We promote proper ergonomic habits to keep your spine aligned at work. We encourage good posture performing mundane tasks such as driving, brushing your teeth, and daily exercise. But what about the other third of your life — the time you spend in bed? You’ll need the best mattress you can obtain to work your back for you.
So how do you choose the best mattress for your back? There are a lot of factors you need to consider; size, brand, budget, and technology are all important. And when it comes down to it, the most important factor is how your back individually responds to it.
This subjectivity can make finding the perfect mattress a challenge. There are, however, some telltale qualities to look for — not to mention mattresses that have been specifically endorsed by the American Chiropractic Association (ACA).
Here is what you need to know.
Not all mattresses are created equally
Although simple in theory, the best mattresses employ a full roster of technological pieces to achieve their purpose. The thickness, the materials that comprise it, and its construction all lend to the success or failure of a mattress. We’ve all experienced waking up with back pain that largely had to do with a poor mattress. And we all deserve to enjoy deep, restorative sleep courtesy of the best mattress.
What all this points to is that you can’t just go out and buy any mattress. As we will discuss, you’ll need to do rigorous research and budget meticulously. This is the only way you’ll be able to decipher between good and bad mattresses.
You’ll need to budget.
A mattress isn’t typically the sort of thing you just run to the store and buy. It takes time to research what experts and fellow consumers are saying as well as to test drive your options. Additionally, you don’t want to cheap out on a mattress. There are a lot of “lower-end” options that will hurt your back a lot more than they hurt your wallet.
Thankfully, with proper budgeting, and by determining your personal needs, you can find the best mattress for your needs at a price you can afford. There’s no getting around it: good, high-quality mattresses will cost more. But for what it gives you in return, it is worth budgeting for.
Lay down on the job.
Does shopping ever just make you want to lie down and rest for a while? Mattress shopping actually requires it. You are going to need to supine yourself on plenty of mattresses before you purchase. But before you get too comfortable with this idea, this practice may stretch out your shopping trip. It can take up to 15 minutes to get settled into your mattress and thus know how it will feel after a night’s sleep.
If all this doesn’t sound too miserable, it’s because it’s not. Test driving your mattress is essential to making sure you get the best mattress for your back.
What do other people have to say?
Internet users have a lot to say. From social media to websites dedicated specifically to customer feedback, there are plenty of places to read product reviews online. Listen to what other people have to say about the mattress you like. As individual an experience getting quality sleep is, it also helps to hear what others generally say about the mattress. Are the majority of customers satisfied? Are there any quirks that you think may prove problematic in your sleeping experience?
However, remember to take everything with a grain of salt. Product reviews should act as a guideline, not as gospel. After carefully considering everyone’s input, the final decision rests with you alone.
What does the ACA think?
The slightly vague suggestions we’ve made thus far do actually point to some specific conclusions. In July 2018, the ACA endorsed the Casper Wave mattress, which is the company’s most advanced mattress. Five layers of premium foam and careful technology provide superior comfort and a deeper, more replenishing sleep.
The Casper Wave is “inspired by the ergonomic technology that improves our lives outside of the bedroom,” according to Jeff Chapin, Casper’s co-founder and chief product officer. This high-tech mattress should at the very least be the model for reshaping the way you think about mattresses. They act as more than simply a cushion to sleep on — the best mattress you can get will offer support to your individual spine.
The ACA also endorses the Magnistretch, from Italian-based mattress company Magniflex. With 50 years of business compared to Casper’s four, Magnistretch’s ethics of comfort and dedication to finding the best mattress for you are also worth noting.
Whether it’s the Casper Wave or something else, the best mattress for your back is out there somewhere. Through careful planning, including budgeting and evaluating others’ and your own input, a good night’s sleep is within reaching distance.
Another thing to consider is that when you purchase a mattress, you are making an investment. Experts suggest that you change out your mattress every five to seven years, though a really good mattress will likely last you longer. This should not only help justify the price a little in your mind but encourage you to take the process seriously.
Keep these principles in mind as you begin searching for the mattress that works for you. You spend all your waking hours contemplating your health and finding ways to improve it. Nighttime is the time to rest — so let your mattress take over.