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There’s a funny thing about backs and mattresses—you don’t appreciate either one until it stops working properly. Everyone gets back pain at some point. Usually it’s because of a strain or injury. If it becomes chronic, more drastic steps may be needed including an honest assessment of your mattress. It may be time to replace it even if it’s sooner than the eight years or so of life expectancy. Don’t Rely on Bed Boards Many people look for short-term solutions like bed boards that are placed under mattresses to “firm it up.” This is a temporary fix at best. And you’re still stuck with a mattress that isn’t working for you. Besides, firmness is in the eye, or perhaps the back, of the beholder or sleeper. There is plenty of evidence that too much firmness can lead to back pain and poor sleep. Studies Say Medium Mattresses are the Best Choices to Combat Back Pain Sleep Like the Dead is an independent site that reviews sleep aids including mattresses, bed toppers, pillows, and sound machines. It reviewed about 18,300 mattresses and found that when it came to firmness and back pain, mattresses with medium firmness had the best scores for reducing back aches. Furthermore, those ho-hum medium mattresses scored B+ in providing comfort for back, side, and stomach sleepers. Firm mattresses scored B-, D+, and C+. Soft mattresses did a little bit better. An influential 2003 study conducted by the Kovacs Foundation in Spain—home of the siesta!—distributed firm or medium-firm mattresses to 84 men and 229 women with lower back pain not linked to a disorder. After 90 days, those who slept on medium-firm mattresses were twice as likely to have less pain, fewer problems getting out of bed, and reported reduced need for painkillers. Harvard’s HEALTHbeat newsletter notes that a soft mattress conforms to the body’s curves and can help joints align. However, they also let a sleeper sink in too much and twist those joints which can result in damage over time. Too firm a mattress can backfire; a waiting room survey of 268 patients with lower back pain found that those who had orthopedic mattresses, which are very hard, had the worst sleep problems. Mattresses That Minimize Sagging Score Highest Sleep Like the Dead says mattresses that resist sagging scored highest in its survey, with airbeds leading in support and conformability. Futons had the lowest scores, with fair ratings. Innersprings were right in the middle, with good to fair ratings. Airbeds bring the additional benefit of firmness adjustability, and memory foam - a close second - ranges from soft to firm. The higher the density of the memory foam, the higher it scores for conformability. Sleep Around Before You Buy a Mattress HEALTHbeat stresses that consumers really need to understand what amount of firmness they need for a good night’s sleep so they suggest sleeping around a bit. This doesn’t mean doing anything immoral, detrimental to a relationship or possibly illegal in some states! Do things as fun as staying in a hotel and making notes about the mattress, napping at the home of a tolerant friend, even putting your mattress on the floor to test the firmness theory. The best way to shop for something as key to your health as a mattress is to have a good idea of what works for you right now.
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comfortable mattresses, mattress store, firm mattress, soft mattress, mattress back pain, conforming mattresses,
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