Right Mattress for a Pain-Free Start to Your Day
By Winston Lee L.Ac., Ph.D., KMD
To make it to a golf tee-off at 6 a.m., you wake up at 5 a.m. and scramble to get ready. But right then, a stiff back pain happens. When the back feels stiff, the swing goes off, my confidence takes a hit, and in the end, you mess up the whole 18-hole game that day. Many people don’t realize that the mattress on your bed is often a big reason for this.
I often asked my patients, “What kind of bed should I use?” Truthfully, the mattress matters more than you’d think about your spine. During the day, whether working or studying, it’s rare to stay in one position for over an hour. But we’re stuck in one pose for at least 2 or 3 hours when we sleep. Picking the right mattress for your back is a big deal. When seeing patients in the clinic, it’s worth considering this and asking them about it, too.
The first thing I want to say about mattresses is this: don’t ever go for the super soft ones you find in hotels. Guests don’t complain about soft ones. Sure, sleeping on a cushy mattress for a day or two might not be a big deal, but if you slept on it every single day for a whole year, it’d take a toll on your back.
The lower back should keep a slight forward curve around the belly button, like a “C” shape. When it holds that curve, patients’ body weight spreads out nicely, and it’s easier to twist side to side or bend forward and back without trouble.
By the way, when a person lies on a soft, cushy mattress for a long time, this C-shaped curve in their spine can be unnaturally bent while they sleep. When that happens, the joints, ligaments, and muscles in the back of the spine end up under more unexpected pressure. On top of that, the muscles right in front of the spine get stretched too much and left like that for hours, which can cause damage. If a patient sleeps like this for 6 or 7 hours and then gets up, it’s no surprise the patient’s lower back feels stiff and sore, totally different from usual. For people who already have back problems or a slipped disc, it might even hit them with some severe pain.
I recommend a firm mattress—a hard mattress that doesn’t let the hips sink too far down. If that feels too uncomfortable, put a memory foam topper on top of the firm mattress to ease into it.
Sometimes people ask if a rock-hard stone bed might be good, but sleeping on a stone bed that feels like the floor—without anything on it— isn’t great for the back. That’s because it forces their back to stay completely straight without its natural C-shaped curve while you sleep. If they like stone beds, they should use a soft cover that’s thick enough to let your back keep that C curve.
Some beds feel just right when they first buy them, with a nice bounce, but after just a year, they sag like a deflated balloon. That’s where the price difference in mattresses comes in. Patients must carefully check mattress reviews and pick one that stays firm and sturdy for a long time.
A bed plays a big role in keeping your back in check and ensures a comfy seven hours of sleep at night, which sets you up for an energetic seventeen hours during the day. Don’t just grab the cheapest or most popular one without thinking—check your health needs carefully and pick something that fits you right. If a patient complains about chronic back pain, especially feeling stiff and sore in the morning, ask about their mattress and suggest they switch it out for a new one.
