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.
Can A Mattress Cause Back Pain 11 Warning Signs
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice.
Can a mattress cause back pain? If you constantly wake up with a stiff, sore back, you may wonder if your mattress is the culprit.
If your mattress is old, isnt a good match for your body, or is otherwise not ideal for supporting your favorite sleep position, it could be contributing to back pain. Lets take a look at some signs that your mattress may be a factor.
How Can I Make My Bed More Firm
You can change the feel of a mattress by adding a topper. Memory foam toppers can be used to add softness or firmness to your bed. At Amerisleep, our Lift Memory Foam Topper comes in two different firmness levelsSupport and Comfort. If you are looking to add firmness to your current mattress, the Support topper has a firmer feel and helps create an even sleeping surface. The Comfort topper offers more cushioning for those looking to add softness to a bed.
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What Are The Memory Foam Mattress Problems And Solutions
The memory foam mattress is highly comfortable than other types of mattresses in the market but it may cause few problems due to the wrong choice while buying it. Most people do wrong in the following points such as wrong firmness, lack of support, cool or hot foam. The medium to firm range memory foam mattresses are good for all sleeping styles. The high-density support foam mattresses are great for better back support. The gel foam mattresses are good for cool.
Factors To Consider When Choosing A Mattress
The best mattress for back pain is the one that offers a cradling comfort while maintaining your spines neutral alignment. Memory foam mattresses can offer both. Both factors are key to getting a night of restful sleep. Better sleep relieves overall body soreness, including back pain.
When buying a new mattress for yourself, look into its firmness, support, and materials. These factors are crucial determinants in choosing the memory foam mattress best suited to you.
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Mattress Type And Materials
So what is the best mattress for a bad back? Mattresses can be made of many different natural and synthetic materials but some materials are better than others when it comes to providing the extra support needed to alleviate back pain.
Memory foam and latex
The most commonly recommended beds for back pain are memory foam and latex. Memory foam mattresses and their natural alternative, latex mattresses, both offer amazing support and contouring. They hug the body and cradle all your natural curves, supporting pressure points like shoulders and hips while relieving pressure for reduced pain. Memory foam and latex also help keep your spine aligned while sleeping, which further reduces stress on the back and lowers pain in all areas.
Innerspring
An innerspring mattress, sometimes referred to as a traditional mattress, is a bed of coils with a foam layer on top. These mattresses were the standard for around a century, but, despite improvements like pocketed coils and better motion isolation, a regular innerspring with a foam top generally doesn’t offer enough support for substantial back pain relief.
Airbed
Airbeds don’t offer the kind of contouring that memory foam or latex does. However, there are beds with air components that can be mechanically adjusted for more or less fill and firmness. The ability to customize your bed can be a great asset when trying to get good support for alleviating upper or lower back pain.
Hybrid
Best Mattress For Back Pain
Firm mattresses were once recommended as the best option for those with back pain however, studies are now refuting this claim. A mattress should support spinal alignment and allow the surrounding muscles to relax. There must also be targeted pressure relief using pressure mapping technology, preventing tossing and turning during the night in an effort to get comfortable.
Here at Sealy, we are proud to share our Posturepedic range of mattresses that prioritise orthopaedic support and optimal comfort. Our designs work with the bodys natural alignment and cater to the relief of pressure points.
Sealy gained insight into proper support and comfort systems by partnering with the Orthopaedic Advisory Board . The OAB is made up of qualified health professionals who specialise in research on sleep and posture. They advise Sealy on the best technologies and evidence-based research so that Sealy can create optimised mattress designs.
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Considerations When Buying A New Mattress
When shopping for a mattress, it is important to be aware of the quality and value of each potential purchase. The following are things a patient should consider when purchasing a new mattress:
Shop for the best value and quality of the mattress rather than for price. Mattresses with more coils and thicker padding tend to be higher quality and also more expensive however, a higher price does not guarantee that the mattress is more comfortable or more supportive. Mattress stores often have sales and promotions, so it is a good idea to comparison-shop for the best price after finding the right mattress.
Be aware of mattress advertising gimmicks. Claims that a mattress is orthopedic or medically-approved should be viewed skeptically. There has not been extensive medical research or controlled clinical trials on the topic of mattresses and low back pain. The individual must determine whether or not extra features on a mattress make it more comfortable or supportive.
See Mattresses and Sleep Positions for Each Back Pain Diagnosis
Are Firm Or Soft Mattresses Better For Back Pain
Both firm and soft mattresses can be good for back pain.
Because whilst a study concluded that a medium-firm mattress resulted in a reduction of back pain in the cervical, dorsal and lumbar regions in older adults with musculoskeletal pain , and the status quo is that a firm mattress is better for back pain, the truth is that soft and firm mattresses both help or even CAUSE back pain.
This apparent paradox is true due to the difference in body weights, body types, and the preferred sleeping positions between individuals.
For example, whilst a soft mattress may not provide enough support for a heavier weighted front sleeper over 230 lbs and could actually contribute to back pain, a lighter weighted side sleeper under 150 lbs may find that their back pain reduces because the lower surface tension allows the sleepers hips and shoulders to sink more deeply into the materials to facilitate better posture.
However, the same 230 lbs+ front sleeper may experience a reduction in back pain whilst sleeping on a firm mattress because the increased surface tension can help to guard against excessive material sinkage and thus maintain an ideal posture to combat back pain whilst the lighter weighted side sleeper would likely experience pain and discomfort on the same firm mattress due to the pressure points that it creates as a result of not being able to sink far enough into the mattress materials.
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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:
Back Pain No Firm Mattresses
If you get eight hours of sleep a night as most doctors recommend, you will spend a third of your life sleeping. So it’s worth taking some time to think about what you’re sleeping on.
New research indicates that the popular thinking – sleeping on a firm mattress is better for people with chronic lower back pain – is incorrect. The report appears in the current issue of the “Lancet,” the British medical journal.
The Early Show medical correspondent Dr. Emily Senay explains what the researchers found and gives some general health tips about mattresses.
Up until now, the common belief has been that a firm mattress is the best thing for people with lower-back pain. Why? Because of all the anecdotal stories from people with back trouble who have put a board under their mattresses or decided to sleep on the floor when their backs hurt and discovered they had less pain.
Most orthopedic specialists, with the exception of most chiropractors, have felt comfortable recommending that their patients with low-back pain sleep on firm bedding, although there hasn’t been any solid evidence to prove that it was effective.
The results are attributed to various reasons, including that people participating in the study needed new mattresses. But the study says the key reason is that a medium-firm mattress better distributes pressure from the body, which causes less pain when lying down or after getting up.
How Often To Get A New Mattress:
The Best Position To Sleep In For Your Back
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Best Hybrid Mattress For Back Pain: Casper Wave Hybrid
- Mattress Type: Hybrid
- Mattress Advisor Score: 9.3/10
- Firmness: Medium
- Trial Period for Returns: 100 nights
Who it’s best for: The Casper Wave Hybrid is an excellent match for all sleep positions as well as hot sleepers, according to the experts at Mattress Advisor. They gave this luxury mattress a 9 out of 10 score for both spine alignment and cooling. It performed nearly as well for pressure relief.
How it feels: The Casper Wave Hybrid feels a bit more plush than a true medium-firm bed. Testers said the memory foam layer hugs your body, while the latex foam and coil base prevents you from sinking into the bed.
Pros: This hybrid mattress uses a unique zoned support system that’s softer at the shoulders with gel pods supporting your waist and lower back. Back pain sufferers receive continuous support from their shoulders to the base of their spines, so they can get comfortable no matter which sleep position they choose.
Cons: The Casper Wave Hybrid is the most expensive mattress on this list, so it’s not the best choice for those on a budget.
Testers who frequently switch sleep positions during the night appreciated the Wave Hybrid’s exceptional bounce . This makes turning from side to side to stomach a frictionless experience. The Casper Wave Hybrid comes with a 100-night sleep trial and 10-year warranty.
Keep reading to find out how lingering back pain affects your sleep and how it could be causing you to miss out on precious ZZZs.
Try It Out With Our Reassuring 60 Night Comfort Guarantee
The best test of a new mattress is to sleep on it. It can take a little time to settle-in with a new mattress so when you buy directly from our website, we offer a comfort exchange that gives you 60 nights to get really comfortable before making a decision.
If you’re still not loving your new mattress within 60 nights from delivery, you can exchange it for another mattress. Learn more about our comfort guarantee here.
Silentnight Content Editor – Liz has over 7 years’ experience in writing lifestyle, home, health, and eco content. Liz’s mission is to make accessible our expert team’s knowledge.
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What Is The Best Mattress For Back Pain
The best mattress for back pain is the one that fits your personal requirements as closely as possible which may be best achieved through the combination of a suitable mattress and an adjustable bed frame.
Bedroom Style Reviews is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases on Amazon. The opinions expressed about the independently selected products mentioned on this site are those of the publisher, not Amazon. The Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc, or its affiliates. We do not provide medical advice, treatment or diagnosis. Always consult a qualified medical professional before buying items based on your health needs.
Bedroom Style Reviews is owned by LiveWell Media LTD registered in England and Wales at 71-75, Shelton Street, Covent Garden, London, United Kingdom, WC2H 9JQ. Company Number 13192624.
If You Cant Shop In Person
Its really hard to tell whether a specific mattress is right for you without lying on it first. Firmness, pressure relief, and support are all highly subjective factors, which is why weve always advised trying out a mattress in person prior to purchasing. But we also know that can be easier said than done. So in lieu of our usual try-before-you-buy advice, we recommend that you look for a generous return policy on any mattress youre thinking of buying sight unseen.
With respect to trial periods and return policies, here are your best options of all the mattresses in this guide:
More mattress coverage
$200 off
*At the time of publishing, the price was $1,200.
Who its for: The Saatva Classic in Luxury Firm caters to back-pain sufferers who prefer a traditional innerspring mattress with a just-cushy-enough top. Its likely to feel comfortable regardless of your preferred sleep position.
How it feels: Weve been long-term testing our Saatva Classic for more than a year, and it has softened slightly from a stiff medium-firm to a plusher medium-firm.
Flaws but not dealbreakers: The 416 support coils in the bottom half of the Saatva Classic are sturdy, but they number only about half those in the pricier WinkBed , another innerspring weve liked in the past. Theyre not individually wrapped, either, which can lead to motion transfer. For that reason, we think the Saatva works best if you sleep alone or dont wake easily when your partner rolls over.
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Suitable For Side Sleepers
When side sleeping, the hips and shoulders bear the brunt of the body weight. Resting on a firmer mattress can cause pressure to build up near these sensitive areas. This tension could force you to toss and turn to find comfortresulting in lost hours of sleep. We usually recommend soft mattresses for side sleepers because they will keep the body cradled and supported to alleviate tension.
Since some soft mattresses tend to promote sinking, be sure to select one that has enough responsiveness to keep the torso lifted, so the spine remains neutral.
How Hip Pain Affects Your Decision
The joints in your body, including the sockets of your hips, are generally affected by the overall type of support that you receive when you are lying in bed. Traditionally, people used to believe that firm mattresses and pads are best for hip pain sufferers. Nevertheless, throughout the last few years, this has been proven to be wrong as there is no one size which fits all.
With this being said, when it comes to hip pain, shoppers have long had quite a few different options. Affordable, comfortable and convenient alternatives to rock-solid beds are readily available thanks to plush memory foam as well as to latex. These are softer materials which are going to conveniently contour your body in an attempt to provide the ultimate support for hip pain and reduce it considerably.
So, what if you have a firm mattress and you start feeling a radiating pain in your hip area? Should you go ahead and buy a new one? Absolutely not there are far better alternatives. A mattress topper for hip pain relief could easily help you out its a lot cheaper and convenient than having to purchase a brand new mattress altogether.
Keep in mind, though, that places which bear the weight of our bodies, such as hip joints, are considered to be pressure points. These are the areas which are pressed significantly deeper into the mattress, and thats what creates pains and aches.
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Q: Which Sleeping Position Is Best To Alleviate Back Pain
A: Side sleeping or back sleeping are the best positions to ease your back pain. Even better, you can place a pillow between your knees while side sleeping to take strain off your spine. Likewise, you can slip a pillow under your knees while back sleeping to maintain your spine in its normal “S” curve.
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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