The Correct Mattress for Side Sleepers
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Don't be fooled by all those promotions which state that firm mattresses are
necessary for good support. Firm mattresses work better for back sleepers
than they do for side sleepers. This does not imply that a soft mattress
will be more beneficial. A mattress that gives too much or bends inwardly
will not be supportive enough for the spine. However, back sleepers have a
larger area to lay on than side sleepers, which translates to less weight per
square inch of the body. Therefore a mattress that is too firm will put too
much pressure on the very sensitive areas of the hip and shoulder, thereby
causing irritation to those regions over time.
The best kind of mattress
for side sleepers will have a supportive density, but also have enough give to
conform to the bumps and curves of the body, with a softer overlay to provide
more comfort for the muscles and joints. A memory foam density will
accomplish this the most effectively (see pictures below). Memory foam is
a visco-elastic, temperature sensitive polyurethane foam that has the ability to
compress, but then slowly come back to its original shape.
Therefore memory foam does not place nearly the same resistance on the joints as
spring, air, and other materials that bounce back more rapidly. The more
memory foam heats up, the more soft it becomes. Memory foam mattresses are
usually composed of 3 inches of the temperature sensitive visco-elastic foam,
over 5 inches of regular polyurethane foam. Memory foam is usually found
in 3-5lb. densities. 5lb. memory foam is more temperature sensitive,
heavier, usually stiffer and bounces back more slowly (see right side below for
an actual example of 5lb. memory foam). 4lb. memory foam will therefore be less
temperature sensitive and less dense, more soft, less expensive, but also a
little less supportive. There is a bed now that combines the two, so that the
top layer is a 4lb. density and the next two inches are a 5lb. density. This
will give you that immediate soothing sensation, but still be a little firmer
underneath for better support (see left side picture below for recommended
3-layer memory foam mattress).
Certain types of latex foam will also be soft enough to contour the body, but
provide a bit more of a spring effect. This material can be combined well with
memory foam to make up a mattress, but neither substance should be used in the
bottom base layer of the mattress. This is because you never want to sink too
much into the mattress, as this would cause a folding effect of your body and
you would loose support. For this reason, people who are primarily side
sleepers can utilize more of the memory foam and latex material. This is
due to the fact that the shoulders and hips stick out farther, and therefore
need more contouring if you are going to attempt to evenly distribute your
weight over the whole of the mattress. People who are primarily back sleepers
may need more of a firmer support material underneath the latex and/or memory
foam, as less contouring is needed. If your current mattress is still solid enough, you may only need a memory foam
topper (center picture below).
When lying on your side, always
put a pillow or orthopedic leg spacer between your knees to prevent rotation of
the pelvis and spine. This measure will combine to keep your spine in a
more correct alignment while sleeping. We recommend the leg spacer below,
as it helps prevent torque on the spine from pelvic rotation when you are on
your side, while moving with your body if you roll on your back (see picture
below).
Click Here to to purchase the recommended
orthopedic leg spacer and memory foam mattress
for your spine found at Relief-Mart
.
(3-layer Memory foam mattress)
(Memory foam topper)
(Memory Foam in action)
Click here to purchase the recommended Memory Foam Mattresses
and Toppers
found at Relief-Mart and
Selectabed.com
