Your Spine While You Sleep
One of the main functions of the spinal cord is to maintain balance so we can walk upright and our motor controls can function properly. If youve ever heard someone say its a miracle that humans can walk upright, its not so far from the truth. However, it takes a lot of subconscious effort, and the spinal curve is essential for it all to work.
Why Purple Hybrid Wins As The Best Mattress For Lower Back Issues
For this list, we are specifically referencing the three Purple Hybrid mattresses because they offer plenty of support thanks to their pocketed coil bases and pressure relief . What makes Purple worth looking into, though? Well, it all really comes down to the top layer of the beds. Its a special material called Hyper-Elastic Polymer that is unlike any other comfort layer on a bed. Its one of the more supportive hybrid mattresses, while it maintains a soft and pressure relieving feel.
Purple can accommodate all sleeping positions, but if youre mostly a side sleeper , wed recommend you first look into either the Purple Hybrid Premier 3 or Hybrid Premier 4.
Mattress Types And Firmness
Different types of mattresses utilize different materials, which can also affect the firmness. The following are the four most common mattress styles and the firmness levels you can expect with each.
- Memory Foam Mattresses: Memory foam is available in several different firmness options. Depending on the manufacturing process, memory foam can be either soft or extra firm. When shopping for a memory foam bed, look at the type of memory foam used and the layers supporting it to determine the firmness it will provide.
- Latex Foam Mattresses: There are two types of latex foamDunlop and Talalay latex. Dunlop tends to have a firmer firm, and these beds are typically considered medium-firm. Talalay latex is generally treated with additives to give it a soft to medium feel. Both materials have a natural elasticity that offers a slight bounce.
- Hybrid Mattresses: Hybrid mattresses have a stable coil base and a foam comfort layer. The type of foam used in the top of the bed will determine the firmness you will experience.
- Innerspring Mattresses: The coil springs in the base of an innerspring bed give it a firm feel. These beds tend to have a thinner comfort layer, so they are classified as either medium-firm or firm.
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Purple Hybrid Premier 4
Sleeping on your stomach on the wrong mattress can flatten the curve of your spine, put excess pressure on your muscles and joints and force you to turn your neck to the side — three things that can actually contribute to chronic back pain. While it would be ideal to change to a side or back sleep position, the Purple Hybrid Premier 4 is the next best thing for a stomach sleeper.
There are a lot of mattresses out there that claim to form to your body, but the Purple Hybrid Premier 4 totally delivers. The exclusive Purple Grid, which is a hyper-elastic polymer grid with open air channels that’s designed to quickly adapt and adjust to any sleep position. As soon as I plopped down on this Purple mattress, I felt the grid bend and move, contouring my body shape perfectly. No matter which sleeping position I was in, I felt like the mattress was made specially for me.
This Purple mattress also isolates motion really well, so if you sleep with someone else, you’ll barely feel it when they move around. Just one thing I want to note: I’ve tried some of the other Purple mattress models before this one and I really recommend splurging on the Hybrid Premier 4. The extra thickness really makes a difference for pressure relief and comfort.
The Purple Hybrid Premier 4 comes in sizes twin XL to split king and prices range from $2,299 to $4,998.
Puffy Lux Hybrid Mattress
The Puffy Lux Hybrid mattress is a soft model combining foam layers and individually pocketed coils for a cushioned feel with some bounce. It provides great pressure relief, making it a nice fit for side, back, or side-back combo sleepers.
Learn more at my full Cocoon Chill Hybrid mattress review.
Company Info: All Cocoon by Sealy mattresses are designed and built in the USA. The brand also offers free shipping, a 10-year limited warranty, and a 100-night trial. Cocoon has a great sale going on right now be sure to check it out!
Perfect For: Hot sleepers looking to relieve back pain with memory foam, but not deal with the overheating tendencies commonly associated with it.
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Why Is Back Pain Worse When Lying Down
But why does your back pain occur when youre getting into bed? Most people who experience back pain have strained muscles. Not sitting up straight at the desk or lounging unsupported on the couch can cause specific muscles to contract over long periods.
You may not notice it at the moment or when youre up walking around because theres no pressure on them. But when your back hits an unsupportive bed, those sensitive, strained, and damaged muscles are agitated.
And that added pressure on the affected part of your back causes those muscles to hurt.
How To Choose The Best Mattress For Back Pain
Youre much more likely to have problems sleeping if you have back pain during the day, Dr. Huff says, so its imperative that you find the right mattressotherwise, you could be stuck in a painful 24-hour cycle. Heres what you need to know before you go shopping:
Look for the right density. Just 20 years ago, orthopedic surgeons would have recommended going with a firm mattress, but that recommendation has since changed, Dr. Huff explains. The ideal density is medium-firm, per a landmark 2003 study and another from 2015, which promotes sleep comfort, quality, and spinal alignment. Foam mattresses may also have a slight edge over spring options, but density has a bigger impact on sleep quality and back pain than material does, Dr. Huff says. The right firmness is attainable with foam, coil, and hybrid mattresses.
Think of your sleep position. Consider your sleep position, then buy a model that matches it. If youre a side-sleeper, you likely want a softer mattress, because that relieves some of the pressure on your hips and shoulders, Dr. Huff explains. It also helps you align your spine. Back-sleepers, meanwhile, can go with firmer mattresses, since their weight is more evenly distributed. And stomach-sleepers should seek out pillow-top mattresses that allow easy airflow and less pressure on the neck.
Ready to settle in for your best nights sleep? Shop these top-rated mattresses to help aleviate back pain, below.
120-night trial | 10-year warranty
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Ease Aches With These Trusted Buys
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Verywell / Sabrina Jiang
Anyone who lives with back pain understands what a major difference a restful nights sleep can makeand, on the flip side, how disruptive it is when you wake up already experiencing discomfort. Though there are many causes of back pain, regardless of how it started, you want to make sure that the mattress you sleep on every night is meeting your needs. But finding one that works for you is often easier said than done.
There is no best kind of mattress for your back problems, so you may need to be open to some trial-and-error, says Dr.Gregory Funk, a chiropractor and the owner of Ideal Health Chiropractic in Denver. At the end of the day, you should look for a mattress that not only aligns with your personal preferences, but can also provide adequate support for the natural curves and alignment of the spine.”
Here are the best mattresses for back pain on the market.
What Is The Best Mattress Pad For Bad Back
It is the reason why medium firm mattresses are the most recommended mattresses for bad backs these days. The next consideration is the mattress material, rather than innerspring mattresses, latex mattresses are supposedly the best for bad backs. Memory foam mattresses are excellent to provide comfort from bad back pain.
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Suitable For Back And Stomach Sleepers
When resting on the back, the hips and buttocks tend to sink. If the mattress is too soft, these areas may sink excessivelyresulting in a misaligned spine and tense muscles. Back sleepers tend to sleep best on a firmer bed that will prevent sinking and keep the hips in line with the shoulders and head. When the spine is neutral, the body can fully relax and repair.
Our spines naturally curve, but when sleeping the stomach, this curve can become exaggerated. Over time, the pressure this position places on the back and neck can lead to chronic pain. In most cases, it is best to avoid stomach sleeping. However, if you find it difficult to avoid this position, the best mattresses for stomach sleeping are firmer. A firm bed will keep the hips lifted to reduce the pressure on the spine.
How To Tell If Your Mattress Is Causing Back Pain
If youve recently started to develop back pain then you should go and see your doctor to see if you can pinpoint the exact cause of your back pain and then devise a suitable treatment plan.
However, if one or more of the following conditions are true then it could point to your mattress being the source of your back pain:
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What Makes The Winkbed Stand Out
- The WinkBed Luxury Firm model offers the balance of comfort and support back pain sufferers are looking for.
- The mattress is zoned and provides extra lumbar support.
- The WinkBed is an extremely durable mattress that will offer comfort and support for years to come.
Read the full WinkBed mattress review
Should You Buy A Mattress Online
If you should buy your next mattress online really comes down to your preferences. We cant deny the convenience of online shopping you can do it right from your couch. We also dont discount the benefits of buying in-store. Some people favor the relationship with their salesperson and the ability to test the beds. Though wed like to point out that most companies have extended trial periods with free returns, so you have the opportunity to try your new mattress with no pressure in your normal sleeping environment. At the end of the day, theres no right or wrong way to shop.
In general, side sleepers will want a slightly more plush feel, but in this case, we think the right mattress firmness is the medium to medium firm rangethat is, so long as you dont have issues with your shoulders. You want a highly supportive bed that cradles your pressure points, but doesnt offer too much give.
There really isnt one single best kind of mattress for individuals suffering from back pain. It has more to do with the support of the mattress than anything else. As such, that means getting a bed with plenty of bi-directional support that never feels like its giving too much.
There are about 20 brands that make beds we love for those with back pain. We primarily gravitate toward the brands that offer extra-supportive coil beds such as Saatva, WinkBed, TempurPedic, Helix, etc.
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What Else We Tested
I test a new mattress every two weeks. While I’ve tested dozens of models, I only considered 12 candidates for potential inclusion in this guide. Here are the beds we still recommend but that didn’t make the cut.
What else we recommend and why:
Under $1,100
Casper Original Mattress: The medium-firm feel of the Casper Original will appeal to a broad range of back-pain sufferers, especially hot sleepers since it has impressive heat dissipation. It was easy to set up and move around in our tests and features impressive motion isolation. However, the edge support was poor. Read our full review.
Bear Mattress: If you’re interested in checking out the cooling properties of Celliant fibers and want a firmer mattress, you might consider the medium-firm Bear Original. It’s made of CertiPUR-US and Greenguard Gold certified foams, including a graphite gel memory foam that I found did a great job of cooling. However, it failed my motion isolation tests, and it wasn’t comfortable for side sleeping.
Under $2,000:
Puffy Lux Hybrid Mattress: I slept on the Puffy Lux while recovering from a back-pain spell, and I think it did a great job of facilitating my recovery. I also like that this mattress comes with a lifetime warranty, is easy to move around, and has great motion isolation. On the downside, it had a strong initial odor that took days to dissipate, the edge support is poor, and it will be too soft for many back pain sufferers.
Over $2,000
So Which Mattresses Are Better For Back Pain
To get relief from the pain, and to help the back heal and become healthy again, it is important to choose one of the following types of mattresses
- Medium-firm mattress there is still firmness to the mattress, but the density does not interfere with the spine, lower back, and other pressure points.Moreover, the mattress provides support where its needed, and comfort for other body parts. A medium-firm mattress is not too soft and not too firm, so when buying a mattress make sure to point out that you want a medium-firm density mattress.
- Latex mattress high-quality latex mattresses are known to be excellent for alleviating back pain. These mattresses also help with chronic back pain by conforming to the bodys natural curves.Latex mattresses are firm enough to provide the necessary support dor bodys pressure points while being soft enough to conform to the curves and contour of the body.
- Gel memory foam mattress this is relatively new material on the market, but it has been praised for its ability to create a great mattress.Gel memory foam mattresses are known to conform to the body perfectly and help reduce pressure from the bodys pressure points, especially the lower back and hips.Such mattresses also ensure proper spinal alignment and even though they show indentation, they still support the body and follow its natural curves and weight.
Recommendation: Need a mattress that can adjust firmness scale based on your needs? check Best Adjustable Air Mattress in 2021
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How Can I Make My Back Stop Hurting In Bed
There are a few things you can do to help treat your back pain in bed.
First, you can consult with a physician.
They may use high-end procedures like X-rays, MRIs, CT scans, or EMGs to determine why youre experiencing back pain in bed.
However, not all back pain merits seeing a doctor.
Generally, youll want to make an appointment with your physician only if your back pain.
- Feels especially severe or radiates to other parts of your body.
- It quickly gets worse over time.
- It started with a specific injury.
- Is showing signs of infection like fever or swelling.
- It may be causing weakness, numbness, or tingling in your lower body.
If that doesnt sound like you, though, there are a few things you can do at home to help treat your back pain.
Who Should Get An Adjustable Bed
The list of people who can benefit from the orthopedic health benefits of an adjustable bed is endless. These are some of those categories to mention a few:
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- People recovering from back surgery or any other orthopedic procedure
- People suffering from chronic back pain, arthritis, and other conditions
- Anyone who has been in a car accident and suffered lower back, upper body, or spine pain
- Athletes or people who invest a lot in exercise and working out
- Ordinary people who want the benefits of a good nights sleep
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How To Tell If Your Mattress Is Giving You Back Pain
There are so many causes of back pain, so it can be hard to pinpoint where your aches are coming from. However, there are some clues to look out for to see if your mattress is to blame. The first clue is when your back pain occurs. If your back pain is there when you first wake up, but you can stretch to get rid of it within 15-30 minutes, then that is a major sign that your mattress is doing more harm than good. Also, if you find yourself waking up more frequently or are tossing and turning trying to get to sleep, then that should also be a sign. Even if you are not prone to back pain, you should ideally replace your mattress every eight years.
Purple Hybrids Best Features
- Not only will this mattress allow for excellent amounts of pressure relief for side sleepers with lower back issues, but also, you never feel like youre sinking into the bed. In other words, the areas that need pressure relief get it, and the areas that need support get it too.
- Side sleepers dealing with back issues will want to consider the Purple Hybrid Premier models. They offer more pressure relief than the standard Purple Hybrid, plus theyre thicker and more durable. The support should help with your lower back, while the gel top layer will add a cushion for side sleeping.
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