Different Types Of Mattresses
Memory foam: Memory foam is known for its cozy, enveloping feel and can deliver on performance factors important to back pain sufferers, like spine alignment and pressure relief. Memory foam tends to sleep hot if not made with cooling properties.
Innerspring: The main element of innerspring mattresses are steel coils interwoven together. These beds have more bounce and are more cooling but may offer less pressure point relief and spine alignment.
Latex: Latex is cushioning like memory foam but with a bouncier feel. Latex tends to sleep cooler than memory foam, too. And its naturally hypoallergenic and dust mite-resistant.
Hybrid: A variety of materials are built into one hybrid mattress, but the most common builds involve a layer of coils with more layers of foam on top.
Airbed: With support cores composed of air chambers rather than coils or springs, airbeds allow for an unparalleled amount of customization for firmness in problem areas. They are more durable compared to other types of mattresses, but they are also more expensive.
Can Air Mattresses Help A Bad Back
Air beds aren’t just for camping! It might be tempting to assume that the more you spend on a quality mattress, the more it’ll do for your back pain but in fact, some people find an inexpensive air mattress best of all.
One of the greatest benefits of an air mattress is that by adjusting the level of inflation, you can increase or decrease the firmness and support it provides to your liking. It might not be a solution for everybody, but if you’re finding traditional mattresses aren’t doing the job, an air mattress is certainly worth a try.
What Is The Best Mattress For Back Pain
A healthy spine serves three main functions: It protects the spinal cord, considered the bodys communication system, the nerve roots, and the internal organs of the body. It provides structural support for an upright posture. It facilitates flexible movement.
An unhealthy spine means an unhealthy body and mind. The spinal column needs proper support at night. A well-chosen mattress can help in the maintenance of proper posture.
The Mayo Clinic advises that there doesnt doesnt appear to be one type of mattress thats best for people with back pain. Instead, a helpful mattress is a matter of what feels most comfortable to you. According to a report by the National Institutes of Health, having a comfortable mattress and pillow can help promote a good nights sleep.
In the 2015 Sleep in America poll by the National Sleep Foundation, people with acute and chronic pain reported that environmental factors often disturbed their sleep. The environmental factors that affect quality of sleep included noise, light, temperature, and, indeed, an uncomfortable mattress.
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Is Your Mattress Suitable For Your Sleeping Position
Another niggle with choosing a mattress for a bad back is your sleeping position, which in turn will affect whether you prefer a Soft, Medium or Firm comfort layer in your mattress.
Different sleeping positions require different support and comfort layers from your upholstery, so its a good idea to try and identify these when shopping for a mattress.
Each type of sleeping position requires different comfort layer combinations to help prevent back or hip pain during the night.
Most people fail to realise that your sleeping position can directly inform the types of bed fibres you will need to sleep comfortably. Leading to picking the wrong mattress which can lead to back issues.
To help you work out what kind of upholstery you may need, we have some guidance below.
How I Conducted The Research
I spent 54 hours conducting this research to pick the best firm mattresses. I looked at 40 different mattresses and narrowed them down to 10. To find the best firm mattresses on the market, I consulted with a number of experts in the field, including neurologist and pain management physician. I also read through countless online reviews from people who have purchased and slept on different types of firm mattresses.
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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.
Is A Firm Mattress Best For A Bad Back
If you suffer from a bad back or back pain, youre not alone. One of the most common questions regarding mattresses is whether a firm mattress is best for a bad back. If you search online, chances are youll see all kinds of advice, much of which points to firm mattresses being ideal for back pain. However, this isnt necessarily true.
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Using A Firm Mattress
A firm mattress is good for your back. If your current mattress is rather soft, you may want to try a firmer mattress instead. Perhaps its too soft or sagging, thus creating an uneven surface whilst lying down.
If youre concerned about the firmness of the mattress, its possible to find one that has medium-firm or even firm support. But dont worry too much about finding something super hard as it is usually not preferred by most people anyway.
Proper Spinal Alignment
If you have lower back issues, the correct support is essential. The right mattress should provide good spinal support and keep your spine in natural alignment, no matter the sleep position.
Firm mattresses provide more support to your spine, especially when you sleep on your side or back. They can relieve pain in both your hips and shoulders because they keep the spine aligned properly. When you sleep on your side, a firm mattress will not bend or collapse under your weight. This helps reduce the pressure points around the hips and shoulders which may otherwise leave you with numbness in your hands or feet.
If you have pain around the shoulders that doesnt seem to be going away, perhaps try one of these top-rated mattresses for shoulder pain based on our expert recommendations.
Better Sleep Quality
Sleeping Positions
Mattress Type
Consider Buying A Mattress Online
A great way to score a deal on a new mattress is to buy online. While it might seem like a strange concept if youre used to going to a brick-and-mortar store, the truth is that buying online offers some huge advantages.
Most online mattresses are sold directly by the manufacturer. Eliminating the middle-man and the need for showroom space means lower prices, and the growing competition between retail and online storefronts has only generated more deals for shoppers.
But the benefits go beyond just price. Shopping online is convenient, allowing you to browse options from the comfort of your own home and without any salespeople eagerly pushing a sale to earn a commission. Having the time to research each mattress and compare it to others is a major contrast to the brick-and-mortar experience where youre limited to just whats available in that store.
When buying online you dont have the ability to feel out a mattress before purchasing, but almost all online retailers provide a sleep trial with no-hassle returns, offering you a full refund if you try out the mattress and dont like it. This gives you a no-risk opportunity to try out a mattress for weeks or months in your own bedroom as opposed to for just a few minutes in a store. Over the longer-term, virtually all online mattresses come with a warranty of at least 10 years to protect against future problems, which are rare in mattresses sold both online and in-store.
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The Best Mattress For Back Pain Depends On You
Now that you know a bit more about support and comfort, youre better prepared to make a choice. If youre a back sleeper, start with firm mattresses, then try plush. The same applies to stomach sleepers with back pain. Side sleepers should start with plush mattresses, and ease into pillow tops if they need even more pressure relief.
Beyond the basic comfort feel, there are many materials that support and provide comfort in different ways. For instance, memory foam mattresses relieve pressure by conforming to your body. In fact, memory foam tends to hug your body as it distributes weight. Innerspring mattresses start with a strong support layer of coils, followed by layers of support and comfort foams or padding. Hybrid mattresses combine innerspring support with memory foam comfort layers, offering the best of both options.
Latex mattresses are an eco-friendly alternative to other foam mattresses. They offer contoured comfort without hugging, and provide excellent airflow for cooler sleep. Latex is also notably durable, with mattress warranties up to 20 years. Add to that naturally-hypoallergenic qualities, and youll see theres much to love about latex mattresses.
How To Relieve Back Pain
Here are the top easy to implement tips that people can use in order to relieve their pain.
1. Sleep on the firm mattress because the soft one will affect the spine badly and the spine is the main part that supports the whole body the bed acts like the spines protection.
2. Have an Exercise Regime. People should exercise regularly each week. It doesnt matter if youre the laziest person in the world, but if you exercise one hour a day then youll feel the difference as your back pains will reduce and eventually go away.
3. Stretch out Your Muscles Every Day. People who have problems with their backs should stretch the muscles around the spine so the spinal column can become more flexible and people can recover from the pain they feel each time they stand up and walk.
4. Dont Sleep For More than Two Hours at Once. Keep changing your sleeping positions by moving to the side or just turning over on the other side so that you dont sleep for more than two hours at once because this is another position that causes back pain.
5. Sit Straight. People with bad backs should try to keep their spines straight while seated in order to prevent any back injuries caused by muscle tension resulting from an incorrect posture during sleep or work time, especially when sitting for long periods.
6. Keep Your Feet Flat On The Floor. When Sleeping If you need to use pillows when sleeping, make sure the one under the knees is the highest and the pillow between the legs is the lowest.
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What Users Like About Sealy Nostromo 1:
- Some users have said that this mattress is one of the best they have ever slept on. They love the fact that it is firm yet still provides good cushioning and spinal support
- Others appreciate the cooling properties of the latex, which keep them from overheating during summer nights
- This model offers great support to your spine while also contouring to your body shape and providing pressure relief where needed most
How Can A Mattress Help With Back Pain
In many cases the right mattress can help to alleviate back pain. A good mattress will distribute your weight evenly, supporting the spine and allowing your muscles to fully relax, which in turn will help to relieve back pain and help you get a great night’s sleep.
If you suffer from chronic back pain, the wrong mattress can aggravate the problem. One that’s too soft or too firm can cause the spine to move out of the correct alignment, meaning you wake up feeling sore. The discomfort can also make you toss and turn through the night, meaning you dont get the sleep you need. As many back problems require adequate rest to heal properly, this can delay your recovery, triggering a repetitive cycle of sleeplessness and pain.
The best mattress for a bad back is one which is firm enough to support the spine and allows for good sleeping posture, while also being soft and cushioned enough to relieve pressure on the hips and shoulders. This can help to break the cycle, restoring your sleeping pattern and helping you to feel comfortable, both at night and during the day.
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What To Look For When Buying A Mattress
Buying a mattress is a significant and consequential expense, so it is best to try out a mattress before committing to it. Does this mean that a mattress from a box is out of the question? Not at all, if the manufacturer offers the standard 100-day money-back guarantee. A hundred days is a much more thorough inspection period than whatever customers can find out during the time they spend trying out mattresses at a store.
There are four key factors to consider when buying a mattress:
Sleep Soundly On The Best Mattress For Back Pain
Make your mattress work for you, not against you.
Sleep should rejuvenate your body, not enhance its aches and pains. Sleeping on the wrong mattress can not only make back pain worse, but it can increase your likelihood of developing it later in life.
If you suffer from chronic or occasional back pain, youll be delighted to learn that switching to the right mattress can help alleviate your discomfort and give you a better nights sleep. Read this guide to learn how to choose the best mattress for back pain
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Are Memory Foam Mattresses Bad For Your Back
Memory foam mattresses are actually good for your back because they conform to your bodys natural curves. Furthermore, they are not too soft like other beds such as pillow-tops or as bouncy as innerspring mattresses. Therefore, you can keep yourself supported, regardless of your body type or sleeping position.
Benefits Of A Best Firm Mattress
Best firm mattresses have many benefits. They are good for your back, they keep you cool at night, and they can last up to ten years. The best firm mattress will also help relieve pressure points, which can cause pain in the morning. If you are looking for a durable and comfortable mattress, the best firm mattress may be the right choice for you.
When shopping for the best firm mattress, it is important to consider your needs and preferences. Some people prefer a soft mattress while others like a firmer surface. It is important to find the best firm mattress that will provide adequate support and comfort.
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Different Firmness Needs For Spouses
If your partner or spouse has different firmness requirements to you there are a few different options:
- Try a mattress that is designed specifically for different positions and sleep weights, like the Leesa.
- Consider investing in a Sleep Number bed or similar that allows you to adjust each side individually.
- Add a mattress topper to make one side firmer or softer as needed.
- To make one side firmer, try putting a piece of plywood between the mattress and the box spring for additional support.
- Order two different twin mattresses of different firmness levels and slide them together.
What Is A Medium
When looking for a mattress, people go to get excellent full-body support and pressure relief. But finding such a mattress is not always easy. But there are medium-firm models that fit almost all users regardless of their sleeping position. That is why many manufacturers indicate the type of hardness for their models such as medium-firm. So they capture the largest market for their mattresses. After all, such rigidity suits almost all people. A medium-firm mattress is best for people who have back problems. It provides support for the spine while also being soft enough to contour to your body.
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Whats The Difference Between A Firm And Soft Mattress
When shopping for a new mattress, you have likely noticed that each one comes with a firmness level. But, how is this level determined? Many brands rely on a standard firmness scale from 1 to 10with 1 being the softest and 10 being the firmest. Firm and soft mattresses are at opposite ends of this scale. That said, youll rarely find mattresses rated as a 10 or a 1 because those are extremely firm and extremely soft beds that arent commonly made.
A firm mattress rates between a 9 and a 7 on the firmness scale. These beds have very little give, so the surface tends to remain even and allows for little sinking.
A soft mattress rates between a 2 and a 3 on the firmness scale. These beds compress quickly and easier when pressure is applied. Most sleepers experience some level of sinking when resting on a soft bed.
Drawbacks Of A Firm Mattress
On a superficial level, the switch from a softer to harder mattress can initially feel very uncomfortable. This usually becomes less noticeable with time.
For those with specific back problems such as arthritis and scoliosis, a firmer mattress can actually exacerbate pain. This is why its essential to research mattresses before making a purchase.
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Are Memory Foam Mattresses Good For Back Pain
Memory foam mattresses are often touted as the best option for back pain, and they can certainly be beneficial, thanks to their balance of support and cushioning. However, its key to purchase a mattress made with high-quality, dense memory foam, which will provide the support you need. Many inexpensive memory foam mattresses are too plush and dont provide adequate support, which may end up worsening your pain.
