Buying a mattress can be very confusing today, with so many different styles to choose from. Of all the things people “think” they know about finding the right bed, the main (mis)perception is that the firmer the bed, the better it is for your back. To be sure, the majority of those who come into our mattress store complain about waking up with a sore back. In fact, over 80% of those who live in industrialized nations suffer from back problems at some point in time. Let’s look at mattresses both with a soft surface and a hard surface and see how each will impact your sleep.
Mattresses with a Soft Surface
If you end up buying a mattress with a very soft surface or have one that is already sagging too much, it allows your body to curve along with the sags. This causes an abnormal curvature of your spine, which ends up causing you significant stiffness and pain in the morning. If your body is supported correctly, then your spine will be in the correct alignment. If not, your back muscles spend the entire night trying to maintain alignment. Because they are unable to do so continuously, your body will end up sagging along with the mattress, causing excessive strain on your back muscles and often, pain.
Mattresses with a Hard Surface
Now that we have confirmed the idea that a too-soft mattress is bad for your back, does this mean visiting a mattress store and buying a bed with a hard (firm) surface is the best answer? Not exactly. Here’s how it works. Much like the sagging or soft mattress allows your body to sag and leaves you waking up in the morning in pain, so, too, will a mattress that is too firm fail to provide proper support.
Instead of allowing the mattress to conform to your body, a hard surface will only provide support at your hips and shoulders, causing your spine to bend downwards just like a sagging mattress. Your body will form an “S” shape with gravity causing your spine to “bend,” leading to morning pain. On top of this, an overly hard mattress will put too much pressure on the high points of your body, making you uncomfortable, causing you to change positions frequently and robbing you of valuable deep sleep.
So, What Do You Do?
If all of this makes you think buying a mattress is difficult, you might be right. That is, if it wasn’t for the Sleep Experts at Bed’r Mattress. Our experts will work with you to help you find the perfect mattress, one that will provide you with the exact level of support in all key areas to ensure your spine remains in alignment while you sleep. This will help you get a much better night’s sleep and wake up feeling refreshed and pain-free. To start sleeping better as early as tonight, visit your local Bed’r Mattress store and let our Sleep Experts help you enjoy a great night’s sleep every night.