Choosing the right Bed

Many people sleep badly and suffer preventable spinal pain because their bed is too hard or too soft for their body type or condition. If a mattress is too hard it causes pressure points and reduced circulation, requiring the muscles to work harder to keep the spine straight. However, if a mattress is not supportive enough, then the spine may sag out of alignment and again create tension leading to dysfunction and pain. Ideally, a mattress should be firm, comfortable and supportive, but not too hard as has been recommended by some specialists in the past. The line of your spine should be straight when lying on your side, and a natural curve maintained when sleeping on your back.

Try before you Buy

If you are in the market for a new bed, take your time making your choice. Lay on the bed in the showroom, take your own pillow, take your shoes off, and try it out for at least 20 - 30 minutes before you make your decision. Often a bed that feels great at first becomes uncomfortable after a few minutes. You are going to spend a third of your life in bed, at least spend 20 minutes trying it out.

Chronic back pain:

A recent clinical research trial, which compared an adjustable airbed with innerspring mattresses in a population of chronic back pain sufferers, found that, 95% showed pain improvement, and 88% reported better sleep, while sleeping on an adjustable airbed. For the study, three centers recruited 30 patients each with severe chronic back pain and without sleep apnea or other sleep disorders. The average improvements were a 32% pain decrease and a 73% increase in sleep quality. Eighty-five percent preferred the adjustable airbed. The conclusion of this study is that a highly significant benefit was derived from the use of the airbed. The airbed appears to be a useful sleep aid and an adjunct to medical and physical therapies for chronic back pain sufferers. Unfortunately when the technology that makes your airbed work so well - pumps, chambers, air lines, and fittings - fail, they may not be available from the airbed manufacturer. Our line of hard to find replacement parts for your air bed will help to extend it's life and your comfort for years, while saving you the expense and inconvenience of buying a new bed.

Firmness and support are often confused, but they are not quite the same things. A very firm mattress will probably be quite supportive, but may not be comfortable to many people. An extra level of pushiness can be incorporated by adding a pillow top: an extra layer of padding sewn onto the top of the mattress. This can result in very good support without being hard. In better bedding systems, comfort and support are provided together. By combining quality foams and premium padding and quilting, luxury bedding product lines can meet the complex needs of consumers, particularly those who have a multitude of health issues. No bed is going to be right for everyone. Therefore, the bewildering choice of bedding types available today.

If your bed is too hard, you may suffer from general discomfort and poor sleep without specific spinal pain. In this case one of our two inch memory foam or latex toppers give most people the perfect amount of additional padding for a reasonable price.

Lower back pain:

Patients suffering with low back pain most often prefer beds that are firmer. One study purported that rather firm beds should be the first choice for low back pain sufferers. The recommendation is not that they should sleep on a rock-hard bed, but rather, that they need support. A firmer bed prevents the low back from sinking deeply into the bed and irritating the facet joints. Higher quality beds can provide plenty of support along with comfortable padding, while poor quality beds can provide the firmness, but with less comfort.

An old, defective or broken box spring unit can cause or contribute to lower back pain, even if it looks fine. If you are significantly over weight (like many Americans are) the design limits of the bed system may be exceeded. Unfortunately most manufacturers don't furnish consumers with the information that would help them to make an informed decision based upon their weight.

If you aren't getting the support that you need from your bed try this experiment - put your mattress directly on the floor without a bed frame or box spring. If your sleep comfort improves, then a new box spring unit, or even just a piece of half inch plywood ($15-$30) between the box spring and mattress may be all you need. Many people have reported that the piece of plywood really makes a big difference for them. If you decide to go this route get a good grade of half inch plywood that is reasonably flat - cheaper grades tend to be very wavy - and have the home improvement center cut it to fit from side to side on your bed (usually for free). It doesn't matter that the four foot width of plywood doesn't cover the entire box spring, it will cover the area that your back and neck are supported by, and your feet will be fine without the added support. No kidding, this really works.

Upper back and neck pain:

Patients who are suffering from upper back and neck pain often prefer softer or plusher bedding. The plusher cushioning in the bed allows the head and thoracic (upper body) area to sink into the bed to support the cervical (neck) area. A pillow-top mattress, or one with softer foams, padding and quilting, can be a good recommendation. There are also several types of pillows that can provide extra support for the neck.

Arthritis and fibromyalgia:

Patients suffering with multiple painful joints often prefer bedding with cushioning that disperses the weight across the greatest body surface. Frequently, such patients also have spinal complaints. Balancing cushioning with proper support for the spine requires a higher-end mattress. Since fibromyalgia is related to stress levels, it also is important to review pre-sleep rituals with patients to help relax them before going to bed. If you have arthritis or Fibromyalgia, one of our three-inch memory foam mattress toppers will support your weight over the greatest possible body surface to help eliminate painful pressure points.

Stomach sleepers:

Sleeping on the stomach in a soft or unsupportive bed can stress the thoracolumbar spine. The weight of the belly and pelvis also compress the bedding. This position can also aggravate acid reflux. Unless you are extremely trim, belly sleeping is likely to cause issues.

Side-lying sleepers:

An estimated 73 percent of the population sleeps on its side. Plush mattresses are often recommended to side-lying sleepers because they provide the best way to maintain the natural shape of the spine and the curves of the hips and shoulders while sleeping. Plush bedding will cradle the body and help disperse the weight of the body across the maximum surface area, instead of creating pressure points at the hips and shoulders. Special pillows also may be necessary to support the neck in a position parallel to the ground.

Seniors:

Many seniors grew up sleeping on extremely firm beds, because that was what manufacturers used to make. Having slept on firm mattresses their entire lives, many prefer firmer bedding, even if their health conditions indicate that plusher bedding would be better for them. Seniors are also the most likely people to have back problems and sleep issues in general.

Insomnia:

Insomnia can be caused by many factors including stress, caffeine and other drugs, physical injury or ailments - or just a worn out or poorly designed bed. You can find information about insomnia and other sleep disorders at www.insomniacs.co.uk or by asking your doctor.