Are Sleep Number Beds Good For Lower Back Pain

Using An Adjustable Bed For Back Pain

Getting a good nights sleep can be difficult when an individual is recovering from back surgery or has chronic back pain. For anyone who has difficulty getting or staying comfortable enough to sleep on a flat mattress, it may be worth considering if an adjustable bed is a better alternative.

See Considerations When Buying a New Mattress

Sleeping on an adjustable bed allows the upper body to rest at a slight incline, such as 30 to 45 degrees, with support under the knees so they bend at a slight angle.

An adjustable bed has the potential to help anyone who feels better in an inclined position, such as when sitting in a recliner, rather than when lying on a flat mattress. It is not uncommon for people with back or neck pain, or other joint conditions such as shoulder arthritis or pain, to feel better in this position.

This article provides a few examples of certain back conditions and how an inclined position in an adjustable bed can sometimes help the patient feel more comfortable.

Does My Pillow Matter

While a better mattress certainly can help with back pain and proper spinal alignment, it isnt the only factor. When paired with the proper pillow, the duo could help reduce back pain and contribute to a healthier sleep experience by properly elevating the neck and shoulders for better support.

Read More:Our Best Pillows Guide

The Best Mattress For Back Pain Overall

The Leesa Hybrid Mattress has great edge support and motion isolation. The mix of memory foam and pocket springs leads to an average firmness that makes it an outstanding solution for back pain sufferers of any sleeping style.

• Best for: All sleeping styles
• Available sizes: twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, California king
• Mattress type: Hybrid pocket coils and four foam layers
• Firmness : 5
• Motion isolation : 7
• Heat dissipation : 7
• Edge support : 7
• Trial period/warranty: 100 nights 10 years
• Weight/thickness: 115 pounds 11 inches
• Shipping and returns: Free shipping, free returns
• White-glove delivery and mattress removal: Yes, $150
• Showroom availability: Yes, nationwide

Pros: Great motion dampening and edge support, pocket springs and foam balance heat dissipation and support, the average firmness is ideal for an array of sleepers,

Cons: Hard to move, heavy

There are several reasons why I made the Leesa Hybrid Mattress our top pick for back pain sufferers. During the year I slept on the mattress, I had the least back pain since my initial injury. This was despite exercising heavily and playing roller derby every week.

The Leesa Hybrid is also great because it has an average firmness that will appeal to the broadest range of sleeping styles and body types. When sleeping on the Leesa, I preferred sleeping on my side, and it shaped to my contours, which kept my spine aligned.

Cons: Poor heat dissipation, strong initial odor, may not be comfortable for side sleepers

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Sleep Number Model Pricing

The price youll pay for a Sleep Number 360 SmartBed varies significantly by collection, model, and size. In general, the Classic series models are priced lower than the average airbed. The Performance series models are on par with other industry averages for airbed mattresses. The Innovation series models are the brands most technologically-advanced beds and have above-average price-points compared to other airbeds in the market.

You can expect to pay anywhere from $999 to more than $5,000 for a Sleep Number 360 SmartBed, which does not include taxes or delivery fees.

Regardless of the collection or model, all Sleep Number 360 SmartBeds share certain materials, components, and features. All eight mattresses have Dual Adjustability technology, which simply means that if two people are sharing the mattress, each person can adjust the comfort on their side to their ideal firmness setting, otherwise known as their Sleep Number.

They also all have Responsive Air technology. This feature means that sensors inside the air mattress automatically monitor air pressure throughout the night. The bed will automatically add or release air to ensure you stay at your Sleep Number setting throughout the night. This feature can be turned off if the beds automatic adjustments bother or wake you in the middle of the night. If both sides of the bed have Responsive Air turned on, only one side of the bed will be adjusted at a time.

Gently Stretch Your Joints And Also Soft Tissues Via Yoga

Yoga is an efficient way to extend your back, improve the health and wellness of muscles and joints, improve distribution of healing nutrients via blood circulation, as well as boost the flexibility of the spinal column.

When you start, carry out the stretches gradually and advance just if you really feel comfy without pain. Gradually, you will have the ability to include more stretches to your routine. An ideal time for yoga is early morning to aid loosen your back as well as additionally decrease stiffness and aches in your back.

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Hot Sleepers And Back Pain

If you tend to run hot when you sleep , you may want to consider materials that will keep you cooler. That’s because overheated sleepers tend to toss and turn, exacerbating their back pain in the process.

There are a few options out there for hot sleepersnatural latex mattresses incorporate channels to improve airflow and avoid trapping heat, and many memory foam mattresses feature special gels or heat-wicking materials to keep you cool for better sleep.

A Luxury Model Thats Worth Every Penny

tempurpedic.com

• Sizes: Twin, Twin Long, Full, Queen, King, Split King, California King and Split California King
• Trial period: 90 nights

Filled with special Tempur-Material that was originally developed by NASA, this luxury mattress provides advanced pressure relieving power thats ideal for those with back pain. Responding to your weight, shape and temperature, this adaptive mattress conforms to your body even if you shift positions throughout the night. The proprietary material also absorbs motion better than other memory foam mattresses so if you sleep with a partner, you wont get jostled awake if they toss and turn in the middle of the night.

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Creating Optimal Spinal Alignment

When we enter slow-wave sleep, our muscles are not paralyzed like in REM periods, and we may move around. This could mean rolling around and winding up in odd sleeping positions. If you have a mattress with zoned support, this shouldnt be a big deal as long as you dont wind yourself into a pretzel. The mattress should do the work in letting your shoulders and hips sink in a little while supporting the spine.

However, if youre on an ultra-hard bed and end up on your side, you could end up messing with the spinal curve, and if youre already dealing with pain and inflammation, this isnt great news.

Mattresses have come a long way in the past few years and many companies have realized the benefits of proper spinal alignment for sleep. When youre laying on the side, proper alignment should be fairly straight, allowing the hips and shoulders to sink in slightly while supporting the middle. Mattresses that offer zoned support tend to be great at this.

When sleeping on your back, there should be a slight curve in the spine, with support in the mid and low back, while allowing the neck to rest backward. If you live in the twenty-first century, you probably spend a fair amount of time looking at screens. Whether on your phone, a computer, or a gaming device.

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A Memory Foam Mattress That Adapts To Your Body Quicker Than Most

Amerisleep

• Sizes: Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, California King, Split King
• Trial period: 100 nights

Thanks to its Bio-Pur memory foama proprietary foam thats more responsive and adaptive to movementthis mattress contours your back and neck, promoting proper sleep posture and relieving pressure points. When you have back pain, soft spots can be detrimental to your comfort, but this mattress bounces back in seconds, alleviating sinking and misalignment that can contribute to aches. The Amerisleep AS1 also keeps you cool throughout the night by allowing air to quickly pass through its open-cell design.

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Delivery Warranty And Returns

The Value Bed line ships free via UPS. Other lines can be delivered in-person for $200. You can pick a day and time window based on availability, and, if all works well, Sleep Numbers Comfort Service Home Delivery service team stops by with your mattress, configures the air pumps and app, and shows you how everything works. However, the delivery team missed my window twice because of New York City traffic . I received my bed on the third try, only to find out that I had been given a one-chamber instead of a two-chamber mattress, as requested. For my re-order, with the help of the Sleep Number public relations team, I was able to confirm a morning delivery and received the correct mattress without a hitch. To be fair, despite my experience, customer service wasnt a big pain point among the user reviews we analyzed.

Theres a 100-night free trial for all new Sleep Number mattresses, but you need to sleep on one for 30 nights before filing for a return. Plus, if you decide to return the mattress, theres at least a $200 fee to cover transportation costs. If you ordered an adjustable base with your mattress, that base cannot be returned.

Sleeping On The Back:

Sleeping on your back is the best sleeping posture because it helps distribute weight evenly across the body, keeps the alignment of your internal organs in check, and reduces the amount of pressure points that you might experience from side sleeping. Tip: use a thinner pillow to make sure your head doesnt protrude forward which can contribute to forward neck posture.

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Reward Suggestion: Think About Taking A Vitamin D3 Supplement

If your physician agrees, take into consideration taking a vitamin D3 supplement. Vitamin D is essential for bone, neuromuscular, and also immune system feature. Taking a vitamin D3 supplement can help reduce neck and back pain by raising the absorption of calcium in your body as well as enhancing bone toughness.

Locating the perfect discomfort alleviation technique is generally a process of experimentation, making it worth exploring different methods.

Attempt these natural pain-relieving strategies for your pain in the back and see what works best for you. Extreme pain that is not eased by self-care has to be assessed by a health expert for an accurate medical diagnosis as well as therapy plan. Are Sleep Number Beds Good For Lower Back Pain

Sleep Number Mattresses: An Honest Assessment

• Weve updated this guide with information on new temperature-balancing features in Sleep Numbers 360 Smart Bed line and the forthcoming Climate 360 Smart Bed.

Spending thousands of dollars on a mattress that, by volume, is mostly air may sound as ridiculous as paying inflated prices for bottled water. But with some marketing magic and a few enticing extras, real or imagined, anything can happen. Sleep Number, the most successful brand in the adjustable air-bed category, offers 11 models with varying levels of cushioning, all of which can be puffed up to your desired firmness level with just the touch of a button. If you sleep alone and have a consistent firmness preference, Sleep Number is an overpriced option. But for couples with vastly different tastes in mattress firmness, those adjustable, air-filled chambers could be worth it.

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How To Adjust A Sleep Number For A Sore Back

If youve purchased a Sleep Number® bed to relieve back pain, you must adjust it properly to fully benefit. According to Select Comfort, the Minneapolis company that produces the beds, tests have shown that the alleviation of Sleep Number® bed users’ back pain and their overall sleep quality rely on proper adjustment 1.

Can Sleeping Position Affect Back Pain

Sleeping position can have a direct effect on back pain. Each sleeping position creates a unique set of pressure points and areas that need cushioning, and this is why having the right mattress to suit your sleeping position is an important part of preventing and reducing back pain.

Back sleepers tend to have their most serious pressure points around the lumbar area. If a mattress is too soft, the weight of the abdomen will cause this region to sink out of alignment with the rest of the back and hips. If the mattress is too hard, it wont accommodate the natural curvature of the spine in the lumbar area. For this reason, a Medium-Firm to Firm mattress usually works best for back sleepers.

Side sleepers have high-impact areas where the body is the widest, notably at the shoulders and hips. A mattress needs to be contouring enough to cushion those pressure points but not so soft as to let them sink too deeply into the bed and out of line with the rest of the body. Most side sleepers get the best results from a Medium to Medium-Firm mattress.

Body weight is an important factor to consider along with sleeping position. People who weigh more will sink further into a mattress, exacerbating the risks in all sleeping positions of the heavier parts of the body becoming misaligned. Sleepers of above-average body weight typically need a firmer mattress than someone of average weight who sleeps in the same position.

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Do Use Hot Or Cold Therapy Before Bed

Use hot or cold elements on your back can help sooth your pain before bed. This could include ice or a cold gel pack wrapped in cloth applied to your back, taking a warm shower or hot bath, or using a heating pad or hot water bottle on the affected area for 15-20 minutes before bed.

Hot or cold therapy can help reduce inflammation caused by lower back pain and promote relief before you go to sleep. Generally, heat is better for longer chronic back pain while ice is better in the first 72 hours.

How To Clean A Shikibuton

In Japan, a shikibuton is taken outside to the balcony and clipped onto the railing during daylight hours.

The climate in Japan tends to be humid, and it works well to dry it in the sun from time to time, Kaifu says. It feels so good at night to lie down on a shikibuton that was dried in the sunlight or heat during the day.

This way, the sun can dry the fabric and disinfect it from bacteria or dust mites. If you air your futon out by moving it every day, you should be fine.

You may also want to sprinkle your shikibuton with baking soda and vacuum it off monthly, particularly if you live in a humid climate.

Be sure to follow the manufacturers instructions, and do not attempt to put it in a washer unless it specifically says you can.

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How To Choose The Best Mattress For Back Pain

A good mattress is the number one remedy for upper and lower back pain. However, sleeping on the wrong mattress may also trigger these pains or exacerbate existing ones. This makes sense when you consider that you spend 7-9 hours in bed. There are 4 critical components that you should be looking for when buying the best mattress for back pain: comfort, pressure point relief, spine alignment, and adequate support.

All of these aspects boil down to the firmness of the mattress. Go for a medium-firm bed Some years back, chiropractors mostly suggested firm mattresses when addressing lower back problems. However, this advice has changed in the recent past. Experts now recommend medium-firm mattresses citing their ability to accommodate and promote the natural curves of the spine. A medium-firm mattress supports the three natural curves of your spine thanks to its excellent conformability.

These mattresses have a little bit more give than firm beds. Thus, they allow the heavy sections of your body, namely the shoulders and lumbar region, to sink slightly, leading to proper spine alignment.

Does mattress type matter?

Latex– latex competes favorably with memory foam in alleviating upper and lower back pains. Actually, this material outperforms memory foam by being more responsive and breathable. Be prepared to cough up more dollars, though, especially if youre eyeing a natural latex bed.

Sleep Number Bed Reviews: Pros

Lets start analyzing the Sleep Number reviews from the positive side of things. As mentioned in the beginning, there are definitely better alternatives.

Before we do that, however, let me quickly reiterate something that Id mentioned in the introductory part of this article – for the sake of providing a thorough and in-depth look into the most trustworthy Sleep Number bed reviews, and to avoid any possible confusion, well be analyzing only the reviews that have to do with the Classic series.

There are two models that well be looking at – the c2 and the c4. One of the bigger differences between the two mattresses is that the c4 model has a slightly thicker comfort layer than its counterpart.

So then, with that out of the way, lets talk benefits.

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