A healthy partnership
Together BedsRus, Sleepyhead and the New Zealand Chiropractors Association (NZCA) have been partners for close to 30 years and have worked together to develop a range of beds that help Kiwi’s get the support they need every night. The partnership has been driven by a shared philosophy that supporting your back while you sleep is just as important as looking after it when you’re awake.
Approximately 80% of all people will suffer some kind of back pain in their lives. Often this pain can be caused by injury, pregnancy, heavy lifting, office bound jobs and increasingly sedentary lifestyles. What is not often known is that your bed can also have a major impact on your back, general health and well-being.
Is your bed providing the support you need?
It’s interesting to note though that sometimes the most damage is done while sleeping. Back pain can often be caused or aggravated by your bed if you are not getting the right support while you sleep.
A mattress will usually deteriorate up to 50% from its ’new’ state over the course of ten years, through normal wear and tear. Mattress comfort layer compression, broken springs, and retention of moisture are all part of common wear and tear and ultimately all have a negative impact on the level of support and comfort your bed provides you while you are sleeping. It stands to reason then that this can lead to poor sleep posture. As a result, many people suffer from back pain, lower back pain, neck pain, shoulder pain and hip pain, which their bed can exacerbate.
How to improve sleep posture
It’s worth considering we spend approximately a third of our lives in bed and the quality of sleep enjoyed will have a significant impact on the whole day.
One of the best ways to improve sleep posture and help relieve any discomfort is to invest in a good quality mattress and pillow suited to individual needs. While the mattress supports the body, a good quality pillow supports the head and neck to help with spinal alignment.
A suitable mattress will allow for the curves of the body to be maintained rather than the body conforming to the mattress. A mattress that’s too soft or too hard for your body shape and weight can cause the spine to curve in an unnatural way. Thinking about the length of time people spend in bed is it any wonder you can wake up with muscles that are stiff and sore if your mattress is not suitable for your body shape?
Dr. Cassandra Fairest, Chiropractor, says many people don’t appreciate the value of correct support while they sleep. Sleep plays a vital role in restoring and healing the body.
“Often people suffering from back pain assume the firmer the bed the better which is not always the case. It’s important that your mattress and pillow together cushion your body to ensure your spine is kept in a neutral position while sleeping. Poor alignment can cause stress in all the wrong places. Factors such as your size, shape, weight and health will influence the type of bed most suitable for you.”
If you are waking up stiff and sore or if your pain is worse during the night while you are sleeping then it may be worth taking a good look at your mattress. It could help how you sleep and feel when you get up every day.”
Which products are endorsed?
The following bed ranges are endorsed by the NZCA for providing outstanding support:
Sleepyhead Chiropractic Range
Sleepyhead Chiropractic HD Range
Sleepyhead Sanctuary Range
Sleepyhead Sanctuary After Dark Range
The following Sleep Collections pillow ranges are also endorsed by the NZCA to provide optimal support for your head and neck:
Sleepyhead Ventilated Memory Foam Pillow Range
Sleepyhead 24/7 Tencel FusionGel Pillow Range
Sleepyhead Hush Wool Silk FusionGel Pillow Range
If you wish to partner with your local BedsRus store as part of our NZCA partnership program, please fill out our Contact Us form here.