Mattresses and Back Pain
Chronic back pain affects millions of people around the world every day. In fact, lower back pain is the leading cause of disability worldwide and is among the most common reasons for missing days at work. According to the American Chiropractic Association, up to 80% of people will experience back pain and it is one of the most difficult ailments to treat. Many people agree that the right mattress can make a significant difference with regard to back pain. It’s believed as well that sleeping on the wrong mattress can worsen it or cause back pain in the first place.
What to consider
There is no one best mattress, but there are certain factors one must consider when trying to find the best mattress for back pain. These include your sleep position, weight, and construction of the mattress including firmness, thickness, and material. Though a good mattress may help with back pain or prevent further aggravation, any medical conditions should be discussed with a healthcare professional.
When listing reasons for chronic back pain, a bad mattress ranks on the list along with injury and occupational strain. This makes choosing the right mattress a critical choice when considering your back health. Sleeping on the right mattress for your needs may help prevent back problems later in life. Here’s why: while you sleep, the act of lying down means that pressure is gradually released from your vertebrae and pressure is not applied to the spine. Your spine and muscle structures are at rest as you sleep, so you need a mattress that will support them both. This is crucial, as proper alignment is essential for preventing soreness and back pain. For example, if a mattress is too soft, you will naturally sink into the surface. The result of this is that the mattress isn’t providing sufficient joint support, throwing your joints out of alignment and causing discomfort. If your mattress is too firm, there will be gaps between your body and the mattress, leaving your spine unsupported. It’s important to understand the factors above when looking for the best mattress for lower back pain for you.
What causes poor mattress support?
Picture a firm, traditional spring mattress, also known as an orthopedic mattress. When someone lies flat on this firm, flat surface, it’s easy to imagine the gap formed between their lower back and the mattress. This unsupported arch prevents a person’s lower back muscles from ever relaxing, resulting in lower back pain. Memory foam and latex mattresses offer that much-needed support. They are therefore considered to be some of the best mattresses for lower back pain sufferers. They allow parts of the body to sink into the surface while supporting the natural curves and contours, allowing the muscles in your back to relax and your spine to properly align.
Mattress materials
When choosing the best mattress for back support, it’s important to get to know the different mattress types, construction, and materials. Materials such as foam and latex have been proven to offer the best pain relief and are known to make up the best mattresses for a bad back. High-quality foam mattresses allow your wider areas such as your hips to sink into the mattress, while gently supporting lighter areas such as your waist and neck. These mattresses essentially conform to your body, offering maximum support and maintaining proper straight, neutral alignment. This relieves pressure commonly associated with back pain, as opposed to a mattress with poor comfort support, which will force the body into unnatural angles, preventing muscles from relaxing.
If buying a new mattress is out of your budget right now, you may want to consider a mattress topper. Many chiropractors believe that if your mattress is too firm, adding a 1.5-2.5 inch thick memory foam padding on the mattress may help. A topper is a wonderful choice, but due to its size, there is a limit of how much it can offer support when compared to a regular size mattress. Not all memory foam is created equal. It is important to buy high-quality memory foam, made from organic materials. Synthetic memory foam may give off a bad, chemical odor, and may also trap heat. Even if you no longer have back pain, you may experience disrupted your sleep due to heat, so aim for memory foam made from natural materials, as well as mattresses that come with built-in cooling gel.
These are some of the most recommended mattresses:
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Benefits
Hot Sleepers
Back Sleepers
Stomach Sleepers
Combination Sleepers
Pressure Relief
Edge SupportMore detailsOverview
DreamCloud now offers three luxury mattress models instead of just one! The DreamCloud is 14″ tall, 5-layer luxury hybrid mattress that offers premium support, luxury, contouring, and coolness. Their more premium model is the DreamCloud Premier, which is 15″ tall, 6-layer premium hybrid mattress with a contouring Euro Top and glorious cashmere blend cover. And their latest luxurious offering is the DreamCloud Premier Rest mattress, which, standing at 16” tall, is one of the highest mattresses on the market, plus it has a unique cashmere Pillow Top.Pros & Cons
- High-quality materials
- Excellent mix of comfort and support
- Suitable for sleep partners and people with heavier weights
- Premium edge support for people with limited mobility
- Limited sinking
- Heavy and difficult to move
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Benefits
Hot Sleepers
Side Sleepers
Couples
Motion Isolation
Edge SupportMore detailsOverview
Nectar makes mattresses that are designed for people with all kinds of sleep preferences. No matter which side you sleep on, the mattress offers optimal comfort. Nectar provides a lifetime warranty and a 365-day sleep trial for their mattresses.Pros & Cons
- Firm foam with reliable support
- Lifetime warranty & 365-night sleep trial
- Breathable poly-blend cover
- Free shipping & returns
- Reasonable pricing & includes free 2 pillows
- Only one product option
- Made overseas
- Edge support could be firmer
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Benefits
Hot Sleepers
Combination Sleepers
Back Pain
Couples
Motion Isolation
Edge SupportMore detailsOverview
Plank is the daughter company of Brooklyn Bedding, a leading American sleep brand that specializes in producing high-quality mattresses with patented technology. The family-owned mattress retailer was founded in 1995 and has since won numerous awards for its beds.Pros & Cons
- Ideal for back sleepers
- Great edge support
- Hybrid model sleeps cool
- Adjustable firmness (firm or extra-firm)
- Not suitable for side sleepers
- Cooling topper sold separately
Saatva
Saatva mattresses are handcrafted in the USA and made from premium materials. You can choose between soft, medium, or firm support as well as customize the height of your mattress. Saatva mattresses employ a memory foam enhancement layer, individually wrapped coils, a support layer of steel coils, and a high-density polyfoam foundation.
Nectar
Nectar mattresses are made from five layers of materials: breathable foam, memory foam, gel memory foam, quilted memory foam, and topped with a cooling cover. The foam is CertiPUR-US® Certified, meeting the standards for being free from ozone depleters, PBDEs, TDCPP, mercury, or lead. Nectar is priced at $799, with a 365-night trial and a lifetime warranty, free shipping, and free returns. It’s a supportive memory foam mattress, with just a little softness.
Dreamcloud
Dreamcloud mattresses are made with contouring soft foam, gel-infused memory foam, and individually wrapped coils for a unique sleeping experience. The design is considered master craftsmanship without the markup. This mattress comes with a 365-night trial, forever warranty and free shipping and returns.
Benefits of online purchasing
When it comes to buying the best mattress for lower back pain, you may need to try out a few before you find the right one. Consider ordering online to save yourself multiple trips to the store. Getting a mattress online means you also avoid lugging a mattress from your car up the stairs to your bedroom. It’s also a good way to ensure you don’t cause or exacerbate back pain. Many online mattress stores offer “no commitment” trials and do not charge for returns. Plus, if you’re unsatisfied with your mattress and want to return it, they will send someone to pick it up cost- and stress-free.
Conclusion
Too many people suffer from chronic back pain. If your mattress may be the culprit, consider replacing it with a memory foam mattress. Allow your muscles to finally relax, support your spine, and offer you the comfort for a good night’s sleep.