help with mattress to support bad back?

kosma1

I am constantly waking up at around 5am due to aches/pain in my lower back, seems due to now needing a new mattress. They are expensive things, and will go and test some out, however, how can you tell from a few minutes luying on one if it is suitable really, when, it is after a few hours on mine it wakes me up, not with a cup of coffee either, selfish thing.

So, been looking up what might be suitable, and wonder, if i explain my situation, could anyone who perhaps has a similar situation give any recommendations?

I am 5ft 2, my boyfriend is 6ft 3, he is also just over double my weight, and we are both side sleepers. My mattress does not have the same support anymore as you can feel it sliding towards the middle. My internet research tells me a pocket sprung mattress is better as the coils are individual, and also that to get better support for a bad back, a medium - firm mattress has proven better than a firm mattress.

I was going to look at silent night as i remember the hippo and chick ads, where the chick could sleep undisturbed by the hippo, because the mattress meant the hippo could move and the chick did not? This of course means I have now really referred to my BF as a hippo....ooops, but in my defence, that hippo was cute, so hope he does not mind :rotfl:

so, any of you out there in a similar position, size wise, sleep position wise? have you found something that works well for you? any advice appreciatede as it is a n expensive item to buy, and not great if you buy the wrong one.

thanks

simple_but_sweet

hi, yes you're right the pocket sprung mattress is definately better support than an open sprung alternative. (open sprung are generally bigger springs and all connected so if u imagine one side moving will have an effect on the other side whereas in a pocket sprung mattress the springs are smaller single springs and each have an individual "sock" or a pocket over each one - this is better for anyone who has allergies - so basically when one side moves the other won't)
there is also the pocket sprung & memory foam mattress, these provide the best support as the memory foam moulds to the shape of your body meaning it supports the arch of your back, but some people find the memory foam too warm as it does hold a slight bit of heat.
Medium to firm is probably the best option as firm can mean it's as hard as the road, it would prob be the same as lying on the floor!
Take into consideration you're base, if you have a slatted base and each slat is over 1.5in apart you might have to add more slats or put a piece of plywood over the top as the springs can fall down in between them an it ruins your mattress in no time.

One last thing pocket sprung mattresses and memory foam mattresses are non turn, although this means don't flip them over alway rotate them head to toe - it means the weight is being evenly distributed so it will last longer!

Hope all this helps! (p.s i've been selling mattresses for 10years now so that's basically what i tell every customer that comes into the shop i work )

kosma1

thanks, would not have known about the non flip, and, it is a slatted base, so will check on that as well and consider adding a base, it is a metal frame bed and think it has thin metal slats rather than wood, so, from what you says a base could also be very beneficial, thanks for your advice.

timeou

I have degenerative disc disease and have one of these
I find it marvellous

http://www.ergoflex.co.uk/guide-to-memory-foam

Outer_Limits

kosma1 wrote: »

thanks, would not have known about the non flip, and, it is a slatted base, so will check on that as well and consider adding a base, it is a metal frame bed and think it has thin metal slats rather than wood, so, from what you says a base could also be very beneficial, thanks for your advice.

Agree with SBS's advice - I changed to a pocket sprung firm-ish mattress with a memory foam layer and it has sorted my hip problem :j

Bit dubious about the ply layer over slats, though. We had a built-in bed (with a ply base) when I was a child and it made the bed very 'sweaty' - it stopped the air circulating and moisture escaping I think.

Nile

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simple_but_sweet

Outer_Limits wrote: »

Agree with SBS's advice - I changed to a pocket sprung firm-ish mattress with a memory foam layer and it has sorted my hip problem :j

Bit dubious about the ply layer over slats, though. We had a built-in bed (with a ply base) when I was a child and it made the bed very 'sweaty' - it stopped the air circulating and moisture escaping I think.

The ply is basically no different than a divan base and most mattresses are designed to originally sit on them. Ply over slats only really works with the flat slats and not the beech sprung types bedsteads.

jenniewb

I have back issues (currently being 'investigated' so can't say what the diagnosis is) I have a sprung mattess from Ikea and whilst it doesn't aggrevate my back and I can sleep comfortably, its no match for the fantastic mattress I slept in at an Aunts house not long ago. It was a Tempura memory foam mattress, really wish I could afford one but they start at £1000 for a single bed!

I would imagine there are cheaper models out there but I've no idea on how the compare. Maybe if you win the lottery...