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Tuck Sleep > Best Mattress > Best Mattresses for Hip Pain – Top 6 Beds and Buyer’s Guide

Best Mattresses for Hip Pain – Top 6 Beds and Buyer’s Guide

Medically Reviewed by Dr. Jenny Iyo

Written by Tuck Staff

Quick Overview

Hip pain is a common issue for adult sleepers. Pain and discomfort around the hips, pelvis, and lower back can occur from various factors, such as medical conditions and old injuries. Chronic hip pain can be an obstacle for these sleepers, making it challenging for them to get comfortable enough to sleep.

Your choice of mattress can either relieve (or worsen) your hip pain, and how well you sleep as a result. Some mattresses conform closely to the body in order to align the shoulders, spine, and pelvis; this can reduce discomfort and alleviate pressure points in the neck, back, and other sensitive areas. Other mattresses offer minimal support to the hips; as a result, these sleep surfaces may not alleviate hip pain to a noticeable extent – and may even cause more aches and discomfort.

The best mattress for hip pain is a personal choice, but it largely depends on your bodyweight, sleep position, and other sleep preferences. Read on to learn more about selecting a mattress that will help reduce hip pain. We share our top choices for the best mattresses for hip pain sold today, all based on verified owner and customer experiences, as well as intensive product research and analysis.

Best Mattresses for Hip Pain
First Time Buying a Mattress?

Hop down to our Buyer’s Guide for a crash course on finding the best mattress for hip pain.

 

The Best Mattresses for Hip Pain – Reviewed

Best OverallWinkBeds GravityLux

Best Overall – WinkBeds GravityLux

Highlights

  • Multiple firmness options (4, 5, 7)
  • 120-night sleep trial
  • Lifetime warranty
  • Zoned foam layer provides targeted support
  • Good conforming and spinal alignment
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Best OverallWinkBeds GravityLux

winkbeds.com

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Most sleepers with hip pain prefer a mattress that conforms to their body without sagging, which can lead to added discomfort. Some sleepers also need extra cushioning around the shoulders and hips for healthy spinal alignment.

We’ve selected the GravityLux by WinkBeds as a top pick for hip pain for several reasons. For one, it is available in three firmness settings: ‘Medium Soft’ (4), ‘Medium’ (5), and ‘Firm’ (7). This selection ensures most sleepers with hip pain can find a suitable bed regardless of their weight or sleep position.

All firmness settings for the GravityLux provide consistent conforming and even weight distribution. The mattress also isolates motion transfer very well and does not make any noise when bearing weight. As a result, it is a great choice for couples. A breathable cover and open-cell memory foam comfort layer provides good temperature neutrality, as well, which allows the bed to sleep cooler than most competing memory foam mattresses.

The GravityLux has an above-average price-point and is a good option for shoppers with bigger budgets. WinkBeds offers free shipping to customers in the contiguous U.S., as well as full-service White Glove delivery for an added charge if customers would rather not assemble the mattress themselves. The GravityLux is backed by a 120-night sleep trial and a lifetime warranty.

The Bottom Line.

With its pressure-relieving construction and three firmness settings to choose from, the GravityLux offers a mattress to relieve almost any kind of sleeper suffering from hip pain. With additional features like superior motion isolation, good temperature neutrality, and a lifetime warranty, it’s a clear Editor’s Pick.

  • Every type of sleeper (side, back, stomach, combination). Side sleepers will find more comfort from the softer models, while stomach sleepers will likely prefer the ‘Firm’ model. Back sleepers may find the ‘Medium’ most comfortable, or the ‘Firm’ if they are of heavier bodyweight.
  • Sleepers in any weight group (light, average, heavy). Sleepers can choose the most comfortable firmness setting for their bodyweight.
  • Couples. The MemoryLux offers a very still sleep surface when bearing weight, so it should minimize sleep disruptions for those who share their bed with a partner.
  • Those who normally sleep hot on all-foam beds. The use of open-cell comfort foam and a breathable Tencel lyocell cover helps the MemoryLux sleep much cooler than other allo-foam models.

Not Recommended for:

  • Shoppers on a budget. The MemoryLux has a higher price-point than comparable all-foam mattresses.
  • Sleepers looking for strong edge support. Like many all-foam models, it’s common to experience some sinkage around the edges of the bed where people may sit.

Best ValueNectar Mattress

Best Value – Nectar Mattress

Highlights

  • 'Medium Firm' (6)
  • 365-night sleep trial
  • Lifetime warranty
  • Exceptional temperature neutrality
  • Thick foam layers cushion and support the body
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Best ValueNectar Mattress

nectarsleep.com

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The Nectar is a mattress made of premium foam that conforms to the sleeper’s body very consistently and evenly distributes their weight. The bed has a ‘Medium Firm’ feel that is optimal for those who weigh 130 to 230 pounds, as well as lighter or heavier individuals who prefer a more balanced firmness setting.

Despite its advanced pressure-relieving abilities, the mattress has a below-average price-point – making it a high-value mattress pick for those with hip pain.

The Nectar is suitable for couples, as well. Its memory foam comfort layer absorbs and minimizes motion transfer, resulting in fewer nighttime sleep disruptions, and the bed does not make any noise when bearing weight. Thanks to a top layer of gel-infused memory foam and a breathable cover, the mattress also sleeps relatively cool.

Nectar offers free shipping to customers in the contiguous U.S. The mattress is backed by a 365-night sleep trial and lifetime warranty, both of which are significantly longer than average.

The Bottom Line.

The Nectar Mattress offers a high-quality construction for an incredible price — one that becomes all the more incredible when you consider the extensive year-long sleep trial and lifetime warranty. For sleepers with hip pain and a soft spot for good deals, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a better fit.

  • Every type of sleeper (side, back, stomach, combination). The ‘Medium Firm’ feel and all-foam construction provides a nice balance of support and pressure relief for sleepers with hip pain, regardless of their particular sleep position.
  • Sleepers who weigh at least 130 pounds. The Nectar feels most comfortable for sleepers of average weight or heavier.
  • Those who normally sleep hot on all-foam beds. The Nectar absorbs less body heat than the average all-foam mattress, due to the use of low- and medium-density foams in its comfort layers.
  • Couples. Three layers of foam virtually eliminate motion transfer, so the bed stays still and silent throughout the night.

Not Recommended for:

  • Lightweight sleepers. The Nectar’s ‘Medium Firm’ feel may feel too firm for sleepers who weigh less than 130 pounds, creating pressure points that may exacerbate their hip pain.
  • Shoppers who want to be able to return their mattress quickly if they don’t love it. The 365-night sleep trial includes a mandatory 30-night break-in period.

Best LuxuryLoom & Leaf

Best Luxury – Loom & Leaf

Highlights

  • Multiple firmness options (5.5, 8)
  • 365-night sleep trial
  • Lifetime warranty
  • Excellent motion isolation and conforming
  • Free White Glove delivery
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Best LuxuryLoom & Leaf

saatva.com

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The Loom & Leaf by Saatva is a memory foam mattress crafted from high-quality materials that conform to the sleeper’s body and alleviate aches and pains.

Customers can choose between two settings, ‘Relaxed Firm’ (5.5) and ‘Firm’ (8), making the Loom & Leaf a good choice for most sleepers who weigh 230 pounds or less, as well as those who prefer any sleep position.

The bed’s comfort system features layers of gel memory foam and standard memory foam, as well as an organic cotton foam-quilted cover for added cushioning. The high-density polyfoam support core also helps the Loom & Leaf maintain an even surface. The mattress provides excellent motion isolation and is virtually silent, as well.

The Loom & Leaf mattress, like other Saatva beds, qualifies for free White Glove delivery, including in-home mattress assembly and old mattress removal; normally White Glove services are priced at least $100 over the original product price. The mattress is backed by a 365-night sleep trial and a lifetime warranty, both of which are longer than average.

The Bottom Line.

The Loom & Leaf mattress features a luxe construction designed to provide the ultimate comfort for sleepers, including those suffering from chronic pain. The bed’s higher price-point makes it our luxury pick, but Saatva delivers the value with premium perks like free White Glove delivery.

  • Every type of sleeper (side, back, stomach, combination). With two firmness settings and variable levels of conforming, the Loom & Leaf caters to all sleep positions.
  • Sleepers who weigh 230 pounds or less. The Loom & Leaf is most comfortable for sleepers of average weight or less, with lightweight sleepers finding more comfort from the ‘Relaxed Firm’ model.
  • Couples. An all-foam construction isolates motion very well, so the mattress stays still and quiet despite movements from a sleep partner.
  • Shoppers with larger budgets. The Loom & Leaf carries a higher price tag than the average memory foam mattress, but the premium construction and free White Glove delivery make it worth it.

Not Recommended for:

  • Sleepers who weigh 230 pounds or more. Some heavier side sleepers may find good support from the ‘Firm’ model, but generally, the Loom & Leaf doesn’t perform as well among sleepers with heavier body types.
  • Those who tend to sleep hot. Despite the use of cooling gel in its comfort layers, the Loom & Leaf may still trap body heat to an extent some may find uncomfortable.

Best for Average Weight SleepersLeesa Original

Best for Average Weight Sleepers – Leesa Original

Highlights

  • 'Medium' (5)
  • 100-night sleep trial
  • 10-year warranty
  • Cushions and conforms to the sleeper's body
  • Isolates motion transfer for couples
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Best for Average Weight SleepersLeesa Original

leesa.com

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Although preferences vary by individual sleeper, most in the average weight group (130 to 230 pounds) prefer a mattress that conforms to a noticeable extent while also providing even, sag-free support.

The Leesa is suitable for average-weight sleepers with hip pain because it offers a ‘Medium’ feel that is optimal for side, back, and stomach sleepers in this weight group. Three foam comfort layers – including a middle memory foam layer – provide ample cushioning and even weight distribution.

Most sleepers regardless of their preferred position find the Leesa alleviates their most persistent aches and pressure points. Side sleepers will likely experience better spinal alignment thanks to good padding around the hips, while those in other positions won’t sag too much. The Leesa is also made for couples because it isolates motion transfer very well and won’t make any noise.

The Leesa has an exceptionally low price-point compared to other memory foam models. The company also offers free shipping to all 50 states, and backs the mattress with a 100-night sleep trial and a 10-year warranty.

The Bottom Line.

The Leesa’s true ‘Medium’ feel is popular among average-weight sleepers, with or without hip pain, but it’s especially comforting to those with chronic pain. Three layers of foam cushion and relieve pressure points in the hips and other sensitive areas, creating a body-hugging cradle that feels luxurious to sleep on.

  • Every type of sleeper (side, back, stomach, combination). The Leesa offers an ideal mix of support and pressure relief for any sleep position.
  • Sleepers who weigh 230 pounds or less. The Leesa is our top mattress pick for average-weight sleepers with hip pain, but lightweight back and stomach sleepers enjoy the mattress just as well.
  • Value seekers. The Leesa offers one of the lowest price-points for a memory foam mattress of this quality, especially one that does such a good job at relieving hip pain.
  • Couples who awaken easily due to movement or noise. The mattress surface stays virtually silent when bearing weight, so you’re less likely to be woken up by a moving sleep partner.

Not Recommended for:

  • Those who tend to sleep hot. The Leesa creates a body-hugging cradle that can have a tendency to trap body heat for some sleepers.
  • Shoppers who want to be able to return their mattress quickly if they don’t love it. The 100-night sleep trial includes a mandatory 30-night break-in period.

Best for Heavyweight SleepersWinkBed Plus

Best for Heavyweight Sleepers – WinkBed Plus

Highlights

  • 'Firm' (8)
  • 120-night sleep trial
  • Lifetime warranty
  • Built specifically for heavyweight sleepers
  • Excellent edge support
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Best for Heavyweight SleepersWinkBed Plus

winkbeds.com

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For sleepers of a higher body weight, the WinkBed Plus is like a breath of fresh air. It is a mattress designed with heavyweight sleepers in mind, and its performance is tailored to meet their needs. Its construction and materials are built to provide consistent support and provide people with hip pain the sleeping surface they need to relieve pressure and keep their body well-aligned.

The support core of the WinkBed Plus is a 7.5-inch layer of pocketed innerspring coils that can compress independently of the surrounding coils, allowing them to respond to how each person’s body weight is distributed on the mattress. Those coils rest on 2-inch of high-density polyfoam that enhance stability and reduce noise, making the mattress an attractive choice for light sleepers and couples.

Three different materials contribute to the comfort layers of the WinkBed Plus. The topmost layer is 1 inch of gel-infused polyfoam that provides close conforming. The second layer is 2.5 inches of latex that add responsiveness while at the same time limiting the amount of sinkage into the bed. A cotton lumbar pad provides extra cushioning around the midsection and can be a nice added touch for people with hip pain.

The 14.5-inch tall mattress is ‘Firm’ (8), so it carries wide appeal to heavier sleepers in almost any sleeping position. The combination of coils and foam layers generate a solid perimeter, so the WinkBed Plus provides enhanced edge support relative to most hybrids. It also offers above-average motion isolation and temperature regulation.

Free shipping is included with the purchase of a WinkBed Plus, and the mattress comes with a 120-night sleep trial and a lifetime warranty.

The Bottom Line.

The WinkBed Plus was constructed specifically for sleepers who weigh over 300 pounds. Moreover, the bed features a sophisticated hybrid construction that relieves chronic pain in the hips and back, thanks to pressure-relieving foam layers and a zoned support system.

  • Every type of sleeper (side, back, stomach, combination). Comfort layers of gel polyfoam and latex cushion and relieve pressure points, with extra help from the cotton lumbar pad, while the zoned support layer prevents sleepers from sinking too deeply into the mattress in any position.
  • Sleepers who weigh 230 pounds or more. The WinkBed Plus was specially designed to support heavier sleepers.
  • People who prefer a higher-profile mattress. The 14.5-inch profile of the WinkBed Plus is not only impressive, it’s also thick enough to support heavier sleepers and prevent sagging.
  • Sleepers who need extra edge support. The edges of the WinkBed Plus are reinforced with a polyfoam perimeter, ensuring an even sleep surface across the mattress and preventing “roll-off.”

Not Recommended for:

  • Couples where one partner weighs less than 230 pounds. The ‘Firm’ feel of the WinkBed Plus will feel too firm for sleepers of average weight or less, and may even exacerbate pressure points in the hips.
  • Shoppers who want to be able to return their mattress quickly if they don’t love it. The 120-night sleep trial includes a mandatory 30-night break-in period.

Mattress Buyer's Guide for Hip Pain Sufferers

Below, we share everything sleepers with hip pain need to consider when buying a new mattress, along with our best tips for buying a mattress.

Best Mattresses for Hip Pain: Buyer’s Guide

What You Need to Know About Sleeping with Hip Pain

According to the CDC, roughly 7 percent of Americans experience chronic hip pain. This figure amounts to roughly 22.6 million men and women. The problem is largely linked to older populations. The CDC estimates that more than 300,000 adults 65 and older are hospitalized for hip fractures each year, and 95 percent of these cases are attributed to severe falls.

Hip pain — like most types of chronic pain — has been linked to sleep disruption, which can lead to other problems like daytime fatigue, the inability to focus or concentrate, and a higher risk of being involved in an accident.

Mattress selection is crucial for individuals that live with hip pain. In addition to choosing the right type of mattress, shoppers should also look at factors like supportiveness, conforming ability, and firmness. This guide will explore the causes of hip pain and how it affects sleep, as well as some important considerations for mattress shoppers as they search for a mattress to minimize their hip pain.

What Causes Hip Pain for Sleepers?

According to the Mayo Clinic, many different diseases, conditions, and injuries can lead to hip pain. Issues that involve the hip tend to cause pain in the inner hip or groin areas, while hip pain on the outer hip, buttock, or upper thigh is often attributed to problems with muscles, ligaments, tendons, and other ‘soft tissue’ areas.

Causes of hip pain include the following:

Arthritis

  • Juvenile idiopathic arthritis, which is the most common form of arthritis found in children 16 and younger. Some juveniles experience joint pain, swelling, and stiffness for two to three months, but others experience the symptoms of JIA for their entire lives.
  • Osteoarthritis, which occurs when the cartilage at the ends of bones begins to deteriorate. This condition affects millions of people.
  • Psoriatic arthritis, which affects people living with psoriasis, a skin condition characterized by red patches with a scaly texture. Psoriatic arthritis can affect any area of the body, and the condition may be diagnosed before the patient’s psoriasis lesions begin to appear.
  • Rheumatoid arthritis, an inflammatory disorder than can spread from the joints and impact other areas of the body, including but not limited to the skin, eyes, lungs, heart, and blood vessels.
  • Septic arthritis, which occurs when germs enter the bloodstream due to an infection or injury. This condition primarily affects infants and older adults.

Physical Injuries

  • Bursitis, or joint inflammation, which occurs when bursae — fluid-filled sacs that pad bones and tendons — become inflamed. Most patients recover from bursitis in a matter of weeks, but flare-ups are common.
  • Tendinitis, a condition characterized by irritated tendons, or cords that link bones and muscles. Tendinitis can affect any area of the body, but most commonly causes pain in the shoulders, elbows, wrists, knees, and heels.
  • Hip fractures, as well as hip labral tears, which affect the cartilage that cushions the socket of the hip joint.
  • Dislocations in the hips, as well as other areas of the body (such as the shoulders and knees) that may affect sleep position.
  • Inguinal hernia, a condition that occurs when tissue protrudes through a weakened area of the abdominal muscles. These hernias are not life-threatening, but they will not self-repair and require medical treatment.
  • Sprains, which involve stretched or torn ligaments, and strains, which involve stretched or torn muscles or tendons.

Pinched Nerves

  • Meralgia paresthetica, which occurs when nerves on the outer thigh are compressed. This condition can cause tingling, numbness, and painful burning sensations in the outer thigh, as well as the hips.
  • Sacroiliitis, which affects the sacroiliac joints that connect the lower spine and pelvis. This condition can cause pain in the hips, thighs, buttocks, lower back, and/or legs.
  • Sciatica, a condition affecting the sciatic nerve that runs from the lower back through the hips and buttocks, and then down both legs. Sciatica often occurs due to a herniated disk, bone spur, or spinal stenosis (narrowing of the spine).

Other Conditions

  • Cancer that spreads to the bones (usually in advanced stages), as well as bone cancer or leukemia (which impacts bone marrow).
  • Avascular necrosis, also known as osteonecrosis, which is characterized by dead or dying bone tissue due to inadequate blood supply.
  • Legg-Calve-Perthes disease, which occurs in children when blood supplied to the ball part of the hip joint is interrupted.
  • Osteomyelitis, a bone infection caused by germs spreading through the bloodstream or from nearby tissue.
  • Osteoporosis, a condition characterized by weakened and brittle bones. Minor physical activities, such as coughing or bending over, can cause bone fractures in people with advanced osteoporosis.
  • Synovitis, or inflammation of the synovial membranes that line joints throughout the body and can lead to massive fluid buildup.

How Sleep Position Affects Hip Pain

Sleep position is important for individuals that experience the conditions described above, or other conditions that cause hip pain. Choosing the best position can alleviate pain and pressure symptoms, while choosing the wrong position will merely exacerbate these conditions.

Side Sleeping with Hip Pain

It’s important to note that sleeping on one’s side can lead to more hip pain. This position — unlike back sleeping — can lead to poor spinal alignment, leaving individuals vulnerable to pain and pressure in their hips and other sensitive areas (such as the neck, shoulders, and lower back).

Mattress firmness is crucial for side sleepers. Those who have below-average weights (less than 130 pounds) typically require a softer mattress that allows their bodies to sink deeply and their spines to align. For side-sleepers with above-average weights (more than 230 pounds), firmer sleep surfaces may be needed for proper spinal alignment; otherwise these individuals will sink too deeply.

Recommended Firmness for Side Sleepers with Hip Pain:

Soft to Medium Firm

If you have chronic hip pain, it’s advisable to consider changing your sleep position to see if you experience more relief when sleeping on your back or stomach. Alternately, you may try one of the following strategies to sleep better with hip pain:

Best Side Sleeping Positions for Hip Pain
Sleep Position How It Works
If you only have pain in one hip, sleep with your bad hip facing up. Put another way, you are sleeping with your “good hip” on the mattress surface. This relieves pressure from your bad hip and prevents any from building up during the night.
If you have pain in both hips, change which side you sleep on throughout the night. This keeps the pressure evenly distributed and prevents you from waking up with worse pain on one side or the other.
Try sleeping in the fetal position, with your legs curled up, and a pillow between your knees. This helps you maintain healthy spinal alignment throughout the night, while relieving pressure from your hip and lower back.

Stomach Sleeping with Hip Pain

Stomach sleeping can also exacerbate hip pain. Because many people carry a significant amount of weight in their stomach, sleeping on one’s stomach can cause the body to sink too deeply at the midsection, and not enough at the head, chest, and legs.

Stomach sleepers with below-average body weights often experience pain and pressure no matter how soft or firm their mattress is, while those who weigh 130 pounds or more are typically most comfortable on a firmer sleep surface.

A good rule of thumb is to get as firm a mattress as you find comfortable to sleep on. Heavier individuals in particular need a ‘Firm’ or ‘Very Firm’ mattress, in order to avoid their stomach from sinking too deeply and worsening the pain and pressure on their hips.

Recommended Firmness for Stomach Sleepers with Hip Pain:

Medium Soft to Very Firm

If you have chronic hip pain but don’t find firm mattresses comfortable, you may want to try changing your sleep position to see if you experience more relief when sleeping on your back. Alternately, you may try one of the following strategies to sleep better with hip pain:

Best Stomach Sleeping Positions for Hip Pain
Sleep Position How It Works
Place a thin pillow beneath your lower abdomen. This prevents your stomach from sinking so deeply, improving spinal alignment while decreasing pressure on your hips.
Place wedge pillows underneath your hips. The pillows provide extra cushioning for your hips, relieving discomfort (especially for lightweight sleepers).

Back Sleeping with Hip Pain

Sleepers with hip pain often experience the most relief when sleeping on their back. The back sleeping position naturally supports good spinal alignment, and evenly distributes weight across your body so there’s less potential for pain or pressure in your hips.

Choosing the right mattress firmness is essential for back sleepers. Back sleepers require a mattress that’s just soft enough to allow their hips to sink deeper into the mattress than their lower spine, preventing that uncomfortable gap that can occur between the lower back and the mattress surface on beds that are too firm.

Back sleepers typically find mattresses around the middle of the firmness range to be most comfortable, with heavier back sleepers preferring firmer surfaces and lighter back sleepers preferring softer surfaces.

Recommended Firmness for Side Sleepers with Hip Pain:

Medium Soft to Medium Firm

The back sleeping position is popular among hip pain sufferers, but there are a few ways you can make this position even more comfortable:

Best Back Sleeping Positions for Hip Pain
Sleep Position How It Works
Place wedge pillows underneath your hips. The pillows provide extra cushioning for your hips, relieving discomfort (especially for lightweight sleepers). For heavier sleepers, they can prevent the hips from sinking too deeply.
Place a thin pillow underneath your knees. This encourages the natural curvature of the spine while relieving strain in the lower back. It also reduces stress on the hips, especially for sciatica sufferers.

The bottom line: sleeper weight, sleep position, and mattress firmness all play an important role in reducing hip pain. Customers are strongly encouraged to test out different sleep surfaces in order to determine which one will work best for them. The diagram below recaps the recommended firmness settings for sleepers, based on body weight:

recommended mattress firmness by body weight soft to firm chart

Choosing the Best Mattress for Hip Pain: Performance Factors for Shoppers to Consider

Sleepers that experience regular hip pain should consider the following factors when choosing a new mattress.

  • Support

    The term support refers to how effectively a mattress maintains a flat, level sleep surface, and is directly tied to spinal alignment. Support requires a balance of softness and firmness; mattresses that are either too soft or too firm are considered the least supportive.

    Additionally, mattress sagging — or sinkage in the midsection — can affect how supportive a mattress feels. As a result, mattresses that are prone to sagging may not offer adequate support. Sagging that measures as little as half an inch deep can have a significantly negative effect on sleepers with hip pain.

  • Conforming

    Some mattresses conform closely to the sleeper’s body, creating a cradle-shaped impression around their figure that helps align the spine and target pressure points. Mattresses that conform well, like those with thick comfort systems or foam or hybrid mattresses, provide equal support to all areas of the body.

    Other mattresses, like airbeds and innerspring mattresses, provide little to no conforming, or provide more support to some areas of the body than others. These mattresses can increase the amount of pain and pressure the sleeper experiences.

    Side-sleepers are particularly sensitive to the conforming ability of a mattress, as beds that do not conform may create pressure in the hips and other sensitive areas.

  • Firmness

    Firmness refers to how the mattress feels to different sleepers. Generally speaking, people with below-average weights tend to feel the most comfortable on softer mattresses and people with above-average weights tend to feel more comfortable on firmer mattresses. Most sleepers of average weight consider ‘Medium Firm’ to be the ideal firmness setting.

    Many mattress manufacturers offer models that are available in multiple firmness settings to accommodate sleepers with different preferences. These brands are typically more suitable than those that sell beds with single firmness ratings.

  • Durability

    Mattress durability, also known as its ‘lifespan,’ refers to the length of time a mattress will perform and provide a comfortable, supportive sleep environment.

    Mattresses with shorter lifespans may degrade in as little as two to three years, and begin to sag in the midsection; this can lead to more pain and pressure in the hips and other sensitive areas. Mattresses with longer lifespans, on the other hand, may be supportive and comfortable enough for sleepers with hip pain for twice as long, if not more.

  • Mattress Type

    Some mattresses are designed to aid sleepers with hip pain more than others. The table in the section below looks at the five most common mattress types in terms of how suitable they are for people with hip pain.

Our research indicates that foam and hybrid models are the best mattresses for hip pain. These mattresses provide the best mix of conforming and support, with foam mattresses being known in particular for their exceptional pressure relief. We provide pros and cons of each of these mattress types below.

Foam Mattresses

  • Highly conforming foam layers cradle the body, relieving pressure in the hips and supporting spinal alignment
  • Superior motion isolation reduces disruptions from noise or movement during sleep
  • Widely available and very affordable

Cons for Sleepers with Hip Pain

  • Minimal edge support can cause roll-off and worsen alignment for those who sleep close to the edges of the bed
  • Can have a tendency to trap heat (although this is minimized with firmer models and those that use gel-infused foams)
  • Lower-quality foams may develop sagging over time, especially with heavier sleepers

Hybrid Mattresses

  • Good conforming and pressure relief, although to a lesser extent than all-foam mattresses
  • Coil-based support core promotes a more breathable mattress surface than all-foam models, providing relief for hot sleepers who suffer from hip pain
  • Often feature zoned support systems that can further reduce pressure in the hips and lower back
  • Strong edge support

Cons for Sleepers with Hip Pain

  • Thicker construction makes these beds more troublesome to move
  • Less durable than other mattress types
  • More expensive

While comfort preferences vary by the individual, generally hip pain sufferers do not experience as much relief from innerspring, latex, or airbed models. These mattresses typically offer lower levels of conforming, so sleepers with hip pain experience less pressure relief.

Mattress Shopping FAQ for Sleepers with Hip Pain

When comparing different mattresses, here are a few questions to keep in mind to choose the best mattress for your hip pain.

  • Do You Sleep Alone, or with a Partner?

    If you’re the only one sleeping in your bed, your choice of mattress is entirely up to you! If you share your bed with a partner, however, you’ll want to keep their sleep preferences in mind as well.

    If you and your partner have vastly different firmness preferences, you may want to consider a mattress with dual firmness. These beds have different firmness settings on each side of the bed. Otherwise, a highly-conforming foam or hybrid model can be a very suitable alternative. These beds can adapt to both sleepers’ body weights and sleep positions, ensuring you feel comfortable and supported throughout the night.

    An additional consideration for couples is motion isolation. Beds that have strong motion isolation will maintain a still and quiet sleep surface, despite movements from a sleep partner. All of the mattresses we’ve recommended above for sleepers with hip pain score very high in this category.

  • What Is Your Mattress Budget?

    Hybrid and foam mattresses are popular among sleepers with hip pain. Both of these mattress types are available in a range of price-points, but foam mattresses are generally more affordable. On average, a foam mattress may cost half as much as a hybrid model.

    If you’d like to get more bang for your buck, pay attention to the cost of shipping and delivery. Many mattress brands offer free shipping throughout the contiguous U.S., but not always to Alaska and Hawaii. You can also opt to wait to purchase your new mattress during a holiday mattress sale.

    Additionally, some mattress brands may offer White Glove delivery. With this service, the company will not only deliver your new mattress and set it up for you, they’ll also take your old mattress away. Some brands cost upwards of $100 for this service, while others, like our Best Luxury Pick, the Loom & Leaf, include it for free.

    To learn more about mattress pricing, read our guide, “How Much Does a Good Mattress Cost?”

  • Does the Mattress Come With a Sleep Trial?

    Most mattress brands offer sleep trials, during which customers can test out a new mattress in their home for a predetermined amount of time (typically 90 to 120 nights). If the customer is not satisfied with the mattress before the trial ends, they have the option or returning their mattress for a full or partial refund, or exchanging it for a model with a different size or firmness rating (options vary by brand).

    Because most mattresses require at least 30 nights to be properly broken in, sleep trials can be an ideal way for shoppers with hip pain to compare different brands and models. Additionally, some brands will coordinate mattress returns on the customer’s behalf and will waive shipping and handling costs.

    All of our top mattresses for hip pain offer sleep trials lasting 100 nights or more, although the Nectar stands above the rest for offering a full year.

  • How Is Sagging Covered by the Mattress Warranty?

    As we’ve discussed, sagging can be a serious problem for sleepers with hip pain, increasing pressure on their hips and worsening spinal alignment. The majority of mattress warranties include specific verbiage outlining ‘sagging depth,’ or how deep sagging must be to qualify as a defect.

    The best mattress warranties will cover sagging that measures one inch or less, since sagging that measures deeper has a much greater impact on pain and pressure. However, some mattress warranties will not cover sagging that measures less than one and a half inches.

    Not all warranties offer the same amount of coverage. Some warranties are entirely nonprorated, which means that customers will not have to pay extra costs (beyond shipping and handling charges) to have a defective mattress repaired or replaced. Other warranties are nonprorated and prorated, which means that owners must pay a percentage of the original mattress price in order to have it repaired or replaced.

    Prorated charges tend to increase for each year of ownership, meaning that the owner could spend a significant amount of money to have their defective mattress repaired or replaced.

    It’s worth noting that most mattresses will perform for a maximum of seven to eight years, so 10 years of nonprorated warranty coverage will usually be more than sufficient.

Pillows & Sleep Accessories for Sleepers with Hip Pain

In addition to choosing the right mattress, sleepers with hip pain can further improve their sleep surface with the right pillows and bedding.

Pillow Selection

Although most people sleep with pillows under their heads, using the right — or wrong — pillow can cause poor spinal alignment that leads to pain and pressure in the hips and other areas of the body.

Pillow thickness, also known as loft, is an important factor. To determine the proper pillow loft, sleepers should take their bodyweight, sleep position, and mattress firmness into account.

Loft Category Thickness Optimal Head Size Optimal Weight Optimal Shoulder Width Optimal Mattress Firmness
Low Less than 3″ Small More than 230 lbs. Narrow Soft to Medium Soft
Medium 3″ to 5″ Average 130 to 230 lbs. Average Medium
High More than 5″ Large Less than 130 lbs. Broad Medium Firm to Firm

Pillows that have earned positive ratings for pressure relief include buckwheat, latex, and memory foam models, while other pillow types — such as down alternative and polyfoam — are associated with increased pain and pressure. For more information, please visit our Best Pillows: Buying Guide and Information page.

Mattress Topper Usage

A mattress topper refers to an individual layer of cushioning that can be added to the top of a mattress for extra softness, comfort, and support. Most toppers are used to make a mattress less firm, but select models can increase the firmness as well.

Mattress toppers can be helpful in instances where you need a different firmness setting, but the sleep trial has already lapsed or you’re not otherwise in a position to purchase a new mattress. They can also be helpful for individuals who experience fluctuations in their hip pain, and need a different mattress firmness setting on occasion.

Latex and memory foam toppers are considered the best options for sleepers who require pain and pressure relief, while convoluted polyfoam toppers are considered the least suitable option for these individuals. For more information, check out our Best Mattress Toppers guide.

Additional Resources

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