Sleeping on the wrong type of mattress can lead to or worsen back pain. An ergonomic mattress encourages good sleeping posture, relaxes muscles and generally provides healthy, wholesome sleep. Of course, there is no such thing as a “perfect” mattress for everyone. It’s important to choose a mattress that fits your natural sleeping posture. Changing your mattress can make a substantial difference. An orthopedic mattress is a mattress designed to support the joints, back, and overall body.

For many back-pain sufferers, the orthopedic mattress can offer a massive improvement in their quality of life. The appropriate support, and a reduction in pressure point pain can help sufferers to get a good night’s sleep and much needed pain relief.

What to Look for in a Mattress?

When choosing a mattress for back pain, there are a few things to keep in mind:

• Whether the mattress is firm enough to support your lower back if you are a back-sleeper, while being soft enough to contour to your body. In fact, too-stiff mattresses tend to push against the spine while too-soft mattresses don’t offer enough support.
• A medium firm mattress is ideal for this type of sleeper. For side sleepers, a mattress with slight softness is necessary to cushion the shoulders and hips.
• Stomach sleepers (who very likely sleep this way because of lower back pain) need a firmer mattress to keep them afloat.

The modern orthopedic mattress comes in a variety of designs and materials. Although the classic coil spring varieties are still common, Memory foam, a space age material, has become the current trend in support mattresses. Memory foam produced a revolution in support bedding, with mattress toppers even becoming a way to revitalize an old, or overly firm mattress.

Here are some suggestions for quality orthopedic mattress options:

•  The Saatva Mattress (innerspring and memory foam)
• The Amerisleep Revere mattress (plant-based memory foam and Celliant fabric)
• The Helix Mattress (natural latex, microcoils and memory foam)
• The Bear Mattress (proprietary technology and gel-infused memory foam

Remember, you spend on average one third of your day in bed. With that said, you want a mattress that fits your body type and is designed for both comfort and support. If you have any back, hip, shoulder, neck, or leg pain, then a quality orthopedic mattress can be key towards a healthy night’s sleep.

If you need help with picking the best orthopedic mattress and need more information call Colorado Center of Orthopaedic Excellence at (719) 623-1050 to request an appointment.