An uncomfortable mattress can cause back pain by putting you in a stressful sleeping position. Mattresses that do not support you adequately can misalign your spine and hips, causing lower, middle, and upper back pain.
Figuring out whether your mattress is to blame for back pain is essential so you can tick it off the list or take action and get a new mattress.
Signs your mattress is to blame
According to physical therapist Dr. Olivia Patel from Heal Your Neck Pain, here are some of the indicators your mattress is causing back pain:
- You wake up with a backache.
- You wake up with aches in your pelvis and hips.
- You wake up with sore spots on your back and shoulders.
- You toss and turn a lot.
- You sleep with many pillows for support (this indicates your mattress does not support your body correctly – you only need 1-2 pillows!).
Of course, back pain can also be caused by injuries sustained during the day, and you can also aggravate old injuries like trapped nerves. However, a bad mattress can exasperate the problem and worsen your back pain.
When your mattress is too hard
Doctors recommended very firm mattresses in the past, but recent studies show that hard mattresses are unsuitable for most people.
If your mattress is too hard, you can wake up with sore joints because the area of contact your body has with the mattress has nothing soft to compress into. This creates the effect of sleeping on top of the mattress, like a slab.
Pictured: Sleepeezee Perfectly British Strand 1400 Spring Mattress, Available From Bedstar
When your mattress is too soft
A soft mattress you sink into sounds dreamy, but the lack of support can misalign the spine and cause a stiff and sore lower back.
If your mattress is too soft, you can also get a nasty sinking sensation, like you are in quicksand. The extreme cushioning means no sore joints, but the lack of support means you might frequently wake up with a backache.
Finding the right balance with mattress firmness
The science says that a medium-firm mattress is best for back pain, but the lack of giving can make you feel like you are sleeping on top of the bed.
A medium mattress is the best option for most people, and medium mattresses are suitable for all sleeping positions and most bodyweights.
Medium-soft mattresses are another option suited to people weighing under 135lbs (any more than this, and you can sink into it too much).
What is the best mattress technology for back pain?
Pocket sprung and hybrid mattresses provide the best spinal support, while memory foam mattresses offer more body contouring.
Providing they have a memory foam top layer, hybrid mattresses are brilliant for back pain because they support and provide cushioning.
Pure foam mattresses are best to reduce pressure on your joints; the foam will compress deeply to relieve pressure.
Spring mattresses provide the highest level of zoned support (where the springs are firmer or slacker, based on sleeping hot spots). We recommend that you do your research before moving into the next section (when to get a new mattress) as there are a lot of mattress options out there. In-store shopping is very straight forward, but when it comes to shipped mattresses, we recommend that you at least try to compare mattress in a box brands before electing to go with the first one you found.
When to get a new mattress for back pain
If you frequently wake up with a backache, sore joints, or both, then there’s a strong possibility that your mattress is to blame.
The best way to find out is to sleep in another bed with a softer or firmer mattress; if you sleep better in the other bed, you will benefit from a new mattress (be sure to try this experiment a few times to be sure).
Another reason to upgrade your mattress is if it is over a decade old – mattresses over a decade old are well past their sell-by date. The adhesive bonding the layers and the support system will probably be caput.
Before you go ahead and buy a new mattress, read our guide to choosing a mattress to reduce lower back pain and our definitive UK mattress size guide – these will help you nail down the mattress technology and size you need.
