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What is the importance of a good mattress for overall health?
- Avoids back pain
- Provides better spinal support
- Lessens potential allergy triggers
- Avoids snoring
- Prevents interrupted sleep
- Reduces stress levels
- Improves productivity
It is well-known that a good mattress is crucial in achieving good back health. But did you know about the importance of a good mattress for overall health? From improving one’s memory to boosting the immune system, there are plenty of benefits to getting that full eight hours of slumber. But what if your mattress is hindering your chances of peaceful sleep and better health? Considering that you spend about one-third of your life sleeping, investing in only the top mattress brands in Australia is paramount.
Poor or inadequate sleep is rampant among 20% of Australian adolescents and adults. According to a study, the balance appears likely to be the result of inadequate sleep.
Both intrinsic and external factors are influencing the sleep habits of Australians. However, it is worth noting that the most important components for a good night’s sleep are a good mattress and a comfortable environment. While the environment is something that you seldom get to choose, you get to choose a mattress that caters to your preferences and comfort.
The mattress you sleep on can greatly impact your ability to get a good night’s sleep and improve health. Yet its importance is often overlooked. In this guide, we discuss further the importance of a good mattress for overall health.
Avoids Back Pain
If you’re all too familiar with back pain, then there’s a good chance your mattress is the culprit. A good mattress will provide your body with support and comfort to ensure your back is properly aligned while sleeping, helping you avoid back pain.
In terms of overall health, waking up without back pains will help you go about your day feeling well-rested and in a happier mood.
Provides Better Spinal Support
A good mattress will distribute your body weight evenly while sleeping. The even weight distribution means the mattress will properly support the whole body, relieve pressure points, and lead to good posture.
A good mattress should have the right kind of firmness as well. With a mattress that’s too soft, you might not be getting the proper level of support. Know that the average innerspring lifespan of a mattress ranges from seven to eight years. After this, the mattress may lose its firmness and start to deform.
Deformed mattresses can cause the weight to rest too heavily on the shoulders and hip areas, resulting in muscle tension in the unsupported lumbar region. If your body is not supported, your spine will be forced into an unnatural position which can cause a variety of problems and chronic pain over time.
To avoid all this, make sure to choose a mattress that supports the natural curve of your spine and supports your body weight.
Lessens Potential Allergy Triggers
Dust mites and other microscopic organisms are likely to settle in mattresses and feed on dead skin cells that your body sheds naturally. Dust mites are common allergens in Australia and these are mostly found in places with higher humidity levels and constant warm temperatures such as coastal cities and towns. Dust mite allergens can be especially problematic for people with asthma, allergic rhinitis, and eczema. To get better sleep and better health, you should not expose yourself to these allergens.
There are numerous ways to help reduce dust mite presence and these involve thoroughly cleaning dust mite habitats such as mattresses, bedding, upholstered furniture, carpets, and curtains. You can wash all your bedding weekly with hot water or vacuum regularly.
Another effective way to get rid of dust mites is by investing in a good mattress. Choose one that has a dense structure and hypoallergenic properties. This will not only help discourage dust mites but also reduce allergy symptoms.
Avoids Snoring
Snoring occurs when the airway is partially obstructed while sleeping. It is often associated with sleeping on your back and causes the tissue in your throat to sag, making a rumbling sound. However, snoring can be worsened if your body is not well-supported during sleep.
If your mattress is not supporting the spinal curve of your back and neck, your throat is constricted, your jaw then opens, and further obstructs the airway. Snoring can disrupt your sleep and lead to several complications including daytime sleepiness, concentration problems, and an increased likelihood of accidents.
To prevent snoring, you need to ensure you have a mattress that supports your spine’s natural curve. Regardless of your preferred sleep position, your spine should be aligned to keep your airways clear.
Prevents Interrupted Sleep
Have you been tossing and turning at night? Then, you might know the feeling of an interrupted sleep all too well. Tossing and turning can greatly impact your quality of sleep.
Interrupted sleep can lead to chronic sleep deprivation and a myriad of heart health problems. This is because it triggers the body to release cortisol – a stress hormone that narrows the arteries and increases heart rate. Once the blood is pumped harder and faster, it can put further stress on the heart. Interrupted sleep is also associated with high cholesterol, obesity, and high blood pressure, which are all risk factors for stroke and heart problems.
This further proves that having the right mattress is essential to overall health. A good indicator of a good mattress is whether it has the ability to absorb waves from tossing and turning. This is even more important if you have a partner that tosses and turns while sleeping.
Reduces Stress Levels
As said earlier, a lack of sleep produces cortisol. This hormone is best known for fueling the body’s “fight-or-flight” instinct in a crisis. After the sensed danger has passed, your cortisol levels should calm down. Unfortunately, not getting enough sleep can heighten stress levels and agitate you.
In the same way, sleep affects your mental health. Lack of sleep can derail your body’s most important functions with issues such as depression and insomnia. Throughout the day, you will feel low energy and a generally bad mood with feelings of anger, sadness, and mental exhaustion. Simply put, a good mattress can encourage better sleep and therefore, can reduce stress levels.
Improves Productivity
Having a good mattress can cater to a good night’s sleep and do wonders for improving brain function as well. This will include improved cognition, concentration, productivity, and performance. A study has shown that longer sleep significantly improves accuracy, reaction times, and mental well-being.
All of these factors will be negatively affected by lack of sleep. However, it’s worth noting that the recommended hours of sleep for adults is between 7 to 9 hours. Greater than 9 hours of sleeping is considered oversleeping or hypersomnia, which can leave people feeling exhausted.
A lack of sleep can lead to difficulty in concentrating, impair problem-solving skills, and hamper the memory performance of both children and adults. Keep these in mind when purchasing a new mattress that is best for your health and brain functions.
Key Takeaway
This article further delves into the importance of a good mattress for overall health.
From avoiding back pain, providing better spinal support, reducing potential allergy triggers, avoiding snoring, reducing stress levels, helping mental health, enhancing heart health, providing a better mood, to improving productivity — buying a high-quality mattress can improve your sleep and therefore, create a ripple effect of health benefits.
A good mattress is one of the best investments you can make to improve your life’s quality. With the number of cheap mattresses available online, you might find it hard to choose the perfect one for you. To help you decide, we also have a more in-depth comparison of the top mattress brands in Australia. From there, you’ll notice that Emma goes above and beyond to ensure you get a good night’s sleep and better health.
Visit this page to shop for the most awarded Emma Original Mattress! Pair your purchase with the comfortable Emma Foam Pillow for a good night’s sleep.
