When people suffer from lower back pain, they often blame age, sports injuries, or even their office chair. However, if your back has been experiencing twinges of discomfort, it may have something to do with your mattress. Here’s a closer look at how your bed can affect lower back pain and what you can do about it.

How a Mattress Contributes to Lower Back Pain

Most people realize it's important to have good posture. You should sit up straight at your desk and not slouch when walking or standing. Bad posture can lead to lower back pain by causing the muscles and ligaments to stretch and strain to keep your body balanced.

Good sleeping posture is equally important since you spend about a third of your life in bed. The wrong surface prohibits your back, muscles, and joints from relaxing and healing properly. If it's too soft, it doesn't support the spine and neck properly. If it's too firm, it causes improper spine alignment. 

What You Can Do About It

New Mattress

The most effective solution is to replace your hard or squishy bed with one that’s medium-firm. This firmness level reduces sleep-related back pain in many sleepers.

Memory foam mattresses are a good choice of medium-firm. They mold to the contours of your body to provide custom support and comfort. This is ideal because everyone has a different body shape. The height, width, and weight vary from person to person—as do sleeping positions. 

Sleeping Position

Sleeping in a spine-friendly way and using pillows for additional support are also vital aspects of a good night’s sleep for your lower back. If you prefer to sleep on your back, use a pillow to raise your head only slightly and place a larger pillow under your knees. This helps to keep your back rounded. Consider placing a smaller pillow at the small of your back for additional support.

If you sleep on your side, bend your legs and place a pillow between your knees. A small pillow to fill any gap between your waist and the mattress will likewise help.

For stomach sleepers who can’t adapt to either of the healthier back or side positions, place a pillow beneath the pelvis while sleeping. Elevating the hips will improve spinal alignment through the night.

If you’re in the market for a new mattress to curb your back pain, stop by Uncle Dave's Mattresses and Stuff, a venerable furniture store in Collinsville, IL. They’ve been serving Madison County customers for more than 100 years, so they have a long history of customer satisfaction behind them. They carry name-brand memory foam bedding along with sofas, bed frames, and other bedroom furniture. Visit their website to see what they have on special or call (618) 344-5123 to ask about product availability.