3 Key Mattress Buying Tips For Relieving Back Pain
A good quality mattress is one of the most important investments you can pay into when it comes to your health, and let's be honest, buying a mattress is not that easy. Pushy salespeople, the variety, the financial investment - all these things add up to an overwhelmingly confusing shopping experience.
However, the fact still remains: you need a good mattress to avoid back problems in the future. So, in order to help make the purchasing process much easier, we will provide 5 tips to reduce back pain and get better nights’ sleep when shopping for your mattress.
How Does Back Pain Affect Your Sleep?
Back pain can really take a toll on your quality of sleep. When you aren't getting enough shuteye, it becomes harder to focus and complete tasks efficiently at work or school; not to mention that the lack of rest is going to have an adverse effect on your mood throughout the day!
If you are experiencing back pain, it is most likely you are experiencing these symptoms:
It's harder to fall asleep
You may be less inclined to drift off to sleep when you're suffering from an achy back. You can literally feel the pain of your discomfort in bed, which doesn't leave any room for distraction as it's all that is on your mind and body.
Its harder to stay asleep
A supportive bed can help you sleep more soundly, but it should also be a relaxing place to enjoy for those times when back pain keeps us up at night. One study found that about 30% of patients with lower back pain experienced difficulty staying asleep and maintaining deep restorative slumber regardless if their symptoms were acute or persistent.
It's no wonder we're exhausted during the day! While prescription medication is often necessary in cases where chronic low back pain becomes debilitating, there are plenty of home remedies to try out before resorting to drugs. Luckily, one small change could make all the difference: upgrading your mattress from uncomfortable lumpy foam layers into something luxurious like a latex memory foam mattress which has been shown to reduce stress on joints.
Difficulty getting comfortable
When you're struggling with back pain, it can feel like finding a comfortable sleep position that doesn't aggravate your condition takes all night. You may have to try multiple positions which leads to lots of frustrating tossing and turning but sometimes the solution is as simple as pairing your mattress with an adjustable bed frame. This way when you give up on trying different sleeping postures because they hurt more than help, adjusting the height of the bed allows for a better fit without too much hassle or discomfort
The Different Types of Mattresses
Here is a quick overview of the most common types of mattresses you will encounter when shopping around:
Innerspring mattresses
These types of mattresses are the most common and popular. They are made up of steel coils which help to support your body weight. Traditional spring mattresses have a continuous coil throughout the entire mattress, where more modern designs have individually wrapped pocket coils that provide better support.
Innerspring mattresses range from soft to, medium firm, to extra-firm depending on the type of coils or density of the foam used.
Memory Foam Mattresses
Different memory foam mattresses use a special type of foam that contours to your body while helping to keep your spine aligned. There are many different types of foam used, including memory foam, latex, and polyurethane. Foam is extremely flexible and has the ability to mold into different shapes, and can, therefore, better adapt to a person's unique needs.
Memory foam is effective for contouring and molding to the shape of your body and can help people with chronic pain who struggle to fall to sleep. However, because less air passes through foam than coils, you may experience a hotter sleep at night. They still, however, provide sufficient pressure relief and keep your spine in a relaxed position.
Latex is also often used to provide firm support, making it a great feature for individuals who suffer from back pain and don’t typically sleep on their side.
Hybrid Mattresses
Hybrid mattresses are a combination of both coils and memory foam, or standard foam. The main benefit of a hybrid mattress is a reduction of bouncing for those who still want all the benefits that come with an inner-spring mattress.
3 Mattress Buying Tips For Relieving Back Pain
Here are 5 mattress buying tips for reducing back pain and improving your sleep:
Tip #1. Be realistic!
The best advice we love to give at NationalMattress is that the best type of mattress is the one you find most comfortable. You may have probably heard that going for a firm mattress is best for treating back pain, however, if you pick a mattress that is overly firm, you may find yourself with pain in pressure point areas such as your hips and shoulders
So, be sure to choose a mattress that conforms to your spine's natural curves, keeps your spine aligned, while still being comfortable. You should spend no less than 5 - 10 minutes on a single mattress in the store to get a better sense of whether or not you can stay comfortable on a particular firm mattress.
Tip #2. Come back a second time!
You may have already experienced yourself being overwhelmed with options when making your first trip to a mattress retailer. Trying dozens of mattresses will not only make your head spin but can make it difficult to narrow down your options.
Our awesome reps at National Mattress will not try to sell you a mattress on the first visit, but will rather tell you to come back a few times until you narrow it down to 2- 3 options. Trying too many mattresses at the same time can also throw off your senses, making it that much harder to compare.
Tip #3. Don’t skip the box spring:
A foundation or box spring is responsible for absorbing the stress and weight of both you and your mattress, making it an important factor. Not using a proper supportive foundation, or keeping old foundations can reduce the level of support and durability in which your mattress is designed to provide.
So, if your mattress is caving in, squeaking, or is ancient, then it should be in your best interest to invest a bit more in order to provide your back with the utmost support possible. So, make sure you pick the right box spring so that you can protect your back, as well as your investment.
Is Your Mattress Past Its Prime?
Since Mattresses differ so much in quality, price, and type, there’s no one set rule as to when you should buy a new mattress. A common recommendation we often hear is that you should replace your mattress every 7 years. As much as this is true as an average number, it is important to have awareness around your specific situation when it comes to your mattress.
Here are a few other key things to look for.
Warranty: If your mattress warranty has expired, then you may want to consider purchasing a new mattress. Manufacturers provide warranty for mattresses with their capabilities and limitations in mind.
The look: Does your mattress look work, or has it lost its shape in certain areas such as the midsection or sides? This can be a clear indicator that your springs or the foam have lost their give.
How You Feel: Obviously, if you don't feel good sleeping on your mattress, or something has changed in the past few months, then this can be yet another clear indicator that you need a new mattress.
You can also check out this article on determining whether or not you need a new mattress.
The End-All Question You Should Ask Yourself
With so many types of mattresses available the purchase experience can in fact be overwhelming.
The best question you can ask yourself before making a decision is: Am I as comfortable as I can be when laying on my side, back, or stomach for more than 5-10 minutes?
If the answer is yes, this does not mean that this is the mattress for you - yet! But rather, make that mattress an option when trying to narrow down your choices. You can ask the help of a salesperson or rep to then further assist you with your buying decision or provide more information on the list of choices in order to find the best mattress for back pain.
