Persistent back pain can majorly disrupt your day-to-day life. If you're suffering, it's worth making sure your mattress isn't exacerbating the problem – or even causing it. We consulted medical professionals for their their advice on the matter, as well as their tips for choosing the best mattress to promote spinal health in your preferred sleep style.
Should you need to upgrade your sleep setup, there's good news: the Black Friday mattress deals should start any day now, and these are typically the best mattress sales of the year.
What kind of mattress helps avoid back pain?
“The best type of mattress depends on the person’s size, shape, and sleeping preference,” says Dr. Kevin Lees, a former chiropractor in-clinic with over 20 years of experience, currently working at The Joint Chiropractic (opens in new tab).
A general rule is that there shouldn't be a gap at any point between your body and the mattress, so your body is fully supported (a memory foam mattress can be a good choice for this, as it'll meld to your exact shape). According to Dr. Lees, you also want your mattress to hold you in a natural position, without causing you to twist or bend.
When shopping for a mattress for back pain, you'll want to consider the sleeping position you drop off in. If you're a combination sleeper who switches positions throughout the night, shop according to your dominant sleep style.
Dr. Lees offers the following advice for choosing the best mattress for your sleep style:
Side sleepers
If you predominantly lie on your side, you should seek a medium or semi-firm mattress to help relieve pressure points along the hips and shoulders, according to Dr. Lees. A mattress that's too firm will create pain in those areas, causing sleepers to toss and turn.
Back sleepers
Back sleepers can opt for a firmer mattress to stabilize and support their hips and lower lumbar. “If the mattress is too soft, the hips and pelvis may sink, holding the person into a ‘v' or ‘c' shape,” says Dr. Lees, “This may lead to lower back pain, neck stiffness, or aggravate a current condition.”
Stomach sleepers
If you usually lie on your stomach, you will also want to go with a firmer mattress to keep your hips and pelvis aligned. However, this sleep position is not recommended for anyone with back pain. “Sleeping on your stomach with your head turned to one side puts extra stress on your neck, back, and pelvis,” says Dr. Grant Radermacher, owner of Ascent Chiropractic (opens in new tab). If you usually lie on your stomach, try to train yourself to lie on your back, instead, as this will offer better distribution of your body weight, as well as aligning your spine and pelvis in a more natural way.
Bear in mind, too, that your weight and build will also influence how firm or soft you need your mattress to be. “Someone who is very large may feel a medium mattress is too soft to sleep on their side, and a petite person may not cause a firm mattress to give much at all,” says Dr. Lees. There are also some more things to check for if you're not sure if it's your mattress that's causing your back pain or not.
You won't truly get a feel for a mattress until you sleep on it. Fortunately, mattress trials have become a standard practice among top mattress brands. These at-home trials last anywhere from 100 nights to a full year – which is well beyond the three weeks it usually takes for a body to adjust to a new mattress.
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