Got a bad back? Sore and aching backs send more people to doctors than any other single complaint and the busier we get, the more we suffer. Sitting all day at a desk or standing in heels wreaks havoc on spinal alignment and sadly, we’re just not exercising 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 supportive enough mattress to get the job done. 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 difference between firmness and support and an important thing called conformability. When a mattress sales person starts talking about support, she’s referring 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 can begin life as supportive but may lose the ability to bounce back over time.
In some cases, a soft mattress that begins to sag (which often occurs in the center of the mattress) can cause back pain in and out of bed. An important thing to note is that some degree of sagging is a natural occurrence in every mattress 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. A mattress that lacks conformability can stress your back 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.
My Mom always told me the firmer, 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? 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 shopping. By mattress 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.
You know how your body feels on a bad mattress, so it makes sense that you’ll also know what feels good. Try these 3 simple rules when shopping: 1. You don’t sleep sitting up so lie down on the bed 2. Lie on the bed like you do at home – side, stomach or back. 3. Compare mattresses at similar price points so you comparing fairly. What’s the true cost of a good mattress? If you spent $2,000 on a new mattress and slept comfortably on that mattress for 7 years, the cost of healthy sleep would be $1.27 per night – less than the cost of Starbucks coffee in the morning… If you’re ready for a new mattress, we’d love to help you find the right one for you. Visit our Find a Retailer page and we’ll locate a store close by where you can lie on our mattresses and talk to a trained sales professional.People have many options when searching for the best mattress for back pain, from memory foam to latex to innerspring mattresses. Each of these is available in a variety of styles and levels of firmness as well as a broad price range, but which is best for your back?
How do you know?Knowing how your bed plays into back pain is important, as serious complications can result from an achy back including losing hours at work and suffering from a severe lack of sleep. If you have severe back pain issues, consult your doctor before making any changes. Learn more about the correlation between beds and back pain, the materials used to construct mattresses, and how to find the right mattress for relief from back pain.Lower back pain is at nearly epidemic proportions with almost 80% of people in the U.S. suffering at least one bout of backaches (WebMD). Many will go on to develop chronic pain, particularly when caused by an injury, repetitive habit or skeletal problem. A variety of factors can affect back pain including aging, obesity, lack of exercise, smoking, stress, old injuries and strenuous jobs. Depression and anxiety can contribute or worsen the effect by reducing restful sleep.A bad back can disrupt your day-to-day activities, and can also steal sleep as you struggle to get comfortable.
Sleep loss can cause an inability to focus which can lead to accidents, poor performance at work or school and irritability. Long-term deprivation can lead to severe health problems including heart attack and stroke.Decreasing pain while resting will help ensure a more peaceful night’s rest and increase wakefulness throughout the day. A comfortable bed that supports and aligns the vertebrae and spine is often considered part of an overall treatment program for treating lower back pain.Determining the cause of your back pain can be little challenging since there are so many possible sources. If you are searching for the best mattress for back pain, chances are you already believe your bed is the cause, but here are a few tips for determining if your bed is at fault:If you’re bed isn’t causing your back problems, a new mattress could still improve your situation. A 2008 study from Oklahoma State University links reduced back pain, stiffness and shoulder pain to sleeping on a new mattress.
They concluded new sleeping systems can significantly improve multiple sleep variables and that continuous sleep quality may even be dependent on replacing of sleeping systems more frequently. Replacing an old mattress could be the best thing you could do for your back and shoulder pain.“Our work showed that new mattresses have a considerable impact on reduced back pain and improved sleep quality, among other benefits,” says Bert Jacobson, PhD, lead researcher in the study. “Based on our research, there’s no question that a new mattress can sustain these benefits for just about anyone, regardless of age, weight or gender.”It is always best to talk with a doctor or chiropractor about serious aches and pains as they might be related to other health issues or lifestyle/occupational issues. However, if you’ve determined that mattress is the problem, then the best way to fix it is to replace your bed with one designed to support your back. Short of this, you could also use a good foam mattress topper if the problem is a bed that is too firm (though for a bed in poor condition or one that lacks support, a topper will not be effective).
In the next section, we’ll look at a few important factors to consider in order to soothe back pain with a great mattress.This is a complex question and the answer won’t be the same for every person. Studies can show us what works best in general for people, but each person is different. Finding the best mattress for your back pain involves looking at the firmness, mattress type, and your own habits and shape.Conventional wisdom along with a few older studies suggest that sleeping on a firm mattress is best for those who are suffering from lower back pain. However, in a recent Spanish study, participants reported less pain from medium-firm mattresses than on a firm one. Measurements were reported according to the pain and disability sleepers experienced after initially waking up, 30 minutes later and over a course of 3 months after they had started with the new bed. In the medical world, orthopedic doctors tend to recommend firm mattresses, while chiropractors are more likely to recommend medium-firm.
Best Mattress Firmness for Back Pain? Medium-Firm.Aligning the spine and supporting curves in the back, shoulders, hips and buttocks is imperative when shopping for the best mattress for back pain. Firm beds are less able to conform to your body and support these curves than those with lesser density. This is especially true with spring mattresses, which have little yield. Medium and medium firm beds are better able to contour to the body while still providing adequate support, eliminating pressure points. Plush and very soft beds may not provide enough support for alignment and they tend to be discouraged for those with back pain.A 2003 study, designed to assess the effect of different mattress firmnesses on the clinical course of patients with lower back pain, shed some light on this debate. They found a mattress of medium firmness did improve pain and disability among these patients.The type of mattress you use also proves important. A mattress that allows your body to settle into a naturally-aligned, straight pose without distortion or strain on your lower back is a great choice for chronic back ailments.
On an innerspring mattress, the springs push up against the heaviest parts of your body: your hips and shoulders. This creates pressure points and leaves the lower portion of your back either entirely unsupported (causing your lumbar area to work overtime), or distorted in an unnatural angle relative to the rest of your spine.Memory foam and latex mattresses are considered the best combination of support and comfort for sufferers of back pain. This is because these materials conform to your body and distribute your weight in way that allows your entire body to be supported. At this natural, neutral position, your lower back is free to take the night off and decompress the stress from the day. Numerous similarities and differences exist between these two mattress types and both receive excellent reviews from consumers, as much as 20 percent higher than the average for innerspring beds.Greatest Mattress for Back Pain by Type? Memory Foam & LatexMany professionals prefer natural latex mattresses as they offer the solid support your body needs while still contouring for comfort and reducing the potential for allergens in your bedroom.
Check out our latex mattress comparison to see which brands rate best. , which contain zero hazardous chemicals and do not have issues with noxious offgassing or heat retention. Synthetic latex mattresses tend to rate lower and offer fewer health and comfort benefits.Memory foam is often considered ideal for pain relief since the material eliminates pressure points and readily conforms to your shape. Types of memory foam vary considerably, and you want to ensure you look for a density of 4.0-5.3 lbs to get the best balance of support and conformity. The newest materials are an improvement over those used in the past, as they retain their density levels despite changes in temperatures, improve on heat concerns, and incorporate natural materials. Read more and compare memory foam mattresses in our previous article.Even if your mattress calms your sore back, the position you sleep in can still affect your comfort. The vast majority of people sleep either on their side or back, and these are considered the best sleeping positions as they increase circulation.
Ideally, no matter what position you choose, you want your body to have a natural, level spine when laying, from head to torso. Your pillow should be thick enough to support this straight position. Generally, your head should not tilt up or backwards from your neck.According to professionals at the Mayo Clinic, here a the best ways to improve back pain via your sleep position:When it comes to your mattress, you should also take your preferred position into consideration. Side sleeping may cause pressure points and unnatural curves in the spine if the bed does not have enough “padding” to accommodate your body. Back sleepers may prefer firmer beds, and can often be comfortable on less-thick mattresses.When your back is aching, getting out of bed can be painful. You may think the best solution is bed rest. Counterintuitively, bed rest and prolonged sitting can aggravate back pain. Surprisingly, movement can really help. Getting up and doing some low impact exercises like walking and stretching will release endorphins, which relieve pain.