Fibromyalgia is a disorder that causes muscle pain and fatigue. People with the disorder may have tender parts of their body, stiffness in the morning and often have trouble sleeping. It’s estimated that 5.8 million Americans suffer from this chronic condition. Many mattresses only exacerbate painful pressure points, making it all but impossible to fully recharge with an uninterrupted, restful night of sleep. Fibromyalgia sufferers may be most comfortable on a memory foam mattress. Instead of irritating the pressure points, memory foam molds itself to the contours of the body, providing additional support. There are a few other options when it comes to memory foam, too. Gerry Borreggine, chairman of the International Sleep Products Association, says gel foam is the newest technology all major mattress companies are utilizing for fibromyalgia sufferers. “It is a viscoelastic mattress that has actual gel liquid or beads swiveled into the foam. One of the few negatives about memory foam mattresses is they sleep hot on the surface,” he explains.
“Gel foam is something that actually sinks into the foam and absorbs the heat. It gives the mattress about a 5-degree cooler sleeping surface.” Borreggine says the support factor is still there with these gel foam mattresses, and for someone who has upper back pain, this is the best choice on the market. When shopping for a mattress for fibromyalgia, the key is finding a mattress that provides an optimal balance of cushiony softness and firm support. Innerspring mattresses typically are an awful idea for fibromyalgia sufferers, as every bump and hard edge makes you feel like the Princess and the Pea. But don’t let the pendulum swing too far toward softness. Support is equally critical.“I think I was going with the theory that I should ‘cushion’ my achy joints. I need to support them.” PacBed Original Memory Foam Mattress. Reviews for Restava Astoria Memory Foam Mattress Reviewers are delighted with the comfort, and the high ratings are mostly a factor that these mattresses offer the benefits of memory foam at a lower price point.
Tommy09716 posted a review on Viewpoints that is similar to the others regarding the Restava Astoria Memory Foam mattress: “Their price is about 50% less, and I could return it if it didn’t feel like I wanted. That was almost two years ago and I’ve never looked back. I never have trouble falling asleep anymore and cannot thank Restava enough.” –Tommy0916, Reviewer since 2011 PacBed Original Memory Foam Mattress PacBed Original Memory Foam Mattress is considered best mattress on the Viewpoints site for back pain. There are hundreds of reviews; most echo this strong endorsement: “ PacBed Original Foam Mattress is the best one I have ever owned, hands down. Sleeping on this mattress, I wonder how I ever got to sleep on anything else. This mattress is so comfortable, I feel like I am sleeping on a cake made out of cumulus clouds and whipped cream.” –SpencerCG, Reviewer since 2011 As another option to consider, the Fibro-Pedic Memory Foam and Latex Foam Mattress is one of the few mattresses specifically marketed to fibromyalgia patients.
It was created by Dr. Rick Swartzburg, D.C., to help his wife and his patients who suffer from fibromyalgia. It’s advertised online as containing a “unique combination of hypo-allergenic foam layers designed specifically to take pressure off of the many individual muscle pressure points that Fibromyalgia sufferers experience….We accomplished this by adding a mix of memory foam and latex foam layers which gradually increase in density. The memory foam and latex foam layers are arranged over a firm HR polyurethane foam layer. This allows the mattress to be soft enough to contour to the unique shape of your body, but firm enough to provide proper support and never bottom out.” Heated mattress pads can provide relief for some fibromyalgia sufferers, especially after a new mattress has already been purchased. There are even memory foam mattress toppers on the market that minimize pressure points and provide additional support. They aren’t cheap, but they will definitely save you money on buying an entirely new mattress.
For memory foam mattress owners whose mattresses are overheating, there is also the option of gel cooling pads or toppers to absorb the heat. Experts say that while these are all good aids in making your mattress more comfortable, they can’t fix more fundamental problems with a mattress if you do need a new one. Reviews for Sunbeam Slumber Rest Premium Heated Mattress Pad Heated mattress pads can provide relief for some fibromyalgia sufferers, and the Sunbeam Slumber Rest Premium Heated Mattress Pad is a good option. With a 10-hour auto-off control, this pad fits mattresses up to 19 inches deep. Ten heating zones let you control the temperature according to season or pain level, and the pad is also machine washable for easy cleaning. Reviews for Serta Deluxe 2-inch Memory Foam Mattress Topper If you can’t buy a full memory foam mattress but would like its fibromyalgia benefits — minimizing pressure points and providing additional support — the Serta Deluxe 2-inch Memory Foam Mattress Topper might be the best bang for your buck.
Both hypoallergenic and anti-microbial, the memory foam allows a comfortable night’s sleep, especially when there are two people in the same bed. “It was very easy to put on, just open the box, unfold and poof, it enlarges. My very first night I slept like a baby. I thought maybe that was because it was a change, but the next nights I slept just as well. In fact I have been oversleeping, because I am not waking up in pain. I reccommend this for anyone, it feels like your sleeping on a cloud.” –my410s, Reviewer since 2009 There is no known prevention or cure for fibromyalgia. Support groups may be helpful in alleviating the symptoms. Besides finding a comfortable mattress, other recommendations include practicing a sleep routine, eating a well-balanced diet, avoiding caffeine, and acupressure and acupuncture. Severe cases of fibromyalgia may require a referral to a pain clinic.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.