Pregnant Woman Receiving Chiropractic Care — Mattresses, Pillows and Sleeping Positions

Mattresses, Pillows and Sleeping Positions – Explained

Sleep plays a crucial role in overall health especially if you are choosing a mattress for lower back pain or neck pain. Adequate rest allows the body to repair itself, making it essential to choose the right mattress and pillow. Many people experience discomfort upon waking up and assume their mattress is to blame. However, stress from daily activities, prolonged sitting, and improper posture can contribute to aches and pains. Selecting the right bedding can help mitigate these issues and improve sleep quality.

The Importance of Sleep and Proper Support

Choosing the Right Mattress

The market offers numerous mattress options, including firm, soft, plush, pillow-top, and foam varieties. Finding the right one can be overwhelming. A firm mattress with a pillow top is often recommended for balanced support and comfort. Testing mattresses in-store is ideal, but online research can also provide valuable insights.

For those looking for a mattress like Purple, a mattress like Tempur-Pedic, or a mattress like Sleep Number, it’s important to compare features. Let me explain.

Foam mattresses provide excellent support, while adjustable beds, such as Sleep Number, allow for personalized firmness settings. Saatva offers an eco-friendly alternative made with organic materials and a good return policy (which is essential to ensure satisfaction). By the way, Bloomingdale’s offers one of the best policies available.

Here are some helpful resources for finding the right mattress.

The Saatva link comes with a $50 coupon:

Choosing a Mattress for Back Pain or Side Sleepers

When choosing a mattress for back pain, look for firm support with a contouring top layer. Memory foam and hybrid mattresses often provide relief because they evenly distribute weight. Additionally, adjustable mattresses like Sleep Number can also help fine-tune firmness for comfort.

If you’re choosing a mattress for side sleepers, focus on pressure relief. Softer mattresses, especially those with a responsive foam layer, help keep the spine aligned while cushioning the shoulders and hips. Look for models with zoned support to maintain proper posture.

Sleeping Positions and Pillow Selection

Best Sleeping Positions for Spinal Health

People often struggle to change their sleeping positions, but maintaining a neutral spine is key. Here are some guidelines:

Back sleepers: Use a small pillow or neck roll to support the curve of the neck and place a pillow under the knees to reduce lower back strain.
Side sleepers: Choose a pillow that keeps the head and neck aligned with the spine. A small pillow between the knees provides additional support.
Stomach sleepers: This position is not ideal. Sleeping on the stomach can cause spinal misalignment, leading to chronic pain. Transitioning to side or back sleeping is highly recommended.

Left side or Right side?

Sleeping on the left side can help reduce acid reflux and improve circulation, particularly for pregnant women. Either side is acceptable as long as the spine remains properly supported.

My recommendation for mattresses has traditionally been a firm mattress with a pillow top. You can start the selection process online or in a store where you can actually test them out live (my preferred method).

For many years, I slept on a foam mattress and loved it. Last year, after years of recommending them to others, I decided to try a sleep number bed , a mattress which can be adjusted from firm to soft. This bed is known as the “relationship saver”, as you can have each side a different firmness.

Can a mattress be a relationship saver?

My only suggestion on this mattress is spring for a middle tier model as the lower end ones do not provide enough foam between the top of the bed and the air compartments. Unfortunately, I found their sleep monitoring program to be glitchy and their customer service quite poor.

Some of the mattress companies have cool questionnaires to help you determine your ideal match. As many people are concerned about what their bedding is made of, there are companies like Saatva (my personal favorite) that are providing eco-friendly and organic materials, made in the USA. Lastly here, I will mention that getting something with a good return policy is useful. One of the best I’ve seen is from Bloomingdales.

Finding the Right Pillow

Pillows play a crucial role in sleep quality. The pillow question may be the most common one I get in the office. I mentioned some suggestions along with sleeping positions, but as far as specific pillows go, there is a vast number of choices out there. For many years, I carried Tempurpedic pillows in the office. They are somewhat expensive and there are many cheaper alternatives.

I do like the support of foam pillows, but there are others that do the job as well. The most popular pillow recommended by chiropractors for years is the Tricore pillow, available on Amazon for about $40.

Buckwheat, microbeads, beans, rice, water, air, down, etc. Whatever feel you prefer is fine as long as it’s the right size. Some pillow companies like Tempurpedic make pillows of different sizes. The pillows I’ve recently been recommending for the majority of my patients are adjustable pillows, meaning ones that we can add or remove material from in order to accommodate different body sizes. These include the orthobone, mypillow and bamboo pillows readily found on Amazon.

Foam or No Foam?

Many people ask about the best pillow to use, and the answer varies based on sleep position and personal preference. Foam pillows, such as those from Tempur-Pedic, offer excellent support. Adjustable pillows, like the Orthobone, MyPillow, and bamboo pillows, allow users to customize firmness and height.

For side sleepers, a thicker pillow helps maintain spinal alignment. Those suffering from neck pain may benefit from a contoured cervical pillow like the Tri-Core. If you’re searching for a pillow similar to Tempur-Pedic, memory foam options provide great support while conforming to your shape.

Improving Sleep Quality

Improving sleep quality starts with choosing the right mattress and pillow. Whether you’re looking for a mattress like Purple, a mattress like Tempur-Pedic, or a mattress like Sleep Number, consider firmness, materials, and return policies.

For those experiencing pain, choosing a mattress for lower back pain or side sleeping can significantly improve comfort. Small adjustments to sleeping posture and pillow selection also contribute to better rest. Prioritize your sleep setup for a healthier, more restorative night’s rest.