last updated: Feb 17, 2017You know how annoying back pain can be. It hurts and it affects every waking moment.So finding a mattress to address your back pain is a life-changer.Since pro athletes use our mattresses for rest and recovery, people are always asking us which Essentia mattress would help their back pain.You may be asking yourself, is changing my mattress the best place to start?"The answer is YES, 8 hours per night will make or break your back!You'll want to look for a mattress with the follow 3 Attributes.1) proper support2) spinal alignment3) pressure point relief.That's what addresses persistent upper and lower back pain as well as shoulder and neck pain. LatexMemory FoamNatural Memory Foam Made using certified organic & natural components, no metals. Reduced VOC exposure, not exposed to harmful chemicals. Heat dissipates through the mattress and away from the body. Eliminates negative space, ideal for proper spinal alignment. Eliminates numbness and soreness.
Evenly distributed body weight allows for increased blood circuThe truth is, all Essentia mattresses are pretty amazing but some outperform others in terms of back support and back pain relief.In fact, the Dormeuse and Beausommet are tied for first since they offer similar performance but address 2 difference body types. If you have a pronounced lower back arch you'll need the Dormeuse. Little to no arch and you're looking at the Beausommet. If you suffer from:- Upper or Lower Back Pain - Shoulder or Neck Pain - Cervical Spondylosis, or Arthritis of the Neck - Pinched Nerve - Muscle Strain - Spinal Stenosis - Spondylolisthesis - Cervical Kyphosis - Scoliosis - Kyphosis - Whiplash InjuryOur top-of-the-line Dormeuse (softer) & Beausommet (firmer) mattress could help you get a better night's sleep. People who suffer from back injuries related to car accidents have called to thank us for these mattresses. Neck pain alone can often be resolved with one of 3 Essentia support pillows.
Top 5 Tips to Choosing a Back Pain Mattress1) Is a Firm Mattress really better for your back?You might be confusing firmness with support; recent studies show that maximum support and back pain relief are provided by a medium-firm mattress.According to a recent survey, 95% of orthopedic surgeons said they believed a mattress plays a role in lower back pain management. 31 million Americans have suffered from acute or chronic back pain.2) Again, Avoid Firm Mattresses!!!For all you stubborn folks, according to this study published in the British medical journal, The Lancet, researchers found that patients suffering from back pain were twice as likely to report improvement when sleeping on a medium-firm mattress as opposed to those patients who slept on a firm mattress.The trial involved 313 adults with chronic lower back pain and backache. As a part of the study, the subjects were randomly assigned to two groups. The first group slept on a medium-firm mattress instead of their normal mattress and the second group on a firm mattress.
When compared to the patients who slept on a firm mattress, patients who slept on the medium-firm mattresses reported reduced incidents of back pain in bed, reduced back pain upon rising from their bed, and reduced back pain related to disability. The study results indicated that a medium-firm mattress provides a better balance between back support and comfort for lower back pain than a firm mattress.Contrary to popular belief, sleeping on a mattress that is too firm exerts additional pressure on the back, resulting in more back pain for some patients. So the best mattress for a bad back is a medium-firm.3) Price Doesn't Equate to QualityWhen you're buying a car you can often relate the price tag with the quality of the product. That's not really the case when it comes to mattresses.Finding a mattress that will help your back pain doesn't have to be an expensive proposition. Going with a natural latex mattress or memory foam mattress is a great start. Avoid spring mattress because this is typically where you'll get swindled.4) Body Type MattersTop heavy or bottom heavy, 5 feet tall or 6’5, many factors need to be taken into consideration.
The decision of a soft, medium or firm mattress doesn't apply. It depends entirely on your body type and the level of support you need. 5) Know What Needs AddressingWhy do you have back pain? That's the question you need to ask yourself and seek professional opinion if needed. It's often a combination of things from sitting most of your day to bad posture to weak muscles. A great mattress can only do so much. Learn your weaknesses and address it head on.For more information, please visit our Learning Center.We will spend almost a third of our lives sleeping, so it makes sense to spend time, thought and money on which mattress we buy. The right one, say Deane Halfpenny – a consultant in musculoskeletal pain medicine – and osteopath Rehana Kapadia, can ensure you are not only more comfortable, but healthier, too. Kapadia recommends investing time trying them out. “Some people just go into the shop and press them to see how they feel, ” she says, “but I would say you should lie down for 20 minutes on each one.
If you just hop on and off, it’s hard to imagine how you will feel after an eight-hour sleep.” Halfpenny agrees and says spending as much as you can afford on a bed is a good long-term investment in your health – especially when they typically last between seven and 10 years. “In sleep studies where you observe patients through the night, you see how much we all move when we sleep. But if you are uncomfortable, you move constantly and your sleep is not as restful as it should be. “Undisturbed sleep is important because of the fluctuating hormones that are released when we sleep. Disturbed sleep disrupts these patterns. Our bodies are constantly breaking down and rebuilding, and restorative sleep allows your muscles to relax and improves blood flow – [especially] to the discs in your back, which normally have poor blood flow. If your muscles are tense, you won’t get that restorative blood flow.” Kapadia advises choosing a mattress that is supportive as well as comfortable.
“Patients often think they should be getting a firm, orthopedic mattress. But, actually, if your mattress is too firm, you can end up with hyperlordosis, where the arch in your back is exaggerated.” Instead, you should think about a mattress that is soft enough to allow you to sink into it, while firm enough to support you. “It’s about surface area and pressure,” says Halfpenny. “The more of your body that is in contact with the mattress, the less pressure on your shoulders or hips.” Halfpenny says that, if you choose the right mattress, whichever position you sleep in will be comfortable and healthy. She says the optimum position for sleep – to avoid back problems or ligament strain – is on your side with your knees bent. This is because it allows your body – from the back of your head, through your neck, spine and pelvis – to align. “Even without pillows, your neck, spine and pelvis should be in line, so that you aren’t twisted, or turned in on yourself,” she says.
“If you sleep on your front – it doesn’t matter how good the mattress – you will twist your neck and back; your head will be turned to the side and your leg probably twisted up. Even sleeping on your back with your legs straight can put strain on your lower back.” She says that, although many people think they have little control over the positions they adopt in their sleep, it is possible to train yourself to sleep on your side – and doing so is a good idea to avoid long-term back problems. However, because our shoulders and hips are our broadest points, even lying on your side on a too-firm surface can throw this alignment out, says Kapadia. “You can get a lumbar spine sag, meaning your middle will drop into a U shape, stressing the spine ligaments, which can press on your nerves.” So, for eight hours, your ligaments will be working instead of resting. As a result, you can wake up feeling achy instead of rested. “This is why you need a bed that will allow your shoulders and hips to sink in, then your waist and side are supported.”
In fact, Kapadia suggests taking a friend bed-shopping with you to check your alignment as you lie on a bed – or even taking a photograph to show how well you are supported. The worst mattresses, Halfpenny warns, are the old, soft ones, which dip like hammocks in the middle, curving your back. Another tricky issue is buying a mattress for a couple, as each person may have different needs, thanks to their different shapes and weights. “You don’t want one of you to sink in and the other to be bouncing on the top. It’s about surface area and pressure. You need to sink in at first, and then be supported.” Halfpenny says choosing a bed with breathable, natural materials can improve your sleep quality – so that you don’t get too hot and sweaty in the night. But, for those with allergies, Kapadia suggests trying out a bed with natural latex instead. It’s also worth thinking about a bed with a slatted base so that air can circulate, or one with pocket springs to match the mattress.
For older patients, and those who find it hard to get in and out of bed, getting a higher base can also help. If you are on a very tight budget and can’t afford the mattress you want, buying a decent one and adding a mattress topper for extra comfort can help. Finally, don’t forget to think about pillows, say the experts at John Lewis. If you sleep on your side, you might need a firmer one, to fill the space between the side of your head and shoulder. If you are on your back, you need a softer one to keep your neck in line with your spine. Anyone sleeping on their front needs a very flat pillow. But Halfpenny has a final warning: even when you successfully find the perfect bed, your problems might not be over. The pain specialist says he spent more than £4,000 finding the right mattress for himself and his wife, and hours researching it. Although now he can happily sleep for 10 hours at a time, there is one drawback – going on holiday or to visit family is torture. “I just want to get back to my mattress!”
£2,050 in a kingsizeDeane’s top choice Rehana: This is really high end. My body is nicely supported so my lower spine is not being pushed down or up. It can be short-sighted to buy too cheap a mattress – try to buy the best you can afford. Deane: This is fantastic. Not too hard or soft. R: Memory foam like this moulds to your body, but some people find they can get very hot. It’s not very breathable and it retains a lot of heat. If you can’t afford one, you could buy a mattress topper for support.D: This mattress takes time to mould around you, but it’s very supportive. It is firm, but not overly so. R: This is hypoallergenic and has the firmness of a memory foam, but with a bit more bounce. I thought I would like latex but I prefer the other ones.D:I can’t get comfortable – it is far too firm for me. My spine might be in a good position but I don’t feel like I can sink in. £999 in a kingsizeRehana’s top choice R: This is good – the natural fibres breathe better so you don’t get as hot, and it’s very comfortable.