spinal stenosis
We often take for granted that 6-8 hours we get to lie down and sleep each day. You may go to sleep with aching muscles and an aching back, not knowing that your bed can either improve your condition, or worsen it.
Nowadays, where virtually everything has become ergonomic, we can find a mattress for our beds that helps our body maintain its proper posture and helps the circulation of our blood as well. First off, here are the characteristics of what your ergonomic mattress should be.
1. It should neither be too firm nor too soft We have heard that in choosing beds, the firmer the better. Not necessarily. Choosing a mattress that is either too firm or too soft would not allow you to relax and rest properly. A mattress that is too firm will not support your entire body, only your heavier parts because they are the ones that will push toward the mattress.
On the other hand, a mattress that is too soft will not do you any good either. A soft bed can look enticing and feel comfortable at first - that is, until you really sleep on it. It easily sags and makes it hard for you to move. It does not help with your posture either because it does not make your spine maintain its proper alignment.
You will know if your ergonomic mattress helps your posture when you do not have to find a comfortable position while you sleep. Also, a correct mattress will not leave you feeling tired and achy the next day.
2. It should distribute your weight evenly Your ergonomic mattress should be able to distribute your pressure points evenly across your body and across the bed. This decreases discomfort which results to less body movement and better, sound sleep. This will also help improve your blood circulation.
You should choose a mattress, just like what is stated above, that is neither too soft nor too firm. The ideal mattress should conform to your natural body shape and will not put too much pressure especially on your heavier parts. In addition, if you choose a mattress that helps distribute your weight evenly, you will not feel tired the next morning. Contrary to that, there have been many testimonies of people saying that using these ergonomic beds leave them feeling refreshed and energized in the morning.
3. There should be support on your back The spine is perhaps the most important part of the body that ergonomic furniture aims to take care of. The ergonomic mattress you should choose is one that will conform to the natural alignment of your spine.
There should not be any stress, tension or pressure in the spinal area of the body to relieve back pains and even to help those with scoliosis. Before you sleep, lie down on your bed and pay attention to how your back is doing. You should neither be stick- straight nor slouching.
4. Transfer of movement should be minimal This is especially true for couples who sleep together every night. Sometimes, you try to get a good night sleep on your own but find it difficult to do so because your partner keeps on tossing and turning. While you cannot force your partner to lessen his/her movements, you can choose however to ignore the disturbance.
Many mattresses in the market are now enhanced with a feature that makes it possible to minimize the transfer of movement from one sleeping person to another. This means that no matter how often your partner tosses and turns, you would not feel it on your side because the little or no movement is transferred.
5. If you have the budget for it, go for an adjustable bed An ergonomic mattress is important for your back problems but if you have some spare cash lying around, why not go one step further and buy an adjustable bed? For people with intense back pain, lying on a flat surface is not always the most comfortable position in the world. This is where the adjustment part comes in.
Adjustable beds allow the users (or sleepers for that matter) to adjust the bed's angle of inclination. Many models allow the head part of the bed to be adjusted while some recently-emerged models now have the feature to change the angle of the foot part as well. A slight change in the head's inclination can help reduce pain from the legs and the back and can even alleviate pain on patients suffering from spinal stenosis and herniated discs.
Adjustable beds are also the answer to people, especially those who are obese, who have difficulties in the morning standing up from their lying position.
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