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But is that punch in of body-hugging support a good thing or a bad thing for back pain?

What is a memory foam mattress?

A man sat on the edge of his memory foam bed after waking up with back pain, holding his back

(Othertypes of foamsare included to provide support and stability.)

The material was originallydesigned by NASAto cushion astronauts in their flights and later adapted for use in consumer products.

Can a memory foam mattress cause back pain?

A hand presses into the Nectar Classic Memory Foam Mattress to test the temperature regulation and pressure relief

Firmness is subjective, but amedium-firm mattressis usually a safe bet for most people with sore backs.

There are memory foam mattresses that fit the bill, such as theTempur-Pedic Tempur-Adapt Mattress.

Dense memory foam is also notorious for trapping heat, causing sleepers to overheat.

a photo of a woman sat on her bed, holding her lower back

If youre too hot, you will be tossing and turning at night to try and cool down.

To combat overheating, manufacturers are infusing memory foam with heat-regulating materials some more successfully than others.

Hot sleepers should look at our guide to thebest cooling mattressesto ensure they dont get too warm at night.

A man sits up in bed at night because restless leg syndrome is keeping him awake and is affecting his sleep

(A couple of memory foam options have made the cut.)

4 signs your memory foam mattress is causing your back pain

1.

Chances are your memory foam mattress is the culprit.

A weight next to wine glass on the Nectar Luxe mattress to test motion isolation

3 ways a memory foam mattress can help back pain

1.

The cushioning and deep sinkage soothe pressure points, helping to ease away any aches and pains.

But that tossing and turning is also going to jar your spine and could knock it out of alignment.

A woman with long dark hair holds her back which is sore after sleeping on a mattress that�s too firm for her

This means that it can mould to the contours of your body and offer targeted support where its needed.

Can a memory foam mattress cause back pain?

Difficulty moving around and discomfort from overheating may also add to your back pain.

A tester sits on the edge of the bet fiberglass-free mattress, the Saatva Classic

A person sits on the edge of the Plank Firm mattress, Extra Firm side, to test the edge support

Our lead tester sleeps on her stomach on the Helix Sunset Luxe mattress

Brooklyn Bedding 3" Latex Mattress Topper on a bed

A split image featuring the Nectar Classic Memory Foam Mattress on the left and the DreamCloud Luxury Hybrid on the right, leading into the DreamCloud Luxury Hybrid vs Nectar Classic showdown

The Tempur-Pedic Tempur-Adapt mattress on a bed frame in a bedroom, a man and his young sun sitting on top of it, smiling. A Tom�s Guide price drop deals graphic (right)

Bed bugs

The Saatva Murphy Bed Mattress on a Murphy bed frame lying flat, in a bedroom

The image shows the Casper Hybrid with Snow Technology pillow on the left and the Coop Cool+ pillow on the right in a side by side comparison

A child lying on their side covering their eyes in bed

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2025 Toyota bZ4X at New York Auto Show.

KTC G27P6

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