If you’ve ever suffered from back pain, you know how difficult it can be to fall asleep - and more importantly stay asleep. And you’re not alone. Studies show that around 80% of the population will experience an episode of lower back pain at least once in their lifetime.  In fact, according to the American Chiropractic Association, back pain is one of the most commonly reported reasons for American’s missing work each year.

Dealing with back pain becomes an even greater nightmare when it comes time to hit the hay.  Increased sensitivity to pain, inability to find a comfortable sleeping position, and higher instances of sleep disturbance throughout the night are all negative effects associated with back pain.

Medium-Firmness is Best

So how does your mattress affect your back health? Well, seeing as we spend nearly one-third of our lives lying in bed, choosing a mattress that promotes positive sleep alignment is essential for mitigating and avoiding lower-back pain all together. 

While it was widely believed that firmer beds were the best option for people with joint and muscle pain, new findings show that “medium-firm” mattresses are actually much more efficient for alleviating back pain. 

A recent study conducted on patients suffering from chronic lower back pain found that those who slept on medium-firm mattresses reported lower instances of pain in bed, pain on rising, and lower body disability than those who slept on firmer or softer beds. 

Finding the Perfect Fit

When testing medium-firmness, look for a mattress that offers the push back necessary to fully contour and support your spine. According to Dr. Milton Chua, a sleep expert at the University of Utah Health, you want to find a bed that applies “even pressure throughout the body” in order to minimize the risk of lower back pain.  You also want to avoid beds that are too soft or have the “sinkhole” effect found in traditional memory foam mattresses. 

Mattresses made out of medium-firm materials such as the Enersorb technology found in the PerformaSleep mattress are perfect for recovering from back strain or injury. PerformaSleep’s triple-foam layers rapidly respond to movement throughout the night and evenly distribute pressure across the entire body.

The Copper Cool layer found in the PerformaSleep mattress is also scientifically engineered using thousands of copper-infused gel beads to help reduce joint and muscle pain, swelling and soreness.  PerformaSleep’s Enersorb and Copper Cool layers work together to offer major support to high-pain areas like the lower back, shoulders, and hips.