Suffering From Pain Know How To Choose The Best Mattress For Back Pain
A lot of people may not be aware but they either experienced or suffered from back pain without them knowing. There are a lot of potential causes of back pain, with the often cause of this pain can be traced back to how they sleep. This is why choosing the best mattress for back pain is a must.
A mattress helps keep your spine aligned. It relieves the bodys pressure points to relieve or alleviate the pain. If you are always feeling back pain or you worry that you are suffering from one, you should start looking for a bed that fits your needs.
If you are looking for the best mattress for back pain, you are in the right place! This is a detailed guide on how to shop for the mattress that can help you. You can also see the top mattresses for back pain in the market today as well as why you should get one.
How Do You Choose A Mattress For Back Pain
If youre looking for a mattress to help with back pain, youll must prioritize support as this will help your spine remain neutral and prevent your back pain from worsening. The coils in hybrid and innerspring mattresses are great for enhanced support, and hybrids have the added benefit of additional foam layers to simultaneously deliver pressure relief. If you carry more weight, finding a mattress thats supportive enough to keep your spine lifted is especially important. The good news is that there are high-quality mattresses for heavy sleepers that have durable builds to ensure healthy alignment.
What Is The Best Mattress Topper For Back Pain
Your first stop should naturally be our roundup of the best mattress toppers for back pain. From there, you’ll want to hone in on your individual sleep preferences and what specific kind of back pain you experience.For instance, if you have lower back pain, you should consider the Casper mattress topper. If you prefer a firm topper, you’ll want to go with the Lift by Amerisleep. Overall, we’d say that the best mattress topper for back pain is the Saatva.
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Other Solutions To Relieve Back Pain
Sometimes a new mattress or the one with correct firmness is not the answer to alleviating the back pain. There are combinations of many different factors that affect your sleep. You need to take the following into consideration:
– Nutrition
Consuming a well-balanced diet contributes a lot in achieving better sleep, which can alleviate pain and stress. Reducing sugar and coffee intake are great first steps to take in modifying your diet. Taking less sugar and caffeine can help enhance sleep quality.
– Think about switching to an adjustable bed
Those with back pain and arthritis issues can gain a lot of benefits when their bed is inclined between 30 and 45 degrees as they sleep. Inclining the bed can provide relief from pressure and pain as compared to sleeping flat on a bed.
There are a variety of designs for an adjustable bed in the market today. These beds often come with a remote control that allows easy control of the lower portion of the bed. Expect that an adjustable bed that features so many things in its remote control can be more expensive than the others of the same kind.
– Exercise to make your muscles stronger
– Slightly raise your legs
If you are using a firm mattress and lie on your back when you sleep, you can put some pillow underneath your legs to elevate them a bit. This action can help ease lower back pain due to the pelvis rocking toward your feet.
Choosing A Mattress: 18 Important Questions
To assist you in your selection of a mattress, here are 18 important questions you should ask yourself before making a purchase
#1: Whats the cause of your back pain?
Its estimated that 80% of all back pain is preventable.
So, if you arent a senior with underlying health or aging conditions, its very likely that your back pain could be greatly alleviated through different habits or a different environment.
Since about of your life should be spent sleeping, your bed is a great place to start. Of course, you should always consult your doctor if you have any doubts about your pain some of the rare conditions are often the most serious.
#2:When did you last purchase a new mattress?
One study found that the average age of participants mattresses was 9.5 years.
Not surprisingly, older and cheaper mattresses are correlated with higher rates of back pain.
Furthermore, this meant that nearly everyone who purchased any new mattress saw improvement in their sleep quality. So, if you have an old mattress, just buy something that isnt saggy and old.
#3:Do you primarily sleep on your back?
If yes, then you definitely need a firm mattress because any softness in your mattress will result in bulging your spine in the exact same way as when you sit all-day.
Also your pillow should be on the thinner side so that your chin isnt pressed against your neckjust like it is when you look down at your phone all-day.
After all, who wants text neck or nerd neck?
The results?
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Not Enough Time Has Passed
It takes up to 30 days for a new memory foam mattress to break in and adjust to your body weight, body type, and preferred sleeping position.
This is why many sleep trials stipulate that you cannot return the mattress until this 30-night adjustment window has passed.
Solution: Adjust or Return
If youre still not satisfied with the mattress after 30 nights, you can return it for a refund and see if your back pain subsides.
However, spending 30 nights in agony isnt recommended.
Hence, if you have no choice but to sleep on the mattress, you might want to consider some of the adjustment strategies mentioned in this guide to cope in the meantime.
Try using a mattress topper, walking or rolling on the mattress to break it in, heating or cooling the room, or switching your sleeping position.
Brooklyn Bedding Plank Firm Mattress
The Plank mattress by Brooklyn Bedding is one of the firmest mattresses on the market. It’s a flippable mattress with a Firm side and Extra Firm side . It has firm foam layers on both sides and dense foam core in between.
If youve always found most beds to be too soft for your liking, the Brooklyn Bedding Plank is going to be your best bet for an extra-firm bed. With this model, you get a flippable, all-foam mattress, with one side coming in at a 7.5 out of 10 on our firmness scale, and the other side is a 9 out of 10, or extra-firm. We think light to average weight folks will experience their best relief on the firm side , while average to heavyweight folks should try out the extra firm side for even more support.
When we tested this bed out in our lab, we found the Plank to be very dense and supportive, while still being able to easily move around on, since you stay elevated on that firm surface. Plus, this bed performed very well in our pressure map testing for all sleeping positions, so regardless of if youre a back, side, or stomach sleeper, you should experience great spinal alignment on this bed, which is essential to back pain relief. The firm side scored a perfect 5 out of 5 for pressure relief, while the extra-firm side scored a nearly perfect 4 out of 5.
Read our full Brooklyn Bedding Plank review to learn more!
Also Check: How To Relieve Upper Middle Back Pain
How Does Back Pain Impact Sleep
The spine is responsible for more movement in the body than you may realize. It connects up with all your major muscles, which means that chronic back pain is something that can easily impact your daily life and sleep quality.
Many scientific studies reveal that chronic back pain often results in very poor sleep, which can ultimately make you feel even worse during your waking hours.
Specifically, back pain acts as an uncomfortable distraction when youre trying to fall asleep. As painful pressure points press into the mattress, it can make it challenging to find a comfortable sleeping position . And, if youre currently on medication for back pain, the side effects can impact sleep as well.
Back pain may even make you wake up more throughout the night. This lack of sleep will make your back feel even more painfuland this is something that can, unfortunately, take a toll on your mental health.
What Causes Poor Mattress Support
Picture a firm, traditional spring mattress, also known as an orthopedic mattress. When someone lies flat on this firm, flat surface, its easy to imagine the gap formed between their lower back and the mattress. This unsupported arch prevents a persons lower back muscles from ever relaxing, resulting in lower back pain. Memory foam and latex mattresses offer that much-needed support. They are therefore considered to be some of the best mattresses for lower back pain sufferers. They allow parts of the body to sink into the surface while supporting the natural curves and contours, allowing the muscles in your back to relax and your spine to properly align.
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How To Choose A Mattress
Daniel Noyed, Certified Sleep Coach
We regularly assess how the content in this article aligns with current scientific literature and expert recommendations in order to provide the most up-to-date research.
Experts agree that getting good sleep is one of the single best ways to maintain and improve our health. A mattress is a huge factor in our ability to sleep well, yet many people overlook its importance and keep using a mattress that fails to provide enough support and comfort.
A new mattress can be a sizable investment, but taking this step can unlock your ability to sleep better. As with any major purchase, you want to make sure that you choose wisely.
To help you get a handle on how to choose a mattress, we break down the key information piece-by-piece. With this guide, youll have the knowledge to find the best mattress with the right firmness and features to suit your needs and deliver great sleep night after night.
Best For Lower Back Pain: Leesa Legend Hybrid
Leesa recommends this mattress for people experiencing lower back pain. It is suitable for all sleeping positions.
This hybrid luxury mattress features two layers of springs for edge support, alongside hip and shoulder support. It also comes with patented premium foam and provides medium-firm support.
The hypoallergenic cover uses 100% organic cotton, moisture-wicking merino wool, and fiber from recycled water bottles. The mattress has CertiPUR-US certification.
It comes with two free down alternative pillows.
The price depends on the mattress size chosen, as follows:
- Twin XL: $1,899
The following are common questions and answers about mattresses for back pain:
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You’re Not Sleeping Well
If you have trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or wake feeling groggy, there’s a good chance your mattress is disrupting your sleep cycle. This is typically due to lack of comfort and can result in sleep deprivation symptoms, including headaches, excessive daytime fatigue, and an increase in daily pain.
How Do You Choose A Mattress For A Child
To choose a mattress for your child, youll want to take into account their age. Ideally, youll want something that will work for them throughout the years, from childhood to adolescence. The next step is to consider the size of the bed. Usually, kids can do well on Twin or Twin XL mattresses, even as they grow. However, if you want extra room for growth, you might consider investing in a Full mattress. Some brands, such as Saatva and Helix, make beds for children, so these could be a great place to start looking. In general, the mattress should provide a good blend of pressure relief and support to help ensure your little one sleeps well.
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Best Mattress Topper For Back Pain
New bed not exactly in the budget right now? Doesnt mean you need to put up with back pain. This gel-infused foam topper cradles your curves and promotes healthy spinal alignment by preventing painful and unhealthy sinking.
Over 8,000 reviewers on Amazon love this quick, affordable solution for back pain. Many back pain warriors specifically called this out as a solution to a too-firm mattress that may be activating pain-causing pressure points.
It’s The Wrong Firmness Level
Is it difficult for you to get comfortable in bed at night? You may be sleeping on the wrong type of mattress. Even the most expensive luxury mattress can create unpleasant aches and pains if it’s the wrong match for your preferences and body type.
Per Dr. Lees, there should not be any gaps between your body and the mattress, and you should be able to lie in a natural position without any torque in your back. If your mattress is in otherwise good condition, adding a mattress topper will instantly make it softer or firmer at a fraction of the cost of a brand-new bed.
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Stratami Mattress Luxury Firm Feel
The Stratami Mattress provides medium-firm support with a five-inch latex foam core and an innovative dome-shaped contouring that is the star of this luxury firm feel mattress. The thoughtful design allows your body to remain cool throughout the night, while taking the pressure off your joints.
What Makes the Stratami Stand Out?
- The perfect solution for sleepers who prefer a more latex-type feel and support for their mattresses over natural memory foam.
- Additional air channels built into the state-of-the-art dome contouring reduce the surface area pushing back against your body. The result is a luxurious, comfortable mattress that just happens to be made of organic latex.
- Allergy-friendly, as Essentia mattresses are impervious to dust mites.
- The gentle contour of the Stratami Luxury is best for side sleepers who need shoulder support and stomach sleepers who need elevated lumbar support.
Is It Good To Sleep On Your Back At Night
If youve ever talked to a doctor about back pain and sleeping, or if you have a baby, youll know the phrase back is best. Sleeping on your back is always recommended for a healthy back and spine. Doing so with additional knee support helps to evenly distribute your weight and reduce the number of pressure points that can cause pain or injury.
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The Mattress Is Too Firm Or Soft
If you lie down on a mattress, its firmness describes how soft or hard it feels.
Dont assume that all memory foam mattresses are soft.
It is true that memory foam sinks in deeper than upholstered layers of traditional spring mattresses and even some latex mattresses, but memory foam can still be firm.
The foams ILD values can be increased or decreased by the manufacturer to make it softer or firmer.
Imagine you have a memory foam mattress that is too firm. You might not sink deep enough into the materials, causing discomfort in your neck, hips, shoulders, lower back, and other areas due to compression forces that build up in your joints.
If your memory foam mattress is too soft, you may sink too far into it, causing your spine to shift out of alignment which may cause back pain.
Solution #1: Choose the Right Firmness
If you have not yet purchased your memory foam mattress, you will need to choose the firmness that will help you feel comfortable on it.
Although firmness selection isnt an exact science, the final comfort levels are determined by various factors.
Heres a rough guide explaining which firmness of memory foam mattress works best with certain body types, body weights, and sleeping positions- although personal preferences can certainly override these guidelines:
Solution #2: Make the Mattress Softer
In the event that you already own a memory foam mattress that is too firm, there are a few things you can do to soften it:
Solution #3: Make the Mattress Firmer
Is Memory Foam Good For Your Back
Yes, memory foam is good for your back because it contours to the shape of your body and provides support where you need it most. Additionally, memory foam is known for being extremely comfortable, so you can rest assured that youll be getting a good nights sleep.
Brands like Puffy use high-quality and high-density foams to guard against the sagging and material degradation thats common in cheaper memory foam mattresses check out my Puffy Lux Hybrid review here.
Alternatively, if you want a firmer mattress with more support and bounce then I personally recommend the Ghostbed Mattress
And if you follow the points made in this article in regards to choosing the right level of firmness, getting sufficient support, and using the right type of base, then the chance of you being happy with a memory foam mattress could increase.
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Is A Soft Mattress Better For Back Pain
Doctors rarely recommend soft mattresses. The softer the mattress, the more room for your body to sink more deeply and twist your joints in ways that could cause discomfort.
That said, a softer bed for backs can be a good choice for lightweight stomach sleepers. This is because they dont put so much pressure on your joints and reduce potential compression that may occur in this sleeping position.
