Other Tips To Relieve Neck Pain:
While neck pain can sometimes be due to unnatural and awkward sleeping positions, purchasing a new mattress does not always alleviate it. Here are some other tips you can do to help relieve it:
- Slowly change your sleeping position, especially for side and stomach sleepers
- Practice proper posture
- Do some gentle stretching exercise before going to bed
- Avoid performing repetitive motions
- Make sure to exercise regularly
- Avoid hunching or slouching your shoulders
- Take frequent stretch breaks at work
- Quit smoking since it has been linked to a higher possibility of neck pains
- Use cold or hot packs to alleviate the pain
- Consult a doctor when the pain becomes too much or is chronic
Which Mattress Firmness Is Best For Side Sleepers
Mattress firmness is a subjective measure of comfort, so whether you choose a soft or firm mattress for sleeping on your side will depend on several factors. Mattresses are usually rated on a firmness scale of 1 to 10, or extremely soft to extremely firm. Medium soft to medium firm mattresses are most common.
For side sleepers, mattress firmness determines how cushioned the pressure points are. It affects how much the shoulders and hips sink into the mattress, which helps keep the spine aligned. A comfortable mattress will alleviate aches and pains.
There are a few factors to consider when deciding on mattress firmness, including personal preferences, body weight, and mattress type. Heavier people press deeper into the mattress, so the same mattress may feel different to people depending on their weight and body type. The comfort layers affect the firmness and feel of the mattress. Memory foam conforms closely to the shape of the body, while latex offers gentle contouring with more bounce. Innerspring coils can add firmness to a mattress. Of the several types of mattresses available, each has benefits and drawbacks for side sleepers.
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How We Chose Our Products
Our team of sleep specialists have reviewed more than 140 mattresses, using proprietary analysis and hands-on testing to establish easy-to-understand scores. In addition to an overall score, we measure subscores for support, edge support, cooling, motion transfer, durability, trial period, and warranty.
When choosing the Best Mattresses for Back Pain, we sought out beds that were durable and supportive enough to keep the spine in proper alignment. Of the 10 products on our list, seven mattresses scored a 4 out of 5 or higher in the category of support and eight mattresses scored a 4 out of 5 or higher in the category of durability. The WinkBed has the highest score, with a perfect 5 in support and a 4.5 in durability.
Also, if you specifically experience lower back pain, check out our list of the best mattresses for lower back pain and sciatica.
Sleepers who struggle with back pain should be looking for a few things in a mattress. Theyll want something thats durable, close to medium firm, and supports proper, neutral spinal alignment. Well, theres a reason Im starting this list with the hybrid Saatva mattress. It fits all these criteria!
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Best Mattress For Pressure Relief
The GhostBed Flex is an affordably-priced hybrid version created of 6 layers, consisting of a quilted cover, 2 layers of memory foam, two layers of polyfoam, and a layer of pocketed coils.
It amounts to 13 inches thick, and it has a firmness rating of 6 on the 10-point firmness range..
With gel-cooling innovation, the comfort of memory foam, and a resilient innerspring coil layer, the GhostBed Flex can fit many different kinds of sleepers.
The GhostBed Flex includes excellent side support and separately wrapped coils which minimize activity transfer, making this an ideal mattress model for couples.
Mattress Model Kind: Hybrid
Client Score: 4.8 out of 5
Firmness: Medium-firm Best Type Of Mattress For Back Problems
Trial Period for Returns: 101 nights
To buy:
A Mattress That Has Three Separate Zones For Ultimate Comfort
Casper
- Sizes: Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, California King
- Trial period: 100 nights
The Casper mattress has three zones of targeted support to help align your spineand hopefully ease your back pain in the process. Softer foam around your shoulders cushions your upper body, while firmer foam under your hips, waist and lower back keep your spine in the right position. The durable foam base underneath allows for added firmness and support, so the mattress doesnt sink or sag under your weight.
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Side Sleepers With Back Problems
For side sleepers with back problems, the right mattress can make all the difference. If a mattress does not contour to the shape of the body and provide ample support, this can cause a misalignment in the joints and the spine. As a result, your muscles cant relax and have to work overtime to keep everything aligned. A contouring mattress, on the other hand, keeps the spine aligned and relieves joint pain. This keeps the hips and shoulders aligned as well. Some mattresses also have customized support for the lumbar region.
The simplest way to determine if your back pain is caused by your mattress is to pay attention to your back pain throughout the day. If you wake up with back pain that subsides or lessens as the day goes on, your mattress is likely the culprit. The best mattress for side sleepers will provide a flat, even surface without any sagging or indentations. A responsive material, like memory foam, will cushion pressure points and keep the spine aligned. The mattress should provide full-body support to prevent back pain.
What Women With Back Pain Should Consider When Looking For A Mattress:
Firmness. Though you’ll definitely want something that’s more firm than soft, exactly how firm should be determined by your body weight, says Carleara Weiss, PhD, and a member of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. “For example, medium firmness seems ideal for people weighing approximately 130 pounds and satisfactory for back and side sleepers under 230 pounds.” The higher your body weight, the more firm you may need your mattress to be, thought it really depends on the individual, as sleep preferences differ from person to person .
Where you experience back pain also impacts what kinds of firmness you should look for. “The general concept when thinking about buying a mattress is that low back pain can be alleviated with a mattress that is on the firmer end of the spectrum rather than softer or squishier,” Dr. Hanke explains. If you don’t wake up with low back pain and you like a softer experience, you can prob get away with a less-firm mattress.
Stomach sleepers put pressure on their neck, in addition to the lumbar area, so they may prefer a firm mattress since it’s ideal for spine support and helps alleviate neck tension .
For side sleepers, Weiss also recommends a medium-firm mattress. “Shoulders and hips are pressure points for side sleepers. A medium-firm mattress would be ideal for this sleep position while still flexible to the body curvature.”
Warranty: Forever
Price: $1,199 for a queen
Also Check: Casper Queen Foundation
How To Choose A Mattress And Sleep Better
Can a mattress really make much of a difference in sleep quality? Theres scientific research that says yes. For instance, a study at Oklahoma State University found that newer, more comfortable mattresses reduced back pain and stress and improved sleep performance among participants with chronic aches and pains that compromised their sleep.
In this section, well provide tips on choosing the right mattress for your needs and explore some of the challenges that seniors face in getting a restful, restorative nights sleep. Well also offer advice on how to get your best rest, night after night.
What Makes The Saatva Stand Out
- At a 7/10 on the firmness scale, the Saatva mattress is very close to medium firmness, with a fantastic balance of comfort and support.
- The coils promote airflow through the mattress so that it doesnt trap too much heat.
- Sagging shouldnt be an issue on the Saatva. Its an exceptionally durable option that should remain comfortable and supportive for years to come.
Read our full Saatva mattress review.
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Best Mattress For A Bad Back
We cant stress enough how important it is for our general well-being always to get a good nights sleep. It can affect us in body and mind, from our physical capacity through the immune system to the state of our mental health. Unfortunately, it can also easily be disrupted by a variety of different things, among which there are only so many that we cant control.
Luckily, it doesnt mean that we are entirely powerless. Before you even start looking for reasons any further, you may want to consider what youre sleeping on. Low sleep quality, or even sleep deprivation, shoulders, neck, or back pain It may all be the result of you sleeping on a low-quality or inappropriately chosen mattress.
Of course, there may be endless reasons for back pain, though inspecting your mattress would be the perfect place to start. But how can you know what to look for? What is the best mattress for back pain? Should your choice depend on your sleeping positions or other ailments?
The mattress market offers an overwhelming abundance of products these days a hybrid, innerspring mattresses, latex, memory foam mattresses, upper back support, lower back pain relief, edge support, soft, firm, medium-firm, luxury firm it may all sound strange and tell you nothing about a mattress, for now.
Read on to know our recommendations based on years of experience and talks with our customers, and find the best mattress to help you deal with back pain today!
Best Mattress For Side Sleepers
The Saatva Classic mattress supplies all the attributes side sleepers need without sacrificing the decadence of a deluxe brand name.
Its entirely adjustable you can select in between 3 different firmness levels, elevations, and dimensions and also is made with premium, eco-friendly materials.
We recommend side sleepers go with the high-end firm mattress, the average firmness degree, for the ideal combination of support and flexibility.
Saatva additionally has superb customer care. They make the process stress-free by offering at-home configuration for your brand-new mattress model and removal of your old mattress at no added charge.
Mattress Kind: Hybrid
Consumer Score: 4.8 out of 5
Firmness: Medium Best Type Of Mattress For Back Problems
Trial Period for Returns: 180 evenings
To purchase:
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Why We Get Back Problems
About 80% of sleepers are likely to come across some type of lower back pain throughout their lifetime. Of course, it goes without saying that not everyone is actually affected in the same way by these issues.
However, this doesnt mean that you should stay uninformed about them. Some have the potential to get worse over time.
There are two types of back pain that are commonly observed: Acute pain that lasts for less than about six weeks and chronic pain which is less frequent but longer lasting. This is according to the reputable Mayo Clinic. The breakdown is followed by serious research and studies carried over periods of time and a lot of back pain sufferers.
With this in mind, there are also different causes for back pain . Here are a few common ones and some tips on how to prevent them.
Support & Spine Alignment
Again, theres a delicate balance between hardness and softness when it comes to a mattress. Theres a reason that Goldilocks and the Three Bears is such a popular story that we all know intimately.
Whether you sleep on your side, back or stomach, its imperative that your spine stays in alignment. By that, we mean that it should be straight and mimic the way it would look if you stood up straight in the correct posture. If your bed doesnt provide adequate support, your spine could either buckle or sink, both of which increase your chance of feeling pain in your neck.
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Is A Soft Mattress Better For Back Pain
Doctors almost never recommend soft mattresses. The softer the mattress, the more room for your body to sink more deeply and twist your joints in ways that could cause discomfort.
That said, a softer bed for backs can be a good choice for lightweight stomach sleepers. This is because they dont put so much pressure on your joints and reduce potential compression that may occur in this sleeping position.
The Wrong Mattress For Your Needs
Did you know that theres an ideal mattress firmness depending on the position you sleep in?
If you, or another couple you know, has ever talked about how one person thinks the bed is too soft and the other complains the bed is too firm, then theres a good chance they sleep in different positions.
Take this as an example. A woman thought the mattress she shared with her husband was too firm, and he was adamant that it was too soft, and lacked support. It turns out that she was pure side sleeper and he was a back sleeper. She needed something contouring, and he wanted a bed that had more firmness.
At the time, they had a pure innerspring bed, and they switched to a hybrid innerspring/memory foam mattress. Now theyre both happy.
That story is quite common and demonstrates that how you interpret the firmness level of a mattress will depend heavily on how you sleep.
As you may have deduced, side sleepers need a mattress that contours their body and hugs their curves. People who sleep on their side experience a lot of pressure from the weight of their shoulders and hips digging into the surface of the bed. They need a mattress that is soft to cradle that weight and provide pressure relief.
Back sleepers need a firm bed, but not too firm. They should feel well-supported throughout their entire body, especially in the low back and hip area where their weight will tend to sink in. On a firmness scale, we would classify this as medium-firm.
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My Little Findings Choosing The Best Or Ideal Mattress For Spinal Fusion Patients
A bad back is, well, a bad back. The variations occur according to the severity. In the case of the spinal fusion patients, or those recovering from back surgery, a supportive mattress that provides ample rest and sleep is highly essential. Any bed that is good for back pain should do the trick to them as well. These types of mattresses will provide the right spinal alignment. They also offer a perfect cradling needed for the body for recovery. Better sleep is inevitable in those cases that naturally lead to rest that heals all the injuries. Thats the theory.
Does all those back pain to relieve mattress supply what they promise to? The answer is, almost all of them. There also are certain types of mattresses like the Tempurpedic mattress that is widely rejected by the spinal fusion patients. Those mattresses are said to be uncomfortable and making the pain worse.
Saatva Mattress is recommended by Chiropractors and doctors for back problems and post-surgery. The Saatva Classic Mattress comes with Patented Spinal Zone Technology for Optimal Spine support and back & Joint pain support. Visit the Saatva Classic Mattress page on
Living Better By Sleeping Better
Since a new mattress has the potential to improve sleep performance, seniors can reap significant health benefits from the investment. Scientific research has linked poor sleep to everything from bad moods to memory impairment. Consistently sleeping well on a comfortable mattress could result in:
- Improved memory
- Greater creativity
- Less inflammation
With the prospect of so many benefits, the cost of a mattress that will increase your quality of sleep seems well worth the money. In fact, a mattress that costs $1,000 and lasts seven years will cost about 40 cents per night a small price to pay for good health and well-being.
And while new mattresses will not overcome all sleep challenges seniors face, they can help alleviate some common issues that keep older people from getting the sleep they need.
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Types Of Mattresses For Back Pain
There are several different types of mattresses, and I recommend some over others for combatting back pain. Take a look below to learn more about the main mattress types.
- Foam Mattresses: All-foam mattresses rely on high density poly foams to support the sleeper. If you struggle with back problems, I often recommend avoiding all-foam mattresses in favor of slightly more supportive innerspring or hybrid mattresses.
- Innerspring Mattresses: Innerspring mattresses combine steel coil support with thin comfort foam top layers. Theyre often firm and bouncy, which can work well for back pain .
- Hybrid Mattresses: Hybrid mattresses use coil and foam layers to create a supportive, yet comfortable sleeping environment. These beds can vary widely in feel and materials, but are often the type of bed I recommend for sleepers looking for back pain relief.
- Latex Mattresses: Latex mattresses are taut, bouncy, and naturally cooling. These beds are very durable and supportive, but are not my first choice for sleepers with bad backs. These folks often need a material that offers more body-contouring. Latex mattresses dont usually offer the right sort of cradling to ease tension, especially at the lower back.
Is A Latex Mattress Good For Back Pain
A latex mattress is often considered great for back pain because of its effective springy action that can provide relief throughout the night and into the morning. They rate well among people with back problems, and as you can see from the comparison table above, we also included a latex mattress.
At least 33% of owners claim that their all-latex option provides some type of relief in various parts of the body including the neck, shoulders, and hips.
The premium, spongy material gently pushes into the body, which instantly maximizes natural body contouring and ensures full body contact. This, in turn, provides great pressure point relief and spinal alignment.
Overall, this is a highly recommended type of mattress for those with symptoms of back pain in the morning or who generally require an orthopedic mattress.
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