Proper Spinal Alignment While Sleeping

During sleep, our muscles relax, reducing their ability to support the spine and making it more susceptible to misalignment. Factors such as improper mattress support, pressure points on shoulders, hips and knees as well as poor sleeping positions contribute to this vulnerability. A mattress that fails to provide adequate support and pressure relief can cause the spine to curve unnaturally, leading to discomfort and long-term posture issues.

How to achieve optimal spinal alignment can be a personalized question. What may be beneficial for one sleeper could be problematic for another sleeper’s spine. While there are several factors to consider before arriving at the perfect mattress for optimal spinal alignment – including material, firmness, body type, etc. – the right answer will fundamentally depend on what type of sleeper you are.

Different Types of Sleepers

Back Sleepers

Back sleepers require a mattress that can support the natural curve of their spine. A firmer mattress can provide the necessary support to keep their lower back aligned, although it should also be soft enough to be comfortable. Our InnerSpring mattresses can provide the necessary firmness to keep the spine properly aligned while offering a comfortable sleep surface.

InnerSpring mattresses offer traditional support with varying coil counts, gauges and shapes. The ideal number and disposition of coils will be different depending on sleeper preferences, but the ultimate goal is finding an InnerSpring mattress with optimal firmness and weight distribution to promote healthy spinal alignment and sleep comfort.

Side Sleepers

Side sleepers, in contrast, should prioritize cushioning their shoulders and hips to prevent pressure points as well as maintaining support for their waist and neck. When testing a mattress, it’s critical to ensure your neck and waist are level, as excessive dipping or elevation could cause spinal misalignment.

Side sleepers need to look for a healthy balance between a soft and supportive structure. Our pillow-top and latex mattresses are designed to offer both cushioning and a dense supportive structure, making either a great option for side sleepers.

Stomach Sleepers

Stomach sleepers need to prevent their lower back from sinking too deeply and their spine from curving unnaturally, making firmness a key attribute to look for in a mattress. Latex mattresses are known for their resilience and ability to provide consistent support across the entire mattress surface while contouring to the shape of your body, keeping your hips upright and ensuring proper spinal alignment throughout the night. However, for added firmness, sleepers may want to opt for an InnerSpring mattress, or a mattress that combines latex foam and coils, like our Doctor’s Special or hybrid Superior Rest mattresses.

What if you sleep in a combination of styles, like someone who falls asleep on their side but spends most of the night on their back? For combination sleepers, you should try to shop for the style you tend to sleep in the most. Opting for a medium-firm InnerSpring or latex mattress can ensure you enjoy a balanced sleep experience that doesn’t leave you feeling sore in the morning.

Is There a Wrong Material for Spinal Alignment? Yes – Memory Foam

Memory foam mattresses tend to not be the best choice for spinal alignment. The material can lose its elasticity, dent and develop permanent impressions over time. Memory foam, which is notorious for its heat retention, becomes softer as it heats up through the night. While a contouring sleep surface may be comfortable for some sleepers, the excessive sinking can cause the spine to curve unnaturally, leading to sore mornings.

Sleep quality and spinal alignment aren’t the only issues to be concerned about. Some mattresses pose other health risks, including reduced indoor air quality. Memory foam, unlike latex, can’t be found in nature. It’s a highly manufactured, chemical-packed material composed of isocyanates, polyols and blowing agents. These chemicals gradually release volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into your bedroom in a process known as off-gassing. 

Opting for latex or InnerSpring mattresses can provide more consistent support without sacrificing a soft and malleable sleeping surface.

We’ve Been Producing Hand-Made InnerSpring and Latex Mattresses Custom-Tailored for Great Sleep for Over 30 Years

As a factory-direct, family-owned company, the team at Twilight Bedding ensures every mattress in our inventory has been optimized to provide Seattle mattress shoppers with great sleep on a consistent basis – all at wholesale prices that competitors can’t beat.

Get a good night’s rest and mornings without back pain. Call our Spokane Valley showroom at (509) 926-2333 or our North Spokane showroom at (509) 413-2431, or visit us in person today to explore our unparalleled InnerSpring and Latex mattress collections.