If you’re suffering from chronic back pain, it could be time to consider switching mattresses. Sleeping on the right mattress can help alleviate your symptoms and allow you to get a healthy and restorative night’s sleep, so it’s crucial to pick a mattress that will give you exactly what you need. Choosing a mattress that supports your spine and creates a good sleeping posture can help you avoid the misery of bad backs, re-establish a regular sleep pattern and help you feel fighting fit every day.
Can a mattress cause back pain?
If you suffer from a bad back, the wrong mattress can really aggravate the problem. If it’s either too firm or too soft, your mattress can cause the spine to become incorrectly aligned, leading to you waking up feeling sore. If the mattress you’re sleeping on is too soft to support the weight of your body, it will start to sag in the middle, distorting your lumbar spine and preventing it from naturally aligning (or realigning) during the night. Insufficient support from underneath you means that extra pressure is put on your muscles to do the work and support your body. This is why so many a sleeper wakes up with those annoyingly regular aches and pains in the same places. Even slight sags of just a few centimetres mean your mattress isn’t giving you optimal support, and larger indentations mean that your spine isn’t being correctly positioned. That lack of support often leads to you tossing and turning all night, meaning you don’t get the sleep you need. As many bad back issues need proper rest in order to heal, this delays your recovery and traps you in a repetitive cycle of pain and sleeplessness.
How can a mattress help with back pain?
For many people, a good mattress can help to relieve back pain. They distribute your weight evenly, avoid pressure points and allow your muscles to completely relax, which in turn will help to relieve back pain and help you get a great night’s sleep. Mattress size is also important, as sleeping on a bed that’s too small for you can exacerbate any back problems you’re already experiencing. The best mattresses for bad backs are those which are cushioned and soft enough to relieve pressure on your shoulders and hips, whilst also having enough firmness to allow good sleeping posture and spinal support.
Is a memory foam mattress good for a bad back?
Originally developed as a multi-purpose material for astronauts, memory foam is designed to mould to the contours of your body and then return to its original shape after use. There are no pocket springs used; the visco-elastic support foam does all the work. This gives memory foam mattresses an extra soft structure and means they can cradle the body very well indeed, reducing pressure on the knees, hips and shoulders while keeping your spine aligned. Many people, no matter if they’re back sleepers or side sleepers, find that memory foam offers back pain relief. There is also the option of a hybrid mattress, which uses a combination of pocket springs and a top layer of memory foam to create extra comfort and support. Mattress Cyprus memory foam mattresses are available in a wide range of thicknesses, sizes and firmness levels, making it easy to find the perfect product to suit your needs.
Is an orthopaedic mattress right for me?
An orthopaedic mattress can offer great pressure relief and support to help reduce pain events for people with bad backs. If you’re one of those sleepers who actually prefers the feel of a firm mattress, then an orthopaedic mattress might be a good choice.
But it is worth noting that level of firmness in an orthopaedic mattress isn’t for everyone, so choosing the right firmness and support for you is vital. Many of the orthopaedic mattresses available are rated as firm or extra firm, which may not suit your body weight, sleeping position or particular ailment. So you may find some feel too hard for you, which could cause more aches and pains in the long term.
