7 Surprising Ways Your Mattress Affects your Sleep Quality and Health

If you’re an individual who understands the importance of a good night’s sleep, you sure realize the importance of at least eight hours of sleep every day. This also means that you’re spending about a third of your day in close proximity to your mattress. A mattress that is too hard, too old, or simply not comfortable enough can have seriously adverse effects on your health, some of which you may not be even aware of. We have therefore compiled a list of seven surprising ways that your mattress may be affecting your sleep quality and subsequently your health.

 

#1 Body Pain

You may have often experienced body pain if your mattress is too firm or if it is so old that it has started sagging at places. Such mattresses are notorious for causing back pain that lasts throughout the day and may even make it harder to fall asleep. Apart from pain in the back, lower back, neck, and hip, an uneven mattress can also lead to pain in the joints by forming new pressure points. Find a mattress that distributes your weight evenly on the surface and provides good support to your spinal column to make sure that you are not compromising with your health and sleep by sleeping in an awkward position.

 

#2 Lack of Proper Rest

If your mattress fails in providing the comfort you need for a good night’s sleep, you may often find yourself not rested properly. This can impact your awareness, and may negatively impact your concentration, productivity, and memory. An ill rested person also experiences a lack of creativity and is prone to feel daytime drowsiness. In time, the person may even experience wrinkles, fine lines, puffy eyes, and dark circles due to a lack of enough beauty sleep.

 

#3 Stress and Anxiety

It may not seem like it but the quality of your mattress is also linked with the well-being of your mental health. A poor night’s sleep on an inadequate mattress can lead to a build-up of stress and anxiety. The health risks mentioned above along with some other sleep conditions that we know very little about may even collectively lead to depression in certain individuals. A good and comfortable mattress on the other hand ensures that your mental health stays well and you wake up filled with positive energy.

 

#4 Increased Body Temperature

Your body temperature and that of the room are essential components that you need to take care of you want to have an uninterrupted night of sleep. Pick a mattress that does not trap heat inside to make sure that you do not wake up all sweaty in the night and find it difficult to sleep again. Mattresses made of natural latex, waterbed mattresses, and adaptive foam mattress that have an extra layer of graphite or ceramic gel beads do well in regulating heat and provide a cool sleeping experience.

 

#5 Allergy

One of the easily overlooked problems of an old and untidy mattress is the accumulation of dust mites, dead skin cells, and other such allergens that can lead to a range of health problems. Allergic reactions may cause skin irritation, runny nose, nasal blockage, watery eyes, and in some cases may even lead to asthma. People with a weaker immune system or sensitive skin are the ones most vulnerable to such allergic reactions. There is a wide variety of different mattress covers and pillow protectors available now that can not only provide protection against such allergens but also prevent a possible infestation from pests like bed bugs. You can read this post by InsideBedroom to find out more about different types of pillow protectors at a reasonable price.

 

#6 Insomnia

Insomnia is the most common sleeping disorder faced by people around the globe. People suffering from this sleep disorder, which makes it hard to fall asleep, can often experience loss of energy, drowsiness, fatigue, anxiety, etc. A large number of insomniacs find their old and uncomfortable mattress responsible for ruining their sleep health. Apart from following a sleep schedule and exercising, buying a new mattress is considered one of the best ways of dealing with insomnia.

 

#7 Disrupted REM Sleep

REM sleep or Random Eye Movement sleep is that part of your sleep which is responsible for the formation of dreams and memory. This part of the sleep that takes place in several stages can easily be disrupted due to an interruption from an uncomfortable sleep. Decreased REM sleep means decreased ability to learn new things and retaining memory.

 

Bottom line

Though buying a new mattress may sometimes look like too much work, its results are much faster than other correctional steps like following a diet or establishing a sleep routine. Sometimes the difference between a good- and poor-quality sleep can be the mattress you sleep on. Ideally, one should get their mattresses replaced every 6 to 8 years to ensure better sleep quality and improved mental and physical health.