Sleeping on your back is one of the most common positions, and if you’re searching for the best mattress for back sleepers, you’re at the right place. Back sleepers need proper spine alignment, which they can achieve if a mattress supports the hips and shoulders without putting too much pressure on them.
So how do you find the right mattress for you if you prefer sleeping on your back? It’s a tough choice – there are so many different products, all claiming to be the bee’s knees. Some are really really good, others – well, not so much.
So how do you choose?
That’s why we created LightSleeper – to help you choose the product that is right for you and you alone, and help you make that choice along the way. Companies can never pay to feature their products on LightSleeper, nor we are getting paid to recommend one product over the other – we are an independent resource and we only recommend products that have passed our tests and we feel that they are the best in their category.
So let’s see what we think are the best hybrid mattresses in the UK today and why.
1. Nectar – Editor’s Pick
First on our guide is the Nectar mattress which is the winner in this comparison and easily won the Editor’s pick in the category.
This excellent option has five unique foam layers that will help keep your spine in perfect alignment through your sleep while providing you with a cool and breathable sleeping surface due to the poly-blend cover featuring heat wicking, cooling technology.
Nectar’s excellent product has a cooling top high-density, pressure-relieving gel memory foam, neither too firm nor too soft. This perfection is packed in an item where the contouring gel memory foam will meet the body’s natural curves, available in six sizes with a total depth of 30cm.
The dynamically adjusting foam follows it and the stay-stable base layer ensures the comfort and support layers above it perform at their best. Finally, we have the shift-resistant lower cover that will help your bed stay together, no matter how much you jump on it.
The Nectar mattress comes at a reasonable price, a 365-night trial period and a lifetime guarantee. Not only do you get a fantastic bed, but this company has included an incredible offer with two cooling pillows, a sheet set and a mattress protector. Jump on the offer right away, so you don’t miss hundreds of pounds worth of free bedding products!
Key Features:
- Five layers of construction
- Gel-infused foam
- Breathable Cooling Action
- Trial Period for Returns: 365 days
- Warranty: Lifetime
2. OTTY Original
The OTTY Original Hybrid is a great all-rounder that allows you to focus on the essential when going to bed, and that is getting a good night’s sleep.
This inexpensive hybrid option contains 64% spring to 36% foam, giving you the best support and comfort while helping those with ailments or health issues. OTTY consists of five innovative layers, described as life-changing when it was awarded “Mattress of the Year” in 2019.
Its first layer is a removable and washable cover, followed by a temperature-regulating foam with an innovative technology that will deliver a great night’s sleep by keeping you at the perfect temperature. Next, is the high-density foam, specifically designed to provide additional support and comfort.
After that, we have 2000 encapsulated pocket springs with a medium-firm firmness rating that minimises motion transfer and maximises support. Following right after is the airflow side support, which is a unique airflow technology, offering edge-to-edge sleeping surfaces and aiding temperature regulation.
And lastly, OTTY has the HD base foam, providing a solid foundation while ensuring it stands the test of time.
What makes the OTTY Original Hybrid special is the whopping nine options in sizes. This superior product comes with an affordable price, 100-night trial period and ten years guarantee. The manufacturer offers a premium delivery where a white-glove delivery team can take the mattress directly to your room and remove the packaging.
Key Features:
- 5 innovative layers
- Encapsulated pocket springs – 16cm
- Temperature-regulating Cool Blue Gel
- Trial Period for Returns: 100 days
- Warranty: 10 years
3. Casper Wave Hybrid
We have another premium alternative, the Casper Wave Hybrid, which has one of the most advanced cooling systems today. Casper is a beautifully crafted mattress with five innovative layers made without ozone-depleting chemicals and regulated by the Consumer Product Safety Commission Low VOC (Volatile Organic Compound) emissions for indoor air quality.
Casper’s top layer is constructed of breathable polyurethane foam, its second one of natural latex and the third from zoned memory foam.
After that comes, the layer of polyurethane foam with gel pods that are strategically placed under your lower back and waist to prevent sinking while keeping your spine aligned.
Last is the durable base of polyurethane foam with encased springs, which adds a little lift, support, and airflow to the mattress. Casper Wave Hybrid has a firmer border, providing support to help you get in and out of bed effortlessly.
All three layers of Casper’s foams are certified by the CertiPUR-US® program and create a breathable surface with air channels allowing heat to escape to prevent overheating.
The Casper Wave Hybrid is a product that will suit back sleepers needs perfectly due to its construction and medium-firm support.
With innovation behind each layer, you get the full package with a mattress that cools, supports and aligns with your body like no other. It is 33cm in-depth, and you get to choose from six sizes: twin, twin XL, full, queen, king and Cal king.
Casper offers a stellar shipping policy, a 100-day trial and a ten-year guarantee, for a comfortable and peaceful sleep every night.
Key Features:
- 5 innovative layers
- Medium-firm support
- CertiPUR-US® certified
- Trial Period for Returns: 100 days
- Warranty: 10 years
4. Emma Original
The Emma Original is UK’s most awarded mattress that is sure to give you the most restful and energising sleep imaginable. Emma’s products are proudly made in the United Kingdom and undergo strict testing to assure they meet the highest quality standards.
This medium-firm mattress is constructed from three innovative layers. First, we have the Halo™ memory foam layer that adapts to your body shape for targeted spinal alignment, enhanced pressure relief and body-hugging comfort.
It’s followed by the Emma’s Point Elastic Airgocell® technology, enhancing breathability and regulating temperature by absorbing and then evaporating sweat. Lastly, you’ll find the HRX (High Resiliency Extra) Supreme ™ foam that is engineered to last for years without losing its durability due to the adaptive cut-outs zone, distributing your body weight evenly to reduce pressure.
You get to pick from five different sizes with a depth of 25cm and discover what it means to wake up feeling truly epic. Emma gives you a 200-day trial period for your body to adjust to the new mattress and ten blissful years of guaranteed quality!
Key Features:
- Three layers of construction
- Seven zone back structure
- Innovative Airgocell® regulates temperature
- Trial Period for Returns: 200 days
- Warranty: 10 years
5. Relyon Ortho Support 1500
The Relyon Ortho is ideal for those looking for the utmost back support, with 1500 independently moving pocket springs that follow and support your body shape and weight. This item is available in one tension only but in five different sizes.
With a depth of 30cm, the Relyon Ortho is constructed with a deep memory foam layer with pressure-relieving properties. The foam used in the bed provides a resilient and supportive surface feel, while the three rows of side stitching give a more robust mattress border.
Relyon is a hand-tufted product with a Cool Comfort fabric technology, which will help balance your body temperature due to the cotton filling with excellent absorption qualities.
Overall, Relyon is our winner because it is one of the few brands with a ‘Manufacturing Guild Mark’ which is a sign of quality and so are the eight years of warranty that come with it. This Ortho mattress is one-sided, so you can rotate it regularly to extend its life.
Key Features:
- 1500 pocket springs
- A deep layer of memory foam
- 3 rows of side stitching
- Trial Period for Returns: 14 days
- Warranty: 8 years
How to choose a mattress for back sleepers?
Most manufacturers claim that their beds are suitable for all sleep positions. However, that’s not necessarily true since back sleepers have unique needs. If you know what those needs are and focus on them, you will find the right option that will support your spine while cushioning your pressure points. Let’s discuss the features you’ll have to factor in:
Materials
Quality materials play a significant role in the build of a mattress. They can impact how comfortable a bed can be and how it will hold over time. Mattresses sag with time, but if they aren’t well-made, that can happen sooner rather than later, which can be a problem for people sleeping on their back.
We suggest you don’t opt for lower-quality alternatives and look for high-quality products with better value and longer lifespan.
Firmness Level
When it comes down to sleep, firmness levels are essential. Firmness influences how much you’ll sink into your bed. Since back sleepers require support to maintain their spines’ natural alignment, they need a product that’s neither too soft nor too firm.
Too soft of an option can cause your hips to sink in too far, which can lead to back issues due to improper spinal alignment. Whereas an overly firm item won’t allow your hips to sink in far enough and that’s not recommended either.
Type
The type of mattress can influence how it contours your body or supports it. Every type has its pros and cons, and if you want to learn more, we will discuss the most suitable choices later on in this article.
You’ll have to understand how the different constructions influence your bed’s feel and which one will provide you with enough support and contouring for your specific body type and preferences.
Contouring
People who sleep on their back can find it incredibly beneficial if a mattress contours to their body and adjusts to each sleeper’s unique shape.
Contouring can help support your spinal alignment while relieving pressure points. Keep in mind that different options differ in the level of contouring they provide, which is why you have to think about your personal preferences.
Pressure Relief
Contouring is closely linked to pressure relief because when your body is contoured in bed, your weight is distributed more evenly. Thus you are receiving the needed relief.
That is great since it may take the pressure off heavier body parts. No one wants to struggle with a sharp pain in their neck, shoulders, back or hips, which is why this feature is strongly appreciated.
Final Words
Sleep is essential for your well being since it could negatively impact your health. In this day and age, we have so many mattresses to choose from that it can sometimes be challenging.
However, we all deserve a revitalising good night’s sleep, and if you’re a back sleeper, you will also need good spinal support. Be careful, when picking the right firmness, appropriate type and the quality of the materials.
Mattress brands frequently change, and so do the products they offer, which is why we will continue to provide you with the most up to par information and try to shed more light on the best mattress for back sleepers. You can also take a look at what we consider the best overall mattresses in the UK as well.
If you have any questions please drop us a line in the comments below and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible!