Mattress Selection

Body size can worsen the effects of a poor mattress match but does not determine the direction of the needed correction. Mattress selection should be guided primarily by lower-back curvature rather than body weight, muscle mass, or BMI. A mattress should reduce gaps between the body and sleeping surface so the spine remains supported. A flat lower back generally requires a firm, low-elasticity sleeping surface. A pronounced lumbar curve may require a softer, more elastic mattress to fill the lower-back arch.