Sleep right

Neck and back trouble can frequently be traced to bad mattresses. The author explains how to identify the most suitable mattress for your bed

Who knew that choosing a mattress could be such hard work? If orthopaedics and physiotherapists are to be believed, there is an entire science that differentiates the right mattress from the wrong. Considering we spend almost eight of our 24 hours sleeping, it is imperative that our sleep system — mattress, bed base and pillow — is ergonomically sound. Else, sleeping can literally be back breaking and a pain in the neck.

Deepak Sharan, consultant in orthopaedics and ergonomics at Bangalore-based musculoskeletal rehabilitation centre RECOUP, sees around 100 patients a week suffering from disorders caused by an improper sleep system. “That, coupled with an incorrect sleeping posture, leads to inadequate support for the vertebrae causing neck and shoulder pain, headaches, lower back pain, pinched nerves and sleep disorders,” he says.

A bad mattress can have the same effect as a poor posture. Once a portion of the mattress sags, the part of the spine that lies over that part gets stretched. “This is because the gravitational force tries to maintain the contact of the spine with the mattress. With continued stress, the individual is predisposed to back pain,” says H S Chhabra, chief of spine service and medical director, Indian Spinal Injuries Centre, Delhi.

The ideal sleep system should support the curve of the spine to optimise the load distribution and minimise stress. It should be able to support the heavier parts of the body, namely the shoulders and the back, separately and the lighter parts separately. Basically, an ideal mattress should find a balance between being too hard or too soft.

One must remember, however,  that a mattress is a contributing factor and not the primary cause of back pain. “If you have night pains then an improper mattress can aggravate the muscle spasm but not be the essential cause of it,” says Gerd Mueller, chairman and managing director, AktivOrtho, an orthopedic centre in New Delhi.
 
READY TO GO

Brands like Godrej Interio, Sealy and Tempur have come up with a range of ergonomic mattresses to soothe your back

SEALY, the US-based brand, claims to be the only company in the world to use the maximum number of patented technologies to design mattresses. “We use the triple offset coil that can sense body pressure and then responds to it by generating enough support,” says Puneet Verma, general manager, Sealy-India. Then there is the dual support system that uses the synerflex surface to adjust to your body’s contours. Such state-of-the-art technology comes at a price. Sealy-India’s economy range of PosturePremier mattresses starts at Rs 55,000 while the premium range can go upto Rs 9,75,000 (all prices for king size mattresses). “The latter is nearly 17 inches tall, almost the size of a bed,” says Verma.

GODREJ INTERIO has a range of three mattresses — Spinefine, Reborn and Contoura ET. SpineFine’s (Rs 47,000-50,000 for a double bed) memory top responds to body heat while Reborn (Rs 68,000-70,000) is 100 per cent latex and has specially assigned seven pressure zones. Contura ET (Rs 59,000-61,000) is a spring mattress with a latex top that claims to provide excellent stability and back support. “Each mattress comes with what we call a ‘Comfy Meter’ that gauges the cushioning and support of the mattress to help you find the perfect mattress,” says Reena Valecha, ergonomics expert at Godrej Interio. “The cushion scale is based on latex content, polyurethane foam thickness and foam density while the support scale is derived from pad thickness, bonded foam thickness and coir density.”

Deepak Sharan

Tempur pedic International, another US-based brand, uses NASA-designed pressure relieving material in their mattresses. Making use of the proprietary formula known only to a couple of individuals, Tempur focuses on reducing pressure from the body so that you don’t feel the need to reposition yourself for a better posture and can enjoy uninterrupted sleep. The company’s range of Cloud and Breeze mattresses redistributes the body weight so that the spine stays perfectly straight. According to a company spokesperson, the Tempur mattresses are a favourite in the medical sphere, with 95,000 medical professionals recommending it worldwide. (Prices available on request)

THE PERFECT BALANCE

“A firm mattress with a soft top is what I would recommend. A medium firm mattress also helps sometimes,” says Gerd Mueller of AktivOrtho . This conclusion stems from his extensive study of mattresses as vice-chairman of a European Commission panel set up to develop a realistic approach to the treatment of back pain. A study carried out by the scientific department of the Kovacs Foundation in Spain and published in the National Center for Biotechnology Information’s PubMed corroborates his findings. In the study, 313 adults suffering from chronic non-specific lower back pain were screened. After 90 days, patients with medium-firm mattresses had lesser pain in bed, pain on rising and disability than did patients with firm mattresses.

Choosing the right mattress

Dr Manoj Migliani, consultant, Fortis Flt Lt Rajan Dhall Hospital in Vasant Kunj

Don’t follow the trend, is what orthopaedics advise when it comes to choosing the mattress. “Everyone’s back is different, everyone’s issues are different. There is no fixed formula,” says Manoj Miglani, consultant (department of orthopaedics, spine, surgery and joint replacement), Fortis Flt Lt Rajan Dhall Hospital in Delhi’s Vasant Kunj. Don’t just opt for the brand name, instead spend several minutes in the store lying on various mattresses to judge how they support your spine. “Also, it’s not necessary that the more expensive the mattress, the better it will be,” says Mueller.

If you thought that just looking at the firmness of the mattress would be enough, think again. This seemingly critical decision depends on gender, age and body mass as well. According to Deepak Sharan, a soft shoulder zone improves spinal alignment for men and those with an athletic build, while a firm pelvic zone will improve spinal alignment for women. Similarly, the percentage of foam to coir needs to be varied according to age and back problems. “If you are young and have a backache then go for 60 per cent coir and 40 per cent foam. For the aged and those with a degenerative spine, the ratios can be reversed,” says Miglani.