Can An Adjustable Bed Frame Help With Back Pain
An adjustable bed frame is an upgrade from a traditional mattress foundation. It can fit in nearly any bedstead and works with almost any mattress youre going to find from a reputable manufacturer.
Adjustable bases use a motor to move the frame which in turn elevates you and the mattress. You can either get an adjustable base that lifts just the head of the mattress, or one that respositions both the head and feet.
An adjustable bed frame is great for back pain because by elevating your legs at night, you take pressure off your back. If youve ever put pillows under your knees, you know what were talking about. But the benefit of an adjustable bed frame is that the frame is more comfortable and wont shift throughout the night.
Why Does It Matter
When the body experiences trauma, like a car accident, a fall from a ladder, or slipping on the ice, the body has to find a way to accommodate the damage, heal it, and keep us walking upright. These changes can create misalignments that sometimes last for years and cause pain.
If youre wondering what this has to do with sleep, the answer is two-fold. One, sleeping wrong can be enough trauma to cause these issues, and two, sleeping right is a big part of healing these issues. So while those with chronic back pain might think they have a rocky relationship with sleep, the real issue might be the habits or the mattress.
Additional Sleeping Accessories For Sleepers With Back Pain
Besides a mattress, other accessories can play a part in making your bed conducive to quality, pain-free sleep. Upgrading your pillows and your bed base can be done as a lower-cost way of improving your sleeping surface, or you can purchase these along with a new mattress as part of a complete overhaul.
Pillows
Pillows play an important role in preventing and reducing back and neck pain. Pillows that provide proper support to the neck can improve spinal alignment because the spine extends into the neck . In addition to supporting the head, pillows can be strategically placed to provide cushioning and comfort to other parts of the body.
Numerous factors affect which pillow can best help any individual fight neck and back pain. The amount of loft of your pillow should fit your personal preference and body shape. The right loft level is also largely determined by the firmness of your mattress and your sleeping position, as outlined in the following tables.
| Sleeping Position |
|---|
| Medium Firm Firm | High |
To reduce back pain, pillows can be used to support other parts of the body besides just the head and neck.
Bed Platforms and Bases
The base of the bed can contribute to a supportive overall sleeping surface for people with back pain.
Some people opt for an adjustable bed, which allows for the upper and lower body to be raised at various angles. Many adjustable bed frames also include a heat or massage feature that can be a nice bonus for back pain sufferers.
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Is A Soft Mattress Good For Hip Pain
It makes sense to assume that a softer mattress is the best option for pain relief. After all, we all want a little coddling when were not feeling well! However, a mattress thats too soft can actually have negative effects on our bodies, as they can sink too much, distorting our alignment. According to Dr. Ghassemi, We all have the same skeletal system, but our daily lifestyle, health status, and body morphology are vastly different. I can conservatively say, a soft mattress is not suitable for the hip/hip condition it may cause more damage in the majority of people than help. Dr. Malayil adds, For individuals with hip pain, a foam mattress which conforms to your spine would be best. Many spring mattresses tend to apply too much pressure to the hip joint causing increased pain for many individuals. A foam mattress is helpful in this situation because it allows for the hips to lay in a comfortable position without applying overpressure to the musculature around the hip and to the hip joint itself.
If youre ready to improve your sleep and take some pressure off of your body, keep reading to find the best mattress for back and hip pain that will have you on your way to slumber town!
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How We Chose Our Products
Our team of sleep specialists have reviewed more than 140 mattresses, using proprietary analysis and hands-on testing to establish easy-to-understand scores. In addition to an overall score, we measure subscores for support, edge support, cooling, motion transfer, durability, trial period, and warranty.
When it comes to the best mattresses for sciatica and lower back pain, there are many important factors. But to keep the spine in a neutral alignment , a bed is going to need to have a good amount of support. Thats why we only included mattresses that scored at least a 4 out of 5 or higher in this category. Of the six mattresses included, five of them scored at least a 4.5, with the WinkBed coming in the highest at a perfect 5.
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The Best Mattress For Back Pain: Why Its Hard To Beat Tempur
Back pain is a major issue for sleepers. You could experience back pain throughout the night, which keeps you awake. Or you might feel it when you get out of bed, with a stiff lower back or a crick in the neck, which can ruin your whole day.
Sometimes the back pain is due to external factors outside of your mattress car accident, sports injury, or an underlying medical condition. And sometimes youre experiencing back pain because youre sleeping on an unsupportive mattress or a bed thats just too firm for your body type and preferred sleeping position.
Either way, finding the best mattress for back pain can go a long way in helping you get a better nights sleep.
At Slumberland, our staff of sleep specialists are constantly helping customers find a solution that works for them, and their unique form of back pain. This means weve helped customers suffering from sciatica, spinal stenosis, lower back pain, neck pain, and more.
In this post, we look at our go-to recommendation for sleepers suffering from back pain. Then we look at some frequently asked questions we get asked about different types of mattresses, sleep positions, and more.
Its Unique Grid Structure Offers Optimal Airflow
- Materials: Memory foam, support coils
- Firmness level: Firm with responsive, adaptive support
- Trial period: 100 nights
Thanks to its patented Purple Grid, the Purple Hybrid Mattress is unlike any other on this list. It consists of five layers, and the Purple Grid gently gives under your body, hugging your pressure points and fully supporting your back while you sleep. The grid sits on top of a 7.5-inch layer of responsive coils that offer additional support while you sleep. Plus, there are open air channels that allow air to freely flow through, making it much cooler than memory foam-only mattresses. This particular model is the companys firmest and offers the most support in the hybrid collection the Hybrid Premier 3 and Hybrid Premier 4 are medium-soft and soft, respectively.
Memorial Day sale: Get up to $250 off a mattress and $500 off an Ascent Adjustable Base this weekend at Purple. Plus, other accessories are 20% off.
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Why You Should Trust Us
At Sleep Foundation, we understand the importance of choosing the right mattress especially when it comes to back pain. Thats why weve personally tested hundreds of mattress models to bring you the top picks listed above. Our expert team includes product testers that cover a wide range of body types, sleep positions, and comfort preferences. After thorough hands-on testing, we consider these selections to be the best of the bunch.
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 well 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.
Finding The Right Tempur
There is an entire collection of Tempur-Pedic mattresses, which you can try in person at one of our Slumberland locations throughout the Midwest. But we can make general recommendations based on our experience.
Best Mattress for Back and Stomach Sleepers TEMPUR-ProAdapt® Medium
The Tempur-Pedic ProAdapt® is available in a soft, medium, medium hybrid, and firm model. For stomach and back sleepers, wed recommend the medium, . The bed is roughly 12 inches tall and is available in all the main mattress sizes .
The ProAdapt series comes with Tempur-Pedics dual cover system. This means you can actually unzip the cover and wash it at home if youd like. This helps keep the mattress feeling fresh and clean.
But we like it for back and stomach sleepers because of its APR layer of foam just beneath the cover. And when you get the firm ProAdapt, its not going to give in as much and youll get the support both stomach and back sleepers need for your lower back.
Best Mattress for Side Sleepers TEMPUR-LuxeAdapt® Soft
The LuxeAdapt is similar to the ProAdapt, with the washable dual layer cover system. What sets it apart is the TEMPUR-ES comfort layer that provides a softer feel, and the denser TEMPUR-APR+ support layer that better conforms to your body.
Best Mattress for Hot Sleepers TEMPUR-LuxeBreeze®
Tempur-Pedic also makes mattresses that cater to people suffering from back pain, and who are sleeping hot at night.
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Tips For Choosing A Mattress If You Have Back Pain
The jury is still out on whether a firm or soft mattress is the best option for people whose back pain keeps them up at night. That said, most health experts in the know say the choice is yoursthat the mattress that makes you feel most comfortable is likely your best option.
And what does research say so far? That medium firmness seems to yield the most painless sleep.
A 2015 review gathered information from 24 controlled trials where participants used mattresses that were soft, medium firm, firm, or custom inflated. The results found that the medium-firm and self-adjusted mattresses were found to be best for sleep comfort, quality, and spinal alignment.
Dr. Michael Perry, former medical director of the Laser Spine Institute in Tampa, Fla., agrees that a medium firm mattress is generally the way to go. But he firmly adds that one size does not fit all in the choosing of a mattress by those with spine pain. A number of other factors play a role, as well, he says.
Best Hybrid Mattress For Side Sleepers With Back Pain
Casper Wave Hybrid Mattress
- Type: Foam
- Height: 13 inches
Reviewers with back pain report experiencing reduced episodes of pain when sleeping on the Casper Wave Hybrid.
One side sleeper with back pain credits the mattress for completely eliminating the aches and pains they felt with their old mattress. Another reviewer who describes themselves as a mature athlete says that the mattress helps relieve pressure points on sore joints.
However, a few people complain that the mattress is a bit too hard for their liking.
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Other Bedding That Can Help Back Pain
Some mattress companies also sell pillows designed to alleviate back and neck pain. People can adjust the heights of these pillows to better support their spinal alignment.
Also, if a person wants to keep their mattress but adjust its firmness, they might try a mattress topper which may be made of memory foam, wool, or latex.
In addition, some people may benefit from adjustable beds, as a change in positioning might provide better back support.
What To Look For In A Mattress For Sciatica
Contemporary research suggests the ideal mattress for back pain sufferers is one that feels medium-firm to the person who sleeps on it. Also, as weve discussed, spinal alignment is key for all sleepers and especially for people who suffer from sciatica. Make sure any mattress you purchase is designed to support spinal alignment in your preferred sleeping position.
Beyond that, here are some other factors to consider when searching for the best mattress for sciatica:
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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
What Is The Best Mattress For Back Pain In Canada
Our premium S& S Memory Foam and S& S Hybrid mattresses were engineered with support in mind. Carefully crafted in Canada, we ensured that every layer of our mattresses provides proper spinal alignment and pressure relief.
You should also consider the trial period in your purchasing decision. During this period, test out the mattress and see if its actually making a difference. At Silk & Snow, we offer a 100 day trial period on our S& S high-density memory foam and S& S Hybrid mattresses, risk free. Try it today at silkandsnow.com!
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The Best Mattresses For Back Pain
Back pain is a very common ailment and usually is not a cause for concern, however if you also experience any of the symptoms listed here you should visit your GP or call NHS 111.
The most common types of back pain are defined by the NHS as non-specific – having no obvious cause, and mechanical – originating in the joints, bones, and muscles around the spine.
Occasional back pain will often go away on its own with gentle activity, good posture and time, however chronic or repetitive back pain may be caused by ongoing poor posture, or an unsupportive mattress.
Your mattress should keep your spine aligned and muscles relaxed while you sleep. Proper alignment lets your spine and muscles recover, giving you a fresh start to the next day. Poor alignment can cause headaches, fatigue, lower back pain, and neck pain.
Mattress Features To Look For To Relieve Back Pain
When shopping for a mattress to help relieve back pain, some features are more important than others. With so many products and a bevy of marketing hype, it can be tough to parse out what really matters. Youre most likely to get the most satisfaction out of your purchase by focusing on certain key considerations:
- Mattress Type: the materials and design will play a huge role in the performance of a mattress. The contouring, bounce, firmness, temperature regulation, and motion isolation of a mattress will be different for each mattress type, so it is critical for shoppers to think about their priorities and choose a mattress with components that will best meet their needs.
- Zoned Support: weight from the body is not distributed evenly instead, certain areas tend to require more cushioning. A zoned mattress takes that into account and offers reinforced support in those areas.
- Quality Materials: a mattress made with excellent materials is much more likely to provide the performance, reliability, and durability that people with back pain need.
- Firmness Level: firmness is a key driver of mattress comfort and is largely a matter of personal preference. At the same time, the right firmness level can play a big part in whether a mattress offers sufficient support, and that will depend significantly on a persons body weight and sleeping position.
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