If your mattress is too hard then it might not be very comfortable for you and could be causing back and joint pains. It could also be affecting your posture if you don't think your spine is being properly supported. Overall, you might not be getting a good night's sleep which could be impacting your day to day life.
Over time, however, sleeping on a too-firm mattress could push your spine out of a healthy alignment while you sleep and cause back and neck pain. You'll want to fix your mattress firmness as soon as you start feeling uncomfortable to avoid unnecessary sleep loss and back aches.
Stomach and back sleepers often require a firm mattress to achieve good spinal alignment. However, firm beds don't provide much contouring or pressure relief, so side sleepers often prefer plusher models. Durability is a significant benefit of firm beds.
Your mattress plays an important role in helping you fall and stay asleep. A mattress that's too firm, too soft, not supportive enough or just plain uncomfortable can often be all it takes to prevent you from getting the quality sleep you need.
Your Mattress is Either Too Soft or Too Hard
A mattress that is too soft for you can start hurting your spine sooner than you realize. A mattress that is too hard causes joint pressure. Most sleep experts recommend going for a medium-firm orthopedic mattress to combat this issue.
A too-hard mattress forces your spine into an unnatural position and creates pressure points. Your mattress should have some give to keep your spine neutral.
Firm mattresses can be bad for side sleepers, especially ones under 150 pounds. If your mattress firmness is too hard, it might not have enough give and cushioning for your pressure points.
Those without back pain and who sleep on their back or stomach will likely favor a firmer mattress. Side sleepers or those with back issues may prefer something softer – although it ultimately comes down to personal preference.
What Types of Mattresses Do Hotels Use? Many hotels have their own philosophy when it comes to mattresses. Typically, the mattresses used in hotel rooms are medium-firm. This is because medium-firm mattresses can accommodate all three sleep positions.
You can break it in by sleeping on it night after night, and you'll experience some softening over time. However, if you want more comfortable sleep sooner, you can walk across the top of it every day, preferably for several minutes at a time, and that should soften it up quicker.
Firm Mattresses
This can lead to improved circulation and hence a better sleep quality. Evenly distributes body weight. This proves great for heavier persons so they don't sink too deeply into the mattress. Provides better support for stomach sleeping or lying face down.
Side sleepers do best with a mattress that is a medium to medium firm feel, which is a 5-6 firmness on our scale. Lighter weight side sleepers may go as soft as a 4 firmness with ultra light weight side sleepers going as low as a 3. Heavier side sleepers may go as high as a 7 firmness, though not more than that.
Mattress Firm Sleep Expert® Jill Smith says it takes an average of 21 to 30 nights to break in a new mattress. In general, our bodies need a bit of time to adjust to anything new, whether sleeping in a new setting, traveling to a new time zone or trying a new food.
Buying a memory foam topper is one of the quickest, most effective, and most affordable ways to make a hard mattress softer. By adding a supportive layer to the top of your bed, you can enhance pressure point relief. If you buy a rippled or contoured design, you'll have even more pressure relief.
It might sound strange, but you can walk gently on your mattress a few times daily. Not only is it an opportunity for exercise, but it's also a proven way to soften your high-density foam mattress. Putting a bit of weight on it is another option – like shoe boxes filled with rocks or hard-bound books stacked together.
If you are a side sleeper, you should look into purchasing a plush or medium mattress. You will need the extra comfort layers to provide pressure relief for your hips and shoulders. Generally, people with a curvier figure need the added cushion found in plush mattresses.
A mattress that's too firm will put too much pressure on your joints, especially if you sleep on your side or your back. That's why if you want to reduce your back pain in bed, you need a mattress that offers support but also contours your body to relieve pressure and relieve pain.
The position you tend to sleep in will also affect your comfort on beds of various firmness levels. Back and stomach sleepers tend to prefer firmer mattresses, while side sleepers prefer a softer feel. These preferences are not universal, of course, but it's a good starting point to consider.
Firmness is an important quality to look for in a mattress. However, a mattress that is too firm can exacerbate joint pain. Research suggests that medium-firm mattresses provide enough support for the spine and relieve pressure on joints.
While a softer mattress is recommended for people who sleep on their stomach or side, older people actually need a firmer mattress. Softer mattresses are also harder for older adults to get up from, so it's recommended that older sleepers get at least a medium-firm mattress.
Scientists have discovered that we wake up stiff and achy because our body's natural ibuprofen has not kicked in yet. As day darkens into night, the circadian clocks in joint tissue suppress inflammation and also the body's production of anti-inflammatory proteins, our natural pain-dampeners.
A firm bed might feel different in the beginning, but most people will adjust to it and come to love it in the long run.
Morning back pain can stem from a problem with sleeping posture, mattress, or pillows. However, a hurting back in the morning can also indicate a problem, such as degenerative disk disease or fibromyalgia. Waking up with back pain can slow down a person's start on the day.