Will a Firm Mattress Hurt my Back?

Many people have this question when they are searching for a new mattress. It's important that you find the right mattress for you, so asking questions and learning all you can about mattresses today is a very important step in the right direction. When the question is: "Will a firm mattress hurt my back?"

How Do You Sleep?

How you sleep is the most important factor in determining the answer to this. Consider what position you spend most of the night in. For those of you who sleep on your side, a firm mattress may indeed cause you back pain, it may also cause you shoulder and hip pain due to the excess pressure in these areas. However, if you sleep on your back or stomach, a firmer mattress is much more ideal for you and you back. This comfort level will help keep your spine in a much straighter position allowing you to sleep more comfortably and for longer.

Firmer Doesn't Always Mean Better Support

Sadly this myth still exists today. The support that your mattress provides comes from the innerspring coil system at the center of the mattress. Most mattress manufacturers use the same coil system in all comfort levels of a mattress model, which means the firm, and plush models provide the same amount of support. A firmer mattress may be more comfortable to you, but the support is no different than any other mattress within the same collection.

Do You Currently Have Back Pain?

Dealing with back pain is a serious problem that you should talk to your doctor about before making any purchasing decisions and can definitely be the result of inadequate support in your bed. However, a place to start is to think about how your bed is serving you. This is the time to be like Goldilocks. Keep searching until you find the one that’s “just right.”

People who suffer from lower back pain usually enjoy a medium-firm to straight-up firm mattress as well as memory foam mattresses.

These beds can provide better molding support to your lower spine while you sleep so that you don’t twist it at odd angles and cause aches and stiffness upon waking up.

Back Sleepers

For those back sleepers out there, first health care professionals and your spine love you, and second, if you’re a back sleeper on a soft mattress, the chances are good that your heavier lower half will sink a little lower than the rest of you.

This is where a firm mattress is a great choice.

Basically, you’ll wake up with stiff and sore lower back, hips, and joints. Back sleepers tend to favor the firm mattress advantages they receive from sleeping on a firmer surface that supports the lower back better. You’ll get that preferred angle, keeping you from sinking too low.

It Can Be Cooler

In the summertime, a warm mattress will make it much more difficult to sleep. For optimal sleep quality, people need to maintain a cooler body temp. If you’re too hot, you won’t be able to fall asleep easily and you’ll likely wake up during the night.

Because you’ll sink less on a firmer mattress, more heat can escape into the air from your body and not get trapped into the bed. This can keep you cooler during the night so that you sleep better.

Do your research, talk to your doctor, and then give us a call at (888) 996-9890. We’ll be happy to help you find a new mattress that suits your needs.

Finished With Your Research?

If you're ready to buy, that's great. However, if you need more information about which type of mattress will suit your needs the best, check out our Mattress Buying Guide. It'll help you make a smart decision. You can find it here.

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