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Did you spend a considerable amount of money on one of the most popular mattress types only to find out it’s causing you pain? We hope not, but unfortunately, some buyers do learn the hard truth – memory foam mattresses can cause significant back pain or worsen symptoms of fibromyalgia, degenerative disc disease, or other health-related problems.
This may happen for a variety of reasons and it’s important that you learn what the exact root of the problem is for you specifically. You can’t just throw your memory foam mattress away and replace it with a latex mattress. You think switching the mattress type will solve the problem? What if you keep buying firm mattresses but you actually need a medium-firm or soft mattress without memory foam, for example?
The main reasons for memory foam mattresses causing back pain are these: your particular mattress isn’t right for you, it’s starting to break down (sometimes too early), or it’s just brand new and still not molded for you.
8 Reasons Why Your Memory Foam Mattress Causes Back Pain
Your memory foam mattress could cause back pain for a variety of reasons we included the most common ones.
- Your sleeping position and your mattress aren’t compatible
- Your mattress is new and hasn’t broken in
- Your mattress is too soft
- Your mattress is too firm
- Your mattress doesn’t offer proper support
- Your mattress is too old
- Your bed foundation is old or incompatible
- Your mattress is uneven
Before you put blame on the mattress, first make sure other factors aren’t causing your back pain. We included the list at the bottom of this post. For more information, read our guide titled “Is memory foam good for your back?“.
#1. Your Sleep Position is Bad
Your sleeping position plays a role in how you feel in the morning. Stomach sleepers are most likely to complain about lower back pain and pressure points in the knees. This position throws your spine out of alignment as the belly is pushed down together with the pelvis. Stomach sleeping on a soft mattress will probably give you painful mornings.
As time goes by, the mattress will become softer in the area where your belly is and this will just worsen the situation. So even though your preferred sleeping position is the main problem in this example (and not a memory foam mattress), you can still alleviate pain by getting a firmer mattress.
Different sleep positions are better in general – back and side sleepers are less likely to experience back pain. There are still ways in which you can tweak sleeping positions and relieve pain.
How to Fix Your Sleeping Position and Alleviate Pain
Mayo Clinic recommends the use of additional pillows to add more support in the necessary areas and achieve a correct spine alignment.
If you’re a side sleeper, bend the knees a little and put a pillow between your legs.
If you’re a back sleeper, put a rolled towel or a pillow below the knees. This will keep the back in a neutral position.
If you’re a stomach sleeper, place a pillow below the pelvis and abdomen to keep your spine well-aligned. If necessary, remove the pillow under your head.
#2. Your New Memory Foam Mattress is Too New
Once you get a new mattress – and this goes for any new mattress, even popular brands like Saatva and Puffy – you’ll have to go through the break-in period (usually 1-3 months), during which you may have some initial problems/sores/pains. Your mattress won’t always feel firm as new. Within the first month or so, it will get somewhat softer and more shaped for your body.
During the break-in period you may feel some discomfort, so make sure to allow some time to pass before you decide the mattress isn’t right for you. On the other hand, it’s not all about the mattress because some people need time to get used to the new one and once they do, they feel no discomfort whatsoever.
However, if it’s not discomfort, but rather strong pain in your back that doesn’t let you sleep, you should consider returning the mattress. You don’t need to be ruining your sleep and health for the entire three months just to see if you’ll be able to make the mattress softer.
#3. Your Mattress is Too Soft
Stomach sleepers, back sleepers, and heavy individuals typically prefer firmer mattresses. Sometimes memory foam mattresses become soft after a while and although it didn’t feel too soft when you bought it, after a year or two it may start causing back pain and thus decrease sleep quality.
How to Make a Soft Mattress Firmer
If you’re having these problems and need a solution NOW, the quick fix is to rotate or flip your memory foam mattress. This way you can buy yourself some time while sleeping on a firmer part of the mattress. Use the time to figure out if you want to sell it, return it, or fix it with a firm mattress topper.
Finally, you may find that regular mattress rotations are doing the job, especially if you combine rotations with a firm topper for more support.
#4. Your Mattress is Too Firm
Firm mattresses are a favorite for mixed sleepers, stomach sleepers, and heavy people. Others may find a firm mattress way too firm. A firm mattress may be causing back pain for back sleepers. They should look for a softer mattress – anywhere from a medium-soft to a medium-firm mattress. In fact, medium-firm mattresses should do the job for the majority of people.
How to Fix a Firm Mattress
You can fix a firm mattress by using a soft mattress topper. Mattress toppers – like Amerisleep Lift – protect the mattress and give you a better feel while keeping the proper support of the mattress.
Another strategy is to just wait for it to break in. You may actually get used to it in the process.
#5. Your Mattress Doesn’t Offer Proper Support
Mattress firmness isn’t the only factor that decides whether a mattress is comfortable or not. Another one is proper support. Your memory foam mattress may not be giving you the support your body type needs.
This is one of the reasons why the hybrid mattress is super popular – it has a base of springs and then several comfort layers, some of which are of memory foam.
This way you get a mattress that’s firm in the middle and soft on top. If your mattress is only made of memory foam, you may lack the proper support you need.
How to Fix a Memory Foam Mattress with Bad Support
A memory foam topper may not be the right solution in this case. You could try putting plywood below the mattress and see how that works for you.
#6. You Have an Old Mattress
Most memory foam mattresses have a long lifespan and you should expect yours to last over 10 years.
If your mattress was great for years but only recently you’ve started waking up sore and in pain, inspect your mattress. It may have become sagged, too soft, or uneven. You can’t possibly expect proper support from a mattress in that condition. Also, the bed frame might have gotten too old and together with an old mattress gives you double the trouble.
Dealing with an Aged Mattress
Old mattresses should be replaced. You can try to alleviate pain with a mattress topper (if you already have one) or by flipping the mattress, but this is only until your new mattress arrives. Don’t expect to be able to fix a mattress that’s been around for over a decade, but rather find the best way to dispose of it.
#7. You Have an Old or Incompatible Bed Foundation
If you bought the mattress together with the bed base, you shouldn’t worry about this. However, you should be suspicious of your foundation in either of these situations:
- You have a foundation that is considerably older than the mattress;
- You bought the two at the same time but not from the same manufacturer.
An old bed foundation could be sagging or simply offer an inadequate or uneven base for a mattress. A bed base of a different make could mismatch with the mattress size. In this case, your mattress may be unable to expand completely and that uneven sleeping surface may be the root of your problems.
Either way, make sure your mattress lies flat and fully expanded. This should allow proper spinal alignment and pressure relief on the spine.
#8. Your Memory Foam Mattress is Uneven
A sagging mattress, a mattress with one side worn more than other sides, and lumpy surfaces must be causing back pain. Here your body weight, mattress firmness, or your position play no role.
An uneven mattress is an uncomfortable mattress and the only way you can really fix it is to choose a new one. The right mattress will not cause back pain, but if you’re a person prone to back pain (lower or upper back pain), you should consult your doctor and get some recommendations for you personally.
Signs Your Memory Foam Mattress Isn’t Right for You
You suffer from inexplicable back pain? You tried everything – you’re not sitting too much, you’ve improved your posture, you do regular exercises. Yet, there’s this lower back pain that just won’t go away.
It might be coming from your bed, and here are telltale signs that point right to your mattress.
- Your pain is stronger in the morning and you feel better later in the day.
- You toss and turn but no position feels “just right”.
- It’s hard to fall asleep.
- You feel like you’re sinking into the mattress.
- You’re always tired.
- You wake up frequently at night.
How to Fix a Memory Foam Mattress Causing Back Pain
The main ways you can fix a problematic memory foam mattress are these:
- rotate and flip your mattress (we recommend rotation every 6 months for memory foam mattresses)
- a too soft or too firm mattress can be fixed with a mattress topper – there are soft and firm toppers and you’re likely to find one just right for you
- get a new box spring/bed frame/foundation if the one you have doesn’t match your mattress
- put plywood under the mattress to improve support
Common Issues with Memory Foam Mattresses
- Smell. Brand new memory foam mattresses typically have off-gassing for a few days after opening. This odor is common in the mattress industry and they say it’s not harmful, just unpleasant.
- Trapping heat. Memory foam traps your body heat and doesn’t let it dissipate but rather keeps it in the same place. This can be really annoying, especially if you’re a hot sleeper.
Common Causes of Back Pain
If you’re not sure whether your memory foam mattress is the real bad guy or not, check out these common causes:
- poor posture and sedentary lifestyle
- overworking your back, sprains or strains
- injuries or infection
- arthritis
- sciatica
- osteoporosis
- undesirable curvatures of the spine – scoliosis, lordosis, kyphosis, anterior pelvic tilt, etc.
- herniated discs
Bottom Line
Whether you have a new memory foam mattress or an old one, you could find that it is the main reason for your back pain. You can use a soft mattress topper to make a firm mattress softer, or a firm topper to make a soft mattress firmer.
Frequent mattress rotations can solve some problems and prevent future unevenness in the memory foam. New mattresses can also cause back pain, but they will break in and soften up after a month or so.
Your bed frame or foundation could be an underlying factor that makes your memory foam mattress an uneven surface. Your sleep position could also cause back pain, especially if you sleep on the stomach. The side sleeping position is the best for proper spine alignment, but you can always add more pillows to add extra support to the spine.
If fixing the mattress isn’t an option and your back pain definitely comes from your memory foam mattress, you should buy a new one.
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