How To Choose A Good Mattress For Lower Back And Neck Pain?
Sleeping is our one of the most important body functions. It helps our body recover from the stress and fatigue of our daily lives and prepare us for the new day ahead. But very often we wake up tired, our muscles stiff and pain in our back which affects our performance, mood and health drastically. The reason for that is maybe we do not give enough thought to what we are sleeping on.
And it is very ironical considering that we spend a third of our lives sleeping. I am sure that most of us never bother about researching the right kind of mattress for ourselves and rather just get one from the first couple mattresses that we come across. Well, today let us change this mindset and talk about what can be considered as a good mattress for back pain.
What Makes A Good Mattress?
Well, when it comes to a good mattress for back ache, orthopedic latex mattress is the first thing that comes to our mind. But there is no ideal mattress that can be used by anyone and there can never be. What is good for you is most likely not good for someone else. Orthopedic mattresses have been known to be quite beneficial for back and neck pain.
It has always been recommended to use hard mattresses but it has been known to add to the pain for some people. Many studies have concluded that an orthopedic with medium firmness is the key to relieving the back pain. There are many orthopedic mattresses out there in the market but very few have all the necessary orthopedic properties.
Their mattresses are recommended by doctors as they are specifically designed to offer the best back and spine support. They aim to provide the best quality mattresses to their customers with the right amount of firmness and support to help relieve their neck and back related problems.
The demands for such mattresses are on the rise in these days and as our work and lifestyle is more stressful than ever, it becomes much more important to have a mattress that can provide enough relief, support and sound sleep.
Choosing a mattress is not an easy task. One has to consider many things before finalizing one because a good mattress will provide you support and comfort, a wrong one would worsen your back pain problems even more. Here are some guidelines that you can follow while selecting a good mattress for back pain.
1. Always rely on your personal preference:
As mentioned above there can be no single mattress style or type that will work for all people with low back pain. Any mattress that helps someone sleep without pain and discomfort is the best mattress for that person.
Individuals with low back pain should choose the mattress that meets their requirements for comfort and support and helps them to get a good night’s sleep. You should take your mattress for a test run and not just try it out for a few minutes on the showroom floor.
Check the return policy and try your bed for a month or however long you can and if you find out that it is not helping your sleep or back pain, just return it and look for different options.
2. Take your body temperature and climate into consideration:
Many studies have found that people do not sleep well when their body temperature is high, that’s why keeping cool is important for getting enough rest and a sound sleep. If you live in a region with warm climate or just find your bedroom temperature to get high at night, then it is important to find a mattress made up of breathable material.
3. Get to know and understand about the physical components of the mattress:
The support that a mattress provides is because of the coils or inner springs and different mattresses vary in their number and arrangement of coils or inner springs.
The padding on top of the mattress comes in many different thicknesses and the depth of a mattress typically ranges anywhere from 7 to 18 inches deep. Choosing the number of coils, type of padding and mattress depth should be decided by the person according to their individual preferences.
4. Look for a mattress with back support:
A good mattress online should provide good support for the natural curves and alignment of the spine. The right amount of back support also helps the individual avoid muscle soreness and stiffness in the morning.
There is not much clinical data about mattresses but researchers of one study found that medium firm mattresses usually provide more back pain relief than firm mattresses. If your mattress is too firm, it will create too much pressure on certain body parts and if it is too soft then it will allow your body to sink into bad postures.
You should also think about how you sleep. Your preferred position while sleeping directly correlates to how your weight is distributed across your body, joints, and bed. Choosing a mattress with the appropriate firmness for your sleeping style can help to provide relief from pain and soreness.
To ensure that the mattress is evenly worn out, one should keep repositioning the mattress in every few months. You can do this by rotating the mattress 180 degrees and flipping it length wise.
Doing this on a regular basis will help preserve the quality of the mattress and will extend its life considerably. After sometime when the mattress is visibly sagging, worn out in the middle and getting more and more uncomfortable, it is time for you to dump this one out and get a new mattress.
As we have mentioned this multiple times before that not every mattress which is perfect for someone would be good for you. Always conduct a thorough research about your requirements according to your body needs and consult your physician before making any decisions. Keep all the above mentioned points in mind while going mattress shopping and you will be good to go.