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.
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 extra-firm depending on the type of coils or density of the foam used.
Memory Foam Mattresses
Memory foam mattresses use a special type of foam that contours to your body while providing proper spine support. 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 falling to sleep. However, because less air passes through foam than coils, you may experience a hotter sleep at night.
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 you 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 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.
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 its 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.
The #1 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.
