According to a poll conducted by the British Chiropractic Association (BCA), and as reported in The Huffington Post, almost one out of three people experience back and neck aches after a night's sleep.
Thirty percent of the 2,400 repsondents believe that sleep triggers the pain. A whopping 83 percent reports feeling stiff and stressed in the morning, while 42 percent don't even get a good night's sleep at all.
The commom culprit? Poor beds. Researchers believe that people don't change their mattresses often enough.
“How often you should change a mattress depends on lots of factors including your weight and how well you have cared for your mattress,” says BCA chiropractor Tim Hutchful. “But as soon as a mattress stops supporting your back it's vital you get a new one.”
However, picking out a mattress also takes some time.
“A mistake that people often make when choosing a mattress is thinking the firmer, the better. This is not always true -- one bed does not fit all,” he adds. “We spend a third of our lives in bed so it's important to spend time choosing your new mattress, and remember; if you're planning on sharing your bed with your partner, take them with you to test it.”
Aside from changing your mattress, researchers also recommend changing your pillows when they start to sag and get misshapen. Lying on your back or on your side instead of stomach-down may also help minimize back and neck pains.
(Photo by Cordey via Flickr Creative Commons)
