Improve Your Sleep With a Good Mattress
By Rachel Carver
Does your back pain start when you wake up? Do you toss and turn at night trying to fall asleep? Stiff joints and restless sleep could be linked to your mattress. The quality of your mattress affects your pain as well as your sleep.
According to the American Chiropractic Association, 31 million Americans experience back pain. In addition to a poor mattress, other back pain causes include
- Obesity
- Poor posture
- Stress
- Arthritis
How Does a Mattress Impact Back Pain?
We need a quality mattress to be the healthiest versions of ourselves. A good mattress helps us get the quality sleep we need each night. We constantly battle stress. Quality sleep allows us to recover from daily stressors. Sleeping on a poor mattress stresses our bodies further and does not allow us to recover. This creates physical exhaustion and other symptoms, such as pain. Attempting to fix a poor mattress with a mattress pad will only put a band aid on the problem and will not get rid of any pain you are experiencing.
Mattress Support Matters
Constantly waking up with back pain is a good indication that it is time for a new mattress. Good posture is important, even when we sleep. Proper spinal alignment is an important part of good posture and decreasing pain. Mattresses should give a little around your hips but come up around the mid-section to keep your spine aligned. Mattresses sagging in the middle can misalign the spine, causing chronic pain. A spine not in neutral alignment can cause hip, leg, and other types of pain. These two primary factors determine the support you will get from your mattress.
- Mattress age - Any mattress used longer than seven years should be replaced.
- Material construction - Pay attention to how mattresses are made. Look for something with smaller springs, which will allow the mattress to conform to your body. Watch out for foam because it can sometimes break down too fast.
Consider these factors when shopping for the right mattress.
- Weight - A six foot male and a five foot woman will be supported differently by each mattress. People over 200 pounds will need certain mattress features such as thickness, weight limit, and firmness.
- Couples - People sleeping with a partner will need to consider each body type. Purchasing a customizable mattress will allow each partner to sleep comfortably.
Whether you are dealing with your own chronic back pain or want to learn more about quality sleep, head to The Joint Chiropractic clinic near you. The Joint's walk-in appointments and affordable pricing make it easy to get the care you need.
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Madison, Wis.