Sore and Pain Go Away: Finding the Best Mattress for Your Sleeping Position
A good night’s sleep can primarily affect how you face and handle your everyday life. Your work productivity, health, and mood, amongst others, can be determined depending on the hours and comfortability that you get from sleeping. That is why choosing a mattress that will suit your needs can be one of the best decisions and investments of your life.
However, every person is different, like having a favorite sleeping position. Without a suitable mattress, your body may feel the beginning of sores and pains from the mismatched bed. But don’t worry! Here are some suggestions you can follow based on your sleeping position:
Side Sleeper
Side sleeping has some health benefits depending on which side you tend to lie on. Because of the stomach’s shape and angle much more curving to the left, sleeping on one’s left side proves to help people suffering from GERD or Gastroesophageal reflux disease. It can also help with sleep apnea, snoring, and is the best sleeping position for pregnant women.
Even so, there are still some negative effects if you sleep on your side for too long, especially without the proper equipment to do so. For example, soreness on the shoulder and hip may surface. Also, if one lies on their arm for the entirety of the night, numbness in the said area may be observed due to poor blood circulation.
For side sleepers, a good mattress is the memory foam. This type of mattress is the best mattress 2021 has on sale. Due to it being on the softer side, a memory foam may relieve those pressure points mentioned above. It also can cushion the body because it has a contouring feature, meaning the mattress can adapt to the shape of your sleeping position.
Remember to pick a medium-soft firmness for the memory foam because a super soft foam can cause lumbar pain; meanwhile, too firm foams can further cause soreness as there is no conformity and much support.
On the other hand, If you are eco-friendly, then a latex mattress can also be an option for you. Latex comes from a rubber tree compared to other types of mattresses, which are made of artificial materials. It is quite durable and breathable due to it being open-celled. Although because of its benefits and nature as a sustainable mattress, the cost of latex is much higher than that of a memory foam.
Back Sleeper
Back sleeping is the second most popular sleeping position, only behind side sleeping. Back sleepers require support for proper spine alignment, hips, and shoulders without putting too much pressure on them to get a good night’s sleep. A mattress with an even surface and contours to the body will be the best bed for back sleepers.
Hybrid mattresses with a good firmness level will be the best option for back sleepers. One important factor is the sleeper’s weight, as it determines the firmness level needed. Heavyweight sleepers will prefer a firm mattress, below-average-weight sleepers will prefer a softer mattress, and average-weight sleepers will fit best with a medium-firm mattress.
Stomach Sleeper
Out of the mentioned sleeping positions, sleeping on your stomach is the least advisable as it has the most negative effect on your health. It can cause shoulder, neck and back pain, for example, because the upper part of the body sinks deeper than the rest, which causes the stretching or worse misalignment of the spine.
To help ease the discomfort, you can put a small towel under your hips or try to buy a firm mattress for more long-term use. A firm mattress lessens the sagging feeling on your forehead, chest, hip, knee, and toe areas, which are the main pressure points when sleeping on your stomach.
An innerspring mattress is a good suggestion if you are looking for that firm experience. It provides even support and has a layer of coils to avoid too much sinking and contouring on the pressure points. Although, one should be careful not to choose a too firm mattress because the hip may be pushed out, resulting in more back pain. A medium-firm one should suffice.
Combination Sleeper
Combination sleepers tend to change position in the course of their sleep. They may change from sleeping on their back to their stomach, then go to their sides and a whole lot more variation of the said positions. One tip is knowing which position you most favor while sleeping and finding the appropriate mattress for that position.
However, always take note of spinal alignment, and depending on your body composition, choose a mattress that provides just the right amount of support. It is advisable to get a feel for the mattress in-store.
Takeaway
A good mattress can be an excellent upgrade to your everyday life. Therefore, you should decide carefully on what type of mattress is most suitable for you because whether you buy a new mattress or not, it would not do much to your overall sleeping experience if it is not fitted to your needs and personality.