Mattress Firmness Suitability For Back Pain
Mattresses can potentially be available in any of the following firmnesses .
Extra-Soft
Extra soft mattresses are typically best for side sleepers that weigh less than 130 lbs because they allow you to sink more deeply into the mattress materials to remove pressure on your hips and shoulders.
This means that an extra-soft mattress may be suitable if you have back pain thats primarily triggered by surface pressure such as sciatica or nerve-related back pain because the softer surface is less liable to create pressure points.
Soft
Soft mattresses are often preferred by side sleepers and lighter weighted sleepers under 150 lbs again due to the greater give afforded by the upper comfort layers that may also provide relief for back pain that is brought on through pressure points.
Softer mattresses are often best avoided by heavier weighted sleepers over 230 lbs especially if you sleep on your front because youre more likely to sink into the mattress and experience back pain due to spinal misalignment and bad posture.
Medium-Soft
Medium-soft mattresses are often enjoyed by side and back sleepers in the 130 230 lbs range, whilst front sleepers under 200 lbs who prefer more pressure relief may also feel well supported.
Medium
A medium firmness mattress is the most popular mattress firmness and is typically best suited to front, back, and side sleepers in the 130 230 lbs range .
Medium-Firm
Firm
Extra-Firm
My Mattress Causing Lower Back Pain Top Picks And Recommendations
A decent mattress is very important enough when you dont experience excruciating pain in the back, however when you do, its vital to get a mattress thats both comfortable, and supportive.
Typically, a medium firm mattress is best for those who experience back pain. Why? Its firm enough to provide support for back and front sleepers, while using a little cushion for those that sleep in their side.
Naturally, as typical, there are a few things to consider when buying a brand-new mattress. Not only do you wish to ensure that the mattress has a suitable level of firmness, but youll likewise wish to think about things like cost, mattress size, and so on.Whatever youre searching for, there must be something for you on this list. Here are the best mattresses for those with neck and back pain.
The Mattress Is More Than 5
Although the study I referenced earlier defined an old mattress as being 8 years old, the average expected lifespan of a mattress is typically around 5-7 years.
Although its worth noting that some of the best anti-sag hybrid and natural/organic latex mattresses may last for up to 10 years or more.
But such anomalies aside, if your regular spring/foam mattress is more than 5-7 years old and youre also waking up with back pain in the morning then the correlation between your mattress and your back pain becomes stronger.
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Signs Your Mattress Is Causing Your Back Pain
There are several reasons why your back might be hurting. Maybe its stress, your before-bed routine, or even your diet.
Nevertheless, the same place you derive comfort and a good nights rest might just be the same thing thats causing you to sleep poorly and experience back problems.
A low-quality bed will not affect your quality of sleep, which causes you to experience a bad day but also exposes you to several health problems, including back pain.
Today, well look at 5 signs that show your mattress is causing your back pain. Youll also learn how to solve this problem.
Research Different Mattress Materials
Mattresses usually have 2 layers a support layer and comfort layer. Different materials have different firmness levels as well as how well it retains heat. Each brand has their own signature features for both layers, but these are the common materials for mattress layers you might see in stores:
- Memory foam
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Changes In The Mattress Structure
If there are visible sagging, body impressions, and/or indentations in your mattress deeper than 1.5-2 inches then these changes in the structure of your mattress could be a signal that your mattress is the root cause of your back pain.
In particular, if the integrity of the lower support core has been compromised then this is a strong indicator that your mattress is causing your back pain because the support cores primary function is to uphold your body weight and maintain good posture.
Can A Memory Foam Mattress Cause Back Pain
Face it, back pain isn’t just about age anymore. In many situations, back pain is caused by the way we sleep and how our spine aligns while we sleep. Not all mattresses support the body’s natural alignment causing serious problems, including ongoing back pain. In order to help remedy this issue, certain mattresses have come onto the market with a focus on comfort and alignment.However, not all memory foam mattresses are perfect for everyone. While the memory foam mattress does help provide support for the lumbar and aligns the spine without any of the gaps of traditional mattresses, some individuals may have different results.Some sleepers can still experience back pain with a memory foam mattress if their body contours to the mattress in a manner where the spine is not properly aligned. In many cases, though, a memory foam mattress may be recommended for back pain.
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Donkey Kicks Can My Mattress Cause Lower Back Pain
This is one more glutes workout step that functions as a lower-back assistant.Just how to do it: Come down on your hands as well as knees, with your hands directly over your shoulders. Raise up your appropriate leg, maintaining your knee at a 90-degree angle, up until your leg is alongside the ground. Slowly lower it back down to the ground. Repeat for 90 seconds, then change legs.
Why Your Mattress Is Causing You Pain
Youve confirmed that your mattress is the source of your frequent back pain, and you want to know why its causing you so much pain? Here are six reasons why your mattress may be causing you back pain and how to prevent it.
1. You are using the wrong mattress.
For each type of sleeper, there exist different types of mattresses that suit them best. When you pick a mattress without any care for the way you sleep or your weight and other vital determinants, you sleep to wake up with aches. The right mattresses make sleeping less stressful as they are built to accommodate your body and weight. As a side sleeper, you should be picking a foam that wont give way easily and can support your body. As a back sleeper, pick a mattress that supports and cushions your body.
From the way you sleep to how much you sleep, how much you weigh, and how much time you spend in your bed, consider it all and use it to determine the type of mattress that will help you sleep better. Sleeping without having to wake up to anybodys ache is the goal, work towards it. Heres the perfect guide on how to choose a mattress.
2. You are using the wrong pillow.
You mustnt just buy a pillow without adequately understanding the type of filling it has. Also, know the best type of pillow for your type of sleeper. Thick pillows are suitable for back sleepers, while thin pillows are good for stomach sleepers. Pick a good mattress and use a good pillow if you want to sleep well at night.
4. Your mattress is old.
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How To Select A Good Mattress For Your Back
Though different people have different features that theyd prefer their mattress to have. Still, a mattress should neither be too firm nor too soft.
The ideal mattress is somewhere in between. When your bed is more delicate than it should be, it can make your spine to fall out of alignment. Too soft beds also make you sink into the bed and make you sleep in a terrible posture.
Thus, you wake up feeling body pains. When its too firm, it causes joint pressure in your hips which also lead to pain in your back. On the other hand, an ideal mattress should make you feel so utterly relaxed and comfortable that sleeping on it feels like floating in the air. However, the best things dont often come cheap.
Therefore, if what you want is a mattress that will give you sweet dreams and quality sleep, then you have to be ready to invest a good amount of money into it.
A bed is not just any piece of furniture. Your mattress is your key to good health and productive days. When you think about it, quality mattresses are well worth the investments.
The fact that youll be spending around 7-9 hours on it each night is another reason to not go frugal. No matter how expensive a qualitative bed may seem, always keep in mind that its an investment into your health and life.
Why Is My New Bed Hurting My Back
Sometimes, a new mattress can hurt your back because of several reasons such as: your mattress is too firm, too soft, low quality materials, low thickness, etc. If your bed is too hard or firm, it may hurt your back and causes body aches and back pain. If it is too soft, it does not support your body and sinks more thats why you feel pain on your back. And, it you buy a low thickness/low profile mattress, it may be perfect for the kids but not for the adult or heavy sleepers. So, you should choose a new mattress considering all these facts. You can check our selected list of high-quality ,durable, supportive, and comfortable mattress here.
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You Constantly Toss And Turn On Your Bed All Night
If your mattress is exhibiting visible aging signs of wear and tear, the chances are also very high that you wont be able to enjoy your sleep. A bad mattress will always limit how much you are able to move around while sleeping and this may, in turn, keep you tossing and turning during your entire sleep. While there may be other health issues associated with the above-mentioned problems, back pain is undoubtedly the likely first health issue youll have to contend with. If you are unable to get quality sleep and you are experiencing back pain, then the chances are high that your mattress is the prime suspect! You may check the list of top 10 gel memory foam mattress that are highly comfortable and very supportive mattresses and also relaxes your muscles and reduces your pressure & pain.
You Always Experience The Pain Each Time You Wake Up In The Morning
If you often retire to bet feeling great and in good health but wake up with a lot of pain in your lower back, then this is a clear manifestation that your mattress is to blame for your woes. Just like an old mattress, a mattress that is not firm enough will always make your spine to fall out of spine alignment the entire night. Consequently, a mattress thats too firm will result in the buildup of joint pressure in your hips and this may, in turn, lead to lower back pain. Though you might not immediately experience the pain on your back, it is more than certain that youll feel this pain immediately after getting out of your bed in the morning hours. You can see the top 10 cool gel mattresses which cures your pain and gives you a freshen wake up every morning.
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You Wake Up With A Stiff And Sore Lower Back
Sometimes you can go to bed feeling great, but end up waking up feeling miserable. Sometimes you may even wake up with a stiff and sore lower back pain. If this is the case, your mattress is the problem. Maybe its too soft or too firm.
A very soft mattress usually lacks enough support and comfort. And if it sags a lot, it can cause serious health problems.
A very soft mattress allows your body to sink too deep, causing misalignment of the spine, increased pressure at the lower back, and even joint twist. As a result, youll wake up with a painful back. A research-based review on soft mattress from Sleep Standards indicates that quality soft mattress should provide you with enough support, comfort, and offer your body pressure relief.
Although a firm mattress is recommended for people with lower back pain, sleeping on a very firm mattress might not be so convenient. According to studies, sleeping on a medium-firm mattress can help alleviate lower back pain efficiently than sleeping on a very firm mattress.
A mattress thats too firm might push the shoulders and hips, resulting in misalignment of the spine. Its therefore important to find a mattress that doesnt stress your spine. It should allow your spine to sit in a neutral resting position throughout the night.
How To Know If Your Mattress Is Giving You Back Pain
Sometimes its hard to tell what the cause of your back aches are since there are several proven causes. Still, therere three ways to know if your mattress is the cause.
The first clue is to observe when the ache starts. Usually, when the pain is coming from your bed, youll probably wake up feeling it. However, if youre able to stretch thoroughly, youll get rid of the pain within15â30 minutes.
Another way to tell whether your mattress is doing more harm than good is to study how smooth your sleep goes. Tossing and frequently turning at night, or waking up at random times during sleep is a sign that your bed isnt ideal enough.
Thirdly, if your mattress has lasted for at least eight years, chances are that its no more in its the best shape. Old mattresses tend to have lost their ideal form.
In the case of an old innerspring mattress, it will start to sag. Meanwhile, memory foam will not be able to cradle the hip and shoulders as it is supposed to.
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My Mattress Was Killing My Back
I should know better, but after spending $1,500 on a new mattress eight years ago, I was reluctant to throw it in the trash. After a seventeen year professional career helping and advising people about treatment for back pain, even I did not recognize the importance of a good mattress in the overall treatment plan. Here is my story.
Eight years ago, it was time to replace my old inner spring mattress. I had reached a place in my life where I could afford to buy a mattress that was a little better than the ones sold in the fly-by-night shops catering to college students. So, I headed over to my favorite big name furniture store.
Mattress technology had apparently evolved into a science necessitating the salespeople to wear white lab coats. Prices easily exceeded $3,000 for the top of the line Stearns and Foster mattress. The latest thing at that time was foam. Foam was all the rage. So, I tried the memory foam mattresses. To me, a stomach sleeper, it felt like my torso was sinking into the foam deeper than my appendages and I was getting bent over backwards, sort of like the position a sky diver assumes in a free fall. The other thing I noticed is that as I sunk into the hole, I could not easily roll out of it. Im not a big guy either. So an all-foam mattress was not for me.
Is Memory Foam Mattress Bad For Back Pain
If you are a back pain patient, you should use a firm memory foam mattress that has a support foam layer. The support layer will give you the ultimate support and hold your spine, back, and neck correctly aligned and prevent back pain. The extra soft memory foam mattress is bad for back pain and the extra firm memory foam mattress is also bad for back pain.
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Quality Of The Mattress
It makes sense that the quality of your mattress is directly related to back pain. Dr Smycz explains that how well you look after the mattress is a major factor. You need to make sure the mattress is protected and looked after.
If your mattress is in good condition in terms of quality, age, and treatment you should not be waking up with back stiffness, said Dr Smycz.
Youll know its time to replace your mattress if you feel chronic back pain that greets you in the morning.
How To Correct Back Pain Caused By Mattresses
We know some of the reasons why your mattress is causing you backache now, lets talk about correcting those back pains.
1. Change your mattress
The best way to correct your back pain and prevent further occurrences of sleepless nights is to change your mattress. If your mattress is too old, too firm, or too soft, youll continue to experience pains. Read the guide on how to choose a mattress, visit the store and get a good one.
2. Maintain a good sleeping posture
Your sleeping posture may also be causing you to have back pains when you sleep. Try to settle into a good posture, and ensure you are comfortable. That way, you can get rid of back pain caused by mattresses.
3. Exercise
When you wake up with back pains, try to do a couple of stretches before you go on with other businesses of the day. Help your spine to relax, and it would get more comfortable enough to relieve you of the pain.
4. Use a pillow
Pillows are a good way to support your body even better when you feel back pains of any sort. They further help you maintain a good posture, find a better position to relax, and a good way to sleep.
5. Use an adjustable base.
You could also opt to use an adjustable base under the mattress so that you can control the inclination of your bed to a good sleeping position.
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