Choose A Firm Supportive Bed And Not A Hard One

The majority of experts who treat back pain agree with these views. 82% felt that the right bed could help prevent back pain and only 6% would recommend an orthopaedic bed to patients. Over 2.5 million adults in the UK suffer daily back pain, while 40% of all adults - more than 16 million people - experience some form of back pain lasting more than one day.

The British Sleep Council survey highlighted the time, money and effort back pain sufferers put into finding the right bed. Back pain sufferers are twice as likely as the rest of the population to own a new bed - 50% of them have beds that are less than five years old compared to the national average of 24%. They are three times more likely to replace their beds when they no longer feel comfortable (65% compared with just 20%); while the majority of the population at large seem to wait until their beds are falling apart before they take action. They are also more likely to own a king size bed (31% as opposed to 11%). Separate mattresses zipped together were popular with couples whose support needs differed or who were easily disturbed by their partner's movements.

There's widespread understanding that different back problems require different solutions and that the best approach is to research the options carefully, take time to try them out and choose what you find supportive and comfortable, regardless of labels or even price tags. All too often people are embarrassed about trying out beds in stores and do not spend enough time really lying on them, in their normal sleeping positions. Five or 10 minutes should be the minimum for each bed, but feel free to spend half an hour or even an hour, if thatīs what you want to do.

Professionals also advised patients to look for supportive rather than hard beds and not to assume that orthopaedic beds are automatically the best option. They also stressed the importance of the correct pillows to support the head and neck and of adopting sleeping positions which would create less physical stress on the back.