It’s been a week of perceived growths, some perceived emotional downs, experiences of abundance and giving thanks for said abundance.
Slightly related, I’ve been waking up the last couple of days with the words, “Thank you” at the forefront of my mind. It’s a general, “Thank you” acknowledging the blessings in my life, but it also includes a more direct response to my recent sleep experiences.
About 6 months ago, I got a new mattress. The one I had been using prior was not good for me. I’d inherited it and every time I slept on it, I would sink. I stayed with that mattress for much longer than I should have. So, when I decided to get a new one, I went with a firm because I wanted something on the opposite end of what I had been experiencing. Well, firm is…firm. Even with it being a memory foam bed, it was, “Real firm.” Then I thought (more like hoped) that it just needed a bit of time to soften a little-- you know, like a hard avocado does over a couple of days (which, yes, I know, would defeat the purpose of purchasing a firm mattress if you really needed it to be that firm and then it loses its firmness in a short period of time. But, look, I was putting a lot of hope into my wishful thinking so... yeah).
And maybe the mattress softened, “a little.” I don't know. But I do know it didn't soften enough. My body has not been happy—too many pressure points were being created, not enough contouring for my side sleeping proclivities—and I was waking up to hip and shoulder pain. Now, I was already dealing with some hip and shoulder stuff with the last mattress and for the period of time I was working from home, the chair I used was not ideal, so there were other things adding to my physical misalignment issues. But earlier this week, I woke and knew something had to give (Get it? Give? Cause the mattress was too firm...never mind).
I decided to purchase a mattress topper. I sat in front of my laptop reading reviews, desiring not to make the same error I’d made in getting a firm in the first place. I finally settled on one and have been using it in the past few days. The sleep experience is better. There is still some stiffness I’m having to work out when I wake up. But it’s a vast improvement from how things have been the last six months. I share all this to say:
1) If you are buying a mattress online, read the reviews.
2) Search for ones recommended for the type of sleeper you are (i.e., side sleeper, back, stomach, combo).
3) Remember that firmness & support are not synonymous (this is where I made my error, and hindsight has me thinking a medium firm would have been the better option).
4) And if you get one and your body says, “Nope”, then do something about it sooner than later.