Getting a good night's rest

[jace]

Some days I wake up in the mornings feeling fairly exhausted, like it were the end of a long day. Apart from that I need more physical exercise, I suspect the mattress. It's left me with a dull back ache on previous occasions.

What's a good mattress? What makes it good?

Comments

[aivalli]

Wooden plank with just a bed sheet / rug! :-) Works for me.

HTH.

-N

[latelyontime]

It might be sleeping habits more than the mattress! Are you sleeping with enough space to maneuver? Are you sleeping with your body relaxed and your limbs stretched out? Are you sleeping only one side of the body? Sometimes, trying to sleep when the body is not sufficiently tired and waking up when you are still sleepy also adds to the exhaust factor.

Traditional knowledge says that a semi-hard soft cotton wool mattress is the best. Basically you want a mattress that adapts itself to the curves of your body and still provides some support and resistance to your spine as you sleep. The simple test for this is to put a fairly heavy bag on the mattress and see what happens. Does the mattress sag and compress completely or does it just change shape and support the bag? If it sags, you need to change it. If it doesn't you might want to examine your sleeping habits.

There, the expert has spoken tee hee

[insomnia]

You may also want to make sure it's not sleep apnea that is making you not sleep well. Lots of people are predisposed to it, due to their jaw structure, sinus issues, etc.

[tsk1979]

Get one from the good brands. It should be firm. I.e your back should not sink into it.
Kurl-on is great for back problem people.
As for sleep, are you sure you are sleeping continously or you wake up and go to sleep many times at night

[jace]

Once I fall asleep, I generally stay asleep a full six hours.

[deponti]

You can probably google for mattress parameters..but I find that rubberised coir mattresses work the best for me. Luxurious sink-in mattresses generally result in body pains, they are not supportive enough. Go to the nearest coir board and get a mattress...it's worth the investment. They are also cooler and "breathe" more than the foam ones. And I rather think they are cheaper, too.

Going by what you say, I don't think your sleeping habits/ posture are the problem...

No, dont go to some doctor, just follow your own common sense in getting a firm mattress!