If your back hurts you and you find it difficult to sleep, it’s probably time to change your mattress.
Sleeping on the right mattress–one that offers the right level of support and comfort–will help you sleep better and keep your spine in proper alignment, therefore easing the pain on your back.
When it comes to picking the best mattress for easing back pain, medical experts agree that the deciding factor is personal preference. Though back pain is a condition experienced by many people, sleeping styles and even comfort levels differ from one person to another. What’s important is that the mattress you choose is one that helps you sleep easily and painlessly.
Top consideration: Back support
One of the causes of back pain is inadequate support from a mattress, which reinforces poor sleeping postures that contribute to strained and sore muscles and an improperly aligned spine. So what kind of back support should you look for?
In general, mattresses that are categorized as medium-firm come highly recommended when it comes to back support. Why not something that’s more firm, or something that’s more on the softer side? Well, a too-firm mattress will push on the head, shoulders, buttocks and heels (the body’s major pressure points), and take the spine out of alignment. Likewise, if the mattress is too soft, it won’t be able to provide enough support for those pressure points and keep your spine in a neutral position.
In contrast, a medium-firm mattress keeps the spine aligned while having the right amount of softness to cradle the body’s natural curves and relieve pressure points for a more comfortable, pain-free sleeping experience.
Mattress shopping tips
For back pain sufferers, nothing beats being able to test different kinds of mattresses until finding the one that makes you feel like there’s nothing but air beneath you. Here’s what you can do so you can finally find the mattress that will be your back’s best friend:
1. Do some online research to familiarize yourself with the different kinds of mattresses that are said to be good for back pain. Most of these have nearly the same construction and material such as memory foam and latex. Check the prices to see which models fit in your budget and list those down.
2. Check your local directory for mattress stores or showrooms in your city or area. Set a day for visiting those places to try their mattresses out. Don’t forget to dress comfortably!
3. Head over to a mattress showroom and ask the salesperson if they have any of the mattresses on your list. If not, ask to see if the ones that they have have the same or nearly the same specifications as those you’ve listed down.
4. Lie down on each mattress for at least 15 minutes in your usual sleeping position. Close your eyes to really get a good sense of how the mattress feels. Make careful, detailed notes about each mattress, particularly about how it was able to relieve the pain on your back when you lie down.
5. Narrow down your list to the top two or three, then do another lie-down to determine which one feels the most comfortable and supportive for you.
6. Check the price of the mattress. If you can haggle to bring the price down or to get some free items such as pillows, do so. If not, see if you can buy the mattress for a lower price online.
Featured image via Pixabay
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