By Graham Haas
The majority of the population has or will suffer from hip and shoulder pain sometime throughout their life.
It could be a muscle spasm from rigorous physical activity or it could be chronic pain, a result of trauma to the muscles or the unfortunate symptom of another ailment. There are multiple ways to alleviate some of the pain and tension you are experiencing and that is generally through a routine of painkillers, muscle relaxants, physiotherapy, massage therapy and chiropractic treatments.
But there is another simple adjustment you could make that will decrease the pain you feel and its effects? Technology and the innovative designs today have combined to create a type of mattress that will help the sufferer wake up feeling refreshed while providing support for the affected areas. Let’s discuss what style of mattress will actually minimize your symptoms and let you wake in the morning feeling refreshed and mobile!
History of Mattresses and Pain: It is typically thought that a firm unyielding mattress is the best possible thing for sleeping comfortably, especially if you suffer from hip and shoulder pain. This style of mattress provides minimal, if any movement during sleep, reducing the opportunity to stretch the muscles of your hips and shoulders further.
This is no longer the case in most situations. It has been discovered thanks to numerous clinical studies and medical advancements dealing with pain in your daily life. Minimal movement during sleep can actually increase the pain you feel because your muscles will cramp and even seize during the night.
A firm mattress can actually increase the pain felt in the hips, shoulders, and the entire body.
This type of mattress can apply pressure to the affected areas, inflaming the muscles and joints as your body settles into a deeper sleep and you relax but your mattress does not. The need to wake up refreshed and ready to face the day is essential to both physical and mental health. Disruption of sleep due to pain can create an entire array of problems that one doesn’t need!
What Style of Mattress is the Best? Most medical professionals from all fields will agree, a mattress that provides a contouring foam or a memory foam is actually the best style of mattress to sleep on if you suffer from hip and shoulder pain. These mattresses will apply the proper support for your body and will contour to your unique body type.
The general consensus from medical and sleep professionals is that you should feel like you are floating on your mattress and your entire body has a weightless feeling to it.
A memory foam mattress will reduce the pressure points in the hip and shoulder areas while relieving pain even as you slumber.
The only con with a memory foam mattress is that the temperature can be difficult to regulate so it is recommended you decrease the heat in your bedroom and use layered blankets instead to find the right temperature for you to sleep comfortably. It is also recommended by sleep professionals that you cool your bedroom before bedtime anyway to help the body adjust its internal core temperature.
What Type of Mattress Should I Purchase? The brand does not typically play a major role when deciding what mattress you should purchase. But normally, the cheaper mattresses available today tend to lack the support needed for a good night’s sleep. Cheaper mattresses are usually constructed with lower quality materials and a reduced number of springs or layers of supportive material.
While in the market for a new mattress, there is only one rule of thumb and that is research, research, and research!
If you are shopping in person at a local retailer, ask questions, lay down, and even bring your own pillow from home to test out mattresses and get a feel of how it will feel.
If you are shopping online and plan to make your purchase over the internet, then always read reviews on the actual mattress, customer service and update yourself on the policies offered for trials, returns and the like. Sleepbuffs is a great website with tested reviews from real consumers. They have an entire section of mattress reviews dedicated solely to mattresses that are best used for hip and shoulder pain.
Conclusion: Every single person will agree that one thing that they want and realistically need, is a good night’s sleep. The feeling of waking up in the morning, bursting with energy that comes from quality sleep is not something that can be duplicated through over-the-counter means.
A mattress designed for the pain you are experiencing from neck to back, shoulders to your hips can change your life for the better. When used in conjunction with a routine set out by your doctor, whether it be medication combined with a therapy of some sort, or a set of exercises and stretches, the difference is noticeable.
When you are happy with your body and how it is feeling, people can tell because it shows in the way you interact socially, physically and even mentally. So talk to your doctor, do some research and you can be on the way to sleeping pain free!