Can A Bed Mattress Cause Back Pain

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.

Myth: Always Sit Up Straight

Slouching is bad. But sitting up too straight and still for long periods can also be a strain on your back. Take breaks a few times a day: Lean back in your chair with your feet on the floor and let your back curve slightly. Even better: Try standing for part of the day, perhaps while you’re on the phone or reading.

Reasons Why Your Mattress Is Causing Back Pain

Sleeping in your bed at any time should be an activity that helps to recharge your body, relax and get ready to start a new day. However, the moment these advantages are no longer attached to your mattress and your mattress causes back pain then its time to take a new look at your mattress.

Mattresses, of course, are fantastic and one of the best places to get a good nights rest, get work done and even watch television from on a lazy afternoon. Mattresses are created to be durable, so they are known to last up to five years and even ten years in good condition, depending on how you use them. During their years of use, they are still expected to serve many good purposes and be utilizable.

Have you been experiencing back pain when you lie on your mattress? Or is your mattress becoming so uncomfortable that the thoughts of sleeping on it turn you off? Do you have aches but arent sure if your mattress is the cause?

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How Do I Know If My Mattress Is Causing Back Pain

Identifying what your precise issue is, requires a visit to an expert. Correctly diagnosing the cause of back pain is a necessary first step to doing the best corrective measures.

You can also try sleeping on different surfaces to see if your new mattress is the issue or trying different sleeping positions. Putting a pillow between your inner thighs helps to draw up the feet into a sort of fetal position which maintains good stretching of the lower back, and neutral spine position via a side sleeping position.

Remedy For Body Aches

The solution for bad mattresses that causes body aches is getting the right one for your bed. In fact, until you get the most popular ideal mattresses like Olee Sleep Mattress, or Sweetnight Mattress or Linenspa Hybrid Mattress, or Classic Brands Cool Gel 14 Mattress, it is time you are going to improve the sleep experience. A good mattress is supposed to offer you full-body support and does not create any pressure on your back and neck to make sure you have a sound sleep. You can also buy a new good mattress from our well-researched list of top 10 best mattresses for back pain or top 10 gel memory foam mattress.

N:B: Read Also:4 Ways A Memory Foam Mattress Causing Lower Back Pain

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Which Mattress Is Good For Me

If your mattress is the main culprit for your back pain, then, it is a must for you to look for the new one which will have all the ideal qualities for your back.

In many studies, it is found that the people sleeping on the medium-hard innerspring mattress suffer from less back pain than those who sleep on the more hard or soft mattress.

So, experts suggest getting the mattress which has the following characteristics:

Dont prefer a too hard or firm mattress

According to the experts, if your mattress is too hard or firm, it will create pressure on the many parts of your body like hips, shoulders, and knees. And it will hamper your central nerve system causing to misalignment of your spine. It will be the cause of your back pain.

Dont prefer a too-soft mattress

Experts also suggest not use the too-soft mattress. It is because when you are on the too-soft bed, your entire body will dig into deep which will also hamper your central nervous system and causes your back pain.

Prefer the medium-hard mattress

Right! What does the expert say to get your mattress? They suggest preferring those mattresses which are not so hard or so soft. Your bed should be one that is ideal for your body supporting your weight. The medium-hard mattress can be the best one for your comfortable sleep.

Prefer your personal choice

Get the mattress supporting your back

Find out the right components of the mattress

Springs and coils in a mattress

Padding in a mattress really matters

Sagging Causes Poor Posture

A sagging mattress is one where theres a dip of 1-1.5 inches or more across a significant area of the mattress surface to the point where it causes you to sleep in poor posture which can result in hip pain, back pain, neck pain, and general musculoskeletal discomfort.

You can check to see if your mattress is sagging by placing a broom/mop handle across your mattress, getting down to eye level, and measuring any gaps that you can see :

Solution

If you have a mattress thats only sagging slightly, then you may be able to temporarily fix this issue by placing a mattress topper on your mattress to even out the surface and help you stay in good posture as you sleep.

However, youll need to make sure that you buy a mattress topper thats of the correct firmness and made of the right materials relative to your body type .

But to properly fix a sagging mattress especially if your mattress is more than 5-7 years old then you should buy a new mattress thats well suited to your physical characteristics and dominant sleeping position.

Check out my list of the best anti-sag mattresses for some high quality options.

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Ways A Memory Foam Mattress Can Hurt Your Back

• Article medically reviewed and fact-checked by Dr. Dimitar Marinov .

The first time I ever slept on a memory foam mattress I woke up with back pain.

Well, to be honest, I never actually got to sleep because what started out as a rather soft and seemingly comfy mattress quickly became some sort of torture device that caused an excruciating ache in my lower back that stopped me from getting any sleep at all.

So after some extensive research, I discovered that there are several reasons why sleeping on a memory foam mattress may result in back pain:

A memory foam mattress can hurt your back if the mattress is too soft, too firm, too thin, lacks support, is sagging, is placed on the wrong frame, hasnt had enough time to adjust to your physical characteristics or simply isnt a good fit for your body weight, body type, or dominant sleeping position.

One study found that when 100 medical residents switched from a regular cotton mattress and slept on a thin 10cm foam mattress for one night, 63% of participants developed lower back pain that resolved for 61 of the participants when switching back to the original cotton mattress with the back pain returning upon switching back to the foam mattress once again .

The good news is that there are several steps that you can take to reduce the chance of you buying a memory foam mattress thats going to be uncomfortable.

This article provides multiple solutions for both scenarios.

Consider An Adjustable Base

If you have hip pain then you may find that investing in an adjustable bed frame is an excellent decision because you can manipulate the angle of your sleeping surface to shift the effects of gravity and help to distribute your body weight in a manner that eases your hip pain.

However, its very important that you purchase an adjustable bed frame that works with your mattress.

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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.

Good Beds Improve Sleep

What you sleep on can make a big difference to the quality of sleep you get and how well you function during the daytime. Sleep is an essential part of life, with the average person spending a third of their lives sleeping. It is the time when bodies and minds rest and rejuvenate.

A lack of sleep can contribute to poor health and increased muscle fatigue and pain. Your spine in particular benefits greatly from adequate rest and sleep, as it works hard during the day providing support for the body and its functions. Uncomfortable sleeping surfaces can make it difficult to obtain rest needed, even for those without pain.

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Ways Your Old Mattress Is Causing You Back Pain

Sleeping on an old mattress could put you at risk of experiencing back pain according to scientific investigations and my own primary research , personal experience, and secondary research .

For example, a double-blind scientific study of 265 subjects revealed that theres a significant positive correlation between the quality of sleep and the quality of the mattress resulting in the conclusion that sleeping on an old mattress could worsen existing back pain conditions .

Furthermore, having slept on many old mattresses myself over the years, my experience correlates with the many reports that Ive read online and heard in person from other sleepers that sleeping on an old mattress can trigger back pain even when there was no pre-existing chronic back pain condition.

At the qualitative level, Ive concluded that the 3 primary ways that your old mattress could be causing you back pain are as follows:

Is Memory Foam Mattress Topper Causing Back Pain

Almost all memory foam toppers are soft and comfortable. The common topper thickness is 2- 4. If you place a thin memory foam topper on your too firm mattress, it may feel uncomfortable and cause lower back pain and other joint pain while sleeping on different sleeping positions. Furthermore, if you place the topper and bed on an old bed frame that sinks, it may cause you back pain. I recommend you use at least 3 thick memory foam topper for ultimate comfort as well as great back support.

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What Causes Back Pain

The main cause of back pain in bed is poor posture, either from how a person sits at work or how they sleep at night.

Between the vertebrae in the spine are intervertebral discs, which rehydrate at night . Poor posture can prevent the discs from rehydrating.

Read more: The NHS Guide To Back Pain

Attached to the vertebra are smaller muscle groups such as the erector spinae, and large muscles such as the trapezius. Poor posture can put the muscles into awkward positions that can cause irritation over a prolonged period of time, resulting in aches or pains. Lower and middle back pain tend to be the common culprits when sleeping. While there are several causes of back pain, a small number of which can be more serious underlying health issues. NHS Live Well gives us a list of common indicators of poor posture:

• Slouching in a chair
• Sticking your bottom out when standing
• Standing with a flat back
• Leaning on one leg
• Hunched back and text neck when focusing too much on your phone
• Poking your chin out when at a computer
• Rounded shoulders
• Cradling your phone in between your head and shoulder

These points are developed with images and solutions on this helpful NHS web page.

Choose The Right Firmness

Mattress firmness describes how hard or soft the surface of the mattress feels when you lie down on it.

Choosing the right mattress firmness isnt an exact science because the final comfort setting depends on your unique body type, body weight, and your preferred sleeping position.

But to make the selection process easier, heres a summary of which mattress firmness you should consider relative to your sleeping style:

Medium

Medium firmness mattresses are typically best suited to front, back, and side sleepers in the 130 230 lbs range .

Soft

Soft mattresses are typically better for lighter weighted sleepers under 150 lbs, side sleepers, and/or sleepers with a lower body fat percentage due to the extra pressure relief they can provide.

Firm

Firm mattresses are better suited to heavier weighted sleepers over 230 lbs, and/or front or back sleepers because the increased surface tension can help to guard against sinkage to help keep you in good posture.

Zoned Firmness

Some mattresses may have zoned firmness and/or zoned support where theres more support around the hip/lower back region to prevent bad posture, whilst theres more give around the shoulders to reduce pressure and allow you to sleep in good posture.

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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.

The Mattress Is Too Firm Or Soft

Mattress firmness describes how hard or soft a mattress feels when you lie down on it.

Dont make the mistake of assuming that all memory foam mattresses are soft.

Yes, memory foam typically sinks in further than the upholstered layer of a traditional spring mattress and even some latex mattresses, but memory foam can still be firm.

This is because the manufacturer can increase or decrease the ILD values of the foam to make it firmer or softer.

If your memory foam mattress is too firm then you might not sink far enough into the materials which may result in discomfort in your neck, hips, shoulders, lower back, and other areas due to the compression forces building up in your joints.

If your memory foam mattress is too soft, you may sink too far into the mattress and your spine could drop out of alignment which can lead to back pain.

Solution #1: Choose the Right Firmness

If youve yet to buy your memory foam mattress then its crucial that you choose a firmness thats going to increase the chance of you being comfortable in it.

However, its important to note that firmness selection isnt an exact science because the final comfort levels depend on multiple factors.

But heres a rough guide explaining which memory foam mattress firmnesses typically work best with certain body weights, body types, and sleeping positions although personal preferences can certainly override these guidelines:

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Initial Back Pain When You Wake Up

You know that feeling of stiffness when you first wake up? Its the result oflong periods of rest or decreased blood flow from sleeping. It usually takes a few minutes of stretching and moving to get rid of that stiff feeling. But if your back is in acute pain when you first wake up and you have to actively stretch to get rid of it, that might be a sign your mattress is doing more harm than good,according to The Joint Chiropractic.

If youre waking up with back pain thats an indicator that your mattress isnt supporting you, said Dr Smycz.

Is Your Mattress Too Soft 5 Signs You Need A Firmer Bed

We all know the feeling of sinking into bed after a long day but if youre sinking too far, you might be doing more harm than good. While theres nothing wrong with preferring a softer sleep surface, everyone needs a certain amount of support to promote healthy spinal alignment.

Beyond just preference, choosing the right firmness level comes down to your unique sleep needs, body type and sleep position. From lower back pain to muscle and joint stiffness, these are some of the signs that your mattress is too soft.

Sign #1: You wake up with a stiff and sore lower back.

The most common symptom of a bed thats too soft is a stiff and sore lower back. This usually happens first thing in the morning, after youve been in bed for a prolonged period of time. While there are plenty of causes for a sore lower back, persistent morning aches and pains are usually a good indicator that your bed is the problem.

Sign #2: You have a hard time getting comfortable.

Tossing and turning every once in a while is commonstress, anxiety and even poor health can be contributing causes to insomnia. That said, your mattress plays an important role in how long it takes to get comfortable at night. If you find yourself constantly readjusting it could be a sign your muscles arent able to fully relaxa key sign your mattress is too soft.

Sign #3: You sleep on your stomach, and often wake with neck or shoulder pain.

Sign #4: You struggle to get in and out of bed.

What to do about it:

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