Is a Latex Mattress Good for Back Sleepers?
A mattress with a good price point isn’t all you want to look for. A mattress with proper support and firmness is essential for back sleepers. Back sleepers who sleep on a mattress that does not provide proper support will wake up with aches and pains.
While back pain may be caused in many ways, a mattress type that offers insufficient support can exacerbate the problem, requiring longer healing periods. Sleeping on the right mattress will eliminate much of this back pain, and help you to heal faster.
If you are a back sleeper, read on to learn about the qualities you should look for when shopping for a mattress.
Benefits Of Back Sleeping
Back sleeping provides significant benefits over side and stomach sleeping.
You Sleep in the Neutral Position
It’s the healthiest option, since sleeping on your back allows your head, neck, and spine to rest in a neutral position.
You Have Pressure Relief
This means there is no extra pressure on those areas, so you’re less likely to experience pain.
Cons of Sleeping on Your Back
Not all people are back sleepers. In fact, it isn't for everyone. If you attempt to sleep on your back, and you notice any of the following, it might be a good idea to start sleeping on your side instead.
Lower Back Pain
Certain individuals have worse lower back pain when they sleep on their back. While your neck and shoulders could stay aligned, your bottom is likely to sink, and this can arch your lower spine.
Disrupted Sleep
For some individuals, back sleeping just isn't comfortable. Unless your doctor has told you explicitly to sleep on your back, you could combine side sleeping with back sleeping, if it seems to help you sleep through the night.
Sleep Apnea
Sleeping on your back can make sleep apnea worse. It forces your chin forward, obstructing your breathing. If you must sleep on your back when you have sleep apnea, ensure you are pointing your chin up when you fall asleep.
Choosing The Right Mattress
Choosing the right mattress type can make a world of difference in your overall comfort while sleeping. As a back sleeper, you must have sufficient support to maximize your comfort and the effectiveness of your sleep. So finding a supportive and sufficiently firm mattress is the primary focus of your search, which is why memory foam mattresses are not ideal options for back sleepers.
While side sleepers adore plush comfort, back sleepers, who need more supportive mattresses, are likely to wake up feeling a few more aches and pains on a plush comfort mattress.
Is A Latex Mattress Good For Back Sleepers?
The answer is yes. A firm latex mattress is the ideal mattress for back sleepers. Before you dive in, and buy the first latex mattress you find, there are a few things you should note, to make the buying process more fruitful.
- Understand that not all latex mattresses are created equal. Make sure you’re buying your mattress from a reputable eco-conscious company that doesn’t add fillers, synthetics, and petrochemicals to their mattresses. Not only do these synthetic mattresses break down more quickly over time than 100% natural latex, but they also lack the superior support latex is famous for.
- Make sure you get the right level of firmness in your latex mattress. Quality latex eco-conscious mattress manufacturers offer custom mattress orders. This means you can have your mattress made with the appropriate degree of comfort to meet your needs as one of many back sleepers. You can even customize the firmness level on each side of your mattress, to accommodate a side sleeping partner.
- Give your body time to adjust to your new mattress. Some people experience a difference right away. Others may take a little longer to realize they are not waking with the same stiff, sore, aches and pains as before. PlushBeds offers a free 100-night comfort exchange. So, you have plenty of time to evaluate the effectiveness of your mattress, for reducing or eliminating your back pain. You can adjust the mattress firmness, when needed, to facilitate a better night’s sleep.
How Do You Know Which Firmness Is Best?
The big question many people have all throughout the history of the latex mattress is this: “How do you know which firmness level is best?” The firmness of a mattress is indicated by the ILD of the mattress. This stands for indentation or impression load deflection, and basically identifies how firm or soft a mattress is. The best latex mattresses fall between 20 ILD for the softest mattresses, and 45 ILD for the firmest mattresses.
Back sleepers should consider sleeping on either medium-firm, or firm latex mattresses. These mattresses offer superior support for your back, and they recover quickly when you get out of bed, thanks to the resilience of the 100% natural latex used to create them. This results in fewer lumps, bumps, and indentations that occur with other types of mattress, which cause back problems in their own right as you shift, twist, and turn to avoid them.
PlushBeds offers a variety of superb quality 100% natural latex mattresses, like the PlushBeds Botanical Bliss. Call us today, and let us work with you to find the perfect 100% natural latex mattress to meet your needs.
The Wrong Mattress for Lower Back Pain
If you have the wrong mattress, it might not cushion and cradle your body enough, and this can leave you with body aches. It might also lack support, which means your body might not be aligned during the night, which can cause back pain.
If you sleep on an old mattress that isn't fulfilling its job anymore, this can leave you spending a third of your day lying in an uncomfortable, awkward position. Awkward posture can make back pain symptoms worse.
Can Latex Mattress Cause Back Pain?
Actually, a latex mattress can be good for your back, and seems to be best for back sleepers. In fact, according to a study in The Clinical Journal of Pain three in four individuals with chronic back pain state it interrupts their night’s sleep, and the more pain they experience, the less sleep they obtain. Even worse, research finds there's a bidirectional relationship between sleep and pain: pain can make it hard to find and maintain a comfortable sleeping position, and not enough sleep can worsen your sensitivity to pain.
When you consider chronic back pain is often rooted in misalignment, it can be a real game-changer having a supportive mattress to help with spinal alignment, and keep your spine in a healthy neutral posture. When you have adequate cushioning, your muscles stop contracting and firing, so they can rest and recover during the night.
Latex mattresses are constructed of a latex support core, with an added latex comfort layer on top. Additionally there's padding and a cover constructed of materials like flame-retardant natural wool and organic cotton.
How Latex Mattresses Provide Back Pain Relief
If you’re wondering about a latex mattress with its support core and back pain, the ways a latex mattress helps with back pain are:
1. Latex Mattresses Offer Important Lumbar Support
Lumbar support is a must to support a healthy spine, and decrease back pain. A latex mattress with its support core provides added reinforcement in the hip-to-shoulder area, which can help. Frequently, this is called "zoned" support, with firm latex in the middle third of the mattress keeping it so your back doesn't sink out of alignment.
2. Latex Mattresses are Responsive Yet Contouring
Regardless of your sleeping position and sleep style, latex mattresses with their support core offer the combination of support and comfort your back requires to rest and maintain adequate alignment. The comfort layer hugs the most burdened pressure points of your body, like your hips and shoulders, to disperse stress away from them. This also makes a latex mattress ideal for side sleepers. Plus, latex isn't so soft that it ends up sinking beneath your weight like with certain memory foam mattresses, which can mess with pressure points.
3. You Can Pair a Latex Mattress With an Adjustable Base
Basically, all latex mattresses can be paired with an adjustable base. This is great news if you just had surgery, or are healing from a recent injury, since lifting your head and legs could help take the pressure off your back. Adjustable beds could be helpful, too, if you're slowly switching from an unhealthy sleeping position to a more neutral posture with a chiropractor's help.
4. A Latex Mattress is Durable
Natural latex is very durable. Actually, a natural latex mattress has a longer lifespan than other bed types. A latex bed can last for 20 years or more. If you're experiencing back pain, this means you can feel confident your spine will be supported properly over this time period.
Latex vs Memory Foam Mattresses for Back Pain
Chances are you might be curious how a latex mattress for back pain differs from a memory foam mattress for back pain. Previously, memory foam was the absolute best for supportive, comfortable mattresses. However, memory foam today isn't quite holding up to the body's constant pressures; therefore, over time, it can stop offering the body's natural curvature and alignment support. Eventually, the mattress will sag or sink, and this can lead to back pain, which was the reason you bought the memory foam mattress in the first place.
However, it's better to purchase a latex mattress for back pain, since the material offers that extra push or give that supports your spine, and ensures it stays in proper alignment.
Tips for Back Sleepers
Being one of the many back sleepers, you might not find back sleeping natural, after you've been sleeping on your side for years. However, you can train yourself to be one of the many back sleepers, with a little dedication and practice. Here are some tips to help you get started.
1. Lay Down Flat
To start sleeping on your back, you obviously first must lay down flat on your back. Begin with your neck and head in a neutral position. Don't twist any part of your body, and don't move your legs to the left or right, or your head to one side.
2. Slightly Raise Your Head
Use a pillow to help slightly raise your head for comfortable back sleeping. If you want, you could also place a couple pillows under your arms for added support. Don't leave your head too flat, or prop it too high, as either one of these could create unnatural alignment, causing pain in your neck.
3. Stretch Before Retiring to Bed
You can also mitigate pressure or back pain, and make sleeping on your back more comfortable, by stretching lightly before you go to bed. If you tend to sit most of the day like many individuals, your hamstrings and hip flexors can become tight. The pigeon pose yoga posture can help.
4. Add a Pillow Beneath Your Knees
When first training yourself to sleep on your back, it could become uncomfortable for your lower back. And, you might experience some unwanted pressure and pain. But, there's a simple fix. Place a pillow beneath your knees, which should help offer you relief.
5. Keep Trying
It can take some time to become adjusted to back sleeping. You might begin on your back, and find yourself curled on your side into a fetal position upon waking up when first starting out. This is normal, and doesn't mean you can't sleep on your back. It will just take some practice, and for you to continue trying.
Sleeping Positions To Ease Back Pain
A medium-firm latex mattress can make it simple to find a comfortable sleeping position that can help support your spine's natural curvature while offering the stability your back requires. Individuals struggling with constant aches and pain in their backs might want to try out these sleep positions:
- Back: Sleeping on your back with support under your shoulders, head, and knees can help ease back pain and pressure on your spine.
- Pillow Under Knees: When lying on your back, put a pillow beneath your knees to help take pressure off your lower back.
- Fetal Position: This sleeping position helps take pressure off your spine, which is ideal for people experiencing back pain while moving or standing.
- Stomach: Lying on your stomach is primarily if you experience chronic back ache when seated.
- Side: Lie on your side, and place a pillow under your waist. This provides you with extra support, and keeps your spine aligned, which eliminates excess strain.
Purchasing a Natural Latex Mattress Online
After you've made the decision it's time to buy a sustainable latex mattress, you can actually go online to make your purchase. You no longer need to visit a brick-in-mortar store, lie down on different mattresses for several minutes, and talk with pushy salespeople. It can be mentally and physically exhausting, and you might end up walking out of the store without a purchase.
Instead of wasting your time doing this, grab your smartphone or computer, and browse through suitable latex mattresses. If you're looking for a latex mattress to help with your back pain, you'll want to consider:
- The materials' qualities
- Customer reviews
- Your budget
- Your sleeping position
- The company's reputation
Shopping online is very convenient, since it connects you with a whole array of online retailers where you'll have numerous options to choose from. You won't have to deal with pushy salespeople, and typically, you get an at-home trial period to try your new mattress out before you commit to it. PlushBeds gives you a 100-night trial period on their PlushBeds Botanical Bliss.
Be sure to check out customer testimonials, and see what other people thought about the latex mattress you are looking to buy. You'll also want to make sure the latex mattress is crafted from sustainably-sourced materials. Sometimes, the best latex mattresses can be combined with synthetic materials, so you'll want to ensure the mattress you choose is crafted of natural latex that comes from the sap of rubber trees.
Quality is just as important as dependability and reputation of the company. This is another reason why you should read some customer reviews first. You'll want to buy from a company that values their customers, and won't cut corners when it comes to providing high-quality products.
Also, your budget will be another big factor to consider when you're shopping online for a new mattress. Remember, the best latex mattress is an investment, likely one that will last you 15 to 20 years, so don't worry if you end up having to pay a little more for a latex bed. You're paying for high quality.
Mattress and Back Pain FAQ
Should You Really Sleep on Your Back?
If it's not comfortable to sleep on your back, then of course, don't do so. However, if you can fall asleep, and stay asleep comfortably on your back, it's a very beneficial sleep position. You require a good mattress, however, regardless of your sleep position.
Do Natural Latex Mattresses Provide Spinal Alignment?
High quality natural latex beds like PlushBeds all-latex beds, come highly recommended because they support your spine, and ease chronic back pain. When your mattress can't offer the support required for adequate spinal alignment, it can place extra strain on your spine, and the neighboring muscles. Plus, unsupportive mattresses also don't allow you to sleep comfortably, which can lead to back pain.
While each individual will have their own preferences for their mattress's overall firmness, it will ultimately need to totally support the natural curves of your body, which also helps support spinal alignment, helping to ease back pain.
Does Natural Latex Offer Support & Pressure Relief?
A lot of individuals think latex beds are very stiff and firm (due to the rubber's properties), but a lot of the time this really isn't the case. Although a latex mattress can be constructed to be extra firm, they can also be constructed to feel plush as well. However, firmness is an extremely subjective concept that varies from one individual to the next. Often, it won't definitively tell you whether or not the mattress is comfortable. Better sleep and comfort measures and motion isolation are pressure relief and support.
How to Find Latex Mattresses for Back Pain?
When shopping for a latex mattress, you'll want to look at the material's density. Latex density varies among models and brands. The density refers to how much latex is used in the bed.
Latex density is basically related to the mattress's hardness. This is why the denser the latex, the firmer it is, and the more push back you'll experience when pressing into the mattress. A reputable mattress company will use a stringent process for measuring the latex mattresses densities, so they can offer suitable options for an array of customers.
What Impact Does Pressure Relief Have on Comfort?
Many individuals wake up with aching shoulders, heels, and hips needing pressure relief, because these areas tend to carry a lot more weight than other areas. The pressure points might cause you to roll around in the nighttime, or wake up in pain. It can reduce your rest quality. Relieving these pressure points by sleeping on a natural latex mattress can help to improve blood flow, prevent the formation of pressure points, and provide pressure relief.
When Should I Buy a New Latex Mattress?
The best way to answer this question is to ask yourself how well you slept the night before. A poor mattress can lead to a host of problems, including neck and back pain as well as unsatisfying sleep that leaves you feeling drained and tired all day. It’s suggested you replace your mattress every five to seven years; however, not all mattresses are built the same.
Also, many individuals sleep on mattresses that aren’t providing the with the right support any longer, and they should replace their mattress even sooner.
Your mattress might not fit you for a few reasons. The most common reason is the mattress doesn’t offer the right support to align your spine while you’re sleeping. This can cause you to wake up with pain, discomfort, or with the need to stretch out stiffness and kinks. Your mattress might also not have the ideal number of pressure relief layers, and this could leave you rolling around all night long, tossing and turning, and causing you to wake the next morning feeling tired and unrefreshed, wishing you had motion isolation. A sweet price point is good, too.
If you’re a back sleeper, take a good, hard look at PlushBeds Natural, Organic, and Hybrid latex mattresses today to realize superior comfort and support.
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