The Southeastern Spine Institute


When you spend seven to eight hours on a mattress, you can bet it plays a role in your back pain cause and effect. Being comfortable enough to get a good night’s sleep is one thing, but being ergonomically supported is quite another. With all the commercial marketing messages, it can be difficult to gauge a mattress’s effectiveness.

Price may influence your choice, but considering back pain cause and effect, you may want to reconsider your options. Weigh the characteristics of a mattress in terms of an investment in your back health — nay, your entire health. It’s a proven fact that a good night’s sleep results not only in less back pain, but also:

  • Improved memory
  • Creativity boost
  • Increased lifespan
  • Lower blood pressure
  • Reduced inflammation
  • Improved athletic performance
  • Better learning abilities
  • Sharpened attention
  • Healthy metabolism
  • Reduced stress
  • Happiness

Look for the Best

When poor sleeping habits become a primary back pain cause, all the other areas of your life suffer too. Losing deep sleep only serves to aggravate your back condition while exacerbating other health issues. All the way around, your sleep is vitally important.

According to the Dalai Lama, “Sleep is the best meditation.” Your well being depends on it. To that end, choose your next mattress wisely to insure you get a sound sleep — and healthy back.

  • Springs and coils are the components of a mattress that determine firmness. But what may be firm for one person may not be very solid to you. A high concentration of steel coils usually indicates a higher quality mattress.
  • Padding also indicates quality. More padding typically is more expensive, but may be worth the cost for your comfort.
  • High-priced materials don’t always deliver the best mattress for you. Nor do you always need to pay top dollar. Stores often have sales —watch for them once you’ve determined the best mattress for your needs.
  • Back pain cause and effect from sleeping has not been thoroughly researched. No medical information exists touting the benefits of one mattress brand or type over another. So beware of advertising messages that claim otherwise.

You Be the Judge

When you plan your next mattress-shopping trip, leave plenty of time to test-drive various models. You need to spend at least 20 minutes in the store on a mattress before you can relax enough to make a deliberate decision. Take off your shoes and settle into your normal sleep position. Dress comfortably so that you won’t offend other shoppers, but can move around as you would in your own bed.

Splurge on a hotel room that carries the type of mattress you’re considering for yourself. Because of the importance of a good sleep and the widespread problem of back pain, many hotels market their mattresses and advertise the brand. Some even sell the mattresses they use through a retail division. The point is to try it before you buy it.

Personal preference ultimately is the best determination for a mattress. Once you realize the primary back pain cause is your current mattress:

  • Determine the size you need
  • Set a budget
  • Research various brands
  • Choose a couple trustworthy stores that allow you to lie on their merchandise
  • Go for a perpendicular test drive
  • Purchase mattress and box together to assure the box won’t harm your new mattress
  • Invest in a comfortable pillow
  • Have a good night’s sleep