What is the best type of bed for back pain?
Approximately one in six people in the UK have back pain. Many things cause back pain, your bed being one of them. The quality of your bed causes back pain or escalates the symptoms of an already bad back. A good bed can ease those symptoms. This article explains the relationship between bed quality and back pain and gives you a few tips for buying the best type of bed for back pain.
Signs your bed is causing you back pain
Pain first thing in the morning
The first sign that your bed is causing you back pain is feeling pain when you wake up. Having spent roughly eight hours on the bed, finding the bed at fault is reasonable. Your bed frame and mattress are the main contributors to back pain. However, your mattress is usually the main suspect. If your mattress is too soft, it can easily cause back pain.
Your spine is out of alignment
A mattress is supposed to provide adequate support for your body, especially your spine. A soft mattress lets your body sink into it, taking your spine out of alignment. Keeping your spine in such a position for hours will leave you feeling pain. The lower back is especially affected due to the shape of the spine. Keeping your spine’s natural arc out of alignment causes pain, which worsens over time.
Uncomfortable sleep sessions
Your bed should be comfortable if you are to get quality rest. If you keep tossing and turning, that’s a sign that your bed and mattress are bad for you. Other than a soft mattress, here are other causes of discomfort:
- A rickety or broken bed frame
- A mattress that is too firm
- Fabrics that feel uncomfortable on your skin
- A mattress that retains too much heat
- As you toss and turn all night, you will constantly take your spine out of alignment, causing back issues.
An old mattress
General wear and tear will break down a good quality mattress. For example, a memory foam mattress loses its ability to cradle your body appropriately over time, causing you to develop back pain. A good memory foam mattress should last at least ten years with its qualities intact. After ten years, you should consider replacing it.
What should I look for in the best type of bed for back pain?
Choose the right mattress
You need to shop for a mattress that adequately supports your back. Ideally, a medium-firm mattress offers the best support for your back. However, each person has unique requirements for a mattress. Therefore, you need to find one that works best for you. When choosing a mattress, consider these two things, the support system and the comfort layer.
Product: Natural Supreme 5000 Mattress
Support system
Foam or springs make the support system in a mattress. They are what carry your weight and keep your spine aligned for a restful night. The best support system design uses either memory foam or pocket springs. Memory foam aligns your spine perfectly throughout the night, eliminating any back issues. Pocket springs, on the other hand, take in the weight of your body and react as per each zone. This means that the entire mattress does not sink because of the weight in one section. The springs are in pockets that allow for vertical movement only.
Such mattresses are the best because your lower back will sink in at a different height than your upper back and neck. Such differences help maintain the natural arch of the back.
The support system is graded according to its firmness, ranging from soft to firm. For most people, medium firmness works best. However, your body type and weight will determine which firmness is best for you. While extra firm mattresses have ample support, that surface does not follow your back’s contours, causing pain. Similarly, extra soft mattresses sink in too much and offer no support, leading to back pain.
Comfort layer
The comfort layer also affects sleep quality. Different materials possess different degrees of breathability, temperature regulation, support, feel, and other comfort factors. For instance, some mattresses have a layer of memory foam on the pocket springs bed that allows you to partially sink into the mattress for extra comfort. Others have a layer of latex, which minimises the sinking while feeling bouncy for those who prefer such a reaction. You may also choose an eco-fibre comfort layer, which is breathable and keeps you cool during sleep.
Choose a sturdy bed frame
Granted, the mattress affects back pain significantly more than the bed frame. However, the mattress needs a firm base that consistently supports it. Ideally, you should choose a bed frame with strong and even mattress support, whether it’s a mesh or wooden. The spacing of those pieces of wood should be close to keep the mattress from sagging. Similarly, the mesh should not sag at any point.
In addition, you need to consider the weight of the mattress and your weight before settling on a bed frame. A good pocket spring mattress can weigh up to 90kgs, and this is before adding your weight and that of your partner.
Product: Melissa Bed
Conclusion
When choosing the best type of bed for back pain, you need to focus on the support and comfort levels. Each person has unique requirements that determine which bed will help them reduce back pain or eliminate it entirely. Generally, a medium-firm mattress with a bit of sinking helps keep your spine in alignment. Additionally, a sturdy bed frame that adequately supports the mattress and your weight minimise back pain.
You can contact us when you need to buy beds that will not give you or your guests back pain. We have a wide selection of adult bunk beds, heavy-duty beds and mattresses, and other products. You can check out our catalogue for more choices.