Which Mattress Is Good to Alleviate Your Back Pain?

Lack of adequate support from a mattress can reinforce poor sleeping posture, strain muscles, and does not keep the spine in an aligned position, all of which can contribute to back pain. A mattress that can provide both comfort and back support can help reduce lower back pain. With the wide variety of mattresses available in the market, choosing the right one can be a tough job. Therefore, it is necessary to know the impact of different mattress types on back pain and the mattress type that best suits your depending on your sleep position.

Impact of Different Mattress Types on Back Pain

While memory foam and latex rank the highest among customers with back pain, the hybrid ones and innerspring beds also provide some amount of relief. Factors like layer thickness, materials, and firmness will be influenced by your sleep style, body weight, and other considerations.

Memory Foam

The cushioning and contouring features of this mattress type makes it suitable for alleviating back pain. These mattresses mold and adapt to the shape of your body, letting the shoulders and hips to sink while the narrower areas such as the feet and waist lay atop the mattress. The straight and natural alignment helps to relieve the pressure associated with most back-pain problems.

Latex Mattress

Although it is not as contouring as memory foam, latex is adaptable and will help to mold the body of the sleeper to some degree. Only because some sleepers report latex as firmer than expected, it cannot be recommended as the best mattress type for back pain. You need adequate contouring and some softness to eliminate and prevent discomfort resulting from back pain.

Innerspring Mattress

Traditional innerspring mattresses are plank-like and flat, which does not conform to the shape of your spinal cord and leaves the inner knee unsupported. Hence it is not a suitable choice for sleepers with back pain as it can trigger several types of pains and strains.

Hybrid Mattress

Hybrid mattresses made of high-quality material works great for pain relief as they combine pressure-relieving foam layers with zoned pocketed coils for creating a cushioning but responsive bed. If you prefer to get the feel of a bouncy innerspring mattress but also need the comfort of foam layers for pain relief, then hybrid mattresses should work the best.

The Best Mattress Type Depending on the Sleep Position

Your sleep position has a significant impact on the severity and frequency of your back pain. People who sleep on their backs are less likely to experience discomfort on their backs than those who sleep on their stomachs or sides. An insight into the different types of sleepers and the appropriate mattress to alleviate back pain will help you to make an informed decision.

Side Sleepers

Both side and back sleeping is considered as the healthiest sleep positions. But they are still prone to experience back pain if the mattress is not firm enough for reinforcing a healthy posture. The best mattress for them is medium to medium-firm as they are soft enough to alleviate the pressure points and maintain a healthy alignment.

Back Sleepers

Sleeping on your back has several benefits like keeping the spine aligned, relieving sinus pressure, reducing headaches, etc. Since the spine remains naturally aligned, the possibility of experiencing back pain is reduced to a minimum. But unfortunately, only 8% of people opt to sleep in this position. If you experience back pain sleeping in this posture, fluffy cotton mattresses can help to alleviate such spinal problems. It can turn out to be even more comfortable if accompanied by a medium-firm pillow.

Stomach Sleepers

These sleepers have the hardest time treating back pain. Since most of the bodyweight is concentrated around the center, sleeping on the stomach puts a strain on your spine in the wrong direction, increasing the chances of back and neck pain. In such cases, sleepers should use a firmer mattress or a hybrid one as they are known to provide better buoyancy.

The Bottom Line

Earlier, doctors and healthcare experts used to recommend firmer mattresses for eliminating back pain resulting from a specific sleeping posture. But survey reports revealed that those who slept on very hard mattresses experienced poor sleep quality. There was no significant difference between those who used medium-firm and form mattresses. On the other hand, soft mattresses may also turn out to be problematic as the sleeper might sink in so deeply that it can twist the joints and make the pain even worse. Therefore, it is recommended to try out the different mattresses types to find out which one would suit you the best for alleviating back pain.