We get asked about mattresses a lot in the clinic because of neck or back pain. However, the question that is really being asked is, “What mattress will make my back stop hurting?” and the answer… the mattress that will fix what caused your pain in the first place.
Many people have back and neck pain when they are sleeping or stiffness when they wake up in the morning. The reason for stiffness and morning pain is likely an irritated disc.
At night the discs fill with fluid. This is a good thing because it brings nutrients to the disc and will create a shock absorber for the day ahead. However, if the disc is irritable, the added fluid will cause an increase in pressure in the disc which creates pain and stiffness.
Those with instability and poor mechanics in their spine often don’t rely on their muscles during the day and cause wear and tear in the joints of the spine. At night in a resting position this could lead to some inflammation, which causes pain especially when changing position. Sometimes even just resting in a poor position can cause some to wake up. Most people notice that as they start moving in the morning the pain subsides.
Make sure your sleeping mechanics are good. Your pillow should keep your neck in alignment and allow your head to rest in a neutral position; the pillow should not be too big or too small.
- If you sleep on your side put a pillow between your legs so that your top knee isn’t resting in a position that causes your hip to tip down and twist your back.
- If you are a back sleeper, put a small pillow under your knees to take the arch out of your back.
- If you are a stomach sleeper, good luck… this is not the best sleeping position because of the compromised turned or twisted position of the back and neck.
Some studies show that for people who experience low back pain, a medium firm mattress is most comfortable. It is still based on choice and what each person deems most comfortable. If numbers are what you are looking for: on a scale from 1-10, 10 being most firm, a 5.6 firmness was found to be the most preferred.
Is the cause of your back pain your mattress? If you are sleeping on a hammock or on the ground in a tent then yes you need to change your choice of mattress. The long term and best solution, get your back or neck evaluated by a physical therapist or your physician to see what the problem is. If you address the cause of the problem and fix it the pain is less likely to return. This will also save you the cost of buying an expensive mattress that doesn’t solve the problem.
