Got a memory foam mattress and now I'm waking with general back pain.

[tridim]

I'm not seeking medical advice, but I was just wondering if this is common in the adjustment period? I've been sleeping on it for 8 days.

When I wake up, the sides of my back hurt and my rib cage is sore up to my shoulder blades. A hot shower and stretching makes it feel better in a few hours. Seems odd for a bed that is supposed to help back pain. I guess it might be my spine adjusting to a more correct sleeping position. The sleep is definitely very comfortable, it's just rolling out of bed in the morning that sucks.

I have slept rather comfortably on a quality 8" futon for 20 years and am kind of wondering if I made a mistake.

[elfin]

1. Return it if you can

I have a bad back and must have a FIRM mattress, even though the salespeople say that is no long er a truism. I had to shop and shop to find a firm enough one WITHOUT the foam or pillow top or any other gimmick.

Got a Serta extra firm with no padding on top. Expensive, but worth it for me.

Where I shopped, the store had a policy of free returns within 30 days.

If you have that arrangement, give it another week or so to see if there is an adjustment to your condition. The store will say to wait in hopes you change your mind.

[tridim]

3. I hope I change my mind, like I say the bed sleeps comfortably.

The firmness of the whole mattress (It's dense foam with a #" memory layer) is very similar to my futon, so I don't really think that's the issue. I'll give it another few weeks. The pain isn't debilitating, just annoying.

Anyway, it came compressed in a box, no way to take it back really.

[snappyturtle]

2. Everybody is different. My back problems went away when I bought a memory foam. nt

[tridim]

8. I just tested the futon and the memory foam..

No, I haven't thrown out the futon.

My spine is naturally curved on the futon and perfectly straight on the memory foam. That HAS to help. It kind of makes sense that the new alignment might be painful for a while as the spine adjusts. I'll give it some time.

[snappyturtle]

11. It's all you can do! Give it a longer try. nt

[eShirl]

4. if you can, try stretching before bed, too

Also, I find Valerian capsules and/or chamomile tea (including Sleepy Time Tea) help me sleep with less muscle tension and wake with less ache. YMMV

[tridim]

5. Good ideas. Thanks.

[tridim]

17. Did some light yoga before bed and it helped.

This morning was nearly pain-free.

[postulater]

6. There are different foams with

different properties. The original memory foam was from TempurPedic. Knockoffs may use cheaper foam that has different properties even though it looks the same.

[tridim]

10. It's from Costco...

http://www.costco.com/Novaform%c2%ae-14%22-Gel-Memory-Foam-Queen-Mattress.product.100026997.html

Costco doesn't sell junk.

[postulater]

14. I see the costco one has some gel beads embedded into the foam.

I don't know if that affects the support, but it might.

And the foams also have some off-gassing in the first several weeks that you might be sensitive to. ???

Myself, I sleep on a futon (for the last 30 years). Elm slatted frame allows some give.

I tried the TempurPedic for a few weeks but prefer the futon.

[womanofthehills]

18. I put my memory foam topper in the sun to outgas

I'm sensitive to odors and a few days in the sun takes care of the smell.

[enlightenment]

7. Are you a sound sleeper?

Are you falling asleep and waking up in the same position? If you are and that's a change from before, that might be the cause of the pain.
You might also try putting a board under the mattress. If it's solid foam it isn't as firm (though it may feel that way) as your futon.

[tridim]

9. Quite sound, most of the time at least.

Hmmm, I did notice that I stay on my back much longer. I used to migrate to the left side soon after bedtime.

I'm probably not moving as much due to the cradling sink-factor... Is the pain because my muscles aren't being allowed to move while I sleep? Interesting.

[enlightenment]

12. Might be . . .

I am not a sound sleeper - my bed sheets look like I've been break-dancing every morning - but on the rare occasions that I do drop off and sleep soundly enough to not shift position I inevitably wake up with aching joints and muscles.
I don't think it's because it's bad to sleep soundly (I would love to do that regularly) but because my body isn't used to it.

[winter is coming]

15. It could be that on the futon, you're still close enough to wakefulness that you shift

position at the first signs of discomfort, but that you're more soundly asleep by the time you reach that same discomfort level on the foam mattress. If it takes you longer to receive and respond to the "move position" signal, you're more likely to be in pain upon waking.

[Warpy]

13. The only bed for me is a futon, like a brick wrapped in cotton batting.

I literally can't walk when I get out of anything softer and the pain is horrendous. Even a conventional mattress with a sheet of plywood between it and the box spring is too soft. With the futon, I walk like Frankenstein's Monster to the loo, but by the time I've gotten the dew off the lily, I can walk normally. Well, normally for me.

I think the problem might be that you don't change position often enough at night, I think that's my problem. The other complaints I've heard is that it's hot to sleep on in summer and it loses its memory too soon for such an expensive mattress.

Good luck getting used to it.

[winter is coming]

16. We've had one for over a decade and it doesn't seem to have lost its memory.

Too hot in the summer can be a problem, though, as can too cold in the winter. When the weather's cold, I sometimes turn on an electric blanket on low for about a half-hour before going to bed. Instead of being cold and hard, the mattress is just right.