Mattress Is Causing Back Pain
I have spent hours and hours online reading reviews, reading advice on whats best etc etc.and there is so much conflicting advice that its difficult to draw a conclusion. Even the feel of mattresses in shops doesnt give me a very good overview because most mattresses feel comfortable however, my memory foam mattress feels comfortable for the first few hours too so I dont want to decide on a mattress based on initial comforts . Please could you give me some advice regarding what you feel would be the best solution for me, and additionally which mattress/es you would recommend . Id really appreciate some help. Kindest Regards, Jillian.
Annoying Health Side Effects Of Sleeping On A Bad Mattress
How do you feel after a bad nights sleep? From drowsiness to headaches, the short-term effects of a night of low quality sleep are usually easy to notice as soon as you wake up.
The long-term effects, on the other hand, can take slightly longer to develop. From a less effective immune system to weight and respiratory issues, low quality sleep can cause a wide range of negative health effects.
Your mattress plays an important role in helping you fall and stay asleep. A mattress thats too firm, too soft, not supportive enough or just plain uncomfortable can often be all it takes to prevent you from getting the quality sleep you need.
Are you concerned about the effects your mattress is having on your health? In this guide, well share 10 annoying and in some cases, potentially serious health side effects of sleeping on a bad mattress.
Recommended Fixes For Mattress Sagging Didnt Work Now What
Unfortunately, in the case of extreme sagging the only way forward would be to replace your mattress. Its important to know how to choose your mattress. A cheaper stop gap which may help extend the life of your mattress would be to user a mattress topper.
Our Juno range includes quality pocket spring units at their core. We then combine these with a variety of filling combinations to suit different budgets. All mattresses can be turned too offering great support, comfort, and longevity at a fair price. You may view our range of pocket spring mattresses for more information about our range.
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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.
Dont Sleep On A Mattress Thats Too Soft Or Too Hard
Goldilocks was onto something when she picked Baby Bears just right bed.
A mattress thats too soft will cause your back or hips to sag and your spine to fall out of alignment, which can lead to significant pain. A mattress thats too firm will put too much pressure on your joints, especially if you sleep on your side or your back.
Thats why if you want to reduce your back pain in bed, you need a mattress that offers support but that also contours to your body to provide pressure relief and relieve pain.
That being said, theres no one-size-fits-all-best mattress for back pain. Plus, there are plenty of different materials to choose from. So be sure youre investing in a mattress made from suitable materials for your unique needs.
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Ways Your Mattress Could Be Negatively Affecting Your Health
Sometimes theres no better feeling than getting into bed after a long, exhausting day. The goal: Burrow into your cozy haven, clock a solid seven to nine hours of sleep, and wake up refreshed and ready to have an excellent day. But sometimes your mattress can make achieving this goal impossible in various ways, all of which can ultimately affect your health. Read on for ways your mattress could be harming your health, plus what to do about them.
Ever heard of dust mites? These microscopic creatures, distantly related to ticks and spiders, live in humid climates and feed off the dead human skin found in household dust, according to the Mayo Clinic. Unfortunately, they can make their home in your home even if you keep your place as spotless as possible, Rita Aouad M.D., an assistant professor of sleep medicine at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, tells SELF. Dust mites do especially well in warm, humid spots like your bedding, mattress, and upholstered furniture.
If youre allergic to dust mites, your body has a sensitivity to their feces and decaying bodies. Coming into contact with this debris can cause symptoms of an allergic reaction like coughing, sneezing, a runny nose, and itchy eyes. If you have asthma, it could also trigger symptoms like shortness of breath, chest pain or tightness, coughing, and wheezing . Whether youre dealing with allergies or asthma, having dust mites in your bed can translate into restless nights full of symptoms.
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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 wasn’t 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 it’s much better for your back.
Think about how it feels to sit up straight after being hunched over for a long timethat’s 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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Tips For Finding The Best Mattress For Your Back
Here are some key things to look out for when finding the best orthopaedic mattress for your back:
- Firmness rating: while it has been suggested that people with a bad back should get an ‘extra-firm’ mattress, this is not always the case. For example, petite people may need a softer mattress to suit their needs.
- Try it out: it can take a little time to settle-in with a new mattress. At Silentnight we offer a 60 day comfort trialto give you more than enough time to get well-acquainted with your new mattress.
- Zoned support: zoned and targeted support in the areas you need it most, such as the shoulders and hips, are vital to healthy spinal alignment and reducing lower back pain.
Try A Mattress Topper That Can Provide Pressure Relief
If you sleep on your side, a memory foam mattress pad conforms to your body to allow your shoulders to sink in while keeping your spine aligned. Back sleepers can also benefit from a reasonable foam mattress pad because it conforms to your lower back.
Just be sure youre not only getting the right one, but youre also using your mattress topper properly.
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Why Does My Memory Foam Mattress Hurt My Back
Memory foam mattresses are supposed to be the ideal foam for getting rid of back pains. However, when instead of reducing the pain, the bed starts to magnify it, what do you do?
Generally, memory foams are an excellent reliever of back pains, but it may not work for everyone. Heres why your memory foam hurts your back.
- Bed Foam Topper
The thickness and density of your bed foam topper can make all the difference when it comes to stopping backaches. This is especially so for back sleepers. It determines how firm the topper will be and also how effective itll be in providing body support. A too firm or too soft topper is no good.
- Your physique
When it comes to memory foams, your physique and the shape of your body matters a lot. Typically, memory foam work more for slim and skinnier body types. This is because their bones stick out and need more support. For people that have Fuller bodies, a semi-firm mattress with a density lower than 5 pounds will be ideal.
Life Expectancy Of A Mattress
How long you can reasonably expect to keep your bed varies depending on who you ask. Mattress manufacturers will tell you once every eight years, but Consumer Reports says a quality bed should last for ten years. Call it paranoia, but it seems like the manufacturers are trying to steer us into replacing our beds more quickly than needed.
That being said, there are a lot of factors that can affect the life expectancy of your sleeping surface:
Type of mattress: Natural latex and high-density memory foam last longer than innerspring and low-density memory foam.
Quality: Usually, you get what you pay for.
Your age and weight: Heavier people will naturally make a mattress compress or sag more quickly. And as you age, you become more sensitive to subtle indentations.
Lifestyle: If you use your bed only for sleeping and take good care of it, itll outlive something that has kids jumping on it or sustains other bouncy extracurricular activities.
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Can Sleeping On A New Mattress Cause Back Pain
They say good things come to those who waitand that’s certainly true when it comes to sleeping on a new mattress. A quality mattress, featuring lumbar support for your spine and components that are fresh from the factory, takes some time to get used to. It may even cause some minor back pain at the beginning. But once your body adjusts to this new sleep surface, and the materials in the mattress soften up a little bit, you’ll be amazed at how great your back feels.
Here’s what to expect when you make the switch from a mattress that’s past its prime to one that offers proper support for your back.
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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What Causes Poor Mattress Support
Picture a firm, traditional spring mattress, also known as an orthopaedic mattress. When someone lies flat on this firm, flat surface, its easy to imagine the gap formed between their lower back and the mattress. This unsupported arch prevents a persons lower back muscles from ever relaxing, resulting in lower back pain. Memory foam and latex mattresses offer that much-needed support. They are therefore considered to be some of the best mattresses for lower back pain sufferers. They allow parts of the body to sink into the surface while supporting the natural curves and contours, allowing the muscles in your back to relax and your spine to properly align.
Is Your New Memory Foam Mattress Causing Back Pain
If you buy an extra firm or extra soft memory foam mattress, it may cause your body aches, joint pain, and back pain. The medium-firm memory foam mattresses are fit for all sleeping styles and provide optimum back support. Most people buy too soft memory foam mattresses for more comfort but it may cause them lower back pain after sleeping a few days on it. I recommend you use a medium-range memory foam mattress that has a thick supportive foam layer. Some people ask that memory foam mattress hurts my back I think they should choose the correct mattress and maintain the right sleeping posture.
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Your Skin Doesnt Look So Hot
Poor-quality sleep is associated with a surge in stress-related hormones like cortisol, shows a study in the journal Sleep Medicine Clinics. More research shows this uptick in cortisol and the systemic inflammation it causes can promote wrinkles, a loss of skin firmness and elasticity, dull skin, and itchy skin conditions like eczema.
Old mattresses may be one cause of poor sleep and stress. A recent study in the Journal of Chiropractic Medicine found the average persons mattress was 9.5 years old, and that a switch to a newer mattress both improved sleep and lowered stress.
While the study authors say theres not enough research to show that one type of mattress is ideal for every sleeper, their experiment linked improved sleep quality with new medium-firm mattresses that featured foam-encased springs.
New mattress pick: Along with their strictly foam bed, Leesa makes a hybrid spring-and-foam mattress very similar to the one used in the above stress study.
What Are The Advantages Of Using A Memory Foam Mattress
While heat retention is a negative to some, it may be a positive to others. Heat retention can actually help to soften the memory foam and makes it easy to mold to your body. When you get up and remove the body heat, the memory foams elasticity comes into play and puts the foam to its original position. Because the mattress molds to your body, it helps support your body in a way that works for you.Memory foam mattresses also offer the benefit of pain relief for many users. Certain pressure spots are damaged with the use of regular mattresses. This is worse for individuals who have arthritis, muscle and joint pains, and chronic back pain. Memory foam is typically more forgiving in these problem areas, providing necessary cushioning for a better night’s sleep.One of the often overlooked advantages of memory foam mattresses? It’s better than regular mattresses for individuals with allergies. Most memory foam mattresses not only act as a allergen barrier, but they are often made using hypoallergenic materials. This means less problems for your allergies and better sleep.
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Q: Is A Soft Or A Firm Mattress Better For Lower Back Pain
A: The answer might surprise you: Neither! The right firmness level allows the spine to rest in its natural “S” curve. While a too-soft mattress may not offer enough support, an overly hard mattress may also shift the spine out of alignment. Too-firm mattresses can press the pelvis too far forward while back sleeping, and place too much stress on the hips and shoulders while side sleeping. Studies show that the wisest choice is a medium-firm to firm level that balances support and comfort. Very firm or very soft mattresses can reduce your sleep quality and create more lower back pain.
Layla Mattress Can An Old Mattress Cause Lower Back Pain
- The double-sided Layla bed mattress that enables sleepers to pick between different firmness levels, depending on which side they pick to face up. Layla mattress has a feeling, that is different than you have ever felt. It also lets you keep cool, and spring back very quick.
- The comfort layer for the milder side of the bed mattress includes 3 inches of copper infused memory foam . This memory foam layer is relatively thick. This provides you pressure relief, as it enables you to sink in.
- Layla mattress has a 4 month sleep trial, along side a life time warranty. Given that the majority of brands just have a 10 year guarantee, this is a significant selling point for Layla.
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Your Spine Can Get Used To An Old Mattress
It takes time to get used to a new mattress topper. It also takes time to get used to a new mattress. Some people adapt faster than others, but normally you will adapt to it and any temporary niggles in your back tend may disappear. If you have been sleeping on an old mattress for years, your spine can get used to conforming to the pressure that the old mattress has been putting on it.
Your body, particularly your spine and lower back, can complain when you start using a mattress topper designed to eliminate the lumps and troughs in an old mattress. Even if you normally sleep on your side, you will feel the effects of this new sleeping surface. This pain is not always telling you that you are being harmed: it could be a sign that the mattress topper is trying to force your spine back into a healthy position.
How Do I Check For Sagging
Its important to be able to identify when your mattress starts sagging and starts causing you back pain. Use the method outlined below to figure out if your mattress is sagging.
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