|
Is your bed helping, or is it part of your back problem?
Below are some tips on buying a bed if you have specific queries please give
the clinic a call.
1. All mattress’s should be supportive enough to take the weight of the body
without sagging. If you are used to a soft bed, don’t suddenly change to a very
hard bed; the difference may prove difficult to adapt to. However, the mattress
does need to be firm enough to allow for shifts of posture during the night.
This is necessary to lessen fatigue and relieve the prolonged stress on soft
tissues – it is not easy turning on a really ‘giving’ surface!
2. Most mattresses need to be turned regularly (between six weeks and three
months). Do get someone to help you avoid straining yourself whilst turning your
mattress. (Foam or latex mattresses don’t need turning)
3. The mattress needs to be comfortable to lie on and soft enough, with
sufficient ‘give’, to support and cushion the body’s bony curves (for example
like that provided by a ‘pocket sprung’ mattress). Don’t be embarrassed to lie
on the bed for twenty minutes or so in the shop – it’s not as long as you’ll
spend on it each night!
4. Hygiene and ventilation of the bed and covers are important; special
protective covers may also help to reduce the effects of allergic disorders,
such as asthma and eczema from harboured dust and mites.
5. Your mattress needs to allow for the easy evaporation of perspiration. The
body loses between one and two pints of perspiration per night. A divan or
slatted base will allow air to circulate.
6. A good heavy mattress will need a strong base. It is best to buy the base
and mattress together, but if you buy these items separately do seek advice from
the sales representative about whether they would make a suitable combination.
Get this in writing as otherwise the guarantee on either the base or mattress
may be invalidated by misuse. Remember you won’t get an idea of how the bed will
ultimately feel unless you are trying base and mattress together.
7. The bed itself should, of course, be soundly constructed and represent
good value for money. Generally lower priced goods don’t last as long
8. A ‘standard double’ bed is 4 feet 6 inches wide but a ‘standard single’
bed is 3 feet! It is therefore evident that a large double makes more sense for
two to sleep in – especially if one individual moves a lot in bed. A larger bed
may also be longer too.
9. If you and your partner are of different weights consider a zip and link
bed. Choose what’s right for you – if you are of average weight and need a
supportive mattress but your partner is heavier and requires a firmer one, it
might be better to choose a bed with separate mattress types on either side.
10. Another option is a waterbed. Manufacturers claim that they support the
body without distorting the spine and will last for many years without sagging.
These beds apparently have no pressure point areas (so they are comfortable),
they generally have the facility for internal heating and there is less
likelihood of mites and dust. However, as with many things, waterbeds are
popular with some people, but others find them very difficult to relax in – try
one before you pay in full.
Remember that there is no best choice of bed. Choose what is right for you.
It may be difficult to change it afterwards for purely comfort reasons so try it
out in the shop first.
Also remember that the word ‘orthopaedic’ is really meaningless, though it
generally implies ‘firm’.
for a downloadable PDF file from the charity BackCare
Click Here
All our osteopaths are registered with
the General Osteopathic Council are members of the British Osteopathic
Association and the Sutherland Society (Cranial Osteopathy)
Copyright Wellfield Osteopathic Clinic,
Cardiff. Updated January 2008
for an osteopath in Cardiff, osteopathy in
Cardiff or osteopaths in Cardiff call us now |
