Why do I get back pain from my mattress?

You spend a third of your life on your mattress, so it earns its place on the suspect list - but judge it by the pattern, not the price tag. The mattress signature is timing: pain that is worst the moment you wake and fades within half an hour of moving around points at the sleeping setup, while pain that builds through the day points at daytime loads. The mechanics are alignment. A mattress that is too soft lets the hips sink below the shoulders, bowing the lower back for hours; one that is too firm for a lighter frame holds the spine flat against it without supporting its curves; and one that is simply old - most mattresses lose their supportiveness within 7 to 10 years - does a bit of both. The NHS notes back pain is very common and usually improves within a few weeks with the right approach, which is mostly staying active rather than resting, plus simple stretches. Before buying anything, run the cheap experiments: rotate the mattress, try a firmer base (a board or the floor for a few nights is a genuine diagnostic test), and fix your position - MedlinePlus suggests sleeping curled on your side with a pillow between your knees, or on your back with a pillow under the knees, to take pressure off the spine. If a week of position changes and a firmer trial eases the mornings, you have your answer without spending. See a GP if the pain persists for weeks despite these changes, shoots down the leg, or comes with numbness, weakness, or any bladder or bowel change - those are not mattress problems. Pymander is a free AI doctor, 24/7 by text, that can help you test the theory.