What Type Of Mattress Is Best For Sciatica
Most mattresses available today fall into one of the five categories listed below. Mattresses of a given category will share some common qualities thanks to their similar construction.
Of course, there is plenty of variation within each mattress type depending on design, materials, and other special features. Nevertheless, understanding the basic differences between mattress types can be a useful way of narrowing down which mattress is right for you.
How Does Body Type Affect Mattress Selection
The more you weigh, the more youll sink into a mattress. This is why lighter people tend to prefer plush, conforming mattresses and heavier people tend to prefer a firmer, more supportive surface. For example, an all-foam mattress may provide the extra pressure relief needed for a person under 130 pounds, while someone over 230 pounds may prefer the more supportive feel of a hybrid or latex mattress. Of course, this will also depend on your preferred sleeping position and other factors.
Is My Mattress Making My Shoulder Hurt
Getting a good nights sleep allows us to wake up feeling refreshed and ready to go about our day. We all need proper rest in order for us to focus and feel energised during our waking hours, but unfortunately those suffering from shoulder pain can find it extremely difficult to enjoy quality sleep. A stiff or sore shoulder can make it hard to fall asleep and can wake you up throughout the night. So, lets talk about some of the possible causes of shoulder pain and what you can do to sleep better!
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How The Wrong Mattress Affects Your Back
Most people who experience back pain and stiffness should look to their mattress or more specifically their mattresss firmness level.
If your back pain comes when you first wake up, but you can stretch to get rid of it within 1530 minutes, then thats a major sign that your mattress is doing more harm than good. Also, if you find yourself waking up more frequently, or tossing and turning while trying to fall asleep, then that should also be an indicator.
Its important to note that even if youre not prone to back pain, you should replace your mattress every eight years.
Tips For Avoiding Neck Or Shoulder Pain While Sleeping
Understanding how you sleep is important in alleviating shoulder or neck pain. Combating neck and shoulder pain while you sleep is far-reachingyour sleeping position, the right pillow and mattress, practicing gentle stretches before bed, and practicing healthy posture habits during the day can all work to improve your sleeping experience.
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How Does Neck And Shoulder Pain Impact Sleep
As noted in the previous section, we know that poor sleep posture can provoke neck and/or shoulder pain. Additionally, research suggests that poor-quality sleep can exacerbate pain.
But the relationship between sleep and pain isnt just a one-way street, with poor sleep leading to pain. This relationship goes both ways.
Experts also suggest that pain can make it harder to fall and stay asleep, and it can diminish overall sleep quality. Even if a person whos experiencing pain does manage to fall asleep, they may not feel well-rested in the morning because their sleep quality wasnt ideal.
Its a vicious cycle, with poor-quality sleep leading to more pain during the day and daytime pain leading to worse sleep at night.
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New Mattresses Have An Adjustment Period
There is a transition period when you go from an old unsupportive mattress to a new supportive one, says Wisconsin-based chiropractor Thomas Tozer.
If you were previously sleeping on a less-than-terrific mattress for years and years, your body likely got used to it, even though it wasnt all that great for your back. When you move to a more supportive mattress, it may not feel quite as comfortable at the start, even though its much better for your back.
Think about how it feels to sit up straight after being hunched over for a long timethats similar to what happens when you switch from a saggy mattress to one that can keep your spine in a neutral, properly aligned position.
Here, one Saatva customer explains how it took three weeks to get used to their new mattress:
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Mattresses For Hip Pain
Your hips bear most of your bodys weight when you are lying down, whether on your back or your side. If your hips are sore, you want to choose a mattress that is especially comfortable for this sensitive area. If the hip pain is worst in the mornings, this may indicate that your mattress is too hard or not responsive enough to allow for your hips natural curves. Sore hips need adequate support, but cradling pressure relief is just as important. To relieve hip pain, especially for side sleepers, a softer mattress surface will help tight muscles relax and relieve pressure.
If you already have a good-quality mattress but its too firm, and youre aware of uncomfortable hip pressure, consider adding a soft mattress topper.
What Is The Best At
When you have mild shoulder or neck pain, at-home solutions can often solve the problem. You can do simple stretches to keep your muscles flexible. Try squeezing your shoulder blades, rolling your shoulders down and backward or bringing your ear to your shoulder 10 times. Applying heat or ice reduces inflammation and relaxes the muscles. Over-the-counter painkillers can also help.
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Your Body As A Side Sleeper
Side sleeping is the most comfortable slumber position for many including me. But how does our body look while we sleep? Basically, our hips and shoulders are twisted. When we lay down on our sides, the upper leg will tread forward to rest on the mattress. This twists the hips. And since its impossible to contain the arms parallel to the body, this will also fall on the bed. The result? Twisted shoulders and the other arm is tucked and pressed under the body.
Some think that side sleeping is the most symmetrical sleeping position. But theres no way it can be. As you lose consciousness, all parts of your body will fall into the mattress, thus various strain points.
As much as its comfy, there are some problems associated with side sleeping.
Is Your Sleeping Position Harming Your Rotator Cuff
You get into a comfortable position and drift off to sleep, only to wake up with a sharp pain in your shoulder. So you change positions and go back to sleep, but wake up in the morning with a dull ache and stiffness in the same shoulder.
Whether its in the morning or not, an achy, stiff shoulder can signal a rotator cuff problem. Youd be wise to get it checked out, because if left untreated, rotator cuff issues can lead to weakness and loss of motion in the affected shoulder.
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Is Your Mattress Really Causing Your Shoulder Pain
People who sleep on their side enjoy numerous benefits. The position can be ideal for easing snoring as well as acid reflux, is excellent for spine alignment and will often be helpful for those with digestive issues. However, given the position they prefer, many side sleepers erroneously believe that it may be the cause of their shoulder pain. In fact, it is often the type, quality or age of the mattress being slept on that is to blame for sore muscles and joints when they wake.
If a mattress cant offer sufficient pressure relief, delicate areas like the shoulder are put under unnecessary strain. Pains experienced during the night or encountered when you wake up can be caused by a mattress being too soft, but a mattress that is too firm can also be problematic depending on your symptoms.
If you suffer from shoulder pain and are considering purchasing a new mattress, consulting a GP who is aware of your condition can be a wise move.
Tips To Relieve Shoulder Pain
While a good mattress will do you a world of good when youre trying to sleep with shoulder pain, it isnt the only thing you should consider.
Mattress Accessories
If it doesnt look like buying a new mattress is in your budget, you can always utilize mattress extras such as a mattress topper or mattress pad. A good memory foam or latex mattress topper will go a long way in adding comfort and support to your old mattress.
Pillow Choice
Make sure you are using a pillow that promotes alignment. If you sleep on your stomach, pick a flat pillow, and use an additional pillow under your hips. If you sleep on your side make sure the loft isnt too high or too low. If you sleep on your back your pillow should also be a little flatter and another should be propped under your knees.
Sleep Position
The ideal sleep position for shoulder pain is back sleeping. If you decide to sleep on your side, sleep on the side of your good shoulder with a pillow between your knees.
Talk to Your Doctor
We would like to reiterate that, though we are sleep experts, were not doctors. If your shoulder pain persists at night or worsens, make sure you contact your doctor for further instructions or sleep tips.
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Can A Mattress Cause Hip Pain
- Article medically reviewed and fact-checked by Dr. Dimitar Marinov for accuracy.
Hip pain can have many causes.
But if youre waking up with hip pain then you may be wondering if your mattress is the underlying problem.
A mattress can cause hip pain if the mattress is sagging more than 1-1.5 inches,has indents, is too firm, is too soft, and/or has a broken support core that may be causing you to sleep in bad posture or experience painful pressure points.
The rest of this article explains in more detail how a mattress can cause hip pain, how to fix these issues, and how to find a new mattress to help combat your hip pain.
Alternatively: if youre ready for a new mattress, then check out my list of the best mattresses and adjustable beds for hip and back pain to buy in 2021 for some high-quality options.
What Makes The Casper Stand Out
- The Caspers Zoned Support system offers comfort and support in the right areas.
- The Casper is softer under the shoulder area and should relieve pain there.
- The mattress is a the best mattress for combination sleepers with neck and shoulder pain.
- The responsive foam on top should make it easy to move around on the Casper mattress.
Read the full Casper mattress review
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Why Is Sleep Important For Pain
Sleep is a fundamental biological need that affects all aspects of health, including pain. Research indicates that sleep and pain have a bidirectional relationship, meaning that each influences the other.
Getting good sleep has been found to reduce perceived daily pain levels of chronic pain sufferers. Quality sleep may reduce anxiety, stress, and other negative emotions that can exacerbate pain.
In addition, being in pain can make it harder to sleep. Physical discomfort may prevent falling asleep or lead to nighttime awakenings. Worries about pain can spread to sleep, complicating a persons ability to get consistent rest.
The fact that sleep and pain are so interlinked means that taking steps to sleep better, including choosing an optimal mattress, can provide a welcome means of pain relief. That pain reduction can facilitate even better sleep, fueling a positive cycle of nightly rest and decreased pain.
What If You Really Want To Sleep On Your Side
If you don’t want to try sleeping on your back, you can at least sleep on the right side. By “right”, in this case, we mean “correct”, because the correct side is the left side.
Wait, you may be saying, there’s a correct side to sleep on? Why?
The answer has to do with how your stomach is oriented. See, your stomach is essentially a bag with tubes coming out of both ends. But, the tubes aren’t at the top and bottom they’re both on one side, specifically, your right side. This means that when you sleep on your left side, your dinner sits in the part of your stomach that’s meant to digest food. However, when sleeping on your right side, gravity forces the food into the tubes coming from your stomach, one of which is your esophagus. This, in a lot of people, can lead to acid reflux.
So sleeping like a southpaw can help you with indigestion, but both your shoulders are just as susceptible to injury. What should you do about that? The answer is that you get an optimal mattress for your sleeping style. Side sleeping naturally ends up putting pressure on your shoulders and hips, but a good mattress can help. A memory foam mattress can help you to do this by relieving this pressure and responding to your body with firm pressure.
Ultimately, you’ll need to find out what works for you. But we hope this guide could help you get started and let you know that it’s completely possible for you to wake up completely refreshed and pain-free. Good night!
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Best Cool Mattress For Shoulder Pain
Idle Sleep The Idle Mattress
- Price: $$
- Type: Foam
- Height: 12 inches
If youre dealing with both shoulder pain and being too hot at night, consider this mattress. Its meant to cushion your body while also cooling with a 3-inch layer of gel foam that directs heat away from your body.
Idle Sleep also offers an 18-month trial and a lifetime warranty. However, if you decide you want to return the mattress, youll be responsible for donating the mattress before receiving a refund.
There are often stringent donation policies when it comes to mattresses, so if youre not sure if youre keeping this one, use a waterproof mattress protector to keep it in good shape.
Exploring The Reasons For Sore Shoulders
Aching shoulders can be caused by a wide variety of different conditions. A common reason is rotator cuff injuries where the muscles, tendons and shoulder joints of the rotator cuff have become strained or torn leading to dull aches that make sleeping on your shoulder without considerable pain impossible.
Shoulder bursitis is another reason. When the fluid sac that protects your rotator cuff tendons, called the bursa, becomes inflamed it causes swelling, redness, and pain.
Frozen shoulders can also make joints become stiff and painful. This is often more so at night, making a restful night unattainable and leaving sufferers uncomfortable in the morning.
Shoulder impingement syndrome involves your shoulder bones encroaching on the tendons or bursa which can cause your arm to become weak. Like a frozen shoulder, the pain will often get worse at night-time.
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Mattress Toppers Vs Mattress Pads: What Is The Best Option For Shoulder Pain
Many shoppers looking for a mattress topper to reduce shoulder pain often buy mattress pads. Those are typically cheaper, which makes them a preferable option in many cases.
Heres the deal, though: mattress pads differ from toppers and thus, may perform differently for shoulder pain sufferers.
The thing is, mattress toppers are usually thick and use materials that can offer both extra support and pain alleviation. Mattress pads, on the other hand, are typically thinner. They also dont usually feel very supportive due to the material choice .
That is why sleepers with shoulder pain are advised to avoid mattress pads and stick to toppers. The latter would deliver the needed support to make sure theres minimal to no tension in the body, which often leads to reduced pain.
Why Does Your Shoulder Keep Aching
The truth is, not all side sleepers suffer from such an issue. There are a few reasons why you might wake up with sore shoulders. The most common are:
- Your memory foam mattress is too stiff. This one is simple: an overly firm mattress puts too much pressure on your shoulders. You see, when lying on one side, your shoulder is pressed against the mattress surface. If that surface is too stiff, it will cause tension build-up in the shoulder. Additionally, when the shoulder does not sink in, it can cause a complete misalignment of the spine, neck, and hips. This, consequently, can lead to pressure points, stiffness, and pain.
- Your foam mattress is too soft. Sleeping on an overly soft mattress can allow the heavier parts of the body to sink in too deep. This, again, leads to misalignment and can cause strain or pressure on your shoulders.
- Your mattress is old, saggy, and doesnt offer uniform support. If your bed is old, saggy, or lumpy, it isnt likely to support your body properly. This may lead to unwanted curves in your spine, too much sinkage, and improper sleeping posture. The weight cannot be distributed evenly in this case either. As a result, you can wake up with back pain, sore neck, and stiff or aching shoulders.
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How The Wrong Pillow Can Affect Your Sleep Position
While the issue is more serious for stomach sleepers, those who sleep on their side can also be pulling their spines out of alignment by using the wrong pillow. Even with the right sleep position, the wrong pillow can lead to major issues that can be a literal pain in the neck. Thats because your pillow is just as important as your mattress when it comes to proper spinal alignment.
Choose a pillow with the right amount of loft for your sleep position. If you sleep on your side, you need a more supportive pillow with a higher loft. For those who sleep on their stomachs, look for a pillow with a lower profile.
Individuals who sleep on their back may sleep on both high and low loft pillows, based on their personal preference.
