Mattress Warehouse

For people that suffer from back pain, lying down to sleep at night can be dreadful. Whether you go to bed with back pain, or wake up with it, it can impact your entire day. The reality is, causes of back pain vary widely and so do the parts of your lifestyle that impact it. But your mattress can play a key role in reducing back pain and helping you sleep comfortably. When looking for the best mattress for back pain, it’s all about alignment.

What causes back pain?

It’s important to start here, even though there isn’t a concrete answer. The Mayo Clinic categorizes symptoms of back pain to be muscle ache, shooting or stabbing pain, pain that radiates down your leg, and limited flexibility or range of motion of your back. Many Americans experience it in varying severity and length of time.

People experience back pain for so many different reasons, and your situation is highly personalized to you. If you believe back pain is a chronic problem (lasting more than three months), it’s important to speak with your doctor. They’ll be able to discuss potential causes, risk factors and run the proper tests to determine a course of action.

Sleep Positions And Back Pain

We all have our signature sleep position we turn to when we want to get comfortable and doze off. But each sleep position has a different impact on your body. Consider your preferred sleep position when looking for the best mattress for back pain.

Like we said, it’s all about alignment. Those with back pain probably hear the word ‘alignment’ all the time. When you sleep, it’s ideal for your body to be in pure alignment. When you’re sleeping on your side, in a fetal position, or on your stomach, your body isn’t in a straight alignment.

Sleep Positions To Avoid If You Have Back Pain:

Stomach sleeping (unless you put a pillow beneath your torso)
Side sleeping (unless you put a pillow between your legs)

When sleeping in either one of these positions, your body’s shape is naturally creating pressure on other areas. If these spots aren’t supported, this can cause muscle strain, tension and discomfort. One way to alleviate that pressure is to place a pillow underneath those unsupported areas.

Stomach sleepers cause extra strain on their necks and on their spine because they’re usually curved to a certain degree in this position. Side sleepers are putting that pressure in their hips and torso, and those little gaps where your body isn’t touching the mattress.

You may feel comfortable when you first settle in to one of these positions, but your body will feel tense or sore when you wake up.

Can My Mattress Prevent Back Pain After Sleeping?

Your mattress can absolutely play a role in causing back pain and relieving it. Your bed should be a place for relaxing rest, not a source of pain and discomfort. There are a few things to keep in mind about different types of mattresses and how they support your body:

Innerspring mattresses contain springs between layers of foam, giving you all-around support with equally spaced coils. When these begin to wear after years of use, you can notice pressure points where foam wears down. It’s important to note that the number of spring coils in a bed can vary widely and in some chronic back pain cases, this type of bed can be prescribed by a doctor.

Memory foam mattresses are usually regarded as being all-around supportive, as the mattress contours to the shape of your body. In some back pain cases, this is what people are seriously lacking in their mattress. When your body isn’t supported in the areas it needs to be, it can cause pressure night after night, resulting in muscle aches.

Hybrid mattresses are just what they sound like—a combination of innerspring and memory foam. You're getting that supportive feel from the coils, and pressure-relieving benefits of memory foam.

Choose The Best Bed For Back Pain

The historical mattress selection process meant people laid down on a bed for about 45 seconds. Your body is not in it’s relaxed sleeping position, nor can you get an accurate representation of how this will impact your body night after night. Using a diagnostic tool, we are able to align all parts of your body make up and lifestyle to find the best bed for quality sleep.

The best mattress for back pain is not a one-size-fits-all. Let’s get back to the idea of alignment. Not only is your back pain a super personalized experience, but so is your best mattress. By completing the diagnostic bedMATCH ™ process, your best mattress will be identified by your body type, sleeping position and other factors.

When you and your mattress are aligned, your sleep quality will be unmatched. Start getting the best night’s sleep possible and greet the day without back pain. Visit your local Mattress Warehouse today to get fit for a new bed using bedMATCH ™.