Reasons Why Your Mattress Is Causing Back Pain
Sleeping in your bed at any time should be an activity that helps to recharge your body, relax and get ready to start a new day. However, the moment these advantages are no longer attached to your mattress and your mattress causes back pain then its time to take a new look at your mattress.
Mattresses, of course, are fantastic and one of the best places to get a good nights rest, get work done and even watch television from on a lazy afternoon. Mattresses are created to be durable, so they are known to last up to five years and even ten years in good condition, depending on how you use them. During their years of use, they are still expected to serve many good purposes and be utilizable.
Have you been experiencing back pain when you lie on your mattress? Or is your mattress becoming so uncomfortable that the thoughts of sleeping on it turn you off? Do you have aches but arent sure if your mattress is the cause?
Is Your Bed Too Old Take Our Test
If you answered yes to a few of these questions then these tips may help you choose a better bed?
Consider Buying A Mattress Online
A great way to score a deal on a new mattress is to buy online. While it might seem like a strange concept if youre used to going to a brick-and-mortar store, weve found that buying online offers some huge advantages.
Most online mattresses are sold directly by the manufacturer. Eliminating the middle-man and the need for showroom space means lower prices, and the growing competition between retail and online storefronts has only generated more deals for shoppers.
But the benefits go beyond just price. Shopping online is convenient, allowing you to browse options from the comfort of your own home and without any salespeople eagerly pushing a sale to earn a commission. Having the time to research each mattress and compare it to others is a major contrast to the brick-and-mortar experience where youre limited to just whats available in that store.
When buying online you dont have the ability to feel out a mattress before purchasing, but almost every mattress we test offers a sleep trial with no-hassle returns, including a full refund if you try out the mattress and dont like it. This gives you a no-risk opportunity to try out a mattress for weeks or months in your own bedroom as opposed to for just a few minutes in a store. Over the longer-term, virtually all online mattresses come with a warranty of at least 10 years to protect against future problems, which are rare in mattresses sold both online and in-store.
Recommended Reading: Which Mattress Is Good For Lower Back Pain
New Mattresses Take Time To Break In
Just like a good pair of shoes, a new mattress has a break-in period. Components like springs and foams can be stiff at first but will soften up and conform to your body over time. It’s a sign, in fact, that the mattress is doing its job.
If your new mattress feels too firm at the beginning, consider using a mattress topper until it’s broken in.
The right pillows can also help alleviate pain during the break-in periodand help keep back pain in check well after youve broken in your new mattress.
- If you’re a back sleeper: Place a small pillow beneath your knees to support your lower back and minimize back pain while you’re sleeping.
- If you’re a side sleeper: Hold a body pillow while you sleep to support your upper arm and upper knee. This will keep your spine straight while you snooze.
- If you’re a stomach sleeper: Change your sleep position! Really. If you can’t train yourself to sleep on your back or side, try placing a relatively flat pillow under your stomach to slightly elevate your pelvis and take the pressure off your lower back.
A regular stretching routine can help ease back pain caused by a new mattress too.
We tend to do a lot of reaching forward while sitting all day, so reach your head back, put your hands on the small of your lower back, and arch your back. You can also pull your knees into your chest before you get out of bed.
If Your Mattress Is Causing Back Pain Sleep Natural Has Just What You Need
If you see all the signs you need a new mattress, you owe it to yourself to check out Sleep Naturals Latex Collection. Not only are Sleep Natural mattresses better for your back, but theyre also better for your overall health. We only use plant-based eco-friendly materials like wild-harvested bamboo and natural latex tapped from local rubber trees, and foams that are CertiPUR-US certified so they help you breathe better and are toxin free. Each of our latex mattresses eliminates pressure points, promotes proper spinal alignment, and evens body weight distribution a perfect recipe for pain-free sleep.
The Sleep Natural Integrity Plush Eurotop Hybrid. With over 2300 5-Zoned pocketcoils, 2.4 flexible micro coils, and layers of supportive latex, this mattress is made to keep your spine neutral. Add Kooling Gel Swirl Memory Foam and Outlast quilting with gel foam, and youll sleep cool and comfortable all night.
The Sleep Natural Dream Weaver Plush. Designed to provide comfort for both stomach and back sleepers, it has multiple layers of natural latex and plush foam to make this bed comfy, cozy, and supportive.
TheSleep Natural Starlight ET. A memory foam mattress alternative perfect for eliminating back pain in any sleeping position, side sleepers will notice their shoulders are cradled by the Supersoft and Plush latex, stomach sleepers will notice their hips dont sag forward, and back sleepers will enjoy the pressure relief on the spine.
Read Also: How To Relieve Inflammation In Lower Back
A Flippable Model With Two Levels Of Firmness
- Materials: Memory foam, support foam
- Firmness level: Soft on one side, medium-firm on the other
- Trial period: 120 nights
Laylas mattress has a four layer construction, including a 4.5-inch layer of support foam thats specifically aimed at keeping your back aligned. This layer also combats the sinking feeling that you get with other memory foam mattresses, so you dont feel like youre dropping too far into the mattress when you sleep. The mattress is flippable, with both a soft and firm side . That said, back pain sufferers will likely feel the most comfortable on the firm side.
What the reviews say: Heres what one happy customer has to say about the Layla mattress: I fall asleep fast and sleep through the night without moving. I wake up in the morning with no pain and well rested. I haven’t slept this good in many years. And according to this short-and-sweet review: It’s not a magic carpet, but we both have been sleeping better and waking up with MUCH less pain in our joints and back.
Best Mattress For Back Pain
When it comes to the best mattress for back pain, theres no one-size-fits-all solution. Ultimately, the best mattress for back pain is one that provides you with the perfect mix of softness and support. It relieves pressure points and keeps your spine neutrally aligned.
But heres a reason to justify mattress shopping: Research shows that upgrading to a new mattress is likely to improve your sleep quality no matter what. The same study also showed that people sleeping on the cheapest mattresses saw less pain reduction than those who slept on mid- to higher-priced ones. Quality counts!
When in doubt, upgrading to a high-quality medium-firm mattress could be the best option for easing back pain so youll wake energized and restored.
The Casper Wave Hybrid Mattress with Zoned Support Max provides continuous ergonomic zones with gel pods designed to help give you perfect spinal alignment.
Don’t Miss: Can Constipation Cause Back Pain And Leg Pain
How Long Does It Take Your Body To Get Used To A Memory Foam Mattress
It may take about 2 to 3 weeks of regular use for the body to get used to any form of mattress. Here are ways to speed up the process of getting used to your new memory foam mattress:
Find time to walk gently on the mattress several times daily. Like most things that are new in your life, you need time to adjust and become comfortable with your bed. You can put a bit of weight, such as stuffed shoe boxes, and hard-bound books to speed up the process.
The temperature-sensitivity of a memory foam mattress allows it to react to body heat. This feature makes it respond to body temperature and mold to the shape of your body. It conforms to the body and is amazingly comfortable even as the sleeper moves on any position.
The Age Of The Mattress
You shouldnt be sleeping on a mattress thats more than seven years old, explained Dr Smycz. It simply wont provide back support when the mattress is older than that.
A 2009 study found that newer bedding systems increased sleep quality and reduced back discomfort, whereas older and cheaper mattresses caused back discomfort and poor sleep quality.
Also Check: What Does It Mean When You Have Back Pain
Is Memory Foam Mattress Good For Your Back
Memory foam mattresses were used initially for the NASA airplane seats. It gained popularity for its versatile material and later introduced in hospitals to make patients feel comfortable.
A night of restful and comfortable sleep is achievable with the adequate back support provided by a modifiable but firm memory foam mattress. This mattress conforms to the shape of the body and helps keep the proper alignment of the spine.
Sleepers who complain of back pains resulting from poor alignment will benefit from the viscoelastic nature of memory foam mattresses. This feature allows this type of mattress to conform to the pressure points of the body, including the hips and the shoulders.
Additional comfort is necessary, especially for those who need adequate rest to nurse their back injuries. Healing happens most during sleep, and a night of comfortable and interrupted sleep is vital in the therapeutic process.
Bed buyers may find it pricey, but its all worth it, especially for people who suffer from back pain.
Initial Back Pain When You Wake Up
You know that feeling of stiffness when you first wake up? Its the result of long periods of rest or decreased blood flow from sleeping. It usually takes a few minutes of stretching and moving to get rid of that stiff feeling. But if your back is in acute pain when you first wake up and you have to actively stretch to get rid of it, that might be a sign your mattress is doing more harm than good, according to The Joint Chiropractic.
If youre waking up with back pain thats an indicator that your mattress isnt supporting you, said Dr Smycz.
Also Check: Does Gas Cause Back Pain
Can A Mattress Cause Back Pain
According to experts at Spine Health , Sleeping on the wrong mattress can cause or worsen lower back pain. Lack of support from a mattress reinforces poor sleeping posture, strains muscles and does not help keep the spine in alignment, all of which contribute to low back pain.
The good news is that this can be remedied but at the same time its also important to recognize whether your bed is the actual source of the problem, or whether something else is causing it.
In all cases, if you are experiencing ongoing back pain then you should speak to your doctor or healthcare professional and get their expert advice. There are many different causes of back pain, so it pays to be extra careful when identifying the potential root cause.
Lets now look at whether a mattress can cause back pain, and what you can do about it if you suspect yours is troubling you
What Causes Back Pain
The main cause of back pain in bed is poor posture, either from how a person sits at work or how they sleep at night.
Between the vertebrae in the spine are intervertebral discs, which rehydrate at night . Poor posture can prevent the discs from rehydrating.
Read more: The NHS Guide To Back Pain
Attached to the vertebra are smaller muscle groups such as the erector spinae, and large muscles such as the trapezius. Poor posture can put the muscles into awkward positions that can cause irritation over a prolonged period of time, resulting in aches or pains. Lower and middle back pain tend to be the common culprits when sleeping. While there are several causes of back pain, a small number of which can be more serious underlying health issues. NHS Live Well gives us a list of common indicators of poor posture:
- Slouching in a chair
- Sticking your bottom out when standing
- Standing with a flat back
- Leaning on one leg
- Hunched back and text neck when focusing too much on your phone
- Poking your chin out when at a computer
- Rounded shoulders
- Cradling your phone in between your head and shoulder
These points are developed with images and solutions on this helpful NHS web page.
Recommended Reading: How To Get Rid Of Chronic Lower Back Pain
How We Evaluated These Mattresses
To evaluate mattresses for back pain relief, we ask our testers to lie down on each mattress. Ideally, a mattress should contour to the body while maintaining even support, so we measure how deeply the mattress sinks beneath the testers weight. We also use body-mapping sensors to pinpoint locations where painful pressure points are likely to occur. Although we relied on feedback from all of our testers, we focused on those who have a history of upper and/or lower back pain.
To learn more about our mattress evaluation process, check out our product research methodology below:
Three Zones Of Foam Provide Ultimate Comfort
- Materials: Memory foam, foam and springs
- Firmness level: Medium-firm
- Trial period: 100 nights
The Casper Original Hybrid mattress has three zones of targeted support to help align your spineand hopefully ease your back pain in the process. Softer foam around your shoulders cushions your upper body, while firmer foam under your hips, waist and lower back keep your spine in the right position. The durable foam base underneath allows for added firmness and support, so the mattress doesnt sink or sag under your weight. Its available in all-foam or hybrid options, with the former being the firmer pick, the latter having a medium-firm feel. When asked, a Casper Snooze Specialist recommended the hybrid for back pain due to its combination of support and give. That said, it also comes in an all-foam version for those who prefer it.
What the reviews say: One glowing report reads, Long story short, this has been the best mattress I’ve ever owned and one of the finest mattresses that I’ve ever used, and I travel a lot. I decided to get an adjustable base to go with mine and ever since I started sleeping with the head and foot slightly elevated, my lower back pain has completely gone away. Per another user: I had many years of backaches and back problems and Casper was able to mold and fix my back without me spending extra money for chiropractor or a massage.
You May Like: Can Back Cause Knee Pain
But My Back Hurts After Sleeping And I Need Relief Right Now
Spending money on new bedding or changing the way you sleep arent quick or easy solutions. Heres a few things you can do for immediate pain reduction:
- Stretch your back muscles. Hamstrings, quads and hip flexors can shorten while sleeping. The simplest remedy for immediate back pain relief is good old-fashioned stretching. This WebMD video demonstrates five simple back pain stretches.
- Take a long hot bath. The warm water will help increase circulation and is often effective in providing relief to stiff muscles.
- No time for a bath? Use a warm compress instead. A warm damp towel can work as well or better than a hot bath. Beware, heat can make inflammation worse, so if your symptoms deteriorate, remove that heat immediately!
- Ice in short increments. It can work well for some, but cooling can aggravate some more serious issues, so if the pain worsens, remove the ice immediately.
- Have a partner massage the affected area. Who doesnt appreciate a good massage? Back pain or not, it generally makes life in the moment a little better.
- Pop a few of what modern medication has to offer. Aspirin, acetaminophen, or ibuprofen can help a lot if the pain isnt too ridiculous. It should go without saying, but please follow the directions on the packaging.
What Type Of Mattress Is Best For Back Pain
Back pain often occurs when your mattress doesnt provide adequate support to your body throughout the night, causing misalignment in your spine. The key to alleviating an aching back is finding a mattress that provides appropriate support.
Memory foam and latex mattresses are often considered the best options for back pain, as they conform to your body, cradling pressure points while supporting your spine and keeping it aligned. However, hybrid and coil mattresses can provide similar benefits, as long as you choose one thats specifically designed for that purpose.
Don’t Miss: How To Loosen Lower Back
How To Tell If Your Bed Is Causing Back Pain
If youre coping with back pain, youre not alone. Its estimated that 5080% of adults experience at least one episode of back pain in their lifetime.
Serious or chronic pain always warrants a trip to your doctor to uncover the root cause. But if your aching back feels better after youve been up and moving for a while, your mattress may be the cause. Here are some telltale signs.
