Your sleeping surface has a role in your pain recovery, if the conditions make sense.
A research article from 2022 broke down how the spine reacts to various different mattress stiffnesses (firm, medium, and soft).
Why it matters:
If you can’t fall asleep because of pain, or wake up in the middle of the night because of your pain then we need to address the three components of sleep: sleep hygiene, sleep positioning, and sleep surface.
We control most of the first two principles. Turning off our screens 2 hours before bed, no caffeine after 2pm, finding the most comfortable lying position (no matter how awkward it may seem), and even the clothes/blankets we wear.
However, sleeping surface depends on how old the mattress is, whether you’ve rotated it recently, and even access to a bed.
The article shared that a firm to medium firm mattress placed less stress on the spinal discs compared to the softer mattress (around 49%). This is important if your pain is influenced by a herniated or bulging disc. Simply changing the sleep surface can help relieve the pain when lying in bed.
Action: Before you buy a new mattress online, rotate your mattress and see how it feels (literally rotate it 180 degrees). If you are due up for a new mattress, go to a mattress store or try out one of the many online sleep companies that have a 30-100 night sleep trial. Look for two major qualities: pain decreases and it being comfortable for you and your partner.
Do you need more help? Book a free strategy call with us here.
Do you want to try figuring this out on your own? Try our free 3 day trial of the Sciatica Protocol. You can sign up here.
