6.5 out of 10). Sleeping on your side on a mattress that’s too firm can cause pressure points along the knees, hips and shoulders, which can exacerbate neck or hip pain.
• Back sleepers. Usually, back sleepers like a medium to medium-firm mattress (5 to 6.5 out of 10). This will help ensure your shoulders and hips don’t sink unevenly into the bed, which throws your spine out of alignment.
• Stomach sleepers. A medium-firm to firm mattress (6.5 out of 10) is ideal for stomach sleepers. However, sleeping on your stomach is generally considered the worst position for your neck because it can be tough on your spine, as your head is pushed to one side for long periods.
• Combination sleepers. If you change positions at night, it’s best to choose your firmness based on the position you spend the most time in.

Body weight

Your weight will impact how firm and supportive your bed needs to be. The same mattress might feel firmer or softer to you based on your body weight. The firmness levels brands use are based on the average weight category (126 to 224 pounds).

• Lighter-weight people. Sleepers under 125 pounds apply the least pressure to the bed, so a mattress may feel firmer than it truly is. If you’re a lighter-weight sleeper, a memory foam or hybrid will likely feel the most comfortable.
• Higher-weight people. Those over 225 pounds will put the most pressure on the mattress, which can make it feel slightly softer. To ensure you’re getting enough support for quality sleep and your mattress lasts, we recommend choosing a mattress with a steel coil base, like a hybrid or innerspring model.

Materials and construction

When looking for the right mattress for neck pain, you need a bed with enough support to keep your spine neutral while you sleep. The most popular types of mattresses are foam, hybrid, innerspring and latex foam. All of them offer different levels of contouring and support.

• Memory foam. Memory foam mattresses are among the most popular because they’re more affordable and provide good pressure relief. They’re also effective at isolating movement, which is important for couples. However, dense memory foam layers can take a few seconds to snap back into place, meaning it’s more difficult to move or change positions. Still, many people love the way memory foam feels like a full-body hug.
• Innerspring. Innersprings are the classic beds with a metal coil system for support. This type of mattress is bouncy and easy to move on, but it doesn’t dampen movement across the sleep surface as well as memory foam, meaning you might feel a partner move around at night.
• Hybrid. The construction of a hybrid mattress varies by brand and model, but they generally contain layers of foam for pressure relief and individually wrapped coils for support and durability. For many, hybrids offer the best of both worlds: the cushioning and body-contouring of foam, with the support of a coil base.
• Latex foam. Beds made with latex foam have high bounce and are more breathable due to perforations in the foam layers. These beds generally fall on the firmer side of the scale, making them great for back and stomach sleepers who want a lot of support. One drawback of latex mattresses is their weight — they can be heavy, so it’s best to have a partner or family member there to help you set the bed up.

Spinal alignment

Spinal alignment helps keep your whole upper body in a straight line, which can ease pressure on your neck. Proper spinal alignment can also boost blood circulation and energy levels.

“When bones in the neck are not in alignment, the body tends to take over to get the bones in a more natural alignment by overactivating the muscles,” says Shah. That muscle strain is what causes you to wake up with neck stiffness or discomfort.

Achieving proper spinal alignment can feel like a complex equation involving mattress firmness, pressure relief and your sleeping position, but it can be as simple as choosing what feels right to you. When you’re trying out a mattress for neck pain, make sure you assess how it feels on your spine. Does it feel like it’s flattening or stressing it? Are you sinking too far into the bed at your hips or shoulders for your spine to maintain its natural curve? You want a bed that supports neutral spinal alignment and feels comfortable.

Pressure relief and cushioning

If a mattress is too firm, the muscle strain from your head turning in an awkward position at night can put pressure on your neck, shoulders and back. Shah says a bed that provides strong support and pressure relief can address this issue.

“Because many of the muscles controlling the neck attach the collar bone, shoulder blade bone and upper thoracic area, alleviating tension on these muscles by providing better support can help the trickling effect of sore muscles as it contributes to the neck, scapula and shoulder pain,” he says.

Supportive mattresses with plush pillow tops or contouring memory foam layers often provide sufficient pressure relief to alleviate neck pain.

Choosing the right pillow can ease neck pain

It’s not only your mattress that can ease neck pain — your pillow can, too. Studies show latex and foam pillows are more effective than traditional feather pillows at reducing neck discomfort.

The best pillow height, or loft, depends on your sleeping position. Side sleepers want a pillow with plenty of loft so your head doesn’t have to sink down to meet it. Back sleepers should look for a flatter pillow, or one that allows your head and neck to sink in while providing support to help keep your spine neutral. When sleeping on your stomach, it’s best to use a very thin pillow or no pillow at all.

Shah recommends a cervical pillow if you have neck pain. “I recommend using a cutout donut pillow as a form-fitting solution to help optimize the fit of the pillow, and then to sequentially add pillows if you need to get the right anatomic contour,” he says.

How much do the best mattresses for neck pain cost?

Questions or feedback? Email us at AARPSmartPicks@aarp.org.