I Struggle with Chronic Neck Pain, But This Award-Winning Mattress Stopped My Morning Flare-Ups In Weeks

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I started experiencing chronic neck pain in college, when a turn of my head at the wrong angle left me with an off-and-on ache that could reach all the way to my fingertips. This year, I finally found a physical therapist who knows how to handle the issue. Still, my progress has been slow, and the pain is always worse when I roll out of bed in the morning. So when I moved to a new apartment in August, I used it as an opportunity to switch to a mattress that might actually help address and alleviate my neck pain.

When DreamCloud first offered to send me its Premier mattress (Buy It, from $899, dreamcloudsleep.com), I was hesitant. The full-size model costs more than my monthly rent, and I figured there was no way I could recommend it to others in good conscience. But after a month of sleeping on it, I can comfortably (and confidently) say it might be the only piece of expensive furniture that's actually worth the price. We spend about a third of our lives sleeping, so if there's one item to splurge on, it's a mattress that leaves your body feeling better than when you first went to bed. It does its job so well, I'd go back and buy it again, if I had to.

The Premier is a hybrid mattress, which means it is composed of multiple materials. In this case, there's a layer of innerspring coils, an outer cover made from Mongolian cashmere, and four types of memory foam: a lightweight high-loft layer (translation: fluffy and containing more air than other options), a supportive layer, a pressure-relief layer, and a flexible bottom layer to prevent motion transfer. Together, the layers work to keep the spine aligned, and since the spine includes the neck, that's been good news for me. (Related: The Best Mattresses for Back Pain, According to Chiropractors)

DreamCloud

Buy It: DreamCloud Premier Mattress, from $899, dreamcloudsleep.com

I'm notorious for shifting in my sleep, but the DreamCloud Premier keeps my neck supported whether I'm on my back, side, or belly. I could go to bed with no pillows and still wake up without any soreness — I've resorted to that when my pillowcases needed a wash (oops), and I didn't wake up with any stiffness in my neck. That's also thanks to the gel memory foam, which contours to your body to offer support and relief to pressure points. (Related: I Never Slept with a Pillow Until I Tried This Cooling, Eco-Friendly, Memory Foam One)

I felt a difference in my morning neck pain after the first night sleeping on this mattress, and it completely eliminated my morning flare-ups in weeks. My physical therapist has even commented on how much looser my muscles feel during our regular visits. I still deal with occasional aches on any given day, but that's part of having a chronic condition. Now, at least I know I can get a great night's sleep without exacerbating the issue.

If my review seems a little too gushy, consider what paying customers have to say about the mattress. More than 4,000 have given it a five-star review, praising it for being comfortable, cool (which checks out, since the coils promote airflow), and the answer to their aches and pains.

"I love my DreamCloud. My back problems are so much better now," wrote one customer. "No stiffness in the morning! I have arthritis in my back, and I actually get a full night's sleep in bed, which I did not get before."

"This is the best mattress ever," said another shopper. "I was having aching back pain every morning for months, and within a week of using my new DreamCloud mattress, the pain is gone. It's firm and yet it feels like I am sleeping on a cloud!"

Mattress experts have deemed the Premier worthy of praise (and an investment!), too. In the past year alone, it's been named the Best Hybrid Mattress by industry authority Mattress Advisor and Best Mattress by websites Slumber Search and Non-Biased Reviews.

The DreamCloud Premier mattress comes with a lifetime warranty, along with free 4- to 7-day shipping. You also have a full 365 nights to test it out, and if you're not completely satisfied, the brand will give you a refund and help you donate it to someone in need. That's a luxury seldom encountered when shopping for mattresses online, and with super-quick shipping, you'll hardly have to wait to experience its tension-reducing wonders for yourself.