How Your Mattress Could Be Affecting Your Health

For something that you spend about one-third of your day on, you don’t think about your mattress enough. Your sleep surface can considerably affect your health, so you should be able to identify the symptoms of a bad mattress and make the necessary changes to fix it. Below are some common issues on how your mattress could be affecting your health.

Sleep Pains

If you tend to wake up feeling achy, chances are your mattress is to blame, especially if the pain dissipates throughout the day. In the short-term, this is simply inconvenient, but the long-term effects are far more dangerous. By repeatedly sleeping in a position that strains your body, you could seriously injure yourself and cause long-running chronic pain, all because you ignored that nagging backache when it started.

Unfortunately, the only real fix for this is to change your mattress. You can try flipping it at first to see if that helps — mattresses should be flipped and rotated every few months anyway — but if it doesn’t, then you will definitely need to invest in a better one. This can seem expensive, but you can find weekly sales and get cash back for retailers like Target to help save money.

Illness

Sadly, your mattress could actually be affecting your health and making you sick. Pollutants and contaminants in a dirty bed will be breathed in during the night, which could lead to several long-term problems in your lungs. This often happens with old mattresses that have developed mold, which is why knowing the warning signs for mattress mold can save you from several respiratory illnesses.

Dust is another pollutant that can be dangerous for your lungs, while bacteria can accumulate and make you ill if the bed is not cleaned regularly. This is why it is essential to practice good bed hygiene. Always use a mattress protector, wash it regularly, and change your linens often. It might also help to purchase an air purifier for your bedroom, which can help cut down on the number of dust particles and pollutants. This is especially true if someone in your home smokes, which can worsen indoor air quality. And don’t forget that you can save money on cleaning supplies by searching for specials and promo codes for stores like Walmart.

Exhaustion

Fatigue is probably the most common side effect of sleeping on a bad mattress, and most people don’t understand just how devastating it can be. Being tired all the time can increase anxiety and depression, reduce your ability to exercise, and lead to poor dietary choices. If your mattress if keeping you up at night, consider why. Is it the hardness, temperature, or bounciness? These issues may seem small during the day, but they can keep you up all night.

Maybe it’s not the mattress that is the problem. Sometimes, uncomfortable bedding or pillows can also be to blame so you may have to reconsider your entire sleeping arrangement. To save on this process, look up daily deals and savings for Amazon. It can be difficult to choose bedding when you cannot feel it to see whether you like the texture, which is where Amazon’s thousands of user reviews can help you narrow down your options. Keep in mind that if new bedding is out of your budget, a mattress cushion can enhance your comfort through the night. These are usually inexpensive and can be picked up for $50 or less in many cases. 

Your mattress is an important part of your life. A good one supports you at night, helping your body and mind rest and recharge. A bad one will make you feel grumpy and tired in the short run while being potentially hazardous for your health in the long run. This is why it is essential to have a good, reliable mattress, and to take good care of it. Comfortable sleep isn’t a privilege for those who can afford the fanciest mattress and bedding, it is something anyone can achieve with some smart shopping and savvy planning.

Dylan Foster

http://healthwellwise.com/author/dylan/