Is Your Mattress Too Hard Or Too Soft?

Clearly, you have to be comfortable in bed in order to sleep well at night. But if your mattress is either too hard or too soft, you won’t be able to feel relaxed. Moreover, a bed that doesn’t provide proper bodily support can create health troubles or can make worse any existing physical problems, especially if you already have back pain. When you feel pain or any kind of discomfort while sleeping, this reduces sleep quality and can cause you to wake up from time to time.

Is Your Bed Too Hard?

— Your back feels strained. When you rest in bed, the mattress must support the shoulder, neck, back and legs properly, and it should also allow the back to sink down a bit. A mattress that is too firm won’t allow the back to slightly drop down into it. Instead, it will push the hip area upwards, which then strains the back. A very firm mattress also puts a lot of tension on the shoulder and hip joints. Because of this, the muscles in such areas become stiff and painful at times.

— Your hip and shoulders feel sore. If you lie on your side using a really firm mattress, you’ll soon feel sore, particularly on the shoulder or hip area. These protruding parts aren’t able to comfortably sink into the mattress, and this causes spinal misalignment. These parts push against the solid mattress, which can cause soreness. In addition, the pressure against these body parts will decrease blood flow and can increase discomfort.

Is Your Bed Too Soft?

— Your back aches worsen. A too soft mattress will not provide your spine and entire body with needed support. When lying on your back, instead of the back and shoulder areas just slightly sinking into the bed, your entire back will sink and become more curved which can exacerbate your back aches. If you like to sleep on your side, the very yielding mattress won’t promote proper spine alignment, and you might experience muscle rigidity especially on the shoulder, neck and back.

— You cannot move easily. If you feel like your bed is swallowing you up, then it is probably too soft. You won’t be able to move or change positions readily because the mattress enfolds you too closely. Tossing and turning, and trying to find a comfortable position in order for you to get some ZZZs will make you feel tired in the morning.

— You always feel hot and sweaty. Because a very soft mattress can become too snug around you, your body won’t be able to efficiently regulate body temperature. This can cause you to feel hot even when your bedroom environment is perfectly fine. If the body can’t properly release heat, you’re more likely to sweat a lot as well.

Finding the Right Mattress

Finding the perfect mattress is a matter of personal preference. There are several varieties of mattresses available, and some examples are: innerspring mattresses, latex mattresses, and memory foam mattresses. Each has pros and cons, and you should do your own research first and compare prices and features before you buy a new one.

[box_light]Claire Thorpe is a freelancer who likes to write about health-related matters. She also blogs about how beds can affect health. You can click here to learn more about such issues.[/box_light]

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