Just because you struggle with back pain doesn’t mean you have to shell out hundreds of dollars for a new bed. A simple mattress topper can provide the comfort and pressure relief you need by making the bed firmer or softer. After testing dozens of online mattress toppers, we landed on six that will help ease the ache. These are the six best mattress toppers for back pain in 2022!

This 3″ mattress topper has a plush, slow-moving feel. It’s soft enough to ease pressure, but not so soft that your back will sink out of alignment. If you’re a back or side sleeper with back pain, you’ll especially want to consider the Saatva.

Read our full Saatva mattress topper review. 

The Saatva mattress topper is a comfortable option for back sleepers, side sleepers, and hot sleepers. 

If you’re a fan of that luxurious pillow top look and feel, then you’ll adore the Helix Plush mattress topper. The cover is made with hypoallergenic bamboo material, which is naturally soft and breathable – great news for hot sleepers! This fabric is also more durable than cotton, so you can expect this topper to last a long time. 

This topper doesn’t soften existing mattresses too much, but it does make your bed feel lovely and plush. We recommend this topper for folks who only need a little bit of pressure relief. 

Read our full Helix Plush Mattress Topper review. 

The Helix mattress topper adds a touch of plushness and a luxurious pillow top feel. It's made with hypoallergenic and durable materials. Click the link below for the best deal!

When many people think about memory foam, their mind jumps to TEMPUR-Pedic’s luxurious, slow-moving tempur material. This is the kind of bedding you can really sink into, and if you need extra pressure relief for your back pain, it will do the trick. It’s a bit more of an investment up front, but it has an impressive lifespan.

Read our full TEMPUR-Topper Supreme review. 

The TEMPUR-Topper Supreme is a soft memory foam mattress topper. It should be a good match for back sleepers, side sleepers, and fans of slow-moving memory foam.

The Dreamfoam Gel Swirl mattress topper helps alleviate back pain without breaking the bank. This 2″ topper is made with classic memory foam, so it provides wonderful body contouring. The slow-moving material will ease pressure along the shoulders and hips while side-sleeping and ease hip pain while back-sleeping.

Read our full Dreamfoam mattress topper review.

A 2″ topper is made with classic memory foam, the Dreamfoam provides a lot of body contouring without breaking the bank.

This ViscoSoft mattress topper has a 3” comfort layer of gel-infused memory foam that provides great lumbar support for side sleepers. Memory foam allows you to sink into the surface and eases pain on high pressure points, such as your shoulders and hips. This dense material can soften your mattress by two points, from 8/10 points to 6/10.

Read our full ViscoSoft Select High Density mattress topper review.

The ViscoSoft Select High-Density Mattress Topper is a great option for hot sleepers who want some extra pressure relief. Click the button for the best deal on ViscoSoft. 

The Layla mattress topper has a responsive feel, and it’s great for folks who need more pressure relief. This topper softens existing mattresses by one point, which can really help side sleepers with shoulder pain. 

Unlike many foam toppers, the Layla doesn’t trap heat easily! That’s thanks to its cooling cover and copper-infused foam. Copper helps dissipate body heat, and the cover actually feels cool to the touch. 

Read our full Layla mattress topper review.

The Layla is a great option for hot sleepers who want a memory foam feel. 

Old mattresses can exacerbate back pain, but that doesn’t mean you have to throw your current bed in the garbage. By adding a mattress topper, you can refresh your mattress and bring back its original comfort.

The best toppers create both comfort and support. You’ll need some pressure relief, but you don’t want your body to sink out of the proper alignment. Side and back sleepers will benefit from a thick and plush topper, while stomach sleepers will need something more supportive.

Of course, there’s a lot to know about the world of mattress toppers. Let’s take a close look at each element, one by one.

After a quick search online, you’ll likely find hundreds of different mattress toppers. How do you know which type is best for back pain? To make the process easier, we’ve broken down the most popular models below.

Memory foam remains one of the most popular materials for mattress toppers. If you’re a back or side sleeper with back pain, this material can help alleviate the pressure. Thanks to its slow-moving feel, you’ll really sink into it. This creates comfy body contouring around the lower back, which helps soothe pain.

On the downside, memory foam tends to overheat at night. If you already struggle with this, we recommend looking for a cooling memory foam topper. Gel and graphite infusions help pull heat away from the body, and open-celled foams promote airflow. If you tend to sleep hot at night, look for one of the best cooling mattress toppers.

Most commonly found in budget mattress toppers, polyfoam doesn’t have a long lifespan. Oftentimes, manufacturers only use this material in a small portion of the bedding product. If you purchase a topper made entirely out of polyfoam, you’ll still get some nice pressure relief and comfort, but you may have to replace the product after a short while.

If you love a mattress topper that feels bouncy and responsive, look for something made out of latex foam. Unlike memory foam, latex quickly springs back into place after you apply pressure. This has many benefits. First, because you won’t sink into it too much, this material doesn’t trap body heat. Also, latex lasts much longer than many other materials. Many latex toppers feel quite firm, so they could work well for stomach sleepers.

Down toppers are made out of geese or duck plumage, and they create a soft and malleable feel. They don’t provide much support though, so we don’t recommend them for people dealing with back pain. Down also tends to trap dust mites. If you already suffer from allergies, you may want to look for a topper made with down alternative.

Feather beds often get confused with down mattress toppers, but they aren’t quite the same thing. Feather beds are made with—you guessed it—geese and duck feathers. Down, on the other hand, utilizes the bird’s plumage.

The main difference between the two? Feather beds have a higher density. They create a bit more support than down toppers, but we still don’t recommend them for those suffering with back pain.

Wool mattress toppers don’t create much pressure relief, so they may not work well for back and side sleepers dealing with pain. However, if you’re a stomach sleeper, a wool topper could help you stay in the proper alignment.

This material can get pricey, but it does have many benefits. First, it helps regulate temperature. Wool stays dry in the summer and warm in the winter. These toppers also last a long time, and they create an extra layer of comfy softness.

We’ve learned about the different types of toppers out there. Now, let’s narrow the search even more. Here are the main things to consider when buying a mattress topper for back pain.

Before clicking “add to cart,” you’ll want to decide what your mattress topper should feel like. If you love sinking inside your bed and feeling its luxurious comfort all around you, shop for a memory foam mattress topper. But what if you prefer to sleep on top of the bed, rather than inside it? In that case, you’ll want to look for a topper made with a responsive material like latex.

Those who suffer from back pain will want to pay special attention to their bed’s firmness level. If your bed feels too firm or too soft, you won’t get the proper spinal support.

To make things clearer, we created a firmness scale that ranges from 1–10. Medium firm mattresses come in at 6.5/10.

First, consider your mattress’s current firmness level. If it’s closer to an 8/10, you may want a topper that will soften it by a few points. If your bed feels like a 5/10, look for something that will make your bed firmer.

When you regularly experience back pain, it’s especially important to make sure your bed promotes the proper spinal alignment in your sleeping position.

Back sleepers will need a mattress that provides both comfort and support. They’ll need some body contouring and pressure relief along the lower back. But if it’s too soft, the bed could cause back sleepers to rest in an unnatural position.

Side sleepers will need some extra pressure relief along shoulders and hips, so they may benefit from a thick memory foam topper. Stomach sleepers need firm beds in order to keep their backs in the correct alignment.

Many people experience back pain because their mattresses don’t provide enough pressure relief. Back and side sleepers will especially need to find a topper that can soothe pain along the shoulders and hips. Stomach sleepers may not need to worry about this issue, because they tend to need a firmer mattress.

Most often, mattress toppers come in three thickness levels: 1″, 2″, and 3″.  Heavier side and back sleepers will want to look for a 3″ topper, because this will create the most pressure relief. If you’re a lightweight back or side sleeper, a 2″ topper could work well. Stomach sleepers may only need a 1″ topper, because these often feel firmer.

In general, mattress toppers don’t last as long as mattresses. Some, however, can sleep comfortably for up to five years. Sometimes, it’s worth paying more money up front so you get something that lasts. But if you’re only sleeping on the topper occasionally, you may not need to invest in a high-end model.

RELATED: Best Mattresses for Back Pain

Toppers come in a variety of different price points. Luckily, we’ve included options that should work for many different budgets! And if you need more ideas, take a look at our list of the best cheap mattress toppers.

Need a refresher? Here are the six best mattress toppers for back pain in 2022.

As you can see, there are many great options! At the end of the day, it really depends on your specific needs. If you suffer from lower back pain, we recommend the Casper mattress topper. If you're a stomach sleeper, look at the Avocado mattress topper. Those who prefer a plush feel will love the Saatva Graphite topper.

Mattress toppers are not bad for your back, but it's important to find the right one for your needs. For example, stomach sleepers should look for something that will make their bed feel firmer, such as the Avocado or Lift By Amerisleep Support topper. Side sleepers may need more pressure relief, and they could benefit from the ViscoSoft or TEMPUR-Topper Supreme. If you want to find the best topper for you, check out our buyer's guide!

The best topper for lower back and hip pain is, hands-down, the Casper. This mattress topper has three layers which combine to create comfort and support. Plus, this product has many fantastic cooling features and will last a long time.

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With a foam and hybrid option available, the Casper has a fantastic support and comfort option for a sleeper with any preference.

With several hybrid models, Helix is committed to serving a variety of sleepers, keeping them cool and comfortable from dusk to dawn.

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