You get up from the bed and the back looks like a battlefield, the neck creaks, the vertebrae protest and the day already tired is begun. The first thing that comes to mind? “I have to change mattress!”. Stop everyone, wait a moment: are you sure that the problem is really to sleep on an inadequate surface? The truth could be another.
We pass about a third of our life by sleeping – they are more or less 26 years old, assuming to live up to 80 – yet most of us treat the mattress as if it were an indestructible object. We buy it, we put it on the bed and forget about its existence, until the pains come.
The most serious mistake that is made every night
The main problem is not the mattress itself, but how we treat it. During the night, the body releases humidity that can accumulate in the mattress, favoring the proliferation of mold and bacteria. And guess a little? If you have never shot your mattress in the last six months you are always sleeping in the same point, creating depressions that your back will not forgive.
One of the good habits for correct maintenance of the mattress is to turn it up above and head feet every 3 or 4 months to allow internal materials to settle uniformly. It seems a banality, but this simple gesture can make the difference between waking up rested or with the feeling of having slept on a lot of potatoes.
The infernal trio: dust, mites and sweat
Let’s talk clearly: when was the last time you spent the vacuum cleaner on the mattress? If the answer is “never” or “I don’t remember”, we have a problem. Use a vacuum cleaner with a specific accessory for fabrics, at least once a month, to remove both dust and dead leather residues. It is not a question of being maniacs of cleaning, but of health.
Powder mites love non -clean mattresses. They feed on the dead cells of the skin that we lose every night – about 1.5 grams – and proliferate in the warm and humid environment of the bed. The result? Allergies, respiratory problems and a disturbed sleep that translates into muscle tensions.
The error of the ghost -cup -praise
Uncomfortable question: do you use a cover cover? And if so, when you washed it last time? The covering cover must be replaced whenever you change the sheets and should not be applied to the Memory mattresses (the padding topper is to be avoided, while if you can apply fabric). This thin layer of protection is the first line of defense against body humidity and spots, but if it is not washed regularly it will become a receptacle for bacteria.
The funny thing is that many think they do a favor to the mattress by covering it with waterproof plastics that prevent breathability. Result? The humidity remains trapped and the mattress turns into a tropical swamp, not exactly the ideal environment for a restaurateur sleep.
The myth of the hard mattress as a universal solution
For years they told us that the super rigid orthopedic mattress was the solution to all the evils of the back. A colossal lie. A clinical research conducted in 2003 put this obsolete and potentially harmful theory in strong discussion, showing that the mattress most likely suitable for the treatment of back pain is probably medium hard.
If the mattress is too rigid, the shoulders and sides undergo an excessive pressure, if it is too soft, the spine loses its natural alignment. The key lies in the balance: a support that adapts to the curves of the body without making us sink.
Bad habits that ruin everything
Another very common mistake concerns excessive use of water during cleaning. In the presence of a stain, the first reaction is to flood the mattress with liters of detergent. Bad idea, because humidity penetrates deeply and takes weeks to dry completely, creating the perfect environment for mold and mushrooms.
And then there is the classic: jump on the bed. Children love it, but each jump is a small trauma for the internal structure of the mattress. The springs deform, the foam loses elasticity and farewell uniform support.
The saving routine
Here is the maintenance program that will make your mattress last and your back will thank you:
The final verdict
A person with a healthy back sleeps well on any minimally ‘human’ surface. As mentioned at the opening, the problem is almost never the mattress itself, but as we take care of it and the general conditions of our back.
Before spending hundreds of euros for a new mattress, try to follow these tips for a month, you may find out how much the old mattress still has a lot to offer. And if after doing all this the back pain should persist, then yes, perhaps it would be appropriate to change it. But at least you will have the certainty of having done everything possible.
