How Do You Know It’s Your Mattress that Causes Back Pain

Suffering from back pain is the last thing you may want to go through based on the discomfort that comes with it. Back pain is among the leading causes of disability globally and not forgetting that it is the number one cause of sick-day off for the working population.

Determining the exact cause of back pain is the first step towards the treatment process. However, determining the cause of your back pain is not that easy as there may be some overlaps. Your bedroom can be the cause of your back problems. Let us explore some of the indicators that your mattress is not up to the standards based on observations from back pain specialists, New York Pain Care Center:

You experience pain after waking up

There are instances where you retire to bed feeling energized and happy. However, when you wake up, you always feel sharp or mild pain on your back. Such a case is a clear indication that your mattress is responsible for your continued suffering. A mattress that is not firm enough will make your spine fall out of the spine alignment as you sleep. On the other hand, a mattress that is too firm will lead to a build-up of joint pressure in the hip region, which brings pain.

Your pain goes away in less than 30 minutes after waking up

Most of the pains go away on their own. Some can be remedied through home remedies and changing your lifestyle. Back pains from poor sleeping posture and poor mattress choice will mostly not last for the entire day. 20-30 minutes are enough for these pains to go away. However, the activities you tackle during this window will be negatively affected. This might be the best time to take a morning jog, but back pains will lower your productivity. You also need to scribble down what you want to tackle the entire day.

You turn and toss a lot on your bed

There are many habits that lead to back pain. An adult should get 6-8 hours of sleep every day for the body to rest. You may find it hard catching sleep if you are suffering from mental disorders such as stress, anxiety, and depression. Tossing accompanied by back pains is a clear indication that the mattress is the problem. When you constantly toss and turn in your body, then the quality of sleep will be greatly affected. A bad mattress limits how much you will turn while sleeping, which leads to tossing.

You feel immersed in the mattress

A good mattress should maintain its shape irrespective of the weight that you exert on it. A mattress that dips down every time you are sleeping is a clear indication that you are preparing your body for back pains. This mattress affects your hip flexibility and the spine, which eventually makes you adopt a bad sleeping posture. The ideal mattress can show signs of wearing out but still maintain its firmness, making it easy to support your back muscles.

Your mattress is more than 8 years old

It is okay to have something durable. No one wants to go shopping for beddings every year. However, there is a limit if you are health-conscious. The mattress wears down as you use it over the years. The wear and tear will affect your mattress’s level of toughness, which affects your sleeping patterns. The level of support that you get also deteriorates as the mattress gets old. Your spine’s health will also suffer a lot as your mattress gets older.

Your mattress seems extremely hard or flat

You may argue that a firm mattress is fit to maintain your spine’s health. However, it should not be very tough as pressure will accumulate on your muscles on your back. Aches and pains from other injuries are also likely to escalate when you sleep on a super-firm mattress. The ideal mattress should not exert a lot of pressure on your back muscles.

You frequently wake up while sleeping

Several underlying medical conditions such as obesity, high blood pressure, and anxiety may cause you to wake up in the middle of the night. However, if you do not have any of the underlying medical conditions and get sleep interruptions, then you need to check your mattress.

If you have any of the above signs, then it is time that you get a new mattress that suits your needs. Some of these back pains will go away with such a change, some with exercises, while some may require medication.