Long ago, you used to sleep like a baby.
And then, arthritis happened.
I think you will not argue with me when I say: with arthritis, you can forget what a restful sleep is.
Right?
I am here to suggest a remedy. It will not solve all your problems, but at least it will help you sleep better. I am talking about getting a proper mattress for arthritis.
What Is Arthritis?
Not everyone knows this, but arthritis includes many, many different sub-types. It is a disease, which causes inflammation in the joints and chronic pain. The symptoms can reveal themselves in different parts of the body. And that’s what makes arthritis such a nasty illness.
Here are the most common symptoms you should know:
- Muscle and joint pain;
- Swollen or creaking joints;
- Fatigue;
- Severe stiffness;
- Pain after periods of inactivity;
“There are many mattress types you can get if you want to reduce pain and other arthritis symptoms. Foam is the most popular material thanks to its pressure relieving properties. However, there are also many good latex and spring mattresses.”
What A Good Mattress Can Do For You
Now, believe it or not, but a good mattress can help you deal with some the arthritis symptoms. Investing in a new bed can be a real game changer. Here’s what it can offer you:
- Proper Support. A good mattress must have a solid foundation and a supportive base. Why? Because when your body is properly supported, your muscles can relax. When lying on a saggy, super soft surface, your body remains stiff, even if you don’t feel it. This makes your joints hurt even more since they remain stiff too. However, when lying on a supportive mattress, your whole body relaxes, which also helps with pain relief a bit. You feel more comfortable this way and can fall asleep easier.
- Pressure Relief. Joint pain is usually linked to inflammation. And you might want to know that, in this case, joints are super sensitive to pressure. Therefore, getting a good mattress with great pressure relief properties can help you reduce arthritis symptoms. Some mattresses only cause more pressure on your pressure points such as shoulders, hips, or back. Others, on the contrary, will gently cradle those pressure points, allowing them to relax and release the tension. This, consequently, will make you feel more comfortable.
- Proper Spinal Alignment. This factor is very important for people who have arthritis. A good mattress will keep your spine in a neutral position. It will be aligned properly without any extra curves. This, consequently, helps with overall comfort. Additionally, this can contribute to pressure relief, which means you will also feel less pain.
- Pain relief. This factor probably looks the most promising to you. Arthritis causes patients a lot of pain, but a good mattress can reduce it. Beds that are suitable for arthritis sufferers offer the most comfortable position. And when that comfort, support, and spinal alignment are combined with a mattress’s pressure relieving properties, you can feel less pain (or even none, at least for some time).
“A good mattress is crucial for arthritis patients. You see, sleeping on an unsuitable mattress can intensify your symptoms and increase the pain. For instance, sleeping on a too firm one can make your joints stiffer, which will lead to more inflammation and pain.”
Best Mattress Types for Arthritis Sufferers
Picking a proper mattress for arthritis takes a lot of time and research. However, once you know what mattress type you need, the task becomes a bit easier.
So, here are the most common and effective ones for arthritis:
- Memory foam. This material is super cradling and hugging, which makes it great for arthritis and pressure relief. However, keep in mind that memory foam is not always very supportive. For arthritis, it is better to give your preference to the medium-firm foam beds, because you want both pressure relief and decent support for proper spinal alignment
- Latex. Being both supportive and cradling, latex is also very bouncy and resilient. This might not be suitable for lighter users, whose body weight is not enough to sink into the mattress a bit. However, for average and larger sleepers, latex mattresses really have a lot of good qualities to offer.
- Spring. Innerspring beds are considered as an outdated type by some people. However, they can be really great for arthritis. Spring mattresses offer great support, which is crucial for proper spinal alignment. And when a mattress has some extra padding (for instance, a wool layer under the cover), it helps with pressure relief too.
- Hybrid. Hybrid beds come in countless different models. There is always something for each user, including arthritis patients. You can get a combination of spring and foam, foam, and latex, spring and latex, etc. There are also models with cooling gel inserts, which is great for reducing joint inflammation.
Conclusion
It is obvious now that investing in a good mattress can do both: help you sleep better and improve your overall well-being. And don’t worry, there’s a variety of models to choose from, so you will find something that will help you deal with arthritis.