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Medically reviewed by: Debra Sullivan, PhD, MSN, RN, CNE, COI
Some people think that after being diagnosed with arthritis or fibromyalgia, they can say goodbye to a peaceful sleep.
Because chronic pain can mess with sleep quality really bad.
But the good news is, the right treatment and the right mattress can help alleviate musculoskeletal pain. So, if you suffer from this type of pain, check out this guide on how to choose the best mattress for arthritis and fibromyalgia and get ready to find a worthy option for yourself.
A Quick Preview
 | Best Overall - Editor’s Choice Puffy | Check Current Price Read more about this mattress |
 | Best for Side Sleepers Winkbed | Check Current Price Read more about this mattress |
 | Best for Heavy Patients AS3 by Amerisleep | Check Current Price Read more about this mattress |
 | Best for Seniors Zoma | Check Current Price Read more about this mattress |
List of 4 Best Mattresses for Arthritis and Fibromyalgia Relief
Best Overall - Editor’s Choice — Puffy
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Highlights
- cooling Cloud memory foam keeps you cooler as you sleep.
- 4 inches of soft, cushioning foam provides enough cradling to help cradle arthritic joints.
- the removable cover is stain-resistant and can be unzipped for washing, helping keep your mattress fresh longer.
The Puffy is my editor’s choice for the best mattress for arthritis due to its Cooling Cloud memory foam layer, slow-adaptive foam for cradling, and removable cover. According to our review of the Puffy, its comfort layers were thick and slow-adaptive, measuring 1.7 seconds to bounce back from compressions fully. I tested the foam layers of the Puffy and had it adapt to my curves, spreading my weight over a larger space for fantastically weightless, tension-free sleep that may help with arthritic joints. Puffy is also slower and, therefore, more pressure-relieving than the AS3 by almost 2 times. Its Cooling Cloud memory foam is also moderately cool, measuring 74.9 degrees Fahrenheit, which can help keep night sweats away.
Another feature I tested with the Puffy was its removable cover, which can be unzipped in only 10 seconds (based on our review) and washed.
What I Don’t Like About This Mattress
One feature I didn’t like about Puffy was that it may not provide enough support for heavier stomach sleepers over 230 pounds due to its thick, soft layers.
Read our full Puffy mattress review for more information.
Best Mattress for Side Sleepers with Arthritis — Winkbed
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Highlights
- Four firmness options for different body types and sleeping positions;
- zoned spinal support aids proper spinal alignment and helps reduce tension from the joints;
- reliable motion isolation, great for arthritis and fibromyalgia patients who struggle to find a comfortable position during the night and don’t want to disturb their partner.
Support and cushioning levels are important to side sleepers, and this is what this Winkbed mattress offers in different variations, an apt mattress for side sleepers with arthritis.
The combination - support and cradling, works wonders for people suffering with pain from fibromyalgia and arthritis because it can help relieve the pressure from aching joints.
But the best part is - the Winkbed mattress can work for an impressive range of sleepers. This model is available in four firmness options, from plush to extra-firm. Therefore, the Winkbed can accommodate all weight categories and various sleeping styles, making this mattress a universal pick for people dealing with pain.
Overall, the Winkbed is a worthy find. This mattress can work for arthritis and fibromyalgia patients that belong to different weight categories. It delivers consistent support for the spine without sacrificing pressure relief, which is essential for sensitive or sore joints in people with arthritis.
Read our full Winkbed mattress review for more information.
Best for Heavy Arthritis Patients — AS3 by Amerisleep
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Highlights
- zoned HIVE transition layer for targeted pressure relief;
- plant-based foam for safer sleep;
- open-cell foam design to create a pleasantly cool sleeping environment.
Considering that heavy users tend to sleep hot due to much body cradling, heavy arthritis patients have it the worst because of the added body pain. However, this AS3 by amerisleep remedies that with a firm and cool surface that ensures optimal tension relief. As this is an all-foam model, the AS3 offers effective contouring and proper weight redistribution to prevent tension build-up and, consequently, alleviate the pain a little. Plus, there’s a zoned transition layer to aid proper support. It adjusts to different body parts and ensures your spine remains neutral. Again, this could help greatly with pressure and pain relief.
Now, another impressive feature of the AS3 is its proprietary Bio-Pur foam. It’s plant-based and low in VOCs. As a result, this foam is more resistant to such environmental allergens as mold, bacteria, and dust mites, which makes the Amerisleep AS3 a good pick for allergy-prone arthritis patients. After all, who wants to add cough and itchy eyes to the arthritis symptoms?
Read our full Amerisleep AS3 mattress review for more information.
Best Mattress for Seniors with Arthritis — Zoma
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Highlights
- attractive price combined with quality construction, offers great value for money;
- zoned support to achieve unparalleled weight distribution and tension release;
- gel-infused foam for improved thermoregulation.
Featuring an incredibly responsive Reactiv+ transition layer, older people suffering from arthritis can move freely without fear of restriction. Being among the best mattresses for arthritis and fibromyalgia, this model acts differently under different body parts to ensure the optimal support for different sleeping styles. This is achieved thanks to the zoned comfort layer. It has sections meant to help properly cradle different sections of one’s body and thus, reduce tension.
You might also enjoy sleeping on the Zoma mattress if your arthritis or fibromyalgia pain is making it hard for you to move. Because this mattress has a resilient transition layer, it will not restrict movement. Therefore, switching positions (or getting out of bed) should require less effort than with traditional memory foam mattresses.
Read our full Zoma mattress review for more information.
Finding a Balance Between Hug and Responsiveness: Mattress Types Explained
Even though arthritis and fibromyalgia have a number of similar symptoms, they do have certain distinctive differences that may affect the choice of the mattress type.
According to a recent study, rheumatoid arthritis flares in joints may affect mobility. This may make it harder to move around the mattress and change positions.
Fibromyalgia sufferers, on the other hand, often feel the ache all over their body, and this pain can range from moderate tenderness, distress, and pain to a highly dysfunctional amount of pain and distress. Hence, they may need a mattress with a more pronounced hug to relieve pressure in their tender points.
So, let’s see which of the available bed types makes the most suitable mattress for joint pain:
- Innerspring. I’ll begin with the traditional options. Innerspring mattresses are famous for their bounce. They quickly respond to every movement, so you won’t have problems with getting in and out of bed. However, thin comfort layers above the coil block can make the mattress feel overly firm. This is why this type of bed is not recommended for arthritis and fibromyalgia patients. However, as coils can withstand larger weight, innerspring beds may offer a sufficient amount of contouring for heavier individuals, without causing misalignment.
- Memory foam. Memory foam is the queen of pressure relief and cradling. It conforms to your body curves and relaxes deep muscles in seconds, thus minimizing the time you’ll spend trying to get comfy. I definitely recommend memory foam beds to individuals with fibromyalgia, but those with arthritis may want to avoid slow-response memory foam and opt for polyfoam.
- Polyfoam. A cheaper alternative to traditional foam, polyfoam has a more spongy feel. This means it will help you move around the bed more easily and won’t aggravate your joint pain. However, people with fibromyalgia might find that polyfoam lacks hug and pressure relief, so they’ll struggle with getting comfy.
- Latex. Natural latex has smaller pores than foams and is denser. It doesn’t offer very close conforming, so it might fail to relax tender points in people with fibromyalgia. Yet, a latex mattress can make a good purchase for arthritis patients because it has a quick response and won’t make you feel trapped when you move around.
- Hybrid. A hybrid bed combines coils, foams, and other materials in different combinations, so you can expect a balanced feel from it. Typically, hybrids can suit both arthritis and fibromyalgia patients, but this varies from model to model, so it’s highly advised to test the mattress and make the most of your trial period.
Bottom line?
People with arthritis may benefit from a mattress with a floating feel, whereas fibromyalgia sufferers may get the desired relief on a more cradling bed. But of course, the final decision depends only on your preferences. You may also want to seek your doctor’s recommendations.
What Else You Should Know Before Making a Purchase?
Aside from deciding on the right mattress type, you have to consider other factors, to end up with a mattress that will make your sleep truly blissful. So, let’s see what makes a good mattress for joint pain and fibromyalgia.
The Right Firmness
The perception of firmness varies from person to person and can be affected by pain. However, there are general guidelines on how to pick up the right firmness level:
- Soft. Soft mattresses offer a deep hug, which is bad for those who weigh 250 pounds and more. Small and average-weight side sleepers, however, will feel great on a softer bed. But if you’re lightweight and sleep on your back or stomach, you should consider a medium-soft mattress.
- Medium. This is the most optimal level of firmness for almost everyone. According to a Sleep Science study in elders, a mattress with a medium-firm feel performs best at reducing musculoskeletal pain in elderly people. It can work for combo sleepers, as well as strict side and back sleepers of average weight. If you’re a heavy user and sleep on your side, though, you may want to try a medium-firm bed.
- Firm. Firm mattresses make you feel as if you’re floating on top of your bed. They don’t offer much give, which can be great for stomach sleepers. Besides, a firmer bed can support the large weight without sinking, so it can make a good pick for heavy individuals.
If you’re a large user or just feel like you need a really firm bed, you can check out my guide on extra firm mattresses and choose the model that appeals to you.
Thermoregulation
Hot sleeping can be really annoying and decrease your chances to recover during sleep. So, if you’re suffering from chronic pain, it’s advisable to look for a temperature neutral mattress, such as the one that uses latex, coils, or gel memory foam. However, in some cases, some heat retention can be beneficial. According to the Arthritis Foundation, heat can improve the production of synovial liquid and lubricate the joints, thereby improving mobility in arthritis patients. A mattress that retains a small amount of your body heat might work as a big warming pad and have more pleasant effects than direct heat application, so you won’t feel worse.
Material Quality
Those who suffer from pain are likely to use every minute to get some relief, so chances are that you’ll be lying on your mattress pretty often. That means it has to be durable. And here’s how to find a long-lasting one:
- Look for high-density foams. Good numbers start from 1.7 and 7 pounds per cubic foot (PCF) for polyfoam and memory foam, respectively. High-density latex is 5-5.5 PCF or higher.
- Choose quality covers. The cover is here not only for aesthetic purposes. It also allows the air to circulate through the mattress and protects the layers from dust and debris. Choose mattresses with natural or semi-synthetic covers, as they’re usually more durable.
- Check the brand’s reputation. User reviews or sleep expert opinions will help you figure out how the given mattress performs in real life and see through all the marketing tricks.
How Arthritic Pain and Fibromyalgia Affect Your Sleep
There is a strong connection between sleep quality and health issues. Understanding that connection can help us find suitable solutions and, consequently, sleep better. Now, there are different types of arthritis, with osteoarthritis being the most common form.
Source: http://www.apolloclinic.com/blog/types-of-arthritis/
Osteoarthritis causes the loss of cartilage and makes the bones rub together. This results in joint stiffness, swelling, and pain. The 2015 Arthritis Care & Research study suggests that 81% of osteoarthritis patients have difficulties maintaining night sleep, while 31% complain about significant sleep disturbances when trying to fall asleep.
Rheumatoid arthritis, another common condition, causes joint tenderness, stiffness, swelling, and pain. Naturally, these symptoms can interfere with a healthy sleep regime. Patients with rheumatoid arthritis report non-optimal sleep, especially with higher pain levels.
Psoriatic arthritis and gout are less common but can still result in poor sleep quality. These conditions often cause restless leg syndrome, which makes it hard to stay asleep all through the night and can also lead to insomnia.
As for fibromyalgia, this condition can also disrupt one’s sleep. Fibromyalgia symptoms include muscle and joint stiffness (especially in the morning), widespread pain, tingling of the extremities, restless leg syndrome, and so on. Increased pain in fibromyalgia patients is associated with reduced sleep duration and its overall quality. At the same time, research suggests that sleep problems can aggravate the symptoms of fibromyalgia. Naturally, when dealing with any of these conditions, your sleep should be a priority. And picking a proper mattress should be the first step to improve your sleep quality.
FAQ
What type of mattress is best for arthritis?
Hybrid or natural latex mattresses are the best picks for arthritis. They can properly cradle your body and relieve pressure points, but at the same time, they don’t interfere with your movements during the night.
Conclusion
As you can see, sleep and pain don’t do well together.
Arthritis and fibromyalgia patients often find it hard to maintain a healthy sleep regime. However, a good mattress can help.
In my opinion, the Puffy is the best mattress for arthritis as it offers thick, conforming, and dense memory foam for buttery cushioning that may help ease arthritic joints, as well as Cooling Cloud foam that aims to keep your temperature neutral, as well as a washable cover.
Keep in mind that every sleeper requires the right bed firmness according to their weight. And let’s not forget about pressure relief, which is crucial when it comes to fibromyalgia and arthritis pain. Foam and latex mattresses tend to do the best job of reducing tension. As for hybrid beds, it is recommended to test them first as the feeling may vary from model to model.
Additional Resources
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