Everyone in London with back pain seems to ask about memory foam mattresses or toppers. A mattress made of memory foam is supposed to be a dream, and a topper is supposed to revitalise your mattress for a good night’s sleep and get rid of back pain that is caused by a poor or unsupportive mattress. But did you know that you can make your problems worse if you don’t shop with the right things in mind? Here is how to do it:
1. Decide on your budget
Mattresses made of memory foam are extremely expensive. You can get high quality pocket sprung mattresses with a layer of memory foam on top for a bit less. I’ve slept on both and to be honest I prefer the pocket sprung mattress with the layer – I have found them more supportive – firm but soft.
Most people opt for a topper because full foam or even layered mattresses cost a lot of money. Even good toppers are not inexpensive – you need to be careful of what you are buying. Some ‘foam mattresses’ are not really memory foam and will not have the resilience of a real memory foam topper.
2. Topper quality
When you look at toppers, the most important thing to ask yourself is: is it supportive enough for it’s thickness?
A thick one sounds better than a thin one – doesn’t it? But if it isn’t supportive enough, a thick overly soft memory foam topper will only cause you problems from not being supportive enough. Your old mattress might be unsupportive or bumpy – but sagging into sleep on a deep topper that isn’t supportive enough can cause you pain much in the same way an unsupportive mattress can. Too soft and it hurts.
A lot of the amazon toppers are very low density – a trick to knowing this is by seeing that they don’t mention the foam density! A quality manufacturer will tell you what the foam density is. Aim for something over 45kg rated – ideally closer to 60kg if you can afford it. This would be equivalent to moderate firm, which is where most people find comfort.
3. Try if it you can
If you can find a place which sells mattresses and toppers, try the topper out. It will obviously not be the same as when you put it on your bed because the mattress won’t be the same – but you can get an idea.
4. Take care of it
When you get your mattress home, you may not be happy to sleep on it until it has aired out. Let it unroll and let it sit for a few days to air and take on it’s proper shape and height. You may want to put a breatheable cover or mattress protector on it. Memory foam mattresses can get hot to sleep – but this is easily fixed by adding a thin cotton or feather protector on it to allow for more air circulation.
If you have back pain, and are considering a memory foam mattress, book in for treatment and get some sound advice tailored to your own specific needs. Just call 0207 7924499 for an appointment.
