Footwear and Back Pain Getting a Good Night’s Sleep Golf Tips to Avoid Back Pain Avoiding Back Pain on Vacation Keeping a Healthy Posture Pain Prevention for Athletes Yard Work and Back Pain Housework and Back or Neck Pain Swimming and Back or Neck Pain Back Injury Prevention Tips Staying Active in the Winter Staying Active While at Home Staying Fit while Avoiding Injury Depression Caused by Back Pain Office Chairs and Ergonomics Jobs That Might Cause or Aggravate Back Pain Recreational Sports That Might Aggravate Back Pain Running and Lower Back Pain The Effects of Smoking on Spinal Anatomy How to Quit Smoking Medications to Quit Smoking Back Pain and Computer Use Back Pain during Travel Ways to Relieve Stress Ever wonder why you sometimes go to sleep without spine pain and wake up with an achy back? Chances are you’re not sleeping on a mattress with proper spine support.
Because we spend about eight hours out of every 24 in bed, it’s extremely important that we practice correct spinal alignment as we sleep, just as we would try to have good posture while sitting or standing. Tips for mattress buying If you’re one of the millions of people who experience neck or back pain due to a ruptured disc, disc protrusion, spinal stenosis or arthritis of the spine, you should remember that spending eight hours in a position that puts added stress on any component of your neck or back will only exacerbate these conditions. Below are a few tips for selecting a mattress that can help you get a good night’s sleep. Get a medium-firm mattress. While many people say you should get an extra firm mattress, these can actually be too firm and might not allow your spine to settle into a neutral position. Look for a mattress with lumbar support. The lower back is the area of the back that is most prone to degenerative conditions, so a mattress should “cradle” this section of your back, thereby encouraging proper posture even while sleeping.
Consider an adjustable bed. This type of mattress will allow you to get support from your head to your toes, including under-the-knee support, pelvic support and upper back support. Buy a pillow with cervical (neck) support. This will allow your neck to reach a neutral position and will mitigate stress on the other regions of the spine.You could do hours of research on the best types of orthopedic mattresses, but nothing can compare to your first instinct when you lie down on a mattress and feel completely comfortable. Other lifestyle changes that can help mitigate back pain There are a variety of other lifestyle changes that can help reduce discomfort in your back. Consider ergonomic seating at the office. Avoid recreational sports that might cause or aggravate neck or back pain, but remember to stay active with low-impact exercises like walking or swimming. Avoid smoking and excessive alcohol consumption. If your back pain persists, work with your physician to design a regimen of pain medication, hot-cold therapy and other conservative treatments.
Chronic back pain is one the most challenging medical conditions to treat and/or cure – and yet it sends more people to the doctor than sore throats. Sitting all day at a desk or standing in heels wreaks havoc on spinal alignment and most of us don’t exercise enough to undo that damage. Sleep can help heal the abuse we throw at our backs but most of us don’t sleep on a mattress that adequately supports our backs and joints. And when we don’t give our backs the rest they need, mornings can be painful. If you and your mattress have lost that loving feeling, let’s talk about the ways a mattress can hurt your back – and the types of mattresses that can help back pain management and support. Mattress support refers to how well a mattress can maintain an equally level surface for the lighter (head, hands and feet) and heavier (hips and torso) parts of your body. A very soft mattress may be supportive initially buy may fail to support your body equally as time goes on.
In extreme cases, a soft mattress that begins to sag (which often occurs in the center third of the mattress) can result in lower back pain in and out of bed. An important thing to note is that some degree of dipping (in that middle third of your mattress) is a natural occurrence as areas that support the heaviest parts of the body compress over time. While a supportive mattress is important, pay attention to how it conforms to your shape as well. Conformability describes how a mattress molds to the unique curves of your body. A mattress with good conformability attends to heavier and lighter areas equally, which relieves pressure point pain and protects your back from pain. A mattress that lacks conformability can result in lower back pain by forcing it into an unnaturally flat position. Your body is in alignment when the spine is (mostly) straight when lying on your side. When you lie on your back, your spine naturally forms an “S” shape. A supportive, conforming mattress allows your back muscles to relax, which improves healthy blood circulation and reduces tossing and turning.
Mom always said the firmer the mattress, the better and for many years I slept on a mattress that felt more like the sidewalk than a bed. Thanks to those years, my chiropractor and massage therapist enjoy job security. In general, mattresses fall into three categories: Does your mattress offer you the support, conformability and firmness you need to reduce your back pain? Many people confuse firmness with support when they’re shopping for a new mattress – and conformability often never enters the conversation. To minimize pain and discomfort and help your body relax into healing, regenerative sleep, you need a mattress that conforms to your sleeping position while supporting all areas of your body – not an easy task. So how do you find the best mattress for you? Grab your partner (if you don’t sleep alone) and start mattress shopping. By shopping, we mean lying on a lot of mattresses. Talk to lots of sales people – this is their business after all – but be prepared to test mattresses for yourself.