Sleep is crucial for maintaining good health and minimizing back pain. The body needs a proper mattress for regular, quality rest. Quality sleep is crucial to keep functioning efficiently, both physically and mentally.

But if you are having trouble sleeping at night, you are not alone.

  • A thirdof US adults report that they usually get less than the recommended amount of sleep1
  • In Arizona, 32.8% reported usually sleeping less than seven hours in a 24- hour period2
  • 35 percent of Americans report their sleep quality as “poor” or “only fair”3

Back Pain and Poor Sleep

Most people experience difficulty sleeping at some point in their lives.  There are many possible reasons for sleeplessness, including bedtime habits, lifestyle choices, and medical conditions. However, one of the most common causes is chronic back pain.

According to the National Institute of Health (NIH), an estimated 80 percent of adults experience low back pain at some point in their life and many who suffer have poor sleep quality. Back pain can come on suddenly and often seems to occur without a specific cause. However, there are some risk factors that are commonly associated with the onset of back pain such as age, excess weight, improper lifting, and occupational factors(sitting at a desk all day, working on a computer, etc.).

Whatever the cause, back pain can keep you up at night and turn your life upside down. If back pain results in waking you up in the middle of the night and not being able to get back to sleep, you may want to consider getting a new mattress.

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As pain specialists, we can guarantee that we are more than qualified in alleviating your pain and treating your condition.

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The Ideal Sleep Environment

Lower, mid, or upper back soreness can make it virtually impossible to get comfortable once you hit the sheets. The pain can leave you tossing and turning for hours. Studies have concluded that there is a clear relationship between sleep problems and the intensity of low back pain.To get a good night’s sleep, arrange your bedroom into a calming, sleep-inducing environment. Your room should be an oasis of calm and tranquility.

Eliminate as much light as possible since darker is better when trying to sleep. Make sure you have all the essentials such as a comfortable mattress and pillows. Check that the mattress is in good condition. Eight to ten years is the average life expectancy for most high-quality mattresses.

Optimizing Mattress Selection

A good night’s sleep starts with the right bed. The reputable Consumer Reports has published general guidelines to help choose a mattress to minimize the agony of getting a good night’s sleep. But most experts agree that when it comes to mattress selection and feeling the least amount of discomfort, personal preference and comfort are the rule. Some people prefer the firmness of a harder bed, while others are more at ease on a soft mattress.

The following strategies may be useful in selecting the optimum surface and achieving pain relief:

  • Regardless of the mattress, the sleeping surface should always let the spine rest in a natural position. Sleeping is the only time the muscles in the spine can completely relax and rejuvenate
  • A proper mattress should support the spine at the neck and keep the body in alignment from head to toe
  • Preliminary data suggests that a medium-firm product produces a significant reduction in chronic lower back pain and improvement in sleep quality5
  • Adjustable beds may be helpful since they allow the user to raise or lower certain parts of the mattress and fine-tune the sleeping position for maximum comfort
  • Test the mattress before buying to know exactly how it will feel when you lie down to your normal sleep position and take notice of where you’re feeling pressure
  • A mattress should not have any discomfort to the sensitive parts of the body including the back, shoulders, and hips
  • If you share your bed, you want to minimize motion transfer. If your partner gets in or out of bed, or changes positions, you run the risk of being woken up and experiencing additional back pain if the mattress transfers too much of that motion to your side of the bed
  • Be sure to understand the company’s return policy, including any restocking or hidden fees, just in case your selection isn’t the right one to help relieve the aches and distress in your back

Seeking Help

The comfort of your sleeping surface has a direct effect on your ability to get to sleep quickly and enjoy a full night of slumber. But if changes to your mattress don’t help reduce your back issues, it may be time to contact a pain specialist. Back pain can become debilitating physically, mentally, and emotionally. You must get it treated as soon as possible.

At Arizona Pain and SpineInstitute, our highly-trained, knowledgeable, and experienced specialists provide safe and effective management and treatment solutions for back pain and other conditions.  Our priority and our mission are to improve our patients’ quality of life by alleviating and managing their pain. To learn more, visit our website to see what our clients say about us.Call us at (480) 986-7246 to get an assessment of your back pain with our skilled team today.