Best Mattress for Back Pain Best mattress for back pain Sleep Number beds or medium-firm mattresses may help ease pain According to the National Institutes of Health, back pain is one of our society's most common medical problems. It's estimated that about 8 in 10 Americans suffer from chronic or occasional back pain. If you're one of them, can the right mattress choice help ease your suffering? Absolutely, sleep experts say. And while most don't recommend specific brands or models, they do recommend that back-pain sufferers follow a few general tips. finds that a medium-firm mattress is best for sore backs. According to this website, a medium firmness provides both support and conformity, which appears essential to relieving or preventing back pain; by contrast, a firm mattress won't offer enough conformity, while a soft mattress won't provide enough support. point out that it's important to balance back pain relief with overall comfort. If a mattress is too firm, your back may feel better, but you may suffer from joint or pressure point pain.
They agree that a medium firm mattress may be the best choice to find that balance. also suggests that an adjustable bed may provide relief. The website notes that ideally the upper body should be positioned at an incline of 30 to 45 degrees, and the knees should be supported so they slightly bend. "The combination of upper body incline and the knee support can help take some of the stress off the lower back," according to this website. If you think an adjustable bed might help you find pain relief, especially if you sleep with a partner who doesn't suffer with back pain and wants a different firmness level, the best choice may be an adjustable air mattress like the Sleep Number Bed . , adjustable air mattresses are far superior at easing all kinds of pain. In particular, Sleep Number beds earn very good ratings for side sleepers, excellent ratings for back sleepers, and overall top ratings for durability. The Sleep Number brand is also one of the top-rated mattress brands overall.
Owners praise the comfort and adjustability of Sleep Number mattresses, and quite a few note that their new mattress has relieved pain and/or improved sleep quality. Many also say that buying a Sleep Number bed has resolved partner quibbles over what type of bed to buy, or the necessity of buying a soft bed and adding a board or padding to one side to increase firmness, or vice versa. The downside to Sleep Number beds is that they tend to be pricey, and may not be necessary if you're not sharing your bed. Fortunately, many other mattress brands, such as Simmons Beautyrest, Sealy Posturepedic (Est. $600 and up) and Tempur-Pedic (Est. $1,700 and up) make memory foam mattresses in a wide range of firmness levels. 's survey of the best mattress types to reduce back pain. Latex mattresses, like those made by Ikea, are third. Memory foam and latex mattresses get good reviews for reducing pain because they are more supportive, less likely to sag, and more likely to have good conformity.
Sagging, in fact, seems to be most strongly associated with back pain and other complaints. Some mattresses -- particularly innerspring styles with thick padding or pillow tops -- are more prone to sagging, which can increase your pain. , putting boards under a sagging mattress is a short-term fix at best. Experts agree that it's important to replace your mattress before it gets worn out. All of these companies also make adjustable bases for their mattresses, but they tend to me much pricier than a standard mattress and base, and the firmness level is not adjustable, just the mattress, much like a hospital-type bed. There are other causes of back pain aside from your mattress, of course, and the National Institutes of Health offers an excellent overview of the causes of back pain as well as guides to treatment and prevention. These tips, along with the right mattress, can help you live a more pain free life. Prev6 Best MattressesInnerspring MattressesMemory Foam MattressesLatex and Organic MattressesBuying GuideMattress RatingsNext
Everyday Solutions are created by Everyday Health on behalf of our partners. More InformationEveryday SolutionsBack Pain Management GuideIf you have chronic back pain or want to avoid it, the right mattress — not too hard, not too soft — is essential. These tips can help you select the best one. ThinkstockWe spend about a third of our lives asleep, so the right mattress is important. And if you have chronic back pain, the best mattresses for back pain relief are those that give your spine just the right amount of support, in all the crucial areas.“Any time our bodies are in the same position for more than 20 minutes, we ‘mold’ to that position a little bit more, so it’s important to spend 7-9 hours per night in a position that’s appropriate for what’s going on with your back” says Suzanne Tamlyn, DC, chiropractor and owner of Hudson Valley Whole Life Center in Newburgh, New York.To understand how to maintain the proper mechanics of your spine, you need some spinal anatomy basics.
Your spine supports your head, keeps your body upright, allows you the flexibility to bend and twist, and protects your spinal cord. Your spine has three sections and three normal, gentle curves that need to be supported when you are standing as well as when you are sleeping.Your cervical spine includes seven vertebrae, supports your head, and has a C-shaped curve. Your thoracic spine includes 12 vertebrae, supports your upper body and has a reverse C-shaped curve. Your lower back, or lumbar spine, is your back's foundation, includes five vertebrae, and also has a C-shaped curve. If you don’t maintain these curves, you increase the stress on the bones and muscles of your back, and that can lead to chronic back pain.Best Mattress Type for Back Pain“The best advice I could give is the ‘Goldilocks Method’ — not too hard, and not too soft,” says Dr. Tamlyn.Try these tips to help find the right mattress for you:Support. Mattresses for back pain must support the heaviest parts of your body where the natural curves are located.
These areas are the head, the shoulders, and the hips. Don't forget that you also need a good pillow to support your head.Back pain and bed selection. It's not just about the mattress. You also need a good bed foundation. Putting a new mattress for back pain on an old, worn-out bed spring is not a good idea. Most mattresses work best with a matching foundation or box spring.There are many mattress options, including springs, foam, water, and air. Any of these can work as a mattress for back pain, but you really can't tell what feels best for you until you lie down and try it. Generally, however, memory foam mattresses are able to reduce pressure points better than other types of mattress, according to the American Sleep Association.And it’s not all about the mattress, either. “Finding the appropriate pillow is also key to keeping great spinal hygiene while sleeping,” says Tamlyn. You can also try keeping a pillow between your legs when lying on your side or under your knees when lying on your back to help alleviate back pain.
When Do You Need a New Mattress?When it comes to mattress shopping, “usually, you get what you pay for,” says Tamlyn. “If you have a quality mattress and no underlying spinal dysfunction, you can sleep on it for many years without issue. But it’s rare that no one has some kind of spinal dysfunction.”Here are a few rules of thumb for knowing when it’s time to replace your mattress:The lifespan of your mattress depends on the kind of use your mattress gets, but you should evaluate your mattress for quality and support at least every 7 years, according to the Better Sleep Council. If you start waking up with aches and pains, especially chronic back pain, it is probably time to go shopping.Your mattress support needs may change over time. As you get older, you may need more support, as the spine experiences degenerative changes over time.Since the changes in your mattress occur gradually over time, it is a good idea to try out a new mattress after a few years to compare and feel the difference.