It’s common knowledge that the average person requires 8 hours of sleep per night to function properly. However, not all sleep is created equal. Some sleep is restful and quiet and recharges the body and mind for a new day. Then, there’s sleep which is none of those things. It is uncomfortable, causes the mind to race, and results in hours spent tossing and turning. And yes, it can even be painful.
The purpose of sleep is for your body to repair, rejuvenate, and refresh itself. When you are in pain at night, you are not sleeping correctly, and your body does not accomplish any of those goals. That lack of sleep will only lead to more pain as your body can’t heal itself each night. In case after case, the culprit of back pain during sleep is the mattress. Here is how you can find the best mattress that will feel like a luxury hotel mattress for painless sleep to re-energize and recharge for the day ahead.
Finding a Mattress That is Right For You
You’ve probably seen and heard a thousand mattress advertisements by now. While those advertised brands are probably the most popular, that does not mean they are right for you. Not all mattresses are the same, and just because it has a well-known name does not mean they will work best for your personal preferences—some people like firmer mattresses, and others like softer mattresses. To sleep comfortably, you need a mattress with that Goldilocks “just right” feeling. Check out some online reviews to find the right one for you.
Choosing the Right Firmness
How you sleep can often determine what firmness of mattress you want. If you are a side sleeper, for instance, then you will want a softer mattress. This will help ease the pressure that can typically get put on your hip, arm, and shoulder. You may want a slightly firmer mattress for stomach sleepers because you do not want your hips and pelvis to rest below your shoulders. If they do, you could bend and put pressure on your spine. People who sleep on their backs are spreading the weight around evenly, so they can go with a mattress of any firmness. Your weight can also determine the best firmness. Usually, the higher your weight is, the more firm the mattress should be. In the end, though, it can be about preference. If you sleep a certain way and feel most comfortable and pain-free with a certain firmness, then go with it.
Try it Out Before Buying.
You will spend a third of your life in bed, so you need a mattress that works. Not only that, but you could be shelling out thousands of dollars on a new mattress, and you would not want to get it home to discover that you can’t sleep on it. Testing out a mattress is vital to choosing the right one. However, it has to be more than just a minute or two at the store. Since you are investing in your sleep and, thus, your health, consider spending 20 to 30 minutes testing each prospective mattress. Lie in them, sit in them, and hold out your phone or a book to see how it feels. The most important thing is to lie in the position where you usually sleep. There’s no point in picking a mattress that feels nice when you test it on your back but makes your arm numb when you sleep on your side at night.
Non-Toxic Mattresses
Strangely enough, it may not be the firmness or comfort of the mattress causing the problem; it may be the materials from which it is made. People with autoimmune disorders like lupus and rheumatoid arthritis can have pain reactions to certain chemicals. Mattresses have many materials that can have chemicals that are harmful to some people, such as foam and plastic components. If this is the case for you, look for natural materials, such as cotton, bamboo, and natural latex mattresses. Your pain problems may be a matter of exposure to chemicals that don’t agree with you.
Sleep is vital to living a happy, healthy, productive and pain-free life. When you consider how much of your life is spent sleeping, it makes sense to invest the time and money required to find a quality mattress. The consequences of having the wrong one will result in inadequate sleep, which could affect every aspect of your waking life. These tips will help you find the right mattress to sleep pain-free and live your best life.