We spend a good portion of our lives in bed, and most of that time should be spent sleeping. However, if our mattresses are old or worn out, that sleep can be elusive. In fact, if you have a bad mattress, you may find yourself suffering from more than just sleepiness during the day.
Fatigue
Poor sleep can lead to a host of issues, from excessive eating due to hunger cravings to weight gain and habitual fatigue. You may notice that your memory is foggy, your concentration is bad, and that you just cannot keep your eyes open. This exhaustion can impact your motor skills, and impede your reaction time, which can make handling machinery dangerous. A bad
mattress
may be the cause of your woes. If you have not slept, your body cannot recover from the day, which affects not only how you feel, but also how you think. Your tiredness affects memory, emotional response and can lead to scary issues if left unchecked.
Chronic Pain
Chronic pain is one of those issues. An old mattress can lead to things like back pain, joint aches, and sore muscles. The longer you sleep on a mattress that causes such pains, the more likely that pain is to become
chronic. These problems are caused by deformation of the mattress itself from excessive
use. That could mean the kids coming in and jumping up and down on it, or simply from being used too many years past its due date. If you wake up after a long night of tossing and turning with various aches, it may be time to replace your bed. Look at the mattress and see if any springs are poking up, or if it is sagging anywhere. These are signs you may be doing damage to your body when you sleep.
Illnesses
Sleep is healing. Having a mattress that prevents you from sleeping deeply each night may lead to a
compromised
immune system. Have you noticed that you have been getting sick frequently? That may be due to not resting well at night. However, this can cause more than just a common cold. Consecutive unrest can increase your risk of cancer, heart disease, or diabetes just to name a few. Physical illness is just the start. You may also be at a higher risk of developing a
mental illness, such as depression. This may be due to your brain not getting the time to process negative emotions, a big part of sleep. To keep yourself healthy, try to get seven to nine hours of sleep every single night.
Finding the Right Mattress
If you do decide it’s time to replace your mattress, you need to know
what to look for. Your body might help determine what type of mattress works best for you. It helps to experiment and try out many varieties, to see what feels best when lying down for an extended period of time. Is a pillow-topped spring mattress for you, or should you invest in a firm memory foam or latex bed to ease pressure on your joints? You also need to consider your sleep style before you buy. Different mattress types work best for various sleep positions, so read through online guides to figure out what will suit you best.
Mattress Maintenance
We all want our mattresses to last as long as possible. Proper
care
can help to extend the life of our beds. Keep your mattress as dry as possible, which means getting a protector. Rotate it multiple times a year to spread out wear and tear. Don’t do much but sleep on your mattress, as more pressure means more damage done. This includes the edges of the bed. Find somewhere else to sit and read at the end of the day, to preserve elasticity.
Poor sleep can be dangerous for our health in many ways. A bad mattress can cause that poor sleep and give us aches and pains we just don’t need. If you find yourself relating to these symptoms, it’s time for you to consider replacing your old mattress with something that will aid your wellness.
There is no substitute for a great Chiropractor and a comfortable, supportive bed. Family Chiropractic Plus, is the top St Petersburg Chiropractor for all your healthcare needs.