Sleeping in your bed at any time should be an activity that helps to recharge your body, relax and get ready to start a new day. However, the moment these advantages are no longer attached to your mattress and your mattress causes back pain; then it’s time to take a new look at your mattress.
Mattresses, of course, are fantastic and one of the best places to get a good night’s rest, get work done and even watch television from on a lazy afternoon. Mattresses are created to be durable, so they are known to last up to five years and even ten years in good condition, depending on how you use them. During their years of use, they are still expected to serve many good purposes and be utilizable.
Have you been experiencing back pain when you lie on your mattress? Or is your mattress becoming so uncomfortable that the thoughts of sleeping on it turn you off? Do you have aches but aren’t sure if your mattress is the cause?
Two ways to tell if your mattress is causing you back pain
1. You feel pain when you wake up
Back pain can be caused by a variety of other factors, including stress. However, if you notice that you feel the ache after waking up from bed, your mattress is the cause. Going to bed each night should be the opportunity to revitalize, not an avenue to cause your body more stress. Monitor when you have your back pains, and you’ll be able to tell if your mattress causes it or not.
2. You find yourself tossing in bed more than sleeping.
Is your mattress the reason why you are not getting enough sleep? Do you find yourself tossing and turning in bed, spending more time awake than asleep? Naturally, your body is expected to hug the chance to relax after a tiring day. However, when you can fall asleep everywhere except in your bed, then your mattress might be the problem. Feeling increased ache when you lie in your bed so much that you cannot sleep means your mattress isn’t helping your body.
Why your mattress is causing you pain
You’ve confirmed that your mattress is the source of your frequent back pain, and you want to know why it’s causing you so much pain? Here are six reasons why your mattress may be causing you back pain and how to prevent it.
1. You are using the wrong mattress.
For each type of sleeper, there exist different types of mattresses that suit them best. When you pick a mattress without any care for the way you sleep or your weight and other vital determinants, you sleep to wake up with aches. The right mattresses make sleeping less stressful as they are built to accommodate your body and weight. As a side sleeper, you should be picking a foam that won’t give way easily and can support your body. As a back sleeper, pick a mattress that supports and cushions your body.
From the way you sleep to how much you sleep, how much you weigh, and how much time you spend in your bed, consider it all and use it to determine the type of mattress that will help you sleep better. Sleeping without having to wake up to anybody’s ache is the goal, work towards it. Here’s the perfect guide on how to choose a mattress.
2. You are using the wrong pillow.
Pillows are meant to help your mattress align your upper and lower body when you sleep. They support the head and make breathing easy to wake up with body aches and back pain. Do you know pillows differ? Pillows can be classified based on their fills, and they can also be classified based on how firm they are or how soft. Using the wrong type of pillow means you’ll wake up more often than not with a wry neck and other pains.
You mustn’t just buy a pillow without adequately understanding the type of filling it has. Also, know the best type of pillow for your type of sleeper. Thick pillows are suitable for back sleepers, while thin pillows are good for stomach sleepers. Pick a good mattress and use a good pillow if you want to sleep well at night.
3. You’re placing the pillow wrongly.
You might be waking up with back pain because you are not placing your pillow in the proper position on your mattress. Pillows are not meant only for your head or your neck. Yes! You could have other pillows for your back or your spine. They are body pillows, and they can be used in various ways together with your mattress to support your body. Of course, all of these have conditions, especially based on the type of sleeper you are. You could have your pillows positioned the long way behind your head, between your knees, or semi-prone so that it supports your body.
4. Your mattress is old.
When your mattress is old and can no longer support your body, one of the first signs is that you wake up with aches. Old mattresses develop hollow, and even flipping may not be able to save them again. The only solution to an old mattress causing your body to ache is changing the mattress to a carefully picked new one. Discard your old mattress, and pick up a new one that serves your purpose and will recharge your body in no time.
Mattresses older than eight years, keeping you up at night, giving your body more aches so much that your body feels worse every morning than the previous days are not the way to go. Get rid of them to give your body the proper rest it deserves.
5. Your mattress lacks support
One of the things that your mattress should be able to offer you is support. Your mattress should be able to support your body, irrespective of the weight. Your weight should not be a reason why you experience pains of any type. The perfect mattress supports your weight, your height, and every other part of your body perfectly.
6. Your mattress is too soft or too firm
When your mattress is too soft or too firm, pressure is not distributed evenly. A good mattress should be able to distribute pressure evenly, and it should not be too firm to affect your ability to relax on it. It should also not be too soft that it would not keep your body aligned while sleeping. A medium-firm mattress from a good brand is the ideal mattress of choice.
How to correct back pain caused by mattresses
We know some of the reasons why your mattress is causing you backache; now, let’s talk about correcting those back pains.
1. Change your mattress
The best way to correct your back pain and prevent further occurrences of sleepless nights is to change your mattress. If your mattress is too old, too firm, or too soft, you’ll continue to experience pains. Read the guide on how to choose a mattress, visit the store and get a good one.
2. Maintain a good sleeping posture
Your sleeping posture may also be causing you to have back pains when you sleep. Try to settle into a good posture, and ensure you are comfortable. That way, you can get rid of back pain caused by mattresses.
3. Exercise
When you wake up with back pains, try to do a couple of stretches before you go on with other businesses of the day. Help your spine to relax, and it would get more comfortable enough to relieve you of the pain.
4. Use a pillow
Pillows are a good way to support your body even better when you feel back pains of any sort. They further help you maintain a good posture, find a better position to relax, and a good way to sleep.
5. Use an adjustable base.
You could also opt to use an adjustable base under the mattress so that you can control the inclination of your bed to a good sleeping position.
FAQs
Can my mattress be causing back pain?
Yes, your mattress causes back pain if it is old, has a hollow in it, or too soft. You can read the full details of why your mattress is causing you backache in the article above.
Can changing the mattress cause back pain?
No, changing your mattress shouldn’t cause you to have back pain. Unless you picked the wrong mattress, however, you may not be experiencing back pain if you change the mattress; give your body time to get used to the new mattress. If it doesn’t, then you should return.
Does a hard mattress cause back pain?
Yes. Mattresses that are too hard or too firm cause back pain. They do not allow your body to relax and are too stiff to help the alignment of your body.
Conclusion
Having frequent back pains will definitely affect your lifestyle negatively. It would affect how much you can do during the day and how you can do it. Limiting your physical abilities may, in turn, affect your productivity. So, when you notice that your mattress is causing you too much ache, correct it as soon as you can.