"Sleeping on a hard bed is good for your waist"? You will understand after reading this

“Sleeping on a hard bed is good for your waist”

Many people now have the problem of back pain. Some people suggest "Go home and sleep on a hard bed, it is good for the waist". So some people remove the mattress and directly sleep on the bed with a sheet.

Rumor Analysis

This statement is not rigorous.

Since the normal human spine has an "S"-shaped physiological curve, sleeping in a supine position on a hard bed will cause the human waist to be suspended in the air. In the long run, it will cause the waist muscles to be unable to relax, resulting in tension and pain, and spinal stiffness, which will lead to strain or straightening of the spinal curvature.

Many people who are pursuing sleep quality and health or who already have waist discomfort or disease believe in a "theory" that "sleeping on a hard bed is good for the waist." So some people go to great lengths to replace their comfortable mattresses with hard beds, and some even simply add a wooden board on the mattress, but is this really right?

The influence of hard bed on lumbar spine

The "theory" of "sleeping on a hard bed" is an extension of earlier methods for treating lumbar disc herniation. However, in recent years, most related studies have proposed that "medium-hard mattresses should be the first choice." Due to the "S"-shaped physiological curve of the normal human spine, sleeping on a hard bed in the supine position will cause the human waist to be suspended in the air. It cannot provide a certain fit and support for the waist, resulting in the muscles around the waist still needing to work to maintain the support of the lumbar curvature even during sleep. Over time, it will cause the waist muscles to be unable to relax, tension and soreness, and spinal stiffness, which will lead to strain or straightening of the spinal curvature.

The physiological curve of the spine. Copyrighted image library, no authorization for reproduction

Sleeping on a hard bed leaves the waist suspended in the air. Image from the Internet. In addition, a hard bed may cause greater pressure on the protruding parts of the human bone structure, including the shoulder joints, pelvis and other parts. Long-term compression may lead to poor blood circulation and cause discomfort such as tenderness and numbness. However, it should also be noted that although using an overly soft mattress can maximize the support area for the body, allowing the bed to fully contact the torso and increase the sense of security when sleeping, in this case, no matter which sleeping posture is chosen, the lack of sufficient support will cause the middle part of the body to sink and the torso to be curved, and the spine will still not be able to maintain a normal physiological curvature, that is, the muscles around the waist cannot get a good rest and cause soreness or strain.

The most important point is that a large number of studies have shown that people's subjective comfort levels are poor when sleeping on a hard bed or a mattress that is too soft (such as the "Self-Perception Scale for Waking Up" evaluation), that is, sleeping on a bed that is too hard or too soft will not feel comfortable.

How to choose the right mattress firmness

Factors such as age, gender, body shape, and sleeping posture will have a certain impact on the softness and hardness of the mattress.

The change in mattress hardness has a greater impact on the average waist and hip pressure of obese people, and has the least impact on the average waist pressure of people with a medium body shape;

Women with thin bodies have relatively obvious spinal curves, especially the waist curve, so they need to choose a mattress with better support;

For example, since the weight of the buttocks of 7 to 11-year-old adolescents is not as large as that of adults, and their shoulders are wider than their hips and their waists are thinner, the back-buttocks depression ratio of this group of people is slightly larger than that of adults.

How to choose the right mattress:

1. Whether you sleep comfortably or not

Personal experience is an important evaluation criterion. That is, when you choose to sleep on your back or side, you will feel comfortable and it will not affect your movements such as turning over. When you wake up in the morning, you will not feel stiffness and pain in your waist or difficulty getting up.

2. 3:1 Principle

It is recommended to choose a medium-hard mattress: the 3:1 principle. That is, for every 3 cm of the mattress, you can press down 1 cm. However, it should be noted that this is only a reference value, and the specific choice needs to be adjusted according to factors such as personal weight, height, and sleeping posture.

3. It is recommended to choose a mattress with certain support capabilities

That is, no matter you choose to lie on your back or side, the mattress must have the ability to evenly support the physiological curvature of the human spine. Some modern mattresses use a multi-layer design, including memory foam, latex and other materials, which can provide better support and comfort.

Copyrighted stock images, no reproduction is authorized

How to choose the right sleeping position

Choosing a suitable sleeping position can also help support the spinal curvature to a certain extent, thereby allowing the muscles around the waist to relax during sleep, especially for those with lumbar discomfort or injury.

1. Supine position

Place a pillow of appropriate height under the lower limbs to slightly bend the hip joints and help the waist curvature sink. At this time, the muscles around the waist can be "released" and the pressure on the posterior disc herniation is reduced.

Copyrighted stock images, no reproduction is authorized

2. Side-lying position

Place a small pillow or rolled towel under the waist to provide some support to the waist and relax the muscles. At the same time, you can put a pillow between the legs to keep the hip joint in a neutral position, which can reduce the pressure on the spine and improve comfort to a certain extent.

Copyrighted stock images, no reproduction is authorized

Daily strength training

For those who have waist discomfort or pain, in addition to choosing a suitable mattress and sleeping position, it is also very important to improve their ability to support the spinal shape. The following exercises can also play a certain preventive effect for those who do not have waist discomfort or pain. It is recommended to do them every day~

1. Spinal/thoracic range of motion exercises

Book flipping - thoracic spine range of motion exercises

Lie on your side (with a small pillow between your legs), keep your lower knee joint pressed against the ground at all times and your lumbar spine stable, and use your upper limbs to move your torso toward the opposite side to open your thoracic spine to the maximum extent.

The picture comes from the Internet

Cat pose - overall spinal mobility exercise

In the four-point support position (hands/legs are shoulder-width apart, upper limbs and thighs are perpendicular to the ground), from the cat pose, feel the movement of the spinal vertebrae (lumbar vertebrae - thoracic vertebrae - cervical vertebrae - head) one by one to the maximum range, and then return.

The picture comes from the Internet

2. Core stability training

Deep spinal stabilizer muscle activation

Lie on your back (keep your lower limbs firmly on the ground) and feel the muscles around your navel pulling your navel toward your spine. Avoid holding your breath or inhaling during this process.

The picture comes from the Internet

Dead Bug

Lie on your back (upper and lower limbs raised vertically), keep your core tight and keep your waist close to the ground. Advanced exercises can be performed on the upper/lower limbs or on the opposite/same side.

The picture comes from the Internet

Bird-Dog

In the four-point support position (hands/legs are shoulder-width apart, upper limbs and thighs are perpendicular to the ground), lift both knees slightly, keep the core tight and the pelvis stable, and complete the upper/lower limb lifting and distal movement or the contralateral/ipsilateral upper and lower limbs lifting and distal movement at the same time. Advanced can be completed with the knees slightly lifted.

The picture is from the Internet. Finally, we need to remind everyone that when doing these exercises, you must pay attention to the correctness of the movements to avoid secondary injuries caused by improper posture.

Looking in the mirror of rumors

Some rumors in life come from misunderstanding of medical advice. For content related to physical health and disease, it is recommended that you consult a doctor and follow the doctor's advice to prevent "rumors" and "blind talk."

Author: Li Wenrui, popular science creator

Reviewer: Ji Gang, deputy chief physician of orthopedics, the First Hospital of Hebei Medical University