Many people wake up the morning with aching backs and necks. As the day wears on, most of the pain goes away and most likely they think they just slept wrong, or their significant other elbowed them during the night. Well, it is possible that their mattress or pillow could be the culprit. Over time even very high quality pillows and mattresses can lose support and cause neck and back pain for the people sleeping on them. Follows is a more detailed explanation of what can go wrong with your pillow and mattress as well as what you should do to prevent further neck and back pain.

Poorly Supportive Pillow

If your pillow is flat and unable to support your head correctly, you will find yourself waking up to a stiff neck, and possibly upper back spasms. The pain in your neck and back will usually go away during the day but will eventually lead to chronic neck and back pain if the cause of the pain is not eliminated. Even brand new pillows can be unsupportive if made from certain materials, for example down or feather pillows. Additionally, even the most supportive pillow will need to be replaced after a time, as it becomes less supportive.

Naturally the best solution for a poorly supportive pillow is to replace your pillow. By purchasing the correct type of pillow, you can virtually eliminate neck and back pain from your life. Pillows made from foam, of firm stuffing are much better for the support of your head and neck that pillows made from feathers or down materials. Some people sleep with two pillows to achieve the proper support for their neck but this can backfire and cause your neck to be stretched uncomfortably. The best bet is still to purchase a firm foam pillow for the best support for your neck and the prevention for neck and back pain.

Poorly Supportive Mattress

Very similar to the problem of an unsupportive pillow, a mattress lacking the proper support can end up with you waking up to neck and back pain. Inexpensive mattresses only last about four years until they become naturally unsupportive, even with a consistent schedule of flipping and maintenance. High quality, and often expensive, mattresses will last longer but probably not more than about ten years. If your mattress is older than that and made from spring or metal coils, you should look into replacing it. If it is made from a more durable material, such as the new foam, you can most likely hold it onto it for a few more years. The real test is whether you frequently wake up with neck and back pain that isn’t caused by any other reason. Once this starts happening more than three or four times a week, it is time to shop for a new (or better) mattress.