Your Mattress Health Affects Your Health Too

Your Mattress Health Affects Your Health Too

The food you eat, the air you breathe, and the physical activity you do all have a significant impact on your overall health. However, there is one overlooked item that can make or break your health as well: your mattress. You might not give your mattress much thought, but it can be responsible for pain, allergies, and fatigue. For this reason, it is important that you understand just how much of a difference your mattress makes and how to ensure it is a health-booster.

Sleep Should Be Pain-Free

You’ve probably heard the phrase “sink into bed,” and while it sounds cozy and luxurious, for your back’s sake, you shouldn’t take it literally. According to orthopedic surgeon Richard Guyer, the back has an S-curve. "If you lay down on a very, very soft bed, the curve is not supported and you lay like you’re in a hammock. I call it the banana position,” Guyer explains. While this is certainly comfy if you are relaxing in a hammock, laying this way for eight or more hours at a time means your back isn’t supported, resulting in stiffness and pain. Stiff mattresses can cause body aches as well, leading to hip, back, and neck pain. The best way to tell if your mattress is the source of your pain is to gauge how you feel when you wake up. If you feel sore and tired, or notice a significant dent in the bed, it’s time for a new mattress.

Sleep Should Make You Feel Rested

Your body needs sleep in order to feel rested, rejuvenated, and energized to take on the day. Unfortunately, your mattress may leave you tossing and turning, transforming a good night’s sleep into a nightmare. The issue could be a mattress that is too soft or too firm. Before you buy a new one, consider ways to adjust the firmness. To make it softer, purchase a foam mattress topper (which come in various widths) to add extra cushion and support that molds to the curve of your body. If you sleep in the same spot every night, your mattress may have become compressed, so try flipping or rotating it. As for added firmness, replace the box springs or remove them altogether and replace it with a sheet of plywood. If you think it’s time for a new mattress, do the right thing and recycle. Most of your mattress is recyclable, but it isn’t biodegradable. You can do your part to help the environment by dropping it off at the local landfill or schedule it to be picked up to be recycled.

Sleep Shouldn’t Aggravate Allergies

Outdoor allergens are impossible to avoid, but indoor allergens shouldn’t make you suffer when there are ways to combat it. Air purifiers certainly help, as will regularly dusting and cleaning your home, but what about what lies deep inside your mattress? Dust mites are a common culprit and are most likely lurking in at least one bed in your home. However, it isn’t the microscopic critters themselves that aggravate your allergies; it’s their poop. Even if you aren’t allergic, their waste can irritate you, leaving you feeling stuffed up or sneezy. Your mattress also contains sweat, dead skin, fungi, and pet dander.

If your allergies are acting up more than usual, or you are simply waking up feeling stuffy, it’s time to clean your mattress. It doesn’t take fancy cleaning products to get the job done. Household products such as baking soda, antibacterial spray, vinegar, and a vacuum will do the trick. Once you’ve deep cleaned your mattress, be sure to cover it with a mattress protector. Not only will this keep dust mites and allergens at bay, but it can also protect your warranty since most mattress warranties have strict hygiene regulations.

Up until now, you might not have given your mattress a second thought. However, your mattress affects your health way more than you might realize. From pain, allergies, to trouble sleeping, a healthy mattress could be the cure.