Best Mattress for Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia is a condition that can contribute to widespread musculoskeletal pain and temperature sensitivity, which in turn may cause poor sleep. People with fibromyalgia may experience other sleep problems such as disruptive sleep, lack of restorative sleep, and/or insomnia. The condition can also lead to sleep apnea and restless leg syndrome. While you should consult a doctor about treating fibromyalgia, a supportive, comfortable mattress can promote quality sleep regardless of underlying conditions.

Our testing team took these factors into account when choosing the best mattresses for fibromyalgia. The picks we’ve selected offer a balance of cushioning and support, which may alleviate fibromyalgia-related aches and pains. Other criteria for our picks include temperature control, longevity, quality of materials, motion isolation for couples, and overall value. We relied on recommendations from our testing team composed of people with different body types, primary sleep positions, and firmness preferences.

Watch Video: We Tested the Best Mattresses for Fibromyalgia – Here Are Our Favorites

Watch the video below to learn more about our top mattress picks for sleepers with fibromyalgia.

Below, you’ll find detailed profiles for each of our best mattress for fibromyalgia picks. We’ve assigned a unique accolade to each mattress based on performance areas where that particular model stood out. Scroll further down to read our comprehensive buyer’s guide. We’ll cover fibromyalgia symptoms that impact sleep, considerations for mattress buyers with fibromyalgia, and pros and cons of different mattress types.

Data-Driven Results You Can Trust

The team at Sleep Foundation has tested and reviewed hundreds of mattresses to find the best models on the market. We examine each mattress to determine its performance in categories like support, pressure relief, and temperature control, all of which are important factors for people with fibromyalgia.

How Our Testing Process Works

Each person’s body type and preferred sleeping position affect how their mattress feels. That’s why our team includes product testers with different body types and sleep position preferences. We perform intensive research and thorough in-person trials that help us decide which mattresses are worth considering. In addition to lying on each mattress, we use special tools to measure heat retention and pressure buildup. We update our top picks regularly as we test new mattresses that could benefit sleepers with fibromyalgia.

Read our product research methodology below to learn more about our testing methods:

Dive Deeper — In-Depth Mattress Guides

For more help finding a mattress that checks all of your boxes, take a look at our our recommendations broken down by mattresses for particular uses.

What to Look For in a Mattress for Fibromyalgia

When purchasing a mattress, shoppers should take into account the things that impact their sleep. For many individuals, sleep position and weight are the biggest factors, but people with fibromyalgia should also consider their symptoms. In this section, we’ll highlight some of the most important things to examine when selecting a mattress.

What to Look for in a Mattress

The following factors can play a role in which mattress is best for an individual. While some mattress companies may claim their mattress is universally comfortable, it is important to remember that comfort is subjective. What is comfortable for another person may not be comfortable for you. Considering your fibromyalgia symptoms and how each factor may affect them can help you select the best mattress for you.

• Price: For many individuals, price may be one of the main deciding factors in their mattress purchase. While cheap mattress options are appealing, higher-priced models may also be a good value. Higher sticker prices may reflect quality materials and durable builds. A mattress in any price range may be suitable for people with fibromyalgia, but shoppers may also want to set money aside for mattress accessories. Those with fibromyalgia may enjoy a mattress topper for extra cushioning, breathable sheets for more temperature regulation, and/or additional pillows to accommodate changing aches and pains.
• Quality Materials: High-quality materials often make a mattress more expensive, but they can have distinct advantages. Some materials are specially engineered to regulate temperatures, relieve pressure points, and/or support proper spinal alignment. Quality materials also frequently last longer than lower-quality materials.
• Firmness Level: A mattress’s firmness influences how much contouring and support an individual will experience. People with fibromyalgia may wish to select their mattress firmness carefully to ensure they enjoy the best balance of contouring and support. Models that are too soft may not support the sleeper’s natural spinal alignment, while mattresses that are too firm could contribute to pressure buildup. The ideal firmness varies based on an individual’s weight, sleep position, and personal preferences. As a general rule, lighter individuals usually prefer softer models and heavier individuals generally favor firmer models.
• Pressure Relief: When an individual lies down, their wider, heavier body parts generally put more force on the mattress. On some mattresses, this could lead to pressure buildup. Any sleeper could experience aches and pains as a result of pressure points. However, since people with fibromyalgia usually already experience significant pain, added discomfort could be more problematic for them. Therefore, those experiencing fibromyalgia are likely to prefer a mattress with strong pressure relief.
• Edge Support: A sturdy edge can make it easier to use the full surface of the mattress. This may be important to couples who want the extra space that sleeping close to the perimeter of the bed affords. People with fibromyalgia whose pains make it harder to get into or out of bed may also prefer a strong perimeter so that they can sit near the edge of the bed without it feeling unstable.
• Contouring: Contouring refers to how a mattress adjusts to the sleeper’s body shape. Mattresses with more contouring often have strong pressure relief. However, close contouring can also make it more difficult for some individuals to change positions on a bed. People with fibromyalgia may appreciate pressure relief from contouring, but those who have mobility issues and like to change positions during the night may find close contouring somewhat restrictive.
• Temperature Regulation: People with fibromyalgia are often sensitive to temperature. Some mattress models trap heat, which could make a comfortable night’s sleep more challenging. Memory foam is usually most associated with heat retention, but many memory foam models use special materials and construction techniques to keep the sleep surface cooler. Innerspring, hybrid, and latex models tend to be breathable, which allows heat to dissipate away from the sleeper’s body.
• Ease of Movement: People with fibromyalgia may change positions throughout the night in order to find the most comfortable sleep position. Some mattresses are easier to move on than others, so those with mobility issues may prefer a model that rates well for ease of movement. Memory foam often hugs closely to the sleeper’s body and usually responds relatively slowly to changes in pressure, which could contribute to a “trapped in the bed” feel. Mattresses that use foams engineered for responsiveness, latex, and/or coils are usually easier to move on.
• Mattress Type: Different types of mattresses vary in their performance. Those with fibromyalgia may like any type of mattress depending on their personal preferences. However, paying attention to the traits of each mattress type may make it easier for people with fibromyalgia to select a model that meets their needs.

What Type of Mattress is Best for Fibromyalgia?

Most mattress models can be classified as one of five main types: hybrid, innerspring, latex, airbed, or foam. Performance varies between individual models due to their unique materials, quality, and construction techniques, but mattresses within the same category tend to share some similarities.

Hybrid

Definition: Hybrid mattresses use a combination of two or more materials. The support core is constructed of coils, while the comfort layer may include memory foam, polyfoam, latex, microcoils, and/or other materials.
Highlight: Contouring and Breathability. People with fibromyalgia may prefer a model with good contouring to help relieve their pressure points. However, close conforming can also trap heat. The comfort layers of most hybrid models cradle the sleeper to relieve pressure, while their coil cores tend to allow significant airflow for heat to dissipate.

Innerspring

Definition: The main feature of an innerspring model is its coil system. This layer makes up the bulk of the mattress, though some models also include thin comfort layers.
Highlight: Responsiveness. Innerspring models usually have a springy feel that makes it easier to move on the bed. People who frequently change positions due to their fibromyalgia pain may like the responsive feel of most innerspring models.

Latex

Definition: Made from the sap of rubber trees, natural latex foam can be fabricated using either the Talalay or Dunlop process. Talalay is usually springier and more breathable, while Dunlop tends to be denser and more durable. Some models also use synthetic or blended latex.
Highlight: Weightless Pressure Relief. The low point elasticity of latex means that it compresses over a wider area when weight is applied. This redistributes the sleeper’s weight to relieve pressure buildup with what many sleepers liken to a floating sensation. People with fibromyalgia who like pressure relief without a lot of hug may find latex models ideal.

Airbed

Definition: Airbeds use air chambers as their support system. Depending on the model, the sleeper can fill or empty the chambers using a remote, an app, or a crank. Some airbeds also have thin comfort layers to soften the surface of the mattress.
Highlight: Adjustability. Emptying or filling an airbed’s chambers adjust the firmness of the sleep surface. Since fibromyalgia symptoms can change over time, this adjustability may give individuals more flexibility to cater their sleep surface to meet their current needs, even if they change every night.

Foam

Definition: Foam models may include multiple types of foam, including memory foam and polyfoam. Memory foam is most often used in the comfort and/or transition layer, while polyfoam may be used in the comfort layer, transition layer, and/or support core.
Highlight: Pressure Relief and Motion Isolation. All-foam models usually conform closely to the sleeper’s body to reduce pressure buildup around the shoulders and hips. They also tend to absorb motion, which reduces the vibrations a sleeper feels when their partner moves. Individuals who awaken easily or experience pains as a result of their fibromyalgia may like this combination of pressure relief and motion isolation.

How Does Fibromyalgia Affect Sleep?

The symptoms of fibromyalgia can impair sleep in several different ways. Widespread pain is one of the most common symptoms associated with fibromyalgia. As with any condition that causes pain, fibromyalgia may make it more difficult to fall asleep and/or stay asleep. Temperature sensitivity common with the condition could also lead to discomfort.

Sleep problems are a common concern for people with fibromyalgia. Those with fibromyalgia may experience insomnia, disruptive sleep, and/or a lack of restorative sleep. Further exacerbating the issue, people with fibromyalgia also frequently suffer from other disorders that can interrupt sleep, like sleep apnea and restless leg syndrome. With so many symptoms that can impact sleep, it should come as no surprise that many people with fibromyalgia also experience daytime fatigue.

While mattresses can’t relieve all the symptoms associated with fibromyalgia, the right mattress could help people with fibromyalgia get more restful sleep by limiting other factors that could interrupt sleep. Heat retention, motion transfer, noise, lack of support, and pressure buildup could interfere with sleep, and the right mattress could help minimize these.

How Does Sleep Position Affect People with Fibromyalgia?

The position an individual sleeps in can affect the pain they experience. Each position has certain potential benefits and drawbacks. People with fibromyalgia often select their sleep position based on their current aches and pains, but that sleep position could have unforeseen consequences. Picking a mattress that promotes healthy sleep posture is important for all sleepers, but even more so for people with fibromyalgia.

Back Sleepers

Many individuals with fibromyalgia may find sleeping on their backs comfortable. The right mattress can support proper spinal alignment and reduce spinal strain by allowing the sleeper’s hips to sink in just the right amount. While opinions vary between individuals, some sleepers feel that sleeping on their backs reduces lower back pain. Fibromyalgia patients who experience more back pain when sleeping in the position might consider using a pillow under their knees.

Back sleeping may be more problematic for people with fibromyalgia who also snore or have sleep apnea since this position may worsen symptoms. However, propping up the upper body with a wedge pillow may help. Back sleepers tend to prefer a slightly firmer mattress that doesn’t let their hips sink in too far. Too soft of a mattress could strain the sleeper’s lower back, while too firm of a mattress could contribute to pressure buildup.

Side Sleepers

The wider areas of a side sleeper press harder on the mattress than the rest of their body. Some mattresses redistribute the sleeper’s weight to reduce pressure on key areas, like their hips and shoulders. Side sleepers with fibromyalgia are likely to prefer a mattress that cradles their curves to reduce pressure buildup and support their spinal alignment.

As with any sleep position, finding the right firmness is critical. A side sleeper’s hips and shoulders could sink too deeply into an overly soft mattress, which could put the spine out of alignment. Too firm of a mattress could contribute to pressure points and put a strain on the sleeper’s lumbar region.

Since side sleepers’ legs rest on top of each other, any side sleeper could also experience hip and knee discomfort, but this may be more pronounced for people with fibromyalgia. A pillow placed between the knees may make the position more comfortable for some individuals.

Stomach Sleepers

Sleeping on your stomach can strain the spine and neck, so it generally isn’t advisable. However, many people with fibromyalgia may choose to sleep in whichever position feels the best that night.

The bulk of a person’s weight is usually centered around a person’s belly and hips. When sleeping on their stomach, this weight can pull their midsection into the mattress and put a strain on the lumbar region. Stomach sleepers also generally turn their heads to the side, which may lead to neck strain. A thick pillow could further exacerbate this neck strain by forcing it to extend backward.

If you frequently sleep on your stomach, some methods might help limit strain and discomfort. A firmer mattress may be more supportive of the sleeper’s hips and promote better spinal alignment. Many stomach sleepers also choose to use no pillow or a very thin pillow to reduce neck strain. Stomach sleepers might also transition away from the position by using a body pillow to prop themselves onto their sides.

Combination Sleepers

Alternating between multiple sleep positions may help those with fibromyalgia sleep more comfortably by switching which body parts experience pressure. Combination sleepers may experience both the pros and cons of each sleep position they employ.

Last Things to Consider with a Mattress for Fibromyalgia

While we’ve discussed some of the main factors that may influence your mattress decision, you may still have some questions. Here are a few more things to consider while you shop.

How Can I Get Relief On a Budget?

Mattresses come in a wide range of price-points, so individuals with fibromyalgia may be able to find a budget-friendly option that provides relief. If you don’t want to replace your mattress, you can also purchase accessories that may make the sleep surface more comfortable. People who have temperature sensitivity may benefit from a cooling pillow or sleepwear, breathable sheets, and/or a fan. Those who have aches and pains may like a mattress topper for extra cushioning and/or a selection of pillows to give them more options.

How Much of an Investment Do I Need to Make?

Most mattress models cost between a few hundred and a few thousand dollars, so how much of an investment you make depends on what you’re comfortable with. Lower-cost options frequently perform well, but some break down more quickly. Higher-end models may feature advanced materials to enhance the mattress’s performance, and they are often more durable.

Mattress Warranty and Other Policies

The warranty, sleep trial, and shipping options might ultimately influence your mattress selection.

Mattresses generally come with a warranty that protects against certain defects. Understanding what’s covered, how long the coverage lasts, and what you need to do to ensure you don’t void the policy may give you a better idea of what to expect.

Direct-to-consumer mattresses also generally come with a sleep trial during which customers can try the mattress at home and return it if they are not satisfied. People with fibromyalgia may prefer a mattress with a generous trial period so that they can see how the mattress performs with their symptoms.

Shipping policies may also be worth considering. If your fibromyalgia pain would make it difficult for you to move the mattress to your room of choice and unpack it, you may wish to look for a company that offers White Glove delivery.

Why Buy a New Mattress?

Sleepers purchase new beds for many different reasons. While some people are simply looking to replace old beds, others may need a mattress to help alleviate pain from chronic conditions. We surveyed thousands of Sleep Foundation readers to find out some of the top reasons people buy new mattresses.