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.The best mattress for sleep20th February 2016 We spend a third of our lives in bed and whether this time is spent sleeping soundly or tossing and turning can depend quite heavily on the mattress you have invested in.
Lying on any part of your body for an extended period of time, reduces the flow of blood through the blood vessels on that part of your body thus depriving your skin of the oxygen and nutrients it needs. Your nerve and pain sensors then send a message to your brain telling you to turn over. Rolling over restores the blood flow to the area but also briefly interrupts your sleep. In an ideal world, your mattress should reduce the pressure points on your body and in turn give you a better night’s sleep. However, every body is different and finding the best bed or mattress is a very personal thing. The mattress market — it’s personal The most important thing to consider is your personal comfort. Look for a mattress that fits your body (it is supposed to conform to the spine’s natural curve and distribute pressure evenly) and feels comfortable. Front sleepers — firm mattresses are good as they keep your spine aligned. Back sleepers — Medium mattresses are good as they provide spine, neck and back support whilst keeping you comfortable.
Side sleepers — soft mattresses are good as they provide support and contour to your body’s curves. Made from a single piece of wire looped into springs, the open coil mattress is considered one of the more affordable mattress types. However, as they are made of a single piece of spring, the springs move as one unit making them less responsive to your body and tossing and turning may disturb your partner. The 3000 springs sewn into individual pockets makes it possible to customise the mattress to different tensions. The individual springs also offer good support and the customisable tension means two people can have their preferred firmness. However, pocket sprung mattresses can be heavy to turn and are made with natural materials which may cause problems for people with allergies. Made from a white liquid produced by rubber trees. Latex foam can mould to the body shape, is durable, cool and good for allergy suffers. It has a rather solid feel so not ideal for people who preferred a cushioned sleep and cheap versions can get lumpy quite quickly.
Topped with a layer of temperature sensitive viscoelastic material originally developed by NASA, memory foam mattresses take the pressure off joints thus increase circulation. They also allow the sleeper to just sink into bed. They can however, get warm quite quickly.Think about what you like and what kind of sleeper you are.Shop for best value not lowest price. You spend a third of life lying here and sleep and the quality of it plays a large role in your general health and wellbeing. The better the support and comfort, the longer the bed will last and the happier and more rested you will be.A larger bed means less disturbance if you are sharing with a partner — you should be able to lie side by side, arms behind your head and elbows out but not touching. Your bed should also be 10–15cm longer than the tallest partner. – Try before you buy. Sleep test your mattress for at least 20 minutes in your sleeping position to get a better idea of the comfort and support it can offer you.
– Sleep on it. It can take a couple of nights to fully adjust to your new mattress so don’t despair if the first few nights aren’t perfect. – Check the return policy. A lot of mattress companies offer a certain number of night’s sleep, ensure you take advantage of this ‘cooling off’ period. So how do you know if it’s time for a mattress upgrade? – Are you having trouble sleeping? – Are you having a painful night’s sleep? – Is your mattress showing signs of wear and tear? – Are you getting a more comfortable night’s sleep elsewhere? – Is your mattress older than 7 years? Remember to rotate your mattress at the start of every season (or every three months) alternating between end-over-end and side-over-side rotation. Mattresses can wear unevenly from people sleeping in the same position every night, flipping the mattress helps to alleviate that problem, making for a more comfortable night’s sleep. A handy guide to help you flip your mattress.