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Is your mattress the reason you are waking up in pain?

Is your mattress the reason you are waking up in pain?

Mon, Mar 17, 2014

Often a patient will describe their experience with discomfort as, “I think I slept wrong.” Sometimes we neglect just how important a good night’s rest is. When we look at the numbers, we spend a third of each day sleeping. Why then do some wake up feeling sore or completely unrested after a solid 8 hours? The answer may be your pillow or mattress. As a Chiropractor in San Clemente I try to offer the best advice to help with the common issues I see in my office.

Here are the top 5 warning signs that it is time for a new mattress.

  1. Waking up isn’t just tough, it’s downright painful!
    If you’re waking up to pains in your back and lower back that get better as the day goes on, your mattress is not supporting you correctly through the night.
  2. One lump or two?
    Do words like frazzled, lumpy, or saggy describe the state of your mattress? You will want to start looking for a replacement.
  3. More sneezes than snoozes.
    Beds attract household allergens as a result of the skin and sweat they absorb, and unless you’ve upgraded to latex or memory foam mattresses, your bed may be clinging on to more and more of them.
  4. How about room service and fresh towels?
    Sleeping away from home can be tough, especially with unfamiliar surroundings and sounds. If you find that you get a better night’s sleep away from your own mattress, you should be asking yourself, why?
  5. Age before beauty sleep.
    The older you get, the firmer your mattress may need to be to combat back pain. On top of that, the best mattress for you may change every 7 to 8 years after the age of 40. Of course, how firm can depend on whether you sleep on your back or on your side.

While it is recommended to change a mattress every 5-7 years, here are some tips to extend the life of your current mattress.

  1. Rotate your mattress every 2 months. Even if your mattress is the “no-flip” you should rotate it regularly, especially in the first six months of ownership. That means turning it 180-degrees. If it’s a double sided mattress, you should also flip it when you do the turn.
  2. No more monkeys jumping on the bed. Try to avoid jumping on the bed (or letting your kids do it). It may sound silly, but this causes more stress to the mattress, and may lead to early replacement.
  3. Proper support. Just like your mattress supports you, your bed frame supports your mattress. By making sure that there’s good support on the center of your mattress, you’ll be making sure it provides good support to you for years to come.

If you suspect your mattress may be an issue please feel free to Ask The Doctor or set up a FREE consultation to get to the bottom of the problem.