How a Bad Mattress Can Affect Your Overall Health
There’s no better place to escape the hustle and bustle of today’s world than your bedroom. Crawling into bed and relaxing after a busy day makes us happier, reduces stress, and gives us a much-needed opportunity to recharge for tomorrow.
But if you sleep on an old or low-quality mattress, that’s next to impossible. Not only that, but these kinds of mattresses can pose long-term health implications – including chronic back pain, or even worse…
Don’t just take our word for it. Consider the six proven adverse health effects of sleeping on a bad mattress:
#1. Chronic Back Pain
The cushions of your mattress provide support for the various pressure points in your back. A lumpy bed will make you toss and turn, leading you to sleep in inappropriate positions. In the long-term, this can result in chronic back pain, which is a very difficult medical condition to reverse.
How can you tell if your mattress is causing your back pain?
If you wake up every morning with an excruciating backache, try stretching for 15 to 20 minutes. If after doing so, you still feel pain, then that is a sure-fire sign that your mattress is the culprit. Another sign is frequent tossing and turning. These clues prove that your mattress is not providing the lumbar support your body needs.
#2. Spinal Misalignment
When you lay down, your spine should be straight, regardless of which position you sleep in. While sleeping on your back, your spine should be flat across the mattress. If you sleep on your side, the spine should remain straight and not sink into the cushioning.
Similarly, if you sleep on your stomach, the lumbar support should help maintain your natural spine alignment and prevent pressure on sensitive areas.proper support,spinal misalignment can occur; a condition in which your natural posture becomes curved. In order to avoid misalignment and spine stiffness, you should go for a medium-firm surface.
#3. Asthma, Allergies, and Creepy Crawlies.
Holding onto a mattress for too long can cause a build-up of dust mites,bed bugs… and even ticks! If these nasty pest saren’t removed, they can trigger medical conditions such as asthma and allergies.
While regular maintenance and cleaning of a bed will help take care of bed bugs, an old mattress with coils, for example, has dust particles between the springs. So when you’re snoozing, even a slight movement can disperse the dust particles, exposing you to allergens. In the long term, this makes you prone to all kinds of respiratory disorders.
To avoid these triggers, it is best to choose a hypoallergenic sleep surface. They keep the little intruders away and are quite beneficial for people with skin allergies, due to the lack of toxic compounds.
Additionally, regular mattress cleaning services can help eliminate dust mites and allergens, further reducing the risk of allergic reactions during sleep.
#4. Sleeplessness
If you have an uncomfortable mattress preventing you from getting a good night’s sleep, it can negatively impact your overall energy and attentiveness. It’s simple- when we toss and turn throughout the night, we wake up tired, achy, and even cranky the next morning.
So, if you notice that you’re experiencing extreme drowsiness in the early hours of the day, that might be a sign that you need to change your mattress.
#5. Increased Risk of Cardiovascular Complications.
One of the most detrimental effects of a bad mattress is worsened heart health. Continuously interrupted sleep makes it difficult to get the recommended eight hours, and not getting enough shut-eye has been proven to have a negative impact on your cardiovascular health.
WebMD experts believe that sleep-deprived individuals are 48% more prone to heart problems than their counterparts. Lack of proper sleep increases the risk of hypertension and stroke, which if not treated, can be fatal. Keep your heart in good shape by sleeping undisturbed on a high-quality, durable, and thoughtfully-crafted mattress.
#6. Sleep Apnea/Exacerbated Snoring Problems
Whoever struggles with sleep apnea or snoring( (this is incorrect, sleep apnea and snoring are two different things knows that the position you sleep in plays an integral part in controlling symptoms.
If you’re constantly shifting while you snooze, you don’t receive the proper support you need, which can cause the throat muscles to collapse and cut off your breath. The best way to prevent the development or worsening of symptoms is to take experts’ advise and
switch to an adjustable mattress, which provides better and more customizable support.
#7. Neck Pain
Sleeping on a bad mattress can lead to neck pain, disrupting both sleep quality and overall health.
When a mattress lacks proper support or is too firm, it can cause misalignment of the neck with the spine, straining neck muscles and leading to discomfort. Additionally, an old or worn-out mattress may fail to cushion pressure points like the shoulders and neck adequately, resulting in soreness and stiffness.
The discomfort caused by a bad mattress often leads to restless sleep, as individuals continually shift positions to find relief, further exacerbating neck pain.
Moreover, the lack of proper support can cause neck muscles to remain tense throughout the night, contributing to chronic pain over time.
To address neck pain caused by a bad mattress, it’s essential to invest in a new mattress that promotes proper spinal alignment and evenly distributes body weight.
#8. Muscle Soreness
A mattress that lacks adequate support or has become worn out may fail to distribute your body weight evenly, leading to increased pressure on certain muscles. This uneven pressure can cause discomfort and soreness in areas such as the back, hips, and shoulders.
Additionally, a mattress that is too firm can create tension in muscles, particularly along the spine and neck, as they work to maintain proper alignment throughout the night.
Over time, this tension can contribute to chronic muscle soreness and stiffness, making it difficult to engage in daily activities comfortably.
To address muscle soreness caused by a bad mattress, consider investing in a new mattress that provides optimal support and cushioning for your body.
#9. Decreased Cognitive Function
Sleeping on a bad mattress can lead to decreased cognitive function, affecting your mental clarity, focus, and overall cognitive performance. When your mattress fails to provide adequate support or comfort, it can disrupt your sleep, leading to frequent awakenings throughout the night and difficulty achieving deep, restorative sleep stages.
As a result, you may experience daytime drowsiness, fatigue, and difficulty concentrating, which can impair memory retention, decision-making, and problem-solving abilities. Moreover, chronic sleep deprivation caused by a bad mattress has been linked to cognitive impairments, including decreased attention span and slower reaction times.
Over time, these cognitive deficits can impact various aspects of your life, including work performance, academic achievement, and interpersonal relationships.
To safeguard your cognitive function, it’s essential to prioritize sleep quality by investing in a high-quality mattress that promotes restful sleep and practicing good sleep hygiene habits.
Bottomline:
At the end of the day, sleeping on a bad mattress can have a negative impact on your overall health and well being.If you feel deprived of a good night’s rest, it just might be time for you to replace your old bed!
So what are you waiting for? Hop on board with us to find your dream mattress and finally enjoy a healthy sleep experience every night.