Our bodies endure a monumental amount of stress each day. Whether mental or physical, stress has the ability to wear down the body. Studies show that non-physical mental stress may even impact the physical body. The best example of this is seen when mental stress weakens the immune system of the host and causes a common cold or sickness. Another example of everyday stress includes muscle and joint pain, most often times felt as arthritis. Both mental and physical stress incur real physical damage to our bodies each day, and it is necessary to take proactive measures to get a restful nights sleep that is energizing.
Today, many of Americans choose an adjustable bed frame and mattress to help them get the best quality of sleep possible. Adjustable bed frames allow users to increase the tilt of either the head or foot of the bed. This allows users to create an optimally curved sleeping surface that will support the body all through the night. As a result, adjustable bed users awake feeling light, limber, and re-energize.
So, why does an adjustable bed effectively reduce body pain? To understand this phenomenon, we must first understand a little bit more about how the body experiences breakdown and recovery. First: muscle breakdown.
Daily activity requires the contraction and stretching of most of the muscles in the body. Depending on the intensity of the activity, a single day may effectively break down every muscle in the body. This is most common to those with a very active lifestyle, like professional sports athletes. Other individuals who live less physically stimulating lives still experience muscle breakdown, however. Simple movements like walking through the park, taking a flight of stairs, or attending a yoga class likewise cause muscle breakdown. No matter how active the lifestyle, one thing is certain: the body will need time to recover from the day’s activities and rebuild itself.
Muscle recovery happens most rapidly during sleep. It is for this reason that getting a deep, sound sleep is extremely important in reducing body pain. One of the most crucial elements of “good” sleep is circulation. In other words, the heart must be able to circulate blood rich in oxygen and other nutrients to all of the extremities of the body. The heart slows during sleep, however, making it incredibly important that the body not be resting on a surface that restricts blood flow. Flat innerspring mattresses are to be avoided for this reason, as innerspring mattresses inflict an uneven amount of pressure across the legs, hips, and back. An adjustable bed, on the other hand, can be adjusted to form a horizontal s-shape. This elevates the torso and/or feet of the user as desired, diverting pressure and strain away from the hips and lower back. This enables blood to flow freely, even during sleep when the heart is pumping less vigorously.
Elevated sleep in an adjustable bed frame and mattresses delivers other benefits along with increased circulation. Among those benefits are those rising from sleeping in a somewhat upright position. Acid reflux, for example, can be greatly reduced by sleeping with the upper body at a slight incline. This makes it more difficult for unruly stomach acids to creep up the esophagus and cause heart burn. Snoring may be alleviated as well, as sleeping with the upper torso semi-elevated takes pressure off the chest and nasal passageway. Adjustable beds are close in price to traditional mattresses, making these health benefits and more available at very low cost.