Is Your Mattress Making Your Back Hurt?

By Janin Hendry

You feel like you didn't sleep at all, and someone spent the night hitting you across the back. A bad mattress can do more to you than ruin your sleep. It can ruin your back.

Is Your Pain From Your Bed? 

A firm mattress or a soft mattress is a choice most people make with little understanding of how each can cause pain. You need to select a mattress that curves to support your body but does not allow you to sink so far in that you cannot turn over. Spinal health looks to address how your mattress hugs the three curves running down your spine from head to tail.

A neutral position is the best way to sleep with your spine in its natural curves, with your head slightly elevated above the rest of your body with a supportive pillow. While this is ideal for everyone, the right degree of firmness can help other problems such as arthritis.

What Type of Mattress Reduces Back Pain? 

Sleeping can be a nightmare no matter what type of mattress you buy unless you understand how a mattress can help elevate some of your discomforts.

Lower back pain - Lower back pain can be from your job, active lifestyle, or even because your mattress is too old. A mattress that is more than 10 years old will probably not give your body the support it requires for a good night's sleep. High-quality memory foam or a latex mattress can provide you with the support you require to keep your spine in the right curves.

Neck pain - Neck pain can be a combination of a worn out mattress and pillows. Your neck supports the weight of your head, which is not light. For it to have proper support, you should change your pillows after, at most, five years.

Finding a mattress that is at least 10 inches tall can help prevent your body from sinking into the mattress down to the frame of your bed. Memory foam and latex or a hybrid with the old-fashioned springs can provide you with support and relief.

Sciatica - A medium-firm mattress in the 10-12 inch range can provide your body with enough room to move around. It also provides your spouse with enough support to turn over without disturbing you as you sleep. Memory foam and cooling gel can help your body stay supported as well as cool.

When to Visit Your Chiropractor 

Back pain from a bad mattress is something that needs addressing as soon as possible. Bad sleep can lead to a host of maladies, from neck and back pain to weight gain from tired eating.  You can talk with your chiropractor about how a new bed can help your back.

To learn more about how a chiropractor can help you, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in St. Louis, Mo.