The American Association of Neurological Surgeons says scoliosis affects an estimated six to nine million people in the United States. To find out what people with scoliosis should look for in a mattress, and to determine the best mattresses for scoliosis, we consulted Cameron Yuen, DPT, CSCS, and director of rehab and training at Bespoke Treatments Physical Therapy in New York City. Keep scrolling to learn more and to shop our picks for the best mattresses for scoliosis. Side sleeping “When the spine curves sideways, it’s important to give extra padding on the areas that are more convex and support for the areas that are more concave, especially if you will be lying on your side,” Yuen explains. “If you have a more severe scoliosis, you will likely benefit from also using small or soft pillows to fill in and support the more concave areas.” You can place the pillows between your knees or under your hips—whichever makes you feel most comfortable. Back sleeping The CLEAR Scoliosis Institute and Yuen agree that the best sleep position possible for people with scoliosis is on your back. “The forward and backward deviations of the spine are generally less severe, so sleeping on your back can be a great option if it is comfortable,” Yuen explains. Back sleepers may also consider supplementing with a pillow under the knees to relieve any additional pressure in the lower back. Stomach sleeping Because sleeping on your stomach causes your head, neck, and hips to twist out of alignment, this position is not recommended for people with scoliosis. Back sleepers will benefit from a medium-firm or firm mattress, particularly a hybrid for its responsive support. If you’re a strict side-sleeper, on the other hand, a firmer surface might end up causing more pain on your pressure points. “A softer mattress would be preferable if you tend to sleep on your side,” says Yuen. “This is because there will be greater pressure on certain areas due to the spine curving outward or inward. A softer mattress will have more give for these convex areas.” Responsiveness Combination sleepers will want a bed that makes it easy to switch positions throughout the night, without disrupting your sleep (or your partner’s sleep). That likely means a hybrid or innerspring bed, as opposed to a memory foam mattress (which can feel a bit like quicksand when you want to roll over). Customization All the beds on our list are reputable mattresses, but there’s no denying that comfort and support are subjective. If you’re concerned about whether a mattress will be the right fit for you, consider a brand that lets you exchange firmness models or comfort layers within the trial period. Trial period Mattresses are expensive—and trying to relieve scoliosis pain can put extra pressure on the success of an already sizable purchase. Thankfully, most companies do offer generous trial periods. If you prefer to err on the side of caution, a longer sleep trial can help take the pressure off. Nest ships all its mattresses compressed and rolled in a box. According to reviews, this mattress doesn’t let off any funky smells while you’re putting it together. What customers say: The medium comfort layer is a favorite among side sleepers. And while we couldn’t find any reviews from people with scoliosis in particular, there are plenty of comments about improved back pain. One reviewer raves, “Honestly—back issues solved. I feel supported and so comfortable all at once!” It’s also a hit with couples who liked that they could order two twin XLs with different comfort layers to make their own split king setup. The Luxury Firm is the brand’s bestselling model and a good fit for all sleep styles (although strict side sleepers might prefer the Plush Soft model). Folks with scoliosis will appreciate the balance of cushion and enhanced support in the middle, which helps keep your hips and shoulders in alignment, no matter your chosen sleep position. Saatva delivers all of its mattresses through white glove delivery, which means someone will bring it into your home for you and help set it up. The beds are never compressed or rolled into a box (Saatva says this helps maintain its mattresses’ quality). Depending on the brand and model, you might even qualify to have your old mattress and box spring removed at the time of delivery, which is a huge help. What customers say: A big reason we chose the Saatva Classic as the best overall is the rave reviews from people with scoliosis. Several say it’s been a great firm option and makes them feel supported, without feeling like they’re on a hardwood floor. One person with scoliosis writes, “I usually have issues (scoliosis which leads to an achy back) sleeping on new mattresses but this one, I never had issues.” And another who ordered the Luxury Firm for them and their partner comments, “She has scoliosis, and I have chronic arthritis, and degenerative disc disease. Every single morning in the past 2 weeks, we have not had a single backache or headache, having slept soundly on this truly luxury mattress!” If you end up finding the Luxury Firm too firm or too soft, you can exchange your bed (or return it altogether) within the 365-night trial. Saatva is also known for having excellent customer service. Like the Classic, the Solaire has the same 3-inch Euro pillow top made from organic cotton and natural latex—and the same swanky hotel feel. Of course, this mattress also comes with free white glove delivery and setup. This is especially helpful if you order a split king model or Saatva’s adjustable base. What customers say: There aren’t many reviews for this bed on Saatva’s website yet, but the bulk of the comments are positive. Most people say the ability to choose their own firmness helps them find pain-free comfort, although one person warns that post-surgery, this bed was too tall for her to get into and out of. Both positive and negative reviews rave about Saatva’s generous trial period and customer service, so if it doesn’t work out you’ll be in good hands. The DreamCloud Premier will arrive compressed and wrapped in a box, and the brand recommends leaving it to expand for 24 hours. What customers say: With nearly 8,000 reviews and 4.8 out of 5 stars, this mattress gets very strong feedback. One reviewer with scoliosis says, “I have rotational scoliosis and suffer from severe back pain. This mattress has enough support while still being soft and is unbelievably comfortable. My back pain is nearly gone after sleeping on this mattress.” One negative mention, though, is that there’s only one firmness option. If this purchase doesn’t work out, you can take advantage of DreamCloud’s 365-night return window. All of Nolah’s mattresses are compressed and rolled in a box for delivery. The brand’s website doesn’t say how long you should wait for the mattress to expand before sleeping on it, but some reviewers say they slept on it the very first night. What customers say: While we weren’t able to find any reviews from folks with scoliosis, this bed has an astounding 4.9 out of 5-star rating overall and overwhelmingly positive feedback from people who say it relieved them of nighttime aches and pains. One ecstatic and well-rested reviewer writes, “I used to go to work exhausted and dragging all day. Within a week of getting my Nolah mattress, I was singing my way to work. I was so spicy, they even renamed me Chipotle. Having gone through Nectar and Casper mattresses, this one is undeniably the best. Cool and comfy, I sleep through the night. No more night sweats or shoulder pain!” On the con side, some people who share their bed with a partner mention that the motion control could be better. The foam in this mattress is a bit different from your average memory foam. The copper gel-infused foam gives a firmer response to increased pressure, providing support around the areas where you really need it. Copper is also what gives this mattress a cooling quality, and it actually compresses together under pressure to form an antimicrobial barrier that helps fight odor-causing bacteria. In other words, it keeps your mattress fresh, cool, and comfortable. This bed arrives compressed and rolled up in a box. A few folks left reviews saying that there’s a funky off-gassing smell (which is common in memory foam beds), but the same reviewers confirm that it goes away within a day or two, What customers say: Among the 7,000-plus reviews, there are several from people with scoliosis who are really happy with their Layla bed. One says, “My husband has chronic pain from a host of injuries and I have mild scoliosis, and still we can both sleep without pain so this is wonderful for us.” On the con side, memory foam can make it a little tough to change positions, as some combination sleepers note. Assuming your current mattress is in good shape, the addition of this topper will provide a sensation of sleeping on top of your bed versus in it—especially if you choose the medium or medium-firm option. This topper is also perforated, which results in a more breathable surface than other foam toppers, even if you add the optional organic cotton cover. Once you’ve decided between the five firmness options and the 2- or 3-inch height, the topper will ship compressed and rolled in a box. Because the materials are all-natural, there aren’t any weird off-gassing smells. What customers say: This topper has over 1,100 reviews, most of which say it made a big difference in the overall comfort of their bed. One mom who bought the medium-firm topper for her son after scoliosis surgery says, “He has been 100% happy with this mattress topper and as a result his back has healed faster post surgery with less noticeable back pain.” The only real con to this option is that it’s a little more expensive than other toppers you can find. But if quality and organic materials are important to you, it might be worth it.
