Best Mattress and Bed for Back Pain
Lower back pain can be caused by sleeping on the wrong mattress. If mattresses have no back support, it can lead to poor sleeping posture and will not help keep the spine aligned – this is a significant cause of lower back pain. Conversely, mattresses that offer poor support will also cause sleep discomfort, so choosing the right mattress for your requirements is very important.
There are many mattresses on the market today for many different requirements. This article will concentrate on people with lower back complaints and what decisions they should make when choosing new mattresses.
Firstly, no specific type of mattress exists for someone with a bad back. Any mattress that helps someone sleep without pain and discomfort is best for that individual. Understanding the components of mattresses will help determine what to choose.
The spring system will help provide back support, different mattresses have different coil arrangements, and the number of coils can also have a detrimental effect.
The padding on top of beds can come in various thicknesses, and mattress depths can range from 6 to 28 inches.
The customer determines the number of coils, padding, and thickness for overall support and sleep comfort.
Good mattresses for back pain should provide support while allowing for the spine’s natural curve. A recent survey discovered that medium-firm mattresses offer more back pain relief than firm ones.
A balance between sleep comfort and back support is the key.
The overall comfort of mattresses is equally as important as sufficient back support.
Sleeping on a mattress that is too firm can cause aches and pains on pressure points. On the other hand, a medium-firm mattress may offer better comfort as it allows the hips and shoulders to sink in slightly.
As mattresses age, they tend to sag in the middle, causing them to lose support.
Placing boards under the mattress can work as a short-term solution, but replacing the mattress will inevitably be required.
Remember to shop for quality and not for the price. For example, investing in high-quality mattresses is a good investment if you are trying to reduce lower back pain.
Higher-quality mattresses come with better spring systems, better quality fillings, and more fillers, making the comfort/support mix easier to obtain.
Take good care of new mattresses. It would help to reposition your mattresses every six months to ensure they are evenly worn.
This includes rotating the mattress 180 degrees and flipping it lengthwise regularly.
Advice on Beds for the Over 50s – Best Mattress and Bed for Back Pain
If you are over 50 and looking for advice when buying single or double beds, our guide below will help you make the right decision when looking to buy beds online.
Look for combination beds with firm core support to hold your spine in the correct alignment and plenty of top layers, creating a soft sleeping surface. Don’t head for the nearest orthopaedic single or double beds – these beds may be too hard for you. Older people may have more back problems but also more sensitive joints.
Consider choosing single and double beds, which are higher in-depth- they are easier to get in and out.
Firm or soft beds?
Firmer beds are better for the same reasons and for anyone who spends any time sitting in bed. Similarly, a strong base – solid top, firm edge, or one of the better spring edge base beds will feel safer to anyone regularly sitting or leaning on the edge of a bed.
A soft sleeping surface makes for warmer beds – it gives better insulation. Even firm single or double beds can have softly quilted pillow tops. In addition, single and double beds with adjustable neck, foot, head, and leg rests are now readily available – suitable for anyone who has to spend a lot of time in bed or has high blood pressure or rheumatism.
Choose a bigger single or double bed -The Best Mattress and Bed for Back Pain
More extensive single or double beds will help prevent one partner from disturbing the other – particularly relevant for older people who sleep more lightly. With a double bed, choose at least a 150cm (5ft) bed; single beds should be at least 90cm (3ft), but the larger 105cm (3ft 6ins) would be even better.
Linked double beds – Best Mattress and Bed for Back Pain
Zipped and linked double beds – two separate mattresses and bases – enable you to meet individual requirements for support and comfort and separate double beds into two singles should one partner become ill. It also makes for easier handling.
If you struggle with back pain, as 8 out of 10 people do at some point in their lifetime, you will undoubtedly be desperate to try anything you can to help alleviate it, and where better to start than with your mattress?
Often, your mattress is not helping with back pain, but it could even be the cause, so if you wake up and reach for the painkillers, it’s time to do something about it. Your mattress should help, not hinder.
It used to be the standard theory that if you struggle with backache, you should opt for the best mattress, but this is no longer necessarily the case. There is no definitive rule, as not much solid research has been carried out, and there isn’t a one type fits all solution.
However, there are a few key points to consider when choosing a mattress to help you with your back struggles.
One of the main things to look at is a mattress that will help to keep your spine aligned. Our muscles and ligaments need to relax and recover when we’re asleep. If a mattress is too soft, your body will sink into it, providing no support.
If in doubt, a medium-firm mattress would always be a good choice. If you prefer to bounce in your bed pocket, sprung is a good option, as the pocketed coils provide targeted pressure relief.
Another popular option would be a memory foam mattress. These will mould to the contours of your body and provide a good amount of comfort while providing pressure relief in problem areas such as the back.
Other areas to consider are what type of sleeper you are and other factors such as weight.
For example, heavier people and front/stomach sleepers may find spring mattresses give more support, whereas people who sleep on their side tend to find a memory foam that will conform to the body’s shape while still providing good support to the spine.
The main thing to remember when choosing your mattress is that it is a very individual choice. Hence, it is helpful to understand and inquire about the physical components of a mattress to make a well-informed decision and enjoy a restful, pain-free sleep.