How can you choose the best mattress for hip pain?
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- Consider your sleeping position
- Determine the mattress firmness
- Check for spine support features
- Consider your body type
Restful sleep is crucial for optimal health. But if you experience hip pain, a good night’s sleep can be elusive. Whether it’s one side of your hip or both, the pain may travel throughout your body, making it difficult to stay asleep. While there are many possible causes of hip pain, your mattress just might be the main contributing factor. That being said, you’ll want to know how to choose the best mattress for hip pain.
There is no “one-size-fits-all” mattress for hip pain because there are numerous factors involved for improved comfort and pressure relief. So, how do you pick the top mattress brands in Australia that will ease your hip pain and provide much-needed pressure relief? Here is a comprehensive guide to choosing the best mattress for hip pain.
Consider Your Sleeping Position
You should factor in your sleep position when choosing a mattress for hip pain. Sleep position is directly associated with maintaining a neutral spine alignment and avoiding hip pain. Poor sleeping position can strain your hip joints and muscles, which is why it’s important you find the most comfortable and optimal position for your body.
Everyone has different sleep positions. You might be a side sleeper, back sleeper, or stomach sleeper, which can make it hard to find the ideal mattress for your hip pain. But, what’s important is to choose a good mattress that has proper back support and pressure relief.
- Side sleeping – Side sleepers will usually sleep in a fetal-type position and put the most pressure on their hips every night. Choosing a mattress that can help cradle the hips and prevent sinking can help relieve painful sensations on this part of the body.
- Stomach sleeping – Stomach sleepers may put too much stress on their joints and muscles, which means they need to find a mattress that can provide proper spinal alignment. This is because specific nerves in the spine’s lumbar region can affect sensations in the hip area. However, with a mattress that can support proper spine health, they can improve their sleeping habits and reduce pain around the hips.
- Back sleeping – Finally, back sleepers who experience hip pain should opt for a mattress with body-contouring features. This helps prevent gaps between the mattress as well as the lower back region.
Determine the Mattress Firmness
Mattress firmness describes how soft or hard a mattress feels when you lie down on it. It provides a push-back factor against the body. Keep in mind that the mattress manufacturing industry does not have a standardized measurement for firmness. This means one brand could label a mattress as “soft” or “medium-firm” while some brands may rate mattress firmness on a scale of 1 to 10.
In general, medium-firm mattresses are better for people with hip pain because they offer adequate support to keep the spine straight throughout the night. Soft mattresses can sink the body too much because it throws spinal alignment and forces the back in an awkward position.
Firm mattresses, on the other hand, are known to put too much pressure on the shoulders and hips. This is because they do not allow your body to sink comfortably, forcing the spine into an unnatural position.
Your chosen mattress should alleviate tension in problem areas such as the hips and lower back. The contouring abilities of medium-firm mattresses allow some sinkage into the mattress for pressure relief while never compromising proper spinal alignment.
Check for Spine Support Features
Many people are confused with differentiating mattress firmness and support. Firmness is all about the immediate experience felt when lying on the mattress. On the other hand, support refers to how well the mattress keeps the spine aligned.
When it comes to hip pain, you need to find the mattress that provides the maximum support possible, while still meeting your sleeping position and firmness preferences.
Check if your chosen mattress keeps your spine in a straight line from the shoulders to your hips if you’re a back sleeper. Side sleepers should choose a medium-firm mattress and keep their arms parallel to the sides as much as possible. A firm pillow should be tucked in between the knees for added ergonomics and comfort.
Finally, stomach sleepers should consider putting a pillow under their pelvis. This puts the back in a more natural position as they sleep for long hours. Take advantage of the 100-night trial that some mattress brands offer, to help you figure out if the mattress has the right firmness and support, no matter what kind of sleeping position you practice.
Consider Your Body Type
Your body type can also be a major factor in choosing the best mattress for hip pain. If you are leaning towards a heavier midsection, you will want a thicker mattress that can support your core properly and keep your spine aligned. If you are lighter, you will want to go for a mattress with top layers of comfort and pressure relief. If you are taller, you will need a mattress that’s big enough to distribute weight evenly.
Key Takeaway
Making an informed purchasing decision is the key to relieving pains, getting a good night’s sleep, and better overall health. Keep in mind that fixing hip pain has a lot to do with excellent spinal health, mattress firmness, and proper support which you can all find by checking out which mattress best suits you. Focus on all of these factors individually and choose the most appropriate mattress for your body.
Need more sleeping guides? Make sure to check out our in-depth comparison of the top mattress brands in Australia! There we include the best mattress for those with hip pain. You’ll find that the Emma Original ranks at the top spot when it comes to comfort and body support features.
