What is the Best Mattress for Bad Backs?

If you’re one of the many Australians suffering from a bad back, you’re not alone – and the fix could be as simple as upgrading your mattress! So many of us keep our mattresses for way too long; we get used to them, it seems like a hassle to buy new, and we grow complacent. But when back pain starts to interrupt daily life, that’s when it’s time to take a good hard look at your mattress and consider how a new one could benefit you (and your back)! The best kind of mattress to help with back pain is one that provides the right support to keep your spine aligned throughout the night. When you wake up with the soreness and creakiness that you’re probably very familiar with, that’s because your spine spent the night in misalignment. But with the right mattress, you’ll wake up feeling refreshed – without any aches or lasting soreness throughout the day.

How Do I Know if My Mattress Is Causing My Back Pain?

It can be hard to know what exactly is causing your back pain, because back pain can be caused by a lot of things in life. If you have a desk job and sit for most of the day, that could be the culprit. It could also be from a pinched nerve or a pulled muscle. But a good way to figure out if your mattress is behind the pain is if your back pain is worse in the morning, or if you find yourself tossing and turning throughout the night. And if your mattress is over seven years old, there’s a good chance it’s causing you some sort of discomfort and it’s time to buy a new one that will treat your back much better.

Spinal Alignment

You’re probably aware of the fact that good posture is important in everyday life, but did you know that it’s also important when you’re asleep? Your muscles and ligaments in your back need the time that you spend sleeping to recover, and if a mattress is too firm or too soft, it won’t support your spine the way it needs to at your neck or your lower back.

But like we stated earlier, everyone’s body is different, which means that different firm levels suit different body types. For example, if you have wider hips, a slightly softer mattress may be better than a firm one. If you have narrow hips, you might feel more comfortable with a firmer mattress.

But if you can’t make up your mind, medium-firm is always the safest route to take. People who have these types of mattresses report the least amount of discomfort.

The Top Choice

Of course, everyone has their own personal preferences when it comes to mattresses, but if you’re looking for one that will do away with your back pain, you’re going to want a medium-firm mattress. This kind of mattress supports the natural curve of your spine when you’re lying flat and when you’re on your side as well – so, no matter what style of sleeper you are, you’re going to get the right kind of support. The reason that back pain is eradicated by a mattress with adequate support is because back pain is typically caused when mattresses don’t support the body throughout the night.

As you’re looking for a medium-firm choice, many people come across memory foam and latex mattresses, as these tend to be some of the most successful options. But what many people don’t know is that hybrid and coil mattresses can be just as successful for getting rid of pesky back pain, as long as they are specifically designed for that purpose – like three of our best options at Galligans Mattress Factory – the Executive, Platinum, and Gold mattresses.

Galligans’ Executive Mattress

Our Executive mattress is our most premier choice – it provides great support alongside luxurious cushioning, so it falls right in the sweet spot of firm and soft. It includes a high quality 3-zone orthopaedic pocket spring system to provide firm support, and both comfort layers are fully removable and adjustable so you have the potential for maximum comfort every single night.

Galligans’ Gold Mattress

The reason that our Gold mattress is so phenomenal for back support is because it is constructed with a high quality 3-zone orthopaedic spring system, much like the Executive mattress. It’s also covered with micro-quilted stretch knit fabric that has five alternate comfort levels, so you can choose what one works best for you. We understand that everyone’s body is different, and everyone’s back reacts differently to certain materials.

Galligans’ Platinum Mattress

Much like the Executie and the Gold mattresses, the Platinum mattress also is constructed with a high quality 3-zone orthopaedic spring system it offers maximum back support and comfort. The goal of this mattress is to provide you with the most comfort possible and the most support possible so you wake up feeling rejuvenated and ready to start your day – every single morning.

Are Firm Mattresses Better?

If you ask around, many people will tell you that the firmer the mattress is, the better it is for your back – but that’s not necessarily the case. Not for everyone, at least. A mattress that’s too firm can be just as detrimental as one that’s too soft. It can cause misalignment of the spine by pushing up on the shoulders and hips. To prevent this from happening, we stick by our recommendation that medium-firm is always the best choice for back support, and that’s because it provides cushioning in all the right places, at all the right pressure points.

Memory Foam Mattresses and Back Pain

Oftentimes, memory foam mattresses are spoken of as the ‘cure-all’ for back pain – and while this is somewhat true because of their balance of support and cushioning, it’s not always the case. It doesn’t hold up when you buy a memory foam mattress that’s on the cheaper side, because those selections are much lower quality than the more expensive options.

Memory foam mattresses that have a price point that’s a bit higher have better quality, dense memory foam that provides support that the back needs – and while they do call for a bigger investment up front, they will serve you for a long time to come.

When In Doubt, Test It Out

It can be hard to figure out whether or not a mattress is truly comfortable when you’re testing it in the store. Taking the mattress home for a trial period will tell you more than a quick lie-down at the shop will ever be able to. If it works, you have it to keep, and if it doesn’t end up being as comfortable as you thought, you can send it back and try again with a different choice.

The Age of Your Mattress

Along with firmness and price point, another key element to a comfortable mattress is its age. If you’ve been sleeping on the same mattress for a decade or more, it’s time to get rid of it and invest in a new one. Nearly any replacement will be better than a saggy, worn mattress with a run-down foundation that has been slept on night after night for years on end.

Your Back and Quality of Sleep

At Galligans Mattress Factory, we care about how you feel and how you sleep, which is why we stock the best mattresses in Adelaide for back pain. Feel free to stop in and test them out for yourself, or give us a call at (08) 8332-4055 to chat about your new mattress endeavors.

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