Can Replacing Your Mattress Improve Lower Back Pain
Yes. If your mattress isnt offering enough support because its too soft or too old, swapping your mattress for a medium-firm option can help improve lower back pain.
You can also try moving the mattress to the floor, using plywood beneath the mattress, or adding a supportive mattress topper designed to alleviate back pain.
Best Mattress For Lower Back Pain And Sciatica
Puffy Mattress
- Type: foam
- Height: 10 inches
Like back pain, sciatic pain may benefit from a medium-firm mattress that supports the spine and joints. The Puffy Mattress offers firm core support with thick layers of cushioning foam that cradle the body and keep your spine aligned, even as you move throughout the night.
The mattress is backed with a lifetime warranty, and you can test it out at home with a 101-night trial.
Buy the Puffy Mattress online.
Lower back pain takes a toll on people whether theyre awake or trying to sleep. A 2011 review of 17 studies shows that even mild lower back pain is associated with sleep disturbance. People dealing with lower back pain often have problems falling asleep and experience shorter sleep durations and poor sleep quality in general.
Thats likely because of a couple factors:
- Difficulty getting comfortable. Accommodating lower back pain may mean trying out new sleeping positions, which can delay sleep.
- Greater awareness of the pain. With fewer distractions at night, lower back pain may be more noticeable than usual, making it harder to fall asleep or stay asleep.
Some medications that may be prescribed for back pain, such as opioids, can also interfere with sleep. And if lower back pain is severe enough to limit regular exercise, that can also play a role in poor sleep quality.
If youre dealing with lower back pain, the right mattress can make a big difference.
What Causes Back Pain
You may experience back pain for a number of reasons, quite often there is no specific reason for the pain to occur and this type of back pain is often the result various lifestyle factors, such as:
- Poor posture when sitting at a desk or standing
- Not having the correct back support when sitting
- A pulled muscle or strain
- Sleeping on a mattress that does not provide sufficient spinal support
You May Like: What Month Are The Best Mattress Sales
Is It Better To Have A Firm Mattress For Back Pain
Very firm mattresses were often recommended for back pain in the past, but based on feedback from sleepers, a mattress that’s too firm can disrupt sleep and contribute to back pain. On the other hand, mattresses that are too soft also contribute to poor sleep quality and back pain, by throwing your spine out of alignment and putting too much pressure on your joints.
In general, the best mattress for back pain is one that’s rated medium to medium-firm, but it also depends on how you sleep. For example, side sleepers need a mattress that’s softer than back sleepers who generally need a firmer mattress, so the right mattress depends on your existing sleep habits.
Our Health & Wellness newsletter puts the best products, updates and advice in your inbox.
What To Look For When Shopping For The Best Mattress For Back And Neck Pain
Keep the considerations outlined below in mind as you shop for the best mattresses for lower back pain, upper back pain, or neck pain. Using these to guide your search can help ensure that youll be happy with the mattress you select and that it will actually deliver the pain relief youre seeking.
Mattress Type
There are many different types of mattresses on the market. These options include memory foam, latex, hybrid, innerspring, and air mattresses. Hybrid mattresses are often seen as an optimal pick for individuals with back pain. They deliver the contouring properties of memory foam and latex mattresses to provide pressure point relief, along with the support of an innerspring mattress to help keep the spine in alignment.
Individuals with back pain who sleep on their side may find that a memory foam mattress is a good pick for them. These mattresses can provide excellent contouring and pressure relief to keep the shoulders and hips comfortable and the spine in alignment for side sleepers.
Sleeping Position and Firmness Level
As we shared above, your sleep position plays an important role when determining your ideal firmness level. Generally speaking, side sleepers will be most comfortable on a medium to medium firm mattress back sleepers will find optimal support from a medium-firm to firm mattress and stomach sleepers will be most comfortable on a firmer mattress.
Budget
Sleep Trials and Warranties
Read Also: How To Get A Good Cheap Mattress
Tips For Sleeping On Your Back
- It is important to have your head elevated properly when sleeping on the back. This will help to avert any acid reflux distress. With the head raised, gravity allows for the stomach to sit below the esophagus, keeping any acid from food coming up to the throat to cause discomfort.
- Make sure all the pressure points in the body are equally supported. You will want a firm mattress that allows the cradling of all points of the body resting on the surface. Consider adding a mattress topper to a very firm mattress, or to top an older bed.
- Although researchers have found that sleeping on the back is the best for back pain, adding a rolled pillow behind the knees, to assure that your spine lies flat against the mattress, will help to prevent lower back pain.
- Research shows that sleeping on your back may lead to snoring, difficulty breathing, and an overall bad nights sleep. Is your snoring keeping someone awake at night? Try flipping overyoull both wake up more refreshed.
How To Pick A Mattress If You Have Back Pain
In the past, if you had back pain, many doctors and well-meaning friends probably directed you toward a firm mattress. As it turns out, that advice was wrong. What you really need, according to the most recent research, is a mattress that feels medium-firm to you.
The key word here is you. Firmness levels are highly subjective. Owner reviews reveal that the same mattress can feel too soft for some people and too hard for others. Apart from personal preference, such discrepancies exist because a persons weight and shape can influence the feel of a mattress. On a soft mattress, for example, my 128-pound body might feel like its floating. But for my 230-pound brother, that same mattress could feel overly firm, given that he would drop immediately to its bottom support layer.
Heres the rule: When back-pain sufferers lie on a mattress they determine to be medium-firm, that mattress is the best backache-relieving mattress for themregardless of how the company labels it or whether the mattress has support zones, reinforced layers, or any other bells and whistles that cater to a spine-focused buyer.
When back-pain sufferers lie on a mattress they determine to be medium-firm, that mattress is the best backache-relieving mattress for them.
More mattress coverage
-
We like these six medium-firm mattresses best for stomach-sleepers because theyll support and cushion your midsection while still aligning your spine.
Recommended Reading: What To Put Under Mattress On Bunk Bed
Q: What Kind Of Mattress Causes Lower Back Pain
A: Mattresses that are too old and sagging cause lower back pain. Today’s modern mattresses can last seven to 10 years on average. So if you’re sleeping on a 20-year-old mattress that has lost its structure, it’s no surprise you’re experiencing lower back pain. When you’re selecting your new mattress, be sure to choose a medium-firm to firm level that will support your back without placing too much stress on your shoulders and hips.
Ease Aches With These Trusted Buys
Our editors independently research, test, and recommend the bestproducts, and articles are reviewed by healthcare professionals for medical accuracy. Youcan learn more about ourreview process here.We may receive commissions on purchases made from our chosen links.
Verywell / Sabrina Jiang
Anyone who lives with back pain understands what a major difference a restful nights sleep can makeand, on the flip side, how disruptive it is when you wake up already experiencing discomfort. Though there are many causes of back pain, regardless of how it started, you want to make sure that the mattress you sleep on every night is meeting your needs. But finding one that works for you is often easier said than done.
There is no best kind of mattress for your back problems, so you may need to be open to some trial-and-error, says Dr.Gregory Funk, a chiropractor and the owner of Ideal Health Chiropractic in Denver. At the end of the day, you should look for a mattress that not only aligns with your personal preferences, but can also provide adequate support for the natural curves and alignment of the spine.”
Here are the best mattresses for back pain on the market.
You May Like: When Should You Change Your Mattress
Is A Firm Mattress Better For Back Pain
Many people will tell you that you need a firm mattress to stop back pain, but thats not necessarily true. A mattress thats too firm can also cause spine misalignment by pushing up the shoulders and hips. Instead, look for a medium-firm mattress that offers some cushioning for these key pressure points.
What Causes Lower Back Pain In A Mattress
Sleeping on the wrong mattress can cause or worsen back pain. Lack of mattress support exacerbates poor posture during sleep, increases muscle tone and fails to align the spine, contributing to lower back pain.
Twin mattress pricesWhat is the average price of a twin mattress? Twin – $250, Queen – $290, King – $350. Mattress Protectors: Depending on the size of your mattress, from $85 to $105, Casper mattress protectors will keep your mattress looking like new and protect it from stains, splashes or simple wear and tear.Are twin and full matresses the same size?Double mattress measures 75″ long and 38″ wide. Entire mattress is 75″ long and 54″ wiâ¦
You May Like: Where Can I Find Purple Mattress
What Type Of Mattress Will Help My Back Pain Hurt
The Nectar mattress can help relieve back pain thanks to its reliable comfort system, which consists of three different layers of memory foam. While this material shrinks to conform to the body, Nectar engineered the foam to avoid the problems that can arise from memory foam being too soft or sleeping too warm.
How Your Mattress Can Impact Your Sleep
Generally speaking, if a bed is too firm it may lack the conformance needed to adequately support your spine. On the other hand, if it is too soft, you may also end up in a position that causes pain.
Side sleepers often need a softer surface to relieve pressure from the pressure points. In regard to front and back sleepers, they often enjoy a firmer surface because their body weight is more dispersed. We understand that everyone is unique and your needs may differ, which is why we recommend trying our online Mattress Selector.
Recommended Reading: What Mattress Is Comparable To Purple
Purple Hybrid Premier 4
Sleeping on your stomach on the wrong mattress can flatten the curve of your spine, put excess pressure on your muscles and joints and force you to turn your neck to the side — three things that can actually contribute to chronic back pain. While it would be ideal to change to a side or back sleep position, the Purple Hybrid Premier 4 is the next best thing for a stomach sleeper.
There are a lot of mattresses out there that claim to form to your body, but the Purple Hybrid Premier 4 totally delivers. The exclusive Purple Grid, which is a hyper-elastic polymer grid with open air channels that’s designed to quickly adapt and adjust to any sleep position. As soon as I plopped down on this Purple mattress, I felt the grid bend and move, contouring my body shape perfectly. No matter which sleeping position I was in, I felt like the mattress was made specially for me.
This Purple mattress also isolates motion really well, so if you sleep with someone else, you’ll barely feel it when they move around. Just one thing I want to note: I’ve tried some of the other Purple mattress models before this one and I really recommend splurging on the Hybrid Premier 4. The extra thickness really makes a difference for pressure relief and comfort.
The Purple Hybrid Premier 4 comes in sizes twin XL to split king and prices range from $2,299 to $4,998.
What Kind Of Mattress Is A Firm Mattress
A firm mattress is considered a firm mattress that has few or no indentations when sitting or lying down. Good quality mattresses are usually made of memory foam and can vary in firmness. High firmness mattresses leave no marks and medium firmness mattresses leave only slight dents under the body weight.
Best soft mattressWhat is the best mattress on the market?Tempur Seeley InternationalSerta Simmons beddingSinomaxSleemonRecticelCorsicanaMLILYsleep numberdifferent coverageAshleyWhich mattress is better?For leaner bodies, softer mattresses are the best option. A mattress that is too hard can cause shoulder pain or a stinging sensation. A softer mattress will also prevent the body from sinking farâ¦
Read Also: How To Make A Round Mattress
What To Consider When Purchasing A Mattress Topper For Back Pain
There is a wide variety of different mattress toppers on the market that claim to do a number of different things. Rather than getting caught up in jargon and marketing claims, we encourage shoppers to look at the specific factors that contribute to whether or not a mattress topper will feel comfortable for them. Below, well share some of the most important things to take into consideration as you select a mattress topper.
What Is The Best Mattress For Sore Shoulders
Top 5 Mattresses for Hip and Shoulder Pain Nectar mattress 2020 is the best overall. This mattress is designed to keep your spine properly aligned in any sleeping position. Dreamcloud mattress The best option in luxury class. Dreamcloud’s 6-layer hybrid cloud is ideal for those who prefer thick mattresses and a luxurious feel. The Bear mattress is ideal for athletes or athletes.
Also Check: How Long Do Coil Mattresses Last
How To Choose The Best Mattress For Back Pain
Youre much more likely to have problems sleeping if you have back pain during the day, Dr. Huff says, so its imperative that you find the right mattressotherwise, you could be stuck in a painful 24-hour cycle. Heres what you need to know before you go shopping:
Look for the right density. Just 20 years ago, orthopedic surgeons would have recommended going with a firm mattress, but that recommendation has since changed, Dr. Huff explains. The ideal density is medium-firm, per a landmark 2003 study and another from 2015, which promotes sleep comfort, quality, and spinal alignment. Foam mattresses may also have a slight edge over spring options, but density has a bigger impact on sleep quality and back pain than material does, Dr. Huff says. The right firmness is attainable with foam, coil, and hybrid mattresses.
Think of your sleep position. Consider your sleep position, then buy a model that matches it. If youre a side-sleeper, you likely want a softer mattress, because that relieves some of the pressure on your hips and shoulders, Dr. Huff explains. It also helps you align your spine. Back-sleepers, meanwhile, can go with firmer mattresses, since their weight is more evenly distributed. And stomach-sleepers should seek out pillow-top mattresses that allow easy airflow and less pressure on the neck.
Ready to settle in for your best nights sleep? Shop these top-rated mattresses to help aleviate back pain, below.
120-night trial | 10-year warranty
Best Hybrid Mattress For Lower Back Pain
Amerisleep AS2 Hybrid Mattress
- Type: hybrid
- Height: 12 inches
Amerisleeps AS2 Hybrid mattress combines the pressure-relieving benefits of memory foam with the support of pocketed coils. The result is a medium-firm mattress that contours to your body and relieves pain-causing pressure points.
The company says its proprietary memory foam is more responsive than traditional foam, so you dont get that stuck sensation if you tend to roll around while you sleep.
The mattress comes with a 100-night trial period and free shipping and returns. It also has a 20-year warranty.
Buy the Amerisleep AS2 Hybrid Mattress online.
You May Like: Can Sleep Number Adjustable Bases Be Used With Other Mattresses
Support And Pressure Relief
Support If you are reading this article its likely you suffer from back pain, and this is why support is the most important criteria when searching for a mattress. Support = pushing up into you.
It means giving those areas of your body the assistance they need to relax and de-stress throughout the night.
The area of your body that needs this the most is the lumbar spine . If you are a back sleeper then a mattress that is comfy, plush or soft will cause you to sink in, and will not give your body the support it needs, leaving your muscles tired from working all night to support your mid and low back.
So, If you are a back sleeper or suffer from middle orlow back pain then a supportive mattress is what your body needs.
Pressure Relief Pressure relief is another important criteria when searching for a mattress that helps relieve your pain. Pressure relief = you pushing into the mattress. This is not to be confused with sinking in.
A quality mattress that relieves pressure points should gently but firmly support your body in a comfortable position. What parts of the body need pressure relief? Parts that stick out, particularly the shoulders and hips.
Without pressure relief, these areas are being compressed and are forced to constant stress throughout the night. So, if you are a side sleeper or suffer from hip and shoulder pain then a mattress that gives you pressure relief is whats best for your body.
