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And the Award for Best Mattress for Hip Pain Goes to…
Softer WinkBed
Our testing team picked the Softer WinkBed as the best overall mattress for hip pain. Its adaptive foam cradles sharp pressure points, including the hips, to reduce painful impact. Zoned coils provide additional targeted support to promote spinal alignment.
On top of its negative impact during the day, hip pain can be burdensome at night. Nagging hip pain can make it hard to get comfortable in bed and can disrupt a good night’s sleep. A low-quality mattress can put further strain on the hips and exacerbate hip pain.
Hip pain creates unique needs and considerations when mattress shopping. The right mattress can help cushion the hips and support the body to make it easier to get restorative sleep. Our guide introduces our testing team’s picks for the best mattresses for hip pain and reviews all the essential information you need when shopping for a new mattress.
For a wider look at our picks for top-performing mattresses in a range of categories, check out our list of the best mattresses of 2024. If you are struggling with discomfort in your back rather than your hips, you can find recommendations in our guide to the best mattresses for back pain.
Find Your Perfect Mattress
We know mattresses work differently for different types of sleepers. Use the filters below to help narrow down your options for your best bed.
Read on to see why the following five options made our top picks list of 2024’s best mattresses for hip pain relief.
Presidents’ Day Mattress Sales Are Here!
Presidents’ Day is a great time to purchase a new mattress. Many leading brands offer major sales and discounts throughout the month of February. Check out our list of Presidents’ Day mattress sales for details about the biggest deals.
Sleep Doctor’s Picks
Best Overall Mattress
Softer WinkBed
The Sleep Doctor’s Review
The Softer WinkBed is plusher and more adaptive than most competing hybrids, and this level of contouring can greatly benefit people with persistent hip pain. Side sleepers on our team were particularly impressed with the cradling, cloud-like feel of the mattress.
Buy From WinkBeds
Excellent
Medium Soft (4)
Plush Surface
Good Value
Pros
- Polyfoam layers contour closely to the hips to reduce impact and promote spinal alignment
- Zoned coils prevent excessive sinkage into the mattress
- Breathable and moisture-wicking Tencel cover helps keeps the surface cool
Cons
- Limited edge support compared to firmer WinkBed models
- May feel too soft for back and stomach sleepers over 230 pounds
The WinkBed is a versatile luxury hybrid available in four firmness levels. For sleepers with hip pain, we’re spotlighting the most adaptive design. The Softer WinkBed — which rates as medium soft, or a 4 on our 10-point firmness scale — contains plush foam layers that contour closely to cushion the hips and other pressure-prone areas along the spine. However, uncomfortable sinkage shouldn’t be an issue for most people thanks to the zoned coil system.
Why We Like It
During hands-on tests, the Softer WinkBed earned its highest ratings from side sleepers weighing up to 230 pounds and back sleepers under 130 pounds. Other testers preferred firmer WinkBed models. If you initially choose the Softer WinkBed and decide you need more support, WinkBeds allows one free exchange during the 120-night sleep trial and the replacement comes with its own 60-night trial period.
Our tests indicate the Softer WinkBed outperforms most competing hybrids in categories like motion isolation and pressure relief. The mattress also sleeps fairly cool, given the adaptive design. Steady airflow through the coil system and a temperature-regulating cover effectively offset heat retention from the foam layers, allowing you to sleep comfortably even when the weather is warm or humid.
How Does It Feel?
The Softer WinkBed begins with a layer of polyfoam quilted onto the Euro-top cover. This material conforms to your unique curves as you sink into the surface. A second polyfoam layer provides additional cushioning while creating a buffer between your body and the support core. Living up to its name, the Softer WinkBed is much plusher than the average hybrid.
The pocketed coils are divided into three zones with more robust support beneath your midsection and a gentler feel elsewhere. This helps maintain an even surface for your entire body without sacrificing pain or pressure relief. A Tencel cover adds breathability and moisture control to the design.
Competitive pricing and free shipping throughout the contiguous U.S. make the Softer WinkBed a good option for budget-conscious shoppers. Whether you choose to keep the Softer WinkBed or exchange it for a different model, the mattress you keep is protected under a lifetime warranty against structural defects.
Best Mattress for Side Sleepers
Helix Midnight
The Sleep Doctor’s Review
The Helix Midnight hits that sweet spot between close contouring and sturdy support, making the mattress a top choice for people with persistent hip pain — side sleepers in particular. A responsive surface and reinforced perimeter also help you move across the mattress with ease.
Buy From Helix
Great
Medium Firm (6)
Close-Conforming Foam
Good Value
Pros
- Adaptive foam layers cushion sore spots without hugging too closely
- Reinforced perimeter coils prevent deep sinkage when you get in and out of bed
- Optional GlacioTex cover dissipates heat on contact
Cons
- Not supportive enough for most back and stomach sleepers over 230 pounds
- Foam layers may produce strong initial off-gassing odor
Helix specializes in hybrid mattresses geared toward different types of sleepers. While the Helix Midnight was created for side sleepers between 130 and 230 pounds, our tests show the mattress is versatile enough to accommodate a wide range of body weights and positions. A medium firm (6) feel with light contouring and strong support add to the well-rounded design.
Why We Like It
Side sleepers on our team weighing 130 to 230 pounds awarded high ratings to the Midnight, so the mattress should meet the needs of its target audience, but our tests show it is suitable for most side and back sleepers weighing up to 230 pounds. Stomach sleepers under 130 pounds should also find the Midnight comfortable.
We found that edge support and ease of movement are two of the Midnight’s major strengths. The coils provide excellent overall stability and help you move across the mattress with ease. Our team also gave the Midnight high marks for temperature control, but we recommend the GlacioTex cover if you’re an exceptionally hot sleeper.
How Does It Feel?
The Midnight’s topmost layer consists of memory foam that softens when it comes into contact with body heat. This creates a gentle cradling effect as you settle into the mattress, but the transitional polyfoam and pocketed coil layers push back against your weight to prevent excessive sinkage.
The mattress is also fairly responsive, so you’ll notice a light bounce when changing positions or getting in and out of bed. Reinforced perimeter coils allow you and your partner to use the entire surface, rather than feeling confined to the middle. A breathable cover encases the Midnight. For an extra fee, you can upgrade to a GlacioTex cover engineered to dissipate body heat and feel cool at all times.
Below-average pricing and free shipping to all 50 states make the Midnight a solid pick for budget-conscious shoppers. You’ll also receive two Helix pillows at no extra cost. The company’s sleep trial spans 100 nights. If you decide to keep your Midnight after the return period ends, your purchase is backed by a 10-year warranty.
Best Value Mattress
Emma Hybrid Comfort
The Sleep Doctor’s Review
A high-quality mattress can represent a hefty investment, but the Emma Hybrid Comfort keeps costs low while performing at the same level as many of its more expensive competitors. One major highlight is the seven-zone coil system, which provides targeted support where it’s needed most to keep your entire body on an even plane.
Buy From Emma
Great
Medium Firm (6)
Bouncy, Supportive Surface
Great Value
Pros
- Zoned coils provide targeted support to the hips
- Nice mix of contouring and pushback for side sleepers over 130 pounds
- Every mattress comes with a 365-night sleep trial
Cons
- Only offered in one firmness level
- May lack support for stomach and back sleepers over 230 pounds
Emma’s Hybrid Comfort is a prime example of a well-made mattress that’s also accessible to most shoppers regardless of their budget. Three foam layers over a zoned coil system give the mattress a medium firm (6) feel — our tests indicate the balanced design carries wide appeal across different body types and sleep positions. A 365-night sleep trial further sweetens the deal for value-minded individuals.
Why We Like It
As is often the case with medium firm hybrids, the Emma Hybrid Comfort hits that sweet spot of even contouring, strong support, and a bit of bounce on the surface. The mattress earned favorable ratings from most of our testing team, but side sleepers weighing at least 130 pounds, back sleepers up to 230 pounds, and stomach sleepers between 130 and 230 pounds were particularly impressed.
Edge support is one of the Hybrid Comfort’s key strengths. A reinforced perimeter prevents you from sinking too much when you lie near the edges or get in and out of bed. Our tests also show the mattress absorbs and isolates motion well, so you and your partner shouldn’t lose sleep when the other person moves in bed.
How Does It Feel?
The Hybrid Comfort contains three foam layers, each one progressively denser from top to bottom. This creates a plush, adaptive surface when you get into bed, but you’ll notice some pushback from the transitional layer as your body settles. Open-cell polyfoam on the surface also resists heat buildup and helps you stay cool, as does the breathable knit cover.
Pocketed coils and high-density base foam make up the support core. The coils are divided into seven different zones based on gauge, or thickness, with the strongest placed beneath your torso and hips. This ensures more reinforcement for the heaviest areas of your body and gentler cradling for the head and legs.
Best Mattress for Pressure Relief
Bear Elite Hybrid
The Sleep Doctor’s Review
Hip pain and pressure buildup often go hand in hand, and we’ve found the Bear Elite Hybrid’s foam-over-coil design is effective at alleviating both. A plush surface reinforced with multi-zone support layers provides a nice balance of cushioning and stability, and you can choose from three firmness levels for optimal comfort no matter what you weigh or how you sleep.
Buy From Bear
Excellent
Medium (5), Medium Firm (6), Firm (8)
Plush Surface
Good Value
Pros
- Adaptive foam layers cushion and cradle the body to alleviate sore spots
- Multi-zone transitional foam and coils reinforce heavier areas of the body
- Three firmness levels to accommodate different sleeper types
Cons
- Off-gassing odor is fairly harsh for the first few nights
- Limited options for people seeking an exceptionally soft mattress
People with chronic or frequent hip pain are vulnerable to pressure buildup while they sleep, and a mattress that lacks proper support can worsen this discomfort. Bear’s Elite Hybrid offers targeted pain and pressure relief thanks to multi-zoned transitional and support layers, which gently push back against your midsection to keep your entire body on an even plane. The plush memory foam comfort layer also provides deep, adaptive cushioning to soothe problem areas.
Why We Like It
The Bear Elite Hybrid is available in firmness levels and our team tested all three. Side sleepers up to 230 pounds and back sleepers under 130 pounds were most impressed with the medium (5) design, which contours closely to distribute your weight and promote even alignment. Our tests show the medium firm (6) model is a good match for side sleepers between 130 and 230 pounds and back sleepers up to 230 pounds — we found this design to be the most balanced. If you’re a back or stomach sleeper who weighs more than 230 pounds, the firm (6) model should provide adequate support.
Each firmness level has its own pros and cons. The medium model isolates motion very well for a hybrid, and this design should provide the best pressure relief if you prefer soft, adaptive surfaces. Those who prioritize qualities like edge support and ease of movement should consider the medium firm or firm designs. Our tests show all three offer consistent cooling and breathability.
How Does It Feel?
The Elite Hybrid features a memory foam comfort layer infused with gel, which is meant to dissipate body heat and keep the surface cool. The transitional foam layer is divided into five firmness zones to ensure extra support for your torso and hips and a gentler feel for the head and legs. Pocketed coils and dense base foam make up the support core. The coils are also zoned to target your midsection with strong pushback, and the perimeter is reinforced to minimize sinkage when you get in and out of bed. A cover woven with cooling Celliant fibers encases the mattress.
Best Luxury Mattress
Puffy Diamond
The Sleep Doctor’s Review
You won’t find many hybrids as plush and adaptive as the Puffy Diamond. The deep cushioning and contouring of this luxury mattress can go a long way toward alleviating pain and pressure points in your hips.
Buy From Puffy
Excellent
Medium Soft (4)
Plush Surface
Fair Value
Pros
- Sophisticated comfort system contains memory foam, polyfoam, latex, and alpaca wool
- Exceptionally plush feel for a hybrid mattress
- Above-average motion isolation and pressure relief
Cons
- Thick profile requires a fitted sheet with deep pockets
- Too soft for most back and stomach sleepers, especially those over 230 pounds
The Puffy Diamond is one of the most luxurious and sophisticated mattresses on the market today. A comfort system with seven individual layers encased in a Euro-top makes the surface feel quite plush and cloud-like. By molding closely to your body, the mattress can soothe your hips and other areas prone to aches and pains.
Why We Like It
During hands-on tests, the Puffy Diamond appealed to side sleepers on our team. Those weighing up to 230 pounds were especially impressed. Some of our back sleepers under 130 pounds also felt comfortable on the mattress, but most back and stomach sleepers sank to an excessive degree. These positions typically demand a firmer, more supportive sleep surface.
As an exceptionally soft model, the Diamond outperformed other hybrids we’ve tested in terms of motion isolation. Although the latex creates a light bounce when you get into bed, bothersome motion transfer shouldn’t be an issue for couples. Pressure relief was another testing highlight. On the other hand, the Diamond earned lower ratings than competing hybrids in categories like edge support and ease of movement.
How Does It Feel?
The Diamond top layer consists of alpaca hair batting. This material is naturally breathable and moisture-wicking, so the surface stays relatively cool. Underlying layers of poly-rayon batting, memory foam, polyfoam, and ventilated latex provide next-level cushioning. Zoned transitional polyfoam rounds out the deep comfort system.
Pocketed coils encased in dense perimeter foam make up the support core. While this layer is designed to stabilize the mattress, you may notice some sinkage along the perimeter — this often occurs with softer models. The polyester cover is both stain-resistant and machine-washable. Since the Diamond measures 16 inches thick, you’ll need to use a fitted sheet with deep pockets.
Video: Is Your Mattress Causing Hip Pain?
Is Your Mattress Causing Your Hip Pain?
Most of the time, hip pain is caused by an underlying health issue, like a bruise, a pinched nerve, or arthritis. However, an uncomfortable or unsupportive mattress can exacerbate hip pain.
Some signs that your mattress may be contributing to hip pain include:
- Pain that is worse when you first get out of bed
- Difficulty getting comfortable at bedtime
- Waking up frequently during the night
- Emergence of other aches and pains, which may arise from trying to compensate for hip pain in bed
How Does Sleeping Position Affect Hip Pain?
Sleeping position can affect hip pain because it influences the amount of pressure and impact placed on your hip joint. If you’re a side sleeper and experience hip pain on only one side, try sleeping exclusively on the other side. Experts also suggest sleeping on your unaffected side with a pillow between your legs.
Though back sleeping doesn’t put as much pressure on the hips, it’s important to use a mattress that provides sufficient support with enough cushioning to feel comfortable. Likewise, though stomach sleeping generally isn’t recommended, it’s essential to sleep on a supportive mattress that prevents the torso from sinking excessively.
When I’ve got a sore hip, I find that since I’m primarily a side sleeper, placing a pillow between my knees and switching the side I sleep on goes a long way to relieve the pressure on the affected hip. If the pain is especially troublesome, I prefer to switch to back sleeping with a bolster pillow under my knees.
Tips for Changing up Your Sleeping Position
If you need to change your sleeping position to decrease impact on your hips, try using pillows to bolster your body in your new position. Extra pillows can also make your adopted sleeping position more comfortable. Another approach is to sew a tennis ball to your pajamas to prevent you from reverting to your accustomed sleep position.
How to Choose a Mattress for Hip Pain
When choosing a mattress for hip pain, you can zero in on a high-performing model by thinking about things like mattress type, firmness, cushioning, pressure relief, and support.
Mattress Type
Materials and construction drive mattress performance and are the basis for categorizing mattresses into types. Foam mattresses have a base of dense polyfoam beneath one or more layers of memory foam or another softer foam. These mattresses generally contour to the body to relieve pressure and avoid excess impact around the hips.
Latex mattresses have multiple layers of latex, with a top layer that generally provides more pressure relief. The bounce and pushback of latex typically makes these mattresses excellent for people who want to avoid feeling stuck in place on their mattress.
In hybrid mattresses, a support core of individually wrapped coils rests beneath layers of memory foam, polyfoam, microcoils, latex, or other materials. The thick coils provide stability and responsiveness, while the comfort layers offer cushioning for pressure points.
Airbeds have inflatable air chambers that allow the firmness level to be modified via a remote control or smartphone app. Additional materials layered above the air chambers can enhance contouring or bounce.
In general, we recommend that people with hip pain avoid traditional innerspring mattresses. Unlike hybrids, innersprings have almost no material above the coils to cushion the body, making them more likely to exacerbate hip pain.
Firmness Level
Firmness, which is how hard or soft a mattress feels, is a key element of your comfort and sleeping experience. If a mattress is too firm, it can generate painful impact around the hips. If a mattress is too soft, the hips or lower back may sag out of alignment with the rest of the body, putting stress on the spine.
The ideal firmness level for hip pain depends on body weight, sleeping position, and individual preferences. Side sleepers normally need a softer mattress than stomach or back sleepers, and that’s especially true when the hips require more cushioning. Typically, people under 130 pounds benefit from a softer mattress, while people over 230 pounds need a firmer one.
Cushioning and Pressure Relief
Cushioning materials like foam and latex provide softness around the hips to prevent pain from worsening. Pressure relief refers to the ability of a mattress to soften impact in key areas while encouraging spinal alignment. For people with hip pain, this means that a mattress avoids strain or pressure at the hips but still supports the body’s overall posture.
Zoned Support
Zoned support is a design feature that gives different levels of cushioning or pushback in different parts of the mattress. Many mattresses provide reinforced materials around the midsection, which can enhance spinal alignment and pressure relief for people with hip pain.
Tips for Relieving Hip Pain at Night
A handful of practical tips for people with hip pain may help make nightly sleep more comfortable and restorative.
Add a Mattress Topper
A mattress topper sits atop your existing mattress and can adjust firmness, pressure relief, or bounciness to make you more comfortable in bed. If you have hip pain and can’t afford an entirely new mattress, a topper with extra cushioning can be a cost-effective way to soften impact around your hips.
Practice Good Sleep Posture
Good sleep posture means that you aren’t contorting your body or placing excess strain on any specific area. No matter what sleeping position you prefer, first position your body evenly and naturally and then gradually adjust your posture to eliminate twisting or stress. An extra pillow may help you settle into a proper sleep posture.
Use Pillows Strategically
If you are a side sleeper, a pillow placed between your knees may reduce strain on your lower back. A larger body pillow can be used to maintain a comfortable position through the night.
When sleeping on your back, a pillow under your knees can lighten the load on your lumbar spine and midsection. On your stomach, you may benefit from a thin pillow under your midsection.
You should also pay careful attention to the pillow for your head. Finding the best pillow for your sleep position with the right height prevents excess bending that can cause your neck to be stiff or painful.
Consider Speaking With Your Doctor
Talk with your doctor if you have hip pain that is persistent, worsening, or severe. Because hip pain is usually linked to another health issue, a doctor can give the best advice for addressing hip pain and getting better sleep when dealing with hip pain.
Discover More Mattress Solutions
If a friend or family member needs a mattress to help with a different condition affecting their sleep, check out our curated mattress picks for specific needs.
How We Test
Our recommendations are built on years of industry experience and an in-depth research and testing methodology. We determined the best mattresses for hip pain in our testing lab by personally assessing dozens of mattress types and models and analyzing how they affect pressure and support in the context of hip discomfort.
We put these mattresses through both objective and subjective testing. Our testing team includes sleepers with a variety of comfort preferences, sleeping positions, and body weights, which enables us to understand how a mattress will perform for various types of sleepers.
Frequently Asked Questions
The best firmness level depends on the cause of hip pain as well as a person’s weight and sleeping position. A softer mattress can cushion a side sleeper’s hips and reduce pressure that can contribute to hip pain. However, if the mattress is too soft, the body can sink too far into the bed and misalign the spine.
A firm mattress can increase impact at the hips and worsen pain, but it may also encourage better overall sleep posture for back and stomach sleepers and people over 230 pounds.
The best mattress for hip pain has a balance of pressure relief and supportiveness. It should have enough cushioning to make sure there’s no uncomfortable impact against the hips. At the same time, it should accommodate the body across the mattress surface to keep the spine in a neutral position.
Memory foam is often good for addressing hip pain. This material is known for its contouring, which allows it to soften impact around the hips. However, for stomach and back sleepers with hip pain, softer memory foam mattresses may allow too much sinkage to keep the spine properly aligned.
If a mattress generates extreme pressure against a hip joint, it is possible for it to cause discomfort, but in most situations, hip pain begins with an underlying injury or medical condition like bruising, swelling, arthritis, or nerve damage.
The best sleeping position for hip pain depends on the nature and cause of the pain. Often, pain may be reduced by limiting the amount of weight and impact placed on the painful hip. In these situations, sleeping on your back or on the other side from the pain may help.
About The Author
Certified Sleep Science Coach, Director of Product Testing
David is a Certified Sleep Science Coach with a lifelong passion for well-being and health optimization. His interest in sleep developed with the arrival of his son, when sleep suddenly became a precious commodity.
- POSITION: Side sleeper
- TEMPERATURE: Hot Sleeper
- CHRONOTYPE: Lion
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