This mattress and bedding guide for people with fibromyalgia from Tuck Advancing Better Sleep is a great help for people not knowing what type of mattress or bed to buy that is suitable for your problem. People with fibromyalgia may want to take the following factors into account when shopping for a new mattress and comparing different brands and models.
CONFORMING ABILITY AND PRESSURE RELIEF:
Some mattresses are designed to conform closely to the sleeper’s body and alleviate pain and pressure points throughout the body. These models can be very beneficial for people with fibromyalgia that experience widespread pain.
FIRMNESS:
Every sleeper has different firmness preferences, and these often come down to two factors: body weight and sleep position. For example, individuals who weigh less than 130 pounds and prefer to sleep on their side tend to feel most comfortable, while those who weigh more than 230 pounds and sleep on their back may prefer a firmer surface. There is no wrong firmness, per se, but sleeping on a mattress that is too soft or too firm can add to the pain symptoms of fibromyalgia.
SUPPORT:
In the mattress industry, ‘support’ refers to how effectively a mattress provides a flat, even sleep surface. Mattresses that are too soft or too firm may not be supportive enough for sleepers in certain weight groups. Another factor that affects support is wear and tear — namely sagging in the mattress, which can create an uneven sleep surface that causes sleepers to experience more pain and pressure. According to most mattress owners, sagging that measures one inch or deeper is much more likely to create added pain.
DURABILITY:
Durable mattresses will perform for at least six years without excessive sagging or indentations in the sleep surface. Mattresses with below-average durability may begin to deteriorate in as few as two to three years, and the saggy, uneven sleep surface can exacerbate the painful symptoms of fibromyalgia.
NOISE:
Noise sensitivity is a common symptom among fibromyalgia patients. Mattresses made of certain materials, such as foam or latex, produce little to no noise when bearing weight. These mattresses may be more suitable than other models, such as innersprings, hybrids, and airbeds, which are associated with above-average noise.
MOTION ISOLATION:
Motion isolation refers to a bed’s ability to absorb motion when someone gets up or shifts position, and isolate this motion to one side of the mattress. Motion isolation is important to people with fibromyalgia because they often experience noise sensitivity, and may awaken easily on a bed that does not minimize motion.
TEMPERATURE NEUTRALITY:
Heat and cold sensitivity is another common symptom of fibromyalgia, and people with this condition may sleep excessively hot or cold as a result. Mattresses with springs tend to have better airflow than those with solid base layers (such as foam and latex models), allowing sleepers to remain cooler throughout the night.
SLEEP TRIAL:
Many mattress brands and retailers offer sleep trials that last anywhere from 60 to 365 nights in length. In most cases, customers can test out the mattress for the entire duration and return or exchange their bed if they are not satisfied by the end of the sleep trial. People with fibromyalgia can take advantage of sleep trial offers to determine if the mattress they have chosen will work in the long-term.
WARRANTY:
Most mattress warranties include a ‘minimum sagging depth’ to determine whether or not the bed is defective. Some warranties will replace or repair mattresses that sag deeper than one inch, while others adhere to a higher benchmark. People with fibromyalgia may want to prioritize mattresses with warranties that include a minimum sagging depth of one inch or less. Otherwise, they may pay a significant amount to repair or replace their mattress for excessive sagging.
WHAT MATTRESS TYPES ARE BEST/WORST FOR PEOPLE WITH FIBROMYALGIA:
The five most common mattress types in terms of their suitability for people with fibromyalgia. The comparison table below evaluates each type for support, firmness, conforming, and other performance factors that matter to fibromyalgia patients.
| MATTRESS TYPE | INNERSPRING | FOAM | LATEX | HYBRID | AIRBED |
| Construction | Foam comfort layers Steel coils in the support core |
Polyfoam and/or memory foam layers in the comfort layer Polyfoam layer(s) in the support core |
Latex layer(s) in the comfort layer Latex or polyfoam layers in the support core |
At least 2″ of memory foam or latex in the comfort layer, as well as other components (such as polyfoam or minicoils) Pocketed coils in the support core |
Foam comfort layers or no comfort layer Individualized adjustable air chambers in the support core |
| Conforming | Poor to Fair | Good to Very Good | Fair to Good | Fair to Good | Fair to Good |
| Firmness Options | Fair to Good | Good to Very Good | Good to Very Good | Good to Very Good | Good to Very Good |
| Support | Fair to Good | Fair to Good | Good to Very Good | Good to Very Good | Good to Very Good |
| Durability | Poor to Fair | Fair to Good | Good to Very Good | Fair to Good | Poor to Fair |
| Light Sleeper Rating (Less than 130 lbs) | Fair to Good | Fair to Good | Good to Very Good | Poor to Fair | Fair to Good |
| Heavy Sleeper Rating (More than 230 lbs) | Poor to Fair | Good to Very Good | Good to Very Good | Good to Very Good | Poor to Fair |
| Noise | Poor to Fair | Good to Very Good | Good to Very Good | Fair to Good | Poor to Fair |
| Motion Isolation | Poor to Fair | Good to Very Good | Good to Very Good | Fair to Good | Fair to Good |
| Temperature Neutrality | Good to Very Good | Poor to Fair | Fair to Good | Good to Very Good | Fair to Good |
| Rating for Sleepers with Fibromyalgia | Poor to Fair | Good to Very Good | Good to Very Good | Fair to Good | Fair to Good |
| Explanation | Most start to sag within two to three years Minimal support in the neck, waist, and hips Little to no conforming Limited firmness options Typically sleeps cool |
Above-average conforming and pressure relief Many firmness options Good motion isolation and little to no noise Average durability with sagging potential Tends to sleep hot |
Exceptional support and durability with little to no sagging Above-average motion isolation and very little noise Sleeps fairly cool Many firmness options |
Conform closer than innersprings, but minimal pain and pressure relief Sleep fairly cool Below-average motion isolation and strong noise potential Many firmness options |
Customizable firmness settings May not be suitable for certain weight groups Some are excessively firm Average temperature neutrality High noise potential |
BEST MATTRESSES FOR PEOPLE WITH FIBROMYALGIA: MODELS AND BRANDS:
Now let’s look at five of the top-rated mattress models for people with fibromyalgia. The comparison table below lists specs, performance ratings, and other data for the five leading mattress models.
| MATTRESS BRAND | LEESA | LOOM & LEAF | SPINDLE | TUFT & NEEDLE | ZENHAVEN |
| Mattress Model | Leesa Foam Mattress | Loom & Leaf by Saatva | Natural Latex Mattress | Tuft & Needle Mattress | Zenhaven Mattress |
| Mattress Type | Mixed foam | Memory Foam | Latex | Foam | Reversible latex |
| Comfort Layer | 2″ Avena foam 2″ Memory foam |
2 1/2″ Gel memory foam 2″ Memory foam |
3 3″ Latex layers Layer firmness varies by selected firmness level No traditional support core |
3″ Polyfoam | 1 1/2″ Latex Mattress is flippable with two comfort layers of differing thickness |
| Support Core | 6″ Polyfoam | 7 1/2″ Polyfoam | 7″ Polyfoam | 6″ Latex Both sides share one support core |
|
| Firmness Options | Medium Firm | Medium Firm |
Medium Soft Medium Medium Firm Firm |
Medium Firm | Side 1: Medium Soft Side 2: Medium Firm |
| Support Rating | Very Good | Good | Good | Very Good | Good |
| Conforming Rating | Very Good | Very Good | Very Good | Good | Good |
| Motion Isolation Rating | Very Good | Excellent | Very Good | Excellent | Very Good |
| Noise Rating | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent |
| Sleep Trial | 100 nights | 120 nights | 365-night comfort adjustment (replace one latex layer) 25-year comfort life (replace unlimited latex layers) |
100 nights | 120 nights |
| Warranty Indentation Depth | 1″ | 1″ | 3/4″ | 3/4″ | 3/4″ |
| Price (Queen) | $940.00 | $1,099.00 | $1,349.99 | $575.00 | $1,899.00 |
| Customer Satisfaction Rating | 76% (74 customer reviews) | 72% (113 customer reviews) | 75% (98 customer reviews) | 80% (84 customer reviews) | 80% (924 customer reviews) |
PILLOW SELECTION:
For people with fibromyalgia, the most important factor when choosing a pillow is ‘loft,’ or thickness. Using the correct loft can help alleviate pain and pressure in the neck, shoulders, and head, while the incorrect loft can make these issues worse. To determine the best pillow loft, sleepers should take their weight, sleep position, and mattress firmness into account.
Pillows that are popular among people with fibromyalgia and other chronic pain conditions include buckwheat, latex, and memory foam models. Other pillows types, such as down alternative and polyfoam, may increase the amount of pain and pressure that these individuals feel. For more information about pillow soft and selection, please check out Best Pillows: Buying Guide and Information page.
MATTRESS TOPPER USAGE:
The term ‘mattress topper’ refers to a cushioning layer that can be placed on top of a mattress for added softness, comfort, and support. Most toppers are designed to decrease the firmness of a sleep surface, although some toppers can increase the firmness.
A latex or memory foam topper will be most suitable for someone with fibromyalgia because these products conform closely to target pain and pressure points. Convoluted polyfoam toppers are considered the worst option since they are associated with increased pain and pressure. To learn more, please visit our Best Mattress Toppers guide.
