Since shoulders and hips take on most of our weight when we sleep, an ache in these areas can end the prospects of good sleep. This is especially true for side sleepers who might continue to suffer since their sleep position puts more weight on the shoulder. If you don’t have the right mattress, it could very well be the mattress causing shoulder pain. The worst part is, you may not even see a difference until you sleep on a quality mattress or the best mattress for shoulder pain.
- Amerisleep AS3
- Bear Mattress
- Pure Green Natural Latex Mattress
- Nectar Mattress
- Perfect Cloud Atlas Memory Foam Mattress
What Causes Shoulder Pain?
If you are sleeping on the same shoulder every night, chances are your shoulder is worst for the wear. This can play a part in rotator cuff injury, which flares up when you sleep. This may also be caused by problems like bursitis and tendonitis, characterized by inflammation or micro-tears in the tendons or muscles, which causes pain with the rotator cuff. Other causes can be inflammation, arthritis, or other underlying medical conditions.
What Role Does A Mattress Play In Shoulder Pain?
Your sleep posture and spine alignment are essential in dealing with rotator cuff injury and shoulder pain in general. A poor sleeping posture can affect not only your shoulders, but can also be responsible for hip pain. In plenty of cases, it is the mattress that’s forcing the bad posture. People will often find that their memory foam mattress causing shoulder pain, however, the cause can be a poor selection of firmness even for a good memory foam mattress.
The mattress you sleep on should be able to keep your spine aligned, and relieve pressure points formed on your body so your hips or shoulders aren’t taking the brunt. Again, this is especially relevant for side sleepers with shoulder pain. In its role, the best mattress for shoulder pain should be like the mattress for hip pain, because while applicable to different parts of the body, the problems share a similar root in posture and alignment of the spine.
It is generally suggested that side sleepers use a plush mattress, and that is fairly accurate if you are of average weight or low/underweight. Sleepers on the heavier side, (say 200 lbs or above) should consider mattress firmness medium or medium-firm.
What Mattress Materials Work Best For Shoulder Pain Relief?
The best mattress for shoulder pain relief is one that provides close conforming and pressure relief. Foam mattresses are generally a better choice with memory foam leading the pack thanks to its conforming ability. Latex foam is a close second, while innerspring is best avoided. Though innersprings have been synonymous with conventional mattresses, they rarely provide enough support or conforming ability – especially when compared to foam.
5 Best Mattresses For Shoulder Pain
1. Amerisleep AS3
The Amerisleep AS3 is one of the most remarkable mattresses and was a leader in our best mattress reviews of 2018. Amerisleep AS3 has a height profile of 12-inches and is rated medium — both properties that make it ideal for providing pressure relief to most sleepers, and especially to average weight side sleepers.
The mattress has a comfort layer of 3-inch BioPur memory foam, followed by a 2-inch transition layer of Affinity foam, and finally a 7-inch support layer of BioCore foam. The foam used for the Amerisleep AS3 is partially extracted from plants, making it a more environmentally conscious choice over conventional foam that is manufactured using petroleum.
| Pros | Cons |
| Excellent pressure relief and comfort | Edge support leaves something to be desired |
| Environmentally conscious foams used in construction | Off-gassing smell can last for a few days |
2. Bear Mattress
Bear Mattress highlights its ability to offer contouring pressure relief and pitches itself to athletes or those living an active lifestyle. Its four layers of foam include 1-inch of Graphite-gel infused memory foam, 2.5-inch of Quick Response Foam in the comfort layer. The cover for the Bear Mattress is made from Celliant, which is a fabric designated as a general wellness product and medical device by the FDA. It is claimed that the fabric is useful in improving muscle recovery and performance.
| Pros | Cons |
| Celliant mattress cover may be useful when dealing with shoulder pain | Edge support provided by the mattress may not be sufficient |
| Sleeps temperature neutral | Only one firmness option available |
| Minimal off-gassing |
3. Pure Green Natural Latex Mattress
Pure Green Natural Latex Mattress by Sleep on Latex is made entirely from 100% natural latex foam. The mattress has 6-inches of latex support foam, topped by a 2-inch latex foam comfort layer. Topping it all is a quilted cover made from organic cotton and filled with organic New Zealand wool that adds another inch to the height of the mattress.
Pure Green mattress is available in three firmness settings that include soft, medium, and firm. The soft mattress is a great choice for light to average weight side sleepers, while heavier weights may find the other firmness options working better for them. Back sleepers with average to high weight will generally prefer the medium or firm option.
| Pros | Cons |
| Excellent price point for an all-natural latex mattress | The mattress lacks edge support |
| Excellent support and conforming ability | Some off-gassing and smell issues |
| Eco-conscious construction | Need to complete a minimum 30-day trial for return to be processed |
4. Nectar Mattress
A well-rounded option for a great price, Nectar Mattress works pretty well for most sleep positions and weights that aren’t necessarily looking for exact or very specific matches. Nectar Mattress has a robust memory foam comfort layer divided into three parts. Starting at the top is a layer of quilted gel memory foam, followed by gel memory foam, and then an adaptive memory foam layer. The two gel layers work with the tencel cover to keep the mattress from sleeping hot.
| Pros | Cons |
| Robust comfort layer provides excellent support and conforming ability | Off-gassing issues |
| Great value for money | Arbitrary and unclear “forever” warranty |
5. Perfect Cloud Atlas Memory Foam Mattress
This simply constructed budget option can be a useful choice if you don’t have the money to spend on the Amerisleep AS3. Perfect Cloud Atlas has a three-inch layer of memory foam (which they call visco-gel) placed over layers of airflow foam and support foam. The construction allows the mattress to have good ventilation, which works with the gel memory foam layer to keep sleep hot problems at bay.
| Pros | Cons |
| Excellent support | Slow-response memory foam may be troubling for some users |
| Good value budget option | Questionable longevity |
Best Mattress For Shoulder Pain — Conclusion
Shoulders take on a lot of weight as you sleep. If your shoulder is troubled, you will feel greater pain as you sleep. Finding the best mattress for shoulder pain should help you alleviate this problem to a good degree, especially so for side sleepers. If you continue to have problems on your current mattress, give a shot to trial options for a new mattress, and there’s a fair chance you’ll see some improvement.