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Back pain is an extremely common problem among adults in Canada. A study conducted in 1998 among Saskatchewan adults revealed that 84% of them had experienced back pain at some point during their lives. How you sleep (and the mattress you sleep on) may contribute to your back pain. Choosing a more supportive mattress can be beneficial to those who suffer from back pain.

Please note that the mattresses we’ve chosen to feature in this article are very general choices. They are chosen based on customer reviews, comfort levels, and user tests. Please consult with your healthcare provider to determine if a mattress is right for you, especially if you suffer from chronic or severe back pain.

Best mattresses for back pain in Canada

1. The Novosbed mattress

The Novosbed mattress is one of Canada’s favourites, and for good reason. The mattress is made with luxury materials and comes in three different firmness options. If you suffer from back pain, choosing the medium or firm option is best.

That’s because Novosbed measures firmness a little differently than some of the other mattress companies we’ll look at. The medium option is about a 6 on the firmness scale, so it performs a lot like a medium-firm mattress. The firm option is only a 7, which is still in the medium-firm range for some people. The soft option, which likely will not benefit those with back pain, falls about a 4 on the firmness scale.

If you find that the option you get is not supportive enough for you, you can always choose to get a Comfort+ Kit. This ‘Kit’ is an additional foam topper that can slightly increase or decrease the firmness of your mattress. After the first 30 days of your sleep trial, you can choose to order a kit and see if it works any better. This is a great system. Those with back pain have a while to test the bed as it is, and then another period to try the mattress with the firmness adjusted.

The Novosbed mattress features a traditional memory foam feel, so you’ll sink into the mattress. It contours to your body, providing support where you need it most. The Comfort Zone layer helps to relieve pressure from your hips and shoulders and helps to evenly balance your weight. The middle Transition Zone features a firmer foam, which helps to align your spine and keep you supported all night long.

All layers of foam in this memory foam mattress are 5th generation memory foam. It’s a dense, luxury foam that offers superior support when compared to less expensive foams. It’s one of the reasons for this mattress’s higher price tag – and why it might be worth it for those that suffer from back pain.

Heat may be a concern for some sleepers. Fortunately, the Novosbed’s memory foam features an open-cell design. This can help to neutralize heat, so you wake up feeling refreshed instead of sweaty. Want to try it out? Novosbed offers a 120-night sleep trial. After 30 days, you can request your Comfort+ Kit to customize your firmness level. After an additional 30 days with this adjustment, you can return the mattress for a full refund. If you choose to keep it, you’ll get a 15-year warranty.

Why are we impressed?

  • Two layers of supportive, contouring foam
  • Traditional memory foam feel
  • 120-night sleep trial and 15-year warranty
  • Comfort+ system helps to customize the firmness level
  • Base firmness levels: ‘Soft’ option: 4 (Medium-soft), ‘Medium’ option: 6 (Medium-firm), ‘Firm’ option: 7 (Medium-firm)

Check Price on Novosbed

2. The GhostBed Flex mattress

The GhostBed Flex is a luxury hybrid mattress that features a thick layer of supportive coils. However, it’s the three layers of cooling, cushioning foam above the coils that provide the support you need. The GhostBed Flex offers that coveted memory foam ‘hug’, contouring to your body and relieving pressure as you sleep.

However, the GhostBed Flex doesn’t let you sink too deeply. The first layer of foam forms to your body and offers a cooling sensation, eliminating the buildup of body heat. The second layer, the Ghost Bounce layer, uses a material that cradles like memory foam but bounces and responds like Latex. This means that you aren’t going to sink in quite the same way as you would in a traditional memory foam mattress.

This layer also adds additional support. Paired with the thicker layer of memory foam beneath, these layers work to align your spine, relieve pressure points, and keep you comfortable all night long. Those who suffer from back pain can benefit from these supportive layers. The coil layer underneath includes additional edge support, motion isolation, and provides air circulation to the center of the mattress.

An additional double layer of coils around the perimeter provides edge support, which is great if you happen to sleep near the edge of the bed. Most foam and hybrid mattresses sink at the edges, making sleep uncomfortable for those already in pain. However, this edge support prevents a sinking or falling feeling if you sit or rest near the edge.

As much as these layers work together to provide superior pressure relief and support, they also keep you cool. If you sleep hot, this mattress can cool you off. Those deep support layers dissipate heat easily, so you don’t wake up sweaty and uncomfortable.

This mattress promotes great sleep posture. It sinks just enough to be appealing to those looking for that memory foam feel. In addition, it’s a 6 (medium-firm) on the firmness scale. If you want to give it a try for yourself, you can take advantage of the 101-night sleep trial. After the first 30 days, you should have some idea if the mattress will work for you. If not, you’ll get a full refund. If you decide to keep it, you’ll have a 25-year warranty.

Why are we impressed?

  • 7 cooling comfort layers of foam and coils
  • Hybrid support with memory foam contouring
  • Great edge support
  • Foam provides excellent pressure relief and spine alignment
  • Firmness: 6 (medium-firm)

Check Price on GhostBed

3. The Douglas mattress

The Douglas mattress is a Canadian-made all-foam mattress that focuses on eco-conscious materials and top-notch support. The core of support foam also offers superior motion isolation, even among foam beds. If your restless partner has you waking often during the night, this mattress may be able to keep you asleep for longer.

The Douglas mattress excels in other areas where sleep comfort is an issue, too. The first two foam layers cradle your body, reducing pressure points that lead to discomfort and improper spine alignment. The ecoLight foam that makes the first layer offers relief from the most major points of pressure, including your hips and shoulders. The next layer is made of Elastex, which helps to contour your body lightly while preventing you from sinking too deeply.

Together, these foam layers can create a comfortable sleep surface for those who experience back pain. The Douglas mattress doesn’t sink as much as traditional memory foam due to the foam construction of these layers, which are made with up to 40% less carbon input. These foams are also more responsive than foams found in traditional memory foam mattresses. You won’t struggle to change positions or move around as much, making this mattress especially great for combination sleepers.

Between the sturdy core layer and two proprietary foam layers, the Douglas mattress is focused on pressure relief, support, and proper alignment. That’s why it’s one of the best mattresses available in Canada for back pain. It’s a medium-firm mattress, with a rating of 6 on the firmness scale.

After purchasing the Douglas mattress, you’ll get a 120-night sleep trial. If you don’t like it, you can return it for a full refund once you’ve passed the 30-night break-in period. This gives you enough time to see if it’s the right fit for you.

Why are we impressed?

  • Motion isolating core foam keeps couples happy
  • Eco-conscious foam materials are better for the environment
  • Affordably priced across all sizes
  • 120-night sleep trial and 15-year warranty
  • Firmness: 6 (medium-firm)

Check Price on Douglas

4. Puffy Lux mattress

The Puffy Lux mattress is Puffy’s most popular and luxurious model with its main purpose of maximum relaxation. We’ll be looking at the all-foam version due to its pressure relief and dense support layer.

One of the reasons that this mattress is great for those with back pain is its adaptive foam construction. Dual proprietary Cloud Foam layers offer cooling and gentle body contouring. These layers help to reduce pressure points, leaving your hips and shoulders resting more comfortably. They also promote proper spine alignment, which can be good for those with back pain.

In addition, the dense foam support layer is designed specifically for full-body support. It works to completely relieve every major pressure point and beyond, creating a comfortable sleep surface. Overall, this mattress comes in at a 5, or medium, on the firmness scale.

Those who suffer from allergies will love this mattress as well. The hypoallergenic cover helps reduce allergens throughout the life of the mattress, which is good for those who are sensitive to dust especially. The cooling technology is minimal, but the mattress is designed to be breathable at every layer to reduce heat retention. It’s also designed to be comfortable for all sleepers, though stomach sleepers may find that the mattress is a bit too soft to be comfortable.

If you want to try the Puffy Lux mattress, you’re in luck. After your purchase, there’s a 101-night sleep trial. You’ll have quite a long time to try the mattress, but you can initiate a refund as soon as 14 days after you receive the mattress. If it isn’t working for you, you’ll get a full refund. If you enjoy the mattress, you’ll have the benefit of a lifetime warranty against quality defects.

Why are we impressed?

  • 4 layers of adaptive support foam
  • Hypoallergenic cover to reduce dust and other allergens
  • Cooling, breathable construction
  • 101-night sleep trial and lifetime warranty
  • Firmness: 5 (medium)

Check Price on Puffy

5. Casper Wave Hybrid mattress

There are two versions of the Casper Wave Hybrid mattress available. The standard version has minimal cooling features, but the Snow version incorporates cooling technologies to help people who sleep warmer. Both versions are Casper’s best for those with back pain. This mattress includes multiple layers of zoned foam and supportive technology to help suffering sleepers.

The first few layers of the Casper Wave Hybrid consist of perforated foam. It’s a proprietary blend that Casper calls AirScape, and it works to cradle your body while preventing the build-up of body heat. Hundreds of small holes vent heat away from your body. Under this is one of the most supportive layers of the mattress.

This layer still uses perforated foam. Thicker foam at the center of your body prevents sinkage and sagging. This Zoned Support Max layer helps support your hips while providing softer foam under your shoulders. The result is better spine alignment. It’s great for sleepers suffering from back pain.

The layer below this one is also extremely beneficial. This is another layer of Casper’s Zoned Support Max system. However, it’s made of a firmer, contoured foam. The foam is thicker in the middle of your body, perfect for easing pressure points and supporting your waist. There are four rows of supportive gel pods embedded in the foam, adding additional alignment support. These two layers keep you comfortable all night long.

The coil layer below offers full-body support as well. Together, the entire construction of the mattress is designed to help you stay asleep and wake refreshed in the morning. The cooling foam layers at the top of the mattress provide relief from built-up body heat and contour close to your body for comfort.

After purchasing the Casper Wave Hybrid mattress, you can try it for 100 nights. If you decide that you don’t like the mattress, you can return it for a full refund. Otherwise, you’ll get a 10-year warranty on your new mattress.

Why are we impressed?

  • Zoned support foam offers additional support for the middle of your body
  • Thicker, contoured foam in an additional support layer
  • Gel pods help keep your spine properly aligned
  • Great cooling technology, including a more cooling option available
  • Firmness: 5 (medium)

Check Price on Casper

6. Logan and Cove mattress

The Logan and Cove mattress has everything going for it. It’s a hybrid mattress, so it offers superior zoned support for problem areas. On top of this, the soft pillow-top layer cushions pressure points and provides full-body comfort. Though this mattress has two firmness options, the firmest may still be too soft for some.

This mattress features layers of pillow-top fill, cooling foam, and bio-foam to create a cushioned top layer. Underneath, zoned and pocketed coils deliver reduced motion transfer and targeted support. You can purchase the Logan and Cove mattress in two different firmnesses: medium plush, which is about a 4 on the firmness scale (medium-soft), or luxury firm, which is about a 6 on the firmness scale (medium-firm).

The layers of foam in this mattress offer comfortable contouring that reduces pressure points and helps your entire body stay aligned. It’s great for all sleeping positions, but the cradling support is particularly great for those who suffer from back pain. If you find yourself waking up in the middle of the night due to your partner’s tossing and turning, this mattress can help. Motion isolation coils and foam layers help keep your side of the bed still while your partner moves around.

On top of the support features, this mattress features several layers of cooling gel foam. These layers help to reduce the build-up of body heat. Those who sleep warm should have some relief due to these layers. Either way, the mattress is designed to offer balanced full-body support, helping with spinal alignment and maintaining support.

Another great feature of the Logan and Cove mattress is the edge support. The coil layer features a perimeter of dense foam to keep the edges from dipping. If you sleep near the edge, you won’t feel like you’re falling or sinking. Sitting on the edge of the bed is easier, too.

You can try the Logan and Cove mattress for up to 120 nights after purchase. The company requires that you try the mattress for at least 30 days before you decide if it’s right for you. If it isn’t, you can initiate a return for a full refund. If you do keep the mattress, you’ll have all the benefits of a 15-year warranty.

Why are we impressed?

  • Soft pillow-top sleeping surface
  • Great comfort and pressure relief
  • Two firmness options to accommodate all sleepers
  • Edge-to-edge support
  • Firmness: ‘Medium Plush’ option: 4 (medium-soft), ‘Luxury Firm’ option: 6 (medium-firm)

Check Price on Logan & Cove

7. The GhostBed Classic

GhostBed’s flagship mattress, the GhostBed Classic, is the culmination of 20 years of experience in the mattress field. This mattress uses a mixture of foams, including latex, memory, and polyfoam, to create a supportive and cool sleeping experience for a variety of sleepers.

The GhostBed mattress is a great choice for sleepers who suffer from back pain. This is because of the unique layers of foam, which provide enough support to align your spine. The mattress also offers enough softness to please those who value comfort. If you’re looking for that traditional memory foam sink, however, you won’t find it here. The GhostBed Classic’s top layer is made of latex foam, which reduces the amount of sinking and contouring as you sleep.

This top layer is made of non-allergenic latex foam. It’s aerated for superior temperature control – and since latex foam is already cooler than memory foam, this layer keeps you cool even if you usually sleep warm. If that isn’t enough, the middle layer is a gel memory foam. Here, you’ll find support for your pressure points, as well as deeper body contouring to help keep your spine aligned.

The high-density support layer provides additional support. Together, all aspects of this construction create balanced support for your entire body. There is a focus on hip support and spinal alignment, with layers of foam that work to relieve pressure points.

You can try the GhostBed for a 101-night sleep trial. After the first 30 days (which is the usual break-in time for a mattress), you can decide if you like the mattress or not. If you don’t like it, you can return it for a full refund. If you decide to keep the GhostBed classic, you’ll have a full 20-year warranty against any defects.

Why are we impressed?

  • Mixed foam for a unique sleeping experience
  • Minimal sinking due to latex foam layer
  • Impressive pressure relief from multiple foams
  • Responsive surface for easy movement
  • Firmness: 6 (medium-firm)

Check Price on GhostBed

8. Brunswick Spring Mattress

The Brunswick Spring Mattress offers comforting support all over, but it’s best suited for side and back sleepers. Layers of foam and coils make this bed great at relieving pressure, and it’s one of the best for back pain. This is due, in part, to the low-profile pillow-top section, which is made of a soft, comforting fill material.

The Brunswick Spring Mattress is a hybrid mattress. It uses a layer of long steel springs for support rather than a dense foam layer. These steel springs are long, but they are individually zoned and pocketed. This means they conform to your body differently and offer better motion isolation than connected steel springs.

On top of the coil layer are several layers of comfort and transition foam, as well as the pillow-top section. Those with deeper pressure points will find that these foam layers help support their hips and shoulders, keeping their spines aligned to help with discomfort. These layers include a cooling gel memory foam and Trizone eco-foam, an environmentally conscious material that helps to cushion the springs and cradle your body.

There is edge support encasement all the way around the bed, perfect for those who prefer to sleep or sit near the edge of the bed. Together, the construction of his mattress promotes longevity and is great for back pain. Side sleepers and back sleepers will like this mattress, though some might find that it’s not soft enough for them.

The Brunswick mattress comes in at a 6 on the firmness scale, which makes it a medium-firm mattress. It offers enough cushioning and support for those who prefer a firmer surface while providing enough comfort for those with softer preferences. If you want to try it for yourself, you can take advantage of the 120-night sleep trial. After trying it for 30 days, you can return it for a full refund if it’s not for you.

Why are we impressed?

  • Affordable price for a hybrid
  • Great motion isolation for couples
  • Excellent pressure relief to help with pressure points
  • Softer hybrid mattress for side sleepers
  • Firmness: 6 (medium-firm)

Check Price on Brunswick

9. Apollo Premium Copper Hybrid mattress

The Apollo Premium Copper Hybrid mattress is a unique mattress unlike any of the others on our list. This mattress is packed with features, from the supportive micro-coils to the copper-infused foam layers. Though this is a hybrid mattress, it uses dual layers of coils and foam to keep you comfortable as you sleep.

If you’d like the comforting pressure-relief of memory foam but often wake up sweaty or uncomfortable, this mattress may be able to help. It offers that memory foam hug with additional temperature control features to help you stay cool while you sleep.

These features include a copper-infusion foam top layer, which moves heat through copper conducting beads to channel it away from your body. Above this is a cooling yarn cover, which feels cool to the touch even on the warmest days. It’s all-over cooling comfort that doesn’t allow your body heat to build up.

The micro-coils are 1-inch Aeroduct coils, which contour your body but channel heat away. These coils rest atop a thick layer of durable high-density foam, which isolates motion almost completely and offers support for your entire body.

But the real comfort comes from the middle layer, a 5th Generation memory foam with edge support that cushions the coils, forms to your body, and reduces deep pressure from those harsher pressure points, like your back and hips. Together, this mattress will help keep your spine aligned, keep you cool, and offer amazing support all over your body.

The Apollo Premium Copper Hybrid Mattress provides excellent motion isolation, pressure relief, and temperature control. It’s a triple threat for those who have had issues with other mattresses in the past. After purchase, you can try the mattress for 120 nights. This gives you an extended time frame to test the mattress. After 30 days, you can decide if the mattress works for you. After this time, you can initiate a return for a full refund. If you choose to keep the Apollo mattress (and we think you will), you’ll get a full 15-year warranty.

Why are we impressed?

  • Adaptive, full-body pressure relief
  • Extensive temperature control features
  • Small aeroduct micro-coils instead of longer steel coils
  • Copper-infused foam layers
  • Firmness: 6 (medium-firm)

Check Price on GoodMorning.com

10. Casper Original mattress

The Casper Original mattress is a supportive all-foam mattress that offers zoned support, breathable foam, and more. The Original mattress also comes in a Hybrid option, which uses coils for support rather than foam.

Whichever option you choose, you’ll be supported with great pressure relief. The Casper Original mattress uses a few layers of unique and proprietary foam to keep you comfortable all night long. The top layer is made of an aerated polyfoam. This keeps heat away from your body, channelling it away through the perforations.

Below this temperature control foam is the layer that gives the Casper Original mattress its amazing support. This zoned layer uses foams of different densities to provide alignment where you need it most. Firmer foam under your hips keeps your spine aligned, while softer foam at your shoulders relieves pressure and cradles your body. It’s also memory foam, so you can expect a cradling sensation.

This mattress is good for back pain because of these foam layers, including an unmoving, supportive layer of core foam. This helps to reduce motion transfer, so it’s great for active partners as well. The ergonomic design can be great for those who suffer from back pain and help them wake up feeling refreshed.

The Casper Original mattress also has an eco-conscious cover. The soft, knit material is made from up to 57 recycled bottles. If you worry about plastic waste, this mattress can help you sleep a little easier. This mattress is great for side sleepers, though it falls a bit below our recommendations for firmness – the Casper Original mattress is about a 5 on the firmness scale, which is right in the middle. It’s neither soft nor firm. If you want support without exceptional firmness, this might be the mattress for you.

If you’re not sure yet, you have up to 100 nights after purchase to try the mattress. After the first 30 days, you can return the mattress for a full refund. Casper donates mattresses when they can, so it won’t go to waste. The Casper Original Mattress has a 10-year warranty if you choose to keep it.

Why are we impressed?

  • Mattress cover is made of up to 57 recycled bottles
  • Zoned support specifically targeted to align your spine
  • Perforated foam for additional cooling
  • Firmness: 5 (medium)

Check Price on Casper

How to choose a mattress for back pain in Canada

When you’re choosing a mattress specifically for back pain, it can be difficult to determine what might be good for you. The mattresses on this list are great for those who suffer from back pain. Here’s how we decided which mattresses to include.

What makes a mattress good for back pain?

First, we looked at what makes a mattress ideal for back pain sufferers.

A mattress that’s good for back pain should focus on support and pressure relief. Foam mattresses (all foam) and hybrid mattresses (foam mattresses with a coil support layer) are best at providing these features. The more support in the middle of the body, the better.

That said, memory foam mattresses are often praised as being the best for back pain due to the cradling effect that they have. They soften pressure points, but sleepers sink into the mattress far enough to be supported by the foam. Hybrid mattresses can act this way in certain circumstances, specifically if they are created with back pain in mind.

When looking for a mattress that will be good for back pain, consider your preferences and sleep position. Certain sleepers will require a firmer mattress to avoid back pain.

In summary, a good mattress for back pain will:

  • Offer support
  • Relieve pressure and pressure points
  • Provide more support in the center of the body
  • Cradle the body to reduce this pressure
  • Keep your spine aligned
  • Be foam mattresses or hybrid foam mattresses
  • Cater to your personal preferences

Are medium-firm mattresses good for back pain?

A study from 2003, showed that participants with medium-firm mattresses had better outcomes upon waking than a firm mattress.

However, it’s important to consider your preferences. If you prefer a firmer mattress and sleep better on one, there’s no reason you shouldn’t get one. Even while looking for a mattress that is specifically marketed for back pain, don’t forgo your preferences.

Still, if you are torn between a firm and medium-firm mattress, opt for a medium-firm first. Firm mattresses can be detrimental in certain circumstances.

The firmness scale

One of the most important measures of firmness is the firmness scale. Most companies that produce mattresses use their scales, but we’ve stuck to a somewhat general one when measuring the firmness of the mattresses on this list.

Refer to the following scale to see how a mattress stacks up.

  • 1-2: Soft
  • 3-4: Medium Soft
  • 5: Medium
  • 6-7: Medium Firm
  • 8-10: Firm

How old is too old?

Older mattresses can often make back pain worse. Over time, mattresses sag and lose their supportive features. If your mattress is over 5 years old, it might be approaching the time to get a new one. Most mattresses are good for this length of time, though newer mattresses like the ones on this list have much longer warranties.

The verdict is that older mattresses should be replaced as soon as possible. Newer mattresses can help with back pain after a certain breaking-in period, which allows your body to adjust to a new sleeping surface.

Sleep trials and back pain

Most of the mattresses on our list offer extended sleep trials to help you get used to the mattress. When you’re searching for the best mattress for back pain in Canada, you should choose one with a longer sleep trial. That’s because it sometimes takes up to 30 days for your body to get used to a new mattress. A longer sleep trial gives you even more time to see if the mattress works for you.

Plus, sleep trials are risk-free, and most offer a full refund if you return the mattress after use. Just be careful with the terms of these sleep trials, as there may be fine-print exclusions. It’s better to be safe than stuck with a mattress you can’t sleep on.

Your preferences are most important

Remember that every sleeper is different. If you prefer a firmer mattress to a medium-firm, get a firmer mattress. If you want something soft with less support, get that one instead. The key to finding a good mattress for lower back pain is to get one that is comfortable for you. If you are uncomfortable on your mattress, you might make things worse.

Always evaluate potential mattresses against what you know you like.

Final thoughts

There is no single mattress that works for everyone with back pain. The best mattress for back pain in Canada is the one you’re most comfortable in. Medium-firm mattresses with spine alignment, pressure relief, and considerable support are a great option for back pain. However, your preferences should always take precedence over these choices. We hope you were able to find your next best mattress on our list!