How To Prevent Your New Mattress From Causing Back Pain
People who buy new mattresses report suffering back pain prior to and during the break in process. Be assured that back pain wont be an issue once the mattress has been broken in unless the pain is due to physical problems with your back.
To assure back pain remedy during the mattresss breaking in period, improve your sleep posture. This can also relieve physical back pain issues separate from the condition of your bed.
Six sleeping positions are recommended to ease back pain. They include:
1. Sleeping on your back with knee support.
3. Sleeping in the fetal position.
4. Sleeping on your front with a pillow under your stomach
5. Sleeping on your front with your head face down.
How To Keep Cool On A Memory Foam Mattress
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In general, memory foam mattresses cultivate the most heat. In fact, 15% of users state their memory foam beds cause them to overheat. Hot mattresses may result in uncomfortable night sweats due to the dense nature of the foam however, there are ways to make your bed cooler.
In this article, well explain why memory foam retains heat and give you some tips to keeping your foam mattress nice and cool all night.
Can Memory Foam Mattress Cause Back Pain
When it comes to physical and mental health, few things can benefit you as much as a good night’s sleep. You want to ensure that you’re comfortable the whole night through, but not all mattresses give you this feeling. As such, many consumers turn to new types of mattresses to help alleviate the tossing and turning they offer experience.
One type of mattress that has grown in popularity over the years is memory foam. This is a tremendous option for many, but for others, there is hesitation and many questions to be answered. Because physical health is important, many consumers wonder the same thing: do memory foam mattresses cause back pain like many of the other mattresses on the market?Before you pick up a memory foam mattress, you should be sure to weigh the pros and cons. There are plenty of studies regarding the use of memory foam mattresses, but many offer mixed results based on the individual use. This is why research should be done on a per-person basis so you know what you’re purchasing. Here are some of the things you should know about these types of mattresses.
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How Do I Rotate My Mattress
Rotating a mattress is simple and straightforward. Whilst one person can do it, it’s easier with two.
Here’s how:
Make Cold Air With Fans And/or Ice Packs
A two-way fan that sucks hot air out and blows cool air in form outside can be especially helpful in hotter months of the year when a normal fan simply moves hot air around. Placing an ice pack or frozen plastic bag filled with water in front of a fan will also help create new cool air for circulation. Increase the size of the ice pack or frozen bag of water to improve longevity.
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Ways To Cool Memory Foam Mattress
If youre struggling with sleep because of joint pain from an injury, arthritis, or fibromyalgia, a memory foam mattress that contours to your body can be a great choice for relieving pressure points and improving spinal alignment.
Memory foam mattresses, which are made from petroleum-based polyurethane and other chemicals, are primarily characterized by two properties:
While you shop memory foam mattress, you may encounter a wide range of variation in viscosity, elasticity and density from different mattress brands. You can judge the density of a mattress by its assigned compression ratings, and in general, you can expect higher density mattresses to have a longer lifespan than lower density ones. During your search, youll likely se memory foam out there: 1) traditional memory foam 2) air cool memory foam and 3) gel memory foam.
But there wasnt always this much diversity and complexity in materials read on to learn about memory foams interesting origin. To learn more about the material structure of memory foam, head over to this blog post.
Adds Height To Your Bed
Allowing your mattress to rest on the ground is never a good idea. When sleeping on the floor, we are more open to cold air, dust, dirt, and humidity. It is also challenging to get out of bed when your bed is resting on the ground.
A mattress foundation can add anywhere from 16 to 23 inches of heightmany also come with the ability to adjust the height to your preference. However, it is best not to raise your bed too high, either.
The ADA recommends beds between 20 to 23 inches high from the floor to the top of the mattressthis will make it easier to climb into bed each night and also allow you to safely get out of bed in the morning.
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What Types Of Memory Foam Products Are Potentially More Toxic
While many companies have eliminated the more dangerous chemicals in the memory foam manufacturing process, some companies may still use them to cut corners or reduce costs. Low-quality memory foam mattresses offered at prices that seem too good to be true are more likely to contain higher levels of harmful chemicals. Likewise, before jumping at the chance to save a few bucks by buying a used mattress from a friend, consider the fact that older mattresses might still have those harmful chemicals that mattress companies currently avoid.
While it may cost more upfront, your best bet for avoiding toxic chemicals is to buy from a reputable company that is transparent about how it makes its mattresses. Look for third-party certifications, ask what kind of flame retardant the mattress uses, and favor mattresses that were made in North America or Europe, as these places tend to have more stringent regulations.
How To Clean A Memory Foam Mattress
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Memory foam beds are made from petroleum-based materials which give them contouring, supportive, and pressure relieving properties. Even though these mattresses can foster sound sleeping, they can quickly lose their supportiveness and comfort if not maintained well.
Memory foam is different than other mattress materials. The polyurethane foam absorbs sweat, dead skin, and dust mites, leading to a musty bed. Regular mattress cleaning can remove dust, odors, grime, and pollen, ensuring your bed stays in great shape.
In this article, well explain how to maintain your mattress by vacuuming, spot cleaning, and how to quickly dry your mattress. Well also discuss how to keep a mattress clean with a mattress protector and give other helpful tips on maintaining your mattress.
Always defer to the mattress care instructions on the law tag or mattress website as they provide the best guidance to care for your mattress. You risk damage to your mattress if you ignore these maintenance guidelines. If the care instructions are missing, our mattress care guide is your next best bet.
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Adjust The Air Circulation
Air circulation is also essential to memory foam mattresses, which takes us to the next step: to improve air circulation in the room where you put the mattress. This would make it expand much faster, so you dont have to wait for too long.
There are different ways to increase the air circulation in your room when you buy a memory foam mattress. One popular method is to turn on a fan, as fans bring both ventilation and active air movement to the table. You can make things easier for yourself by getting a fan heater, so you have better heat and air circulation at the same time.
But you shouldnt place the fan heater too close to the mattress so that it doesnt damage the product. Instead, you should set the heat to 68 degrees Fahrenheit and also check the manufacturers specifications.
Another good way to increase air circulation is with a steamer, significantly when the memory foam mattress corners are not expanding. It allows you to increase the heat and also add air circulation to the mattress.
A fan can increase the air circulation in your room, making your mattress expand easier.
S To Clean A Memory Foam Mattress Topper
While you can toss your bedsheets and pillow covers into the washing machine, you cannot clean your memory foam mattress topper the same way. Memory foam gets damaged or ripped in the washing machine. There are different cleaning processes for your memory foam mattress topper. Use any one or more of the following steps depending on the situation.
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What Is Memory Foam
Memory foam is a type of polyurethane foam. As with all foams, memory foam compresses under pressure. The difference with other polyurethane foams is that memory foam also contains added chemicals that increase its viscosity and elasticity, hence its alternate name, viscoelastic foam.
When pressure is applied, memory foam has the ability to be stretched into different shapes, and then slowly return to its original form when the pressure is lifted. Thanks to these attributes, memory foam excels at absorbing energy to provide pressure relief.
Memory foam was originally developed by NASA in the 1960s to provide cushioning against vibrations and potential crashes. Later, the material was used to prevent bedsores for patients who were unable to move for long periods of time. In the 1990s, TempurPedic brought the world the first memory foam mattress.
Because memory foam is activated by heat, it easily molds to the shape of your body and provides relief and support for your specific body shape. Memory foam also excels at preventing motion transfer from one partner to another. Newer generations of memory foam incorporate elements that strive to reduce heat retention and enable easier movement on top of the bed.
Try Additional Mattress Supports
Sometimes the solution doesnt involve fixing the top layers of your mattress, but the core support layers instead. You can try bolstering the underside of your bed using a few different products. Some of them may be items you already have laying around the house, while others require you to invest some extra money to get that good night of rest.
If you search for sagging mattress supports on Google or Amazon, some products will come up that amplify the support under your mattress.
These support systems work to lift your foam mattress a few inches off the slats or to completely fill gaps between the slats. Essentially, they act as an extra support core for your mattress, lifting the sagging portions upward and keeping the mattress surface even. These supports are usually made with high-density foam or a sheet of plywood.
You can also reinforce your bed using metal support bars, also sold on Amazon or other online retailers.
One of the cheapest ways to reinforce your mattress only requires a few old pillows youve got sitting around the house. Simply slip them under your mattress where youve noticed the most sagging, or, if youve got lots of old pillows, you can cover the entire foundation with them.
To get the most comfortable sleep and wake up every morning pain-free, read our guide on finding the best mattress for back pain.
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Controlling Your Sleep Environment
There are other ways to help improve your sleep experience by controlling various elements of your bedroom environment.
AirflowMaintaining good airflow in your bedroom is important on warm nights. Consider keeping a window open, or investing in a small circulating fan. Airflow is important for your bed itself, as well. If your mattress sits on the floor, consider investing in a bed foundation to improve airflow. Depending on the type of mattress you have, you may also consider switching to a slatted bed frame design to further improve airflow.
SleepwearThe sleepwear you choose to use at night will have a significant impact on your body temperature. Its best to choose breathable, lightweight clothing made of cotton or thin wool. Alternatively, many people find it most comfortable to sleep in nothing but underwear.
LightsBedside lamps, overhead lights, and other electronics can all produce heat when they are turned on. If your room feels uncomfortably warm, turning off lights and electronics well before bedtime can help.
Air ConditioningIf your home does have air conditioning, it may be worthwhile to use it on very hot nights. While it can get expensive, its difficult to put a price on quality sleep. The ideal bedroom temperature is somewhere around 65 degrees.
Improves Lifespan Of Your Mattress
Placing your mattress on the right foundation will allow it to support you correctly, but it will also ensure that it does so throughout many years of use.
The average person spends about 33 years of their life in bedwhen we are not sleeping, we are either trying to get to sleep or sitting up in bed.
Mattresses need a sturdy support base to accommodate this constant use. The right foundation will save you the inconvenience and expense of having to replace your mattress after only a few years of use.
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How To Firm Up A Mattress
Mattresses can lose their firmness and sag in places over time. A mattress that is broken-down may not provide you with an adequate amount of support and can keep you up at night as you wont be able to find a comfortable sleeping position.
This will not only impact the quality of your sleep but your health as well. If buying a new mattress is not an option for you, then you will need to find a way to firm up your existing mattress so it can provide you with the right amount of comfort and support needed for a comfortable and pain-free nights sleep.
In this article, we are going to provide solutions that could help you firm up your mattress.
Why Is My Memory Foam Mattress Not Expanding
If your new memory foam mattress is not expanding even after putting it on the floor for 24 hours, it could be due to the foam pockets. When the mattress is cramped so that it neatly fits the box, foam pockets are formed. If thats the case, here are remarkable tips you can follow to remove the foam pockets:
- Spread out the mattress on a flat surface and wait for 48 to 72 hours. One of the best solutions for a memory foam mattress not expanding is giving it some time.
- Make an effort to increase the temperature in your room for at least 20 degrees Celsius so that the mattress will expand faster.
- If nothing happens, the last thing you could do is return your mattress. Chances are the memory foam mattress that is already defective before it reaches your doorstep.
Some manufacturers claim that the memory foam products they offer can expand in as quickly as 2 hours. It depends on the brand you aspire to buy and the features the product provides. However, most memory foam mattresses will take a day or two before they fully expand.
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Do You Really Have To Wait 48 Hours For Memory Foam
While the expansion times for your memory foam mattress differ between brands and sizes, its safe to sleep on them on the first night. On average, it takes about 24-72 hours to fluff to its full height.
New versions of memory foam mattresses will allow you to sleep, walk, and jump on them after a complete unpacking. And that actually helps with decompression.
Benefit #1 Increase Comfort
It is often more comfortable to sleep on a higher bed.
Since it is raised more elevated, more air can flow through the mattress, making it more relaxed when you sleep.
Changing your beds height could drastically change your bedrooms appearance.
Raising your bed could alter your bedrooms appearance effortlessly.
As you increase the height, the bottom part space also increases.
You are thus creating more room for you to store your things.
So, how will you do this?
We have here a few simple ways on how to make your mattress higher.
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Increase The Ambient Room Temperature
Heat can help memory foam to expand and soften up.
In fact, ambient warmth is effective for helping your new memory foam mattress to expand fully when used in conjunction with the application of pressure.
However, you should NOT apply a localized heat source such as an electric blanket, heating pad, or hot water bottle to memory foam because this can cause damage to the material potentially resulting in deformity, a reduction in molding capacity, and a reduced lifespan.
Instead, you should increase the ambient room temperature to around 2022 °C or more as you sleep in the mattress or apply pressure to it to allow the molecules in the foam to loosen up and encourage softening.
Use A Slatted Wooden Frame
Placing your new memory foam mattress on a wooden frame with slats no more than 2-3 inches apart can cause your memory foam mattress to feel softer when compared to using a solid platform base, a metal frame, or the floor because the small gaps combined with the give of the wood can allow for more sinkage.
Slatted frames make for some of the best types of frames to use with a memory foam mattress because the gaps also allow for better airflow which can prevent overheating, night sweats, and the growth of mold on the underside of the mattress that can potentially lead to the worsening of some allergies.
However, its very important that you first check the terms of the warranty to ensure that youre not using an incompatible frame since this can void the warranty and the sleep trial.
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