The path to staying happy and healthy comes in large part from sleep quality. Thus, if you have sleeping problems, you’ll want to get to the bottom of that. Speaking of bottom, the culprit could be right under you: a bad mattress.
Why sleep is so important
Did you know that we spend one-third of our lives in bed, either sleeping or trying to get some Zzz’s? Wow, that’s a lot of time. Furthermore, getting enough shut-eye impacts your immune system, your heart, your blood pressure, your emotional state and so much more. So, it makes sense to make sure you get enough rest at night, right?
Moreover, as a modern-day woman, much is demanded of you. You may be in the middle of your career, a mom juggling a partner, child, and a job, or a stay-at-home mother with all of the joys and difficulties that entails.
No matter what defines you, waking up in the morning and feeling like a truck just ran over you is a definite no-no in today’s fast-moving world.
There are many reasons why you might feel super tired when you wake up. You could be stressed out, and your mind never has the time to shut down, or you don’t take the time to plan for sleep because there just are not enough hours in the day to get everything done.
Or… it could be a bad mattress that’s responsible for your slumber issues.
Sleeping problems: Is it your mattress?
You might not have thought yet to check your mattress to see if it’s the source of the restlessness. But it could be.
Yes, the thing keeping you from sleeping could be what you are lying on. Let’s look at some of the most common signs that your mattress is the culprit robbing you of those quality Zzz’s.
3 signs it’s a bad mattress to blame:
1: You wake up with aches and pains
Sure, it could’ve been the hardcore squash session the day before that’s responsible for the achy feeling in your back, hips, or elsewhere on your body. Then again, it could be from holding your adorable (and simultaneously irritating) toddler in your arms for hours.
But, what if it’s something else altogether?
Another candidate is a bad mattress. The typical model is flat in its design. Ergo, it does not form to the shape and contours of your body.
The result? Hot spots and joint pain.
Here’s a life hack to narrow down whether it’s a mattress problem that’s causing your sleeping problems:
Take the time to stretch for 15 minutes after waking up. If the pain persists, your mattress is most likely the offender, in which case you should seriously consider changing it. The Saatva mattress has got great reviews from people with back pain, but we recommend doing your homework before purchasing a new one.
2. You’re a mover and a shaker
In this context, that phrase isn’t meant in a positive sense. If you find yourself tossing and turning before finally falling asleep, it could be your bad mattress. Another sure sign is if you wake up more than once during the night.
And, no, the reason for awakening is not because you need to tinkle.
If you are a back sleeper, you need something that does not create a valley in the bed. As a back sleeper, you need proper support, otherwise you’ll soon discover that your back can become your worst enemy.
For slide sleepers, a mattress that adjusts to the contours of your body is usually the best.
Tossing and turning throughout the night is a recipe to walking around in a daze the next day. If you can’t fall asleep – or, stay asleep – it could also be that your sleeping surface no longer is suitable. Perhaps the mattress has begun to sag or you’ve changed your favorite sleep position.
In this case, check out some online resources like SleepingGuide to help you on your way to a better rest.
3. Sleeping problems leave you thinking of your last vacation
Hey, what’s wrong with that? In short – nothing.
It is a problem though if you keep saying how great the hotel bed was while you were away. If you are so aware of this fact because your mattress at home is like sleeping on the Route 66 or some sludge pit, then it’s time to change the bed.
And don’t put off making this change. Nobody needs an aching back 24/7.
If you’re not sure which mattress to get on a budget, read this guide to help figure it out.
Just got a new mattress = heaven. Good article!
Great advice, Christy. The mattress plays such a huge importance in regard to quality sleep and body comfort. It wasn’t until I’d slept on our current mattress I realised a few body aches were due to the mattress I had been sleeping on! A simple remedy; if only we knew.
My husband and I for the longest time couldn’t sleep in the same bed because the mattress was hurting his back and his sleeping was terrible. We finally gave in and bought a Sleep Number mattress. We now sleep happily every single night…together. :) Thank you for sharing!
I agree, Christy. The right mattress makes all the difference!
The psychological status affects our body also…
Great post as usual Christy 💙💙💙💙
The right mattress makes a lot of difference for sure. But sometimes the cards are just stacked against us. I’ve dealt with insomnia since I was 12. I’ve developed a lot of “tricks” to help me sleep, but the past six months or so, the level of outside noise has increased a lot…
Sweet dreams my friend. Hugs.
Great article, Christy, and it made me smile because I just wrote a blog post about mattresses for a client. We’re on the same writing wavelength :)
Very informative!
my sleepy
aching back
thanks you :-)
Hi Christy – they are great factors and very informative. The typical mattress is designed to be a flat surface that is equally supportive in all areas – since your body has curves & joints (not perfectly flat surfaces), this type of mattress applies too much pressure in certain areas causing hot spots & joint pain in the morning.
Hi Christy…
Great points and having a good mattress can be a shooting match. In this area we have a place called Sleep Country and they are the experts. They made some recommendations a few years back and they were right on the money. “Sleeping Log” is what I could be called as I generally wake up in the same position daily. A timely article for everyone… thank you.
Hugs attached… Rolly