If you’re constantly waking up with muscle tension and still feel tired, even after an entire night's sleep, or if your back hurts and the pain or discomfort gradually goes away throughout the day, it's worth considering that your mattress may be a factor contributing to your back pain and trouble sleeping. It's true, many people, perhaps including you, may have overlooked just how important your mattress is for a restorative night's sleep—until now.

If you experience back or other chronic pain daily or consider yourself a person who seems to suffer with a "bad back," you should sleep on the firmest mattress you can find—right? Well, hang on there, just for one second. Sleeping on a firm mattress was previously the most common recommendation, especially if your back hurts. But still, to this day, there are no dependable studies to back it up. In reality, you might need a new one if your mattress is too firm, too.

Many people ask their friends and family for mattress recommendations, and one common misconception is that any one mattress brand, style, or model is best for everyone, including those with back pain. The idea that one type of mattress is ideal for everyone certainly isn't accurate.

Mattresses are influenced by your personal preferences, body type, and sleep position. So, let your instincts and individual tastes guide you to choose what feels most comfortable, so your body relaxes more easily the longer you lie on the mattress.

Above all, getting a new, supportive mattress is a wise way to help manage back pain and help you get a better night's sleep. Still, finding the right fit can be tricky with so many mattress options available. Regardless, if your back hurts, a new mattress is a viable solution to improve support, spinal alignment, and, above all, boost your comfort and help you get a good night's sleep.

Continue reading as the sleep experts at Mattress Express, one of the top mattress companies, highlight key factors to help you recognize when and why you need a new mattress.

Is Your Mattress to Blame for Your Back Pain? 3 Signs to Watch Out For

Worldwide, more than 600 people experienced low back pain (LBP) in 2020, a statistic forecasted to rise above 800 million by 2050. Low back pain is a primary sleep disruptor that can be helped or hindered by the ideal firmness, comfort, and support of your mattress.

One sleep scientist and educator, Dr. Vanessa Hill, describes, "Some researchers have called for a clearer distinction between pain and discomfort. Discomfort is an unpleasant feeling that's typically milder and shorter – like waking up with morning aches or perhaps a kink in your neck. Pain is typically more intense, may be associated with tissue damage, and could warrant medical attention."

If you have pre-existing back pain that has worsened, you’re in the right place to gain expert insight into whether or not your mattress is to blame for your back pain. Next, common reasons why you should probably replace your mattress if your back is hurting.

#1: You Can't Seem To Get a Good Night's Sleep

If you start noticing a decline in your sleep quality, such as more restless sleep, it could be due to physical discomfort from your mattress. Some symptoms of sleeping on a bad mattress that are associated with poor sleep quality include:

• Increased irritability and mood swings
• Difficulty concentrating
• Impaired memory

While physical pain, stiffness, and soreness may occur from an unsupportive mattress, your cognitive function can also be affected when your sleep quality declines. Your brain needs sufficient, uninterrupted sleep to do its job, so consider whether it’s time to replace your mattress if it’s getting in the way of restorative sleep.

#2: You Begin Your Day With Back Pain & Feeling Sore or Stiff

If you wake up with back pain, stiffness, and soreness, and the feeling gradually fades throughout the day, your mattress may be a factor. Tension and discomfort aren't confined to just one area of the body, like your back. Many of the body's joints and muscles are interconnected, allowing back pain to trigger discomfort in other parts of your body. For instance, with sciatica pain, you may often experience pain in your hips and legs.

Here are further symptoms that could indicate your mattress is a cause of your back issues:

• Neck, shoulder, and hip pain from imbalanced support and spinal misalignment.
• Joint immobility or stiffness occurs when your sleeping surface doesn’t support a neutral spine position that allows your joints and muscles to relax or release tension.
• Numbness and tingling from circulatory distress caused by mattress padding layers that are ineffective at alleviating pressure points from your body weight.
  

The symptoms listed above can also change based on your preferred sleeping position. Various sleep positions often, but not always, feel better with distinct mattress firmnesses. For instance, back sleepers tend to sleep better on medium-firm mattresses. In contrast, side sleepers more often prefer a medium-soft variety. All the while, stomach sleepers will usually appreciate a firmer mattress.

Pro Tip: When in doubt, choose a mattress in the medium-firm category. Additionally, hybrid mattresses combine the best of both worlds for support and pressure relief, helping alleviate back pain.

#3: Your Current Back Pain Becomes Worse

If you have existing back pain that is getting worse, it could indicate that your mattress is the problem. The mattress itself could be deteriorating and declining, along with your sleep quality. Still, your mattress shouldn’t aggravate existing back problems. Instead, your mattress should provide you with some form of relaxation or relief.

Additionally, if you experience aggravated back pain—intense stiffness or persistent discomfort that radiates to other parts of your back or body —it may be time to replace your mattress and speak to your doctor about the ongoing pain.

Why Your Mattress Causes Back Pain

Sometimes, the mattress you sleep on isn't as good as you expected. Hand-me-downs are typical, especially for mattresses, and free is a great price, right? But if you didn't personally choose your mattress and received it "gently used" from a friend or family member, it may not be the best fit for your body for several reasons.

Mattresses should supply support to the natural curves and contours of your body's shape. A good mattress will also accommodate more than one sleeping position, as many people consider themselves multi-positional sleepers, changing from side to back and back to the side or stomach.

Mattress Isn’t Supportive Enough

Your mattress should evenly distribute your body weight by supporting your hips and shoulders, aligning your spine, and helping keep it in a neutral, 'loose' and relaxed position for sleep. Your mattress should also feel sturdy when you sit on the edge; you shouldn't feel like you're going to slide or roll off the side.

If your mattress isn't fulfilling a specific purpose, such as those listed below, it's probably not the right one for you.

• Spinal alignment: Your mattress should contour to the curves and slopes of the body, avoiding pressure points or lack of support that may force the spine to turn or twist into awkward or uncomfortable positions. Your mattress should keep you from sinking in too far while providing gentle conformability, enough to make it easy to change positions from your side to your back. Your mattress should support multiple sleep positions while keeping your spine aligned with your hips and shoulders.
• Edge support: The system along the edges of your mattress that allows you to sleep and sit near the edge of the bed. It should feel close to, if not just as supportive as, the mattress's middle. Good-quality mattress edges should keep you from feeling like you're rolling off the side while making it easy to get in and out of the bed without strain.
• Even weight distribution: A supportive mattress disperses the sleeper's body weight as evenly as possible across the sleeping surface. Balanced alignment boosts optimal blood flow and helps the body avoid circulatory distress—numbness or tingling—which can disrupt sleep and may contribute to aggravated back pain.

The Mattress Material Layers are Compressed

According to the Better Sleep Council, many people wait too long to replace their mattress, which can lead to diminished performance of the materials. Over time, foams and other materials, such as natural latex rubber, can compress. In other words, mattress layers eventually break down, and then they'll feel uncomfortable. If your mattress has lumps, bumps, or noticeable body impressions, rotating the mattress may help, but it’s definitely time to get a new one.

The Base Underneath Doesn't Properly Support Your Mattress

The mattress base, also known as the foundation, is a rigid structure that supports the mattress and elevates it off the floor. Not all mattress bases are of the same quality, so if you are experiencing back pain and find your mattress unstable or uncomfortable, the issue may lie with the mattress foundation.

Common compatibility considerations between mattresses, bases, and foundations include:

Boxspring Foundation

A semi-rigid wood and steel foundation 'box' wrapped in fabric, often matching the same or similar fabric of the mattress.

• Compatible Mattress Types: In general, innerspring and hybrid mattresses perform best with box spring foundations. However, all memory foam or latex mattresses can also pair with a box spring, too.

Platform Bed

A mattress base constructed with either wood, metal, or both. These bed frames provide a rigid, solid, and flat platform to rest the mattress on. Platform beds are becoming a popular option for their simplicity and reliable durability.

• Compatible Mattress Types: Innerspring, memory foam, latex, and hybrid mattresses.

Slatted Base

Slatted beds are built using wood and metal. They have horizontal slats—flat planks made of wood or metal— which are assembled across the frame, thus creating a platform. Compared to a solid platform bed, they provide a rigid, yet more breathable platform for the mattress to sit on.

If the slats are too far apart, the mattress may begin to sag in areas of the frame that lack support, especially if the mattress is all foam. Nevertheless, an inadequate slatted base creates an uneven base for your mattress. Unfortunately, it can do more than just damage the mattress itself; it can also cause back pain and other discomfort from imbalanced support and poor sleeping posture.

• Compatible Mattress Types: Innerspring, memory foam, latex, and hybrid mattresses.

Adjustable Base

An adjustable base, also called an adjustable bed, is a multi-functional, motorized base for your mattress that lets you adjust your position effortlessly with an adjustable bed remote. Those with sleep apnea, acid reflux, or poor circulation will get the most benefit from using this type of base. Still, anyone, with or without medical conditions, will appreciate the functionality and customization an adjustable bed offers. Adjustable beds are also among the most durable, heavy-duty foundations for your mattress.

• Compatible Mattress Types: Innerspring, memory foam, latex, hybrid, and adjustable firmness mattresses.

If you're suffering from back pain, it may be because of your mattress foundation. A foundation with broken, or wobbly pieces or slats spaced too far apart can compromise the overall structure of your bed, affecting the support your mattress provides to your body. It's important to check whether you have the correct type of base and evaluate its integrity. Double-check that your base provides adequate support, as this can affect your mattress's performance.

The Mattress is Old, Or You've Had It Too Long

An old mattress or one of low quality may lead to shifts in support and awkward sleeping positions. Uncomfortable positions can leave you feeling like your back hurts, even after sleeping through the night.

To evaluate your mattress's condition, consider your sleep quality and its ability to provide support and comfort, helping reduce tossing and turning and alleviate a sore or stiff back.

Signs of a problem with an old mattress:

• Durability: Wear and tear can cause sagging, leading to soreness and stiffness.
• Materials: Lower-quality materials compress faster, affecting breathability and increasing the risk of overheating.
• Comfort: If your mattress doesn't support your body weight, shape, and sleeping position, you may experience restless movements throughout your sleep cycles. Restlessness during sleep often leaves you with a stiff or sore neck, back, or entire body when you wake up.

How to Make Changes With Confidence 

Now that you have a new perspective on the indications and explanations for why your new mattress may be causing your back pain, it’s time to consider a few viable sleep solutions. A Mattress Express refresh, if you will. Depending on your precise needs and unique preferences, you may need to invest in a new, high-quality mattress or an adjustable bed frame in order to boost your sleep quality overall.

Invest In a Premium Quality Mattress

Today, quality levels of mattresses vary tremendously. That said, choosing a higher-quality, premium mattress means you'll enjoy superior materials and a sleep system designed for comfort and satisfaction. By choosing a premium mattress, you're more likely to be happy with your purchase and say, "I love my new mattress," than if you opted for a lower-quality option.

In fact, research highlighted in the National Library of Medicine revealed a study that randomly designated 62 people to sleep in a variety of new beds for 28 days, and they found that almost everyone began sleeping better. That was true regardless of the mattress brand or model. Conversely, people who slept in the most inexpensive beds reported higher levels of lower back pain than those who slept on the mid-range and higher-priced beds.

It seemed that the most significant aspect was that the beds were new. Researchers noted that the participants' existing beds were, on average, about 9.5 years old. In closing, this particular research gathered that "sleep quality may be dependent on timely replacement of bedding systems."

The central theme: If you've been sleeping on the same mattress for 7 to 10 years, your back hurts, and you're free from injury, it's indeed time to get a new one. Almost any new mattress will be an improvement over that sad excuse of an old mattress. Nevertheless, for many people, it is rewarding to splurge on at least a mid-priced model so they can get the sleep they deserve.

Consider Getting an Adjustable Bed

Adjustable beds serve as a motorized foundation for your mattress, allowing you to customize your best lounging or sleeping position for optimal comfort. With a user-friendly remote control device, you can modify the bed's position to better support sensitive or problematic areas, such as the feet, neck, or back.

Adjustable bed frames work well with just about any mattress, except for outdated innerspring models. Adjustable beds can raise and lower the head and foot sections of the base while you rest on the mattress. Adjustable beds are certainly a worthwhile sleep solution for just about anyone, but are especially beneficial for:

• People who suffer from symptoms of sleep apnea, acid reflux, or back pain.
• Elderly or immobile people.
• Patients recovering medically from an injury or surgery.

Get Your Mattress Express Refresh!

Here's your expert recap. Comfort from pressure relief is what you feel when you go to bed, and support is what you feel when you wake up. Comfort helps you fall asleep more easily, while support keeps your body aligned, allowing your muscles to relax. When your muscles relax, the rest of your body and mind will follow. That's the genuine pathway with real brilliance behind a good night's sleep!

So, after soaking in all this expert insight, if you believe your mattress has been hurting your back, the next step is: get a Mattress Express refresh! One of the best places to buy from, with multiple locally-owned and operated mattress store locations, there's sure to be a sleep shop close to you in upstate New York. So, don't hesitate; let our fun and professional sleep experts help you navigate your inner compass to discover the best mattress system, just right for you!

Mattress Express showcases high-quality mattresses from reliable and well-known brands like:

• TEMPUR-Pedic
• Instant Comfort SmartBeds
• Beautyrest
• Stearns & Foster
• Sealy Posturepedic
• Serta
• Puffy
• Purple
• Avocado
• Posh+Lavish

Discover the Mattress Express refresh to revitalize your mattress and boost your sleep quality. At Mattress Express, one of the best mattress stores in upstate New York, you will find some of the most effective sleep solutions available. 

Here, you can rely on expert guidance from mattress nerds and sleep geeks to find the support you've been waiting for from your mattress, with the shared purpose of ultimately improving your back pain for good.