Can a Bad Mattress Cause Poor Circulation?
When it comes to overall health, people often overlook the importance of their mattress.
However, the quality of your mattress plays a critical role in your sleep and can significantly impact your physical well-being, including your blood circulation.
Poor circulation can lead to discomfort, numbness, and even long-term health complications.
But can a bad mattress really be the culprit? Let’s discuss how your mattress can affect circulation and how to address this issue.
Quick Guide: A 30-Second Summary
Best Mattress for Circulation and Motion Isolation | Zoma Hybrid |
Best Mattress for Contoured Support | Zoma Start |
Best Mattress for Pressure-Free Comfort | Zoma Boost |
Signs It Might Be Time to Evaluate Your Mattress
A quality mattress plays a crucial role in ensuring restful sleep and maintaining your overall health.
However, a subpar or worn-out mattress can cause a host of discomforts that negatively affect your body and well-being.
If you’re experiencing the following symptoms, it might be time to reassess your mattress:
a. Numbness or Tingling in Your Extremities
Waking up with sensations like “pins and needles” in your hands, feet, arms, or legs is a clear sign that your mattress may be compressing blood vessels and restricting circulation.
This often occurs when the mattress fails to evenly distribute your body weight, creating pressure points in areas such as the shoulders, hips, or lower back.
Over time, these pressure points can interfere with proper blood flow, leading to numbness and tingling sensations. Ignoring this issue can not only disrupt your sleep but also contribute to long-term circulation problems.
If this sensation becomes frequent, it’s a strong indication that your mattress is not providing the necessary support or comfort your body needs.
b. Persistent Body Aches or Stiffness
If you wake up feeling sore, stiff, or in pain—especially in pressure-prone areas like your lower back, shoulders, and neck—your mattress could be the culprit.
Poor mattress support can lead to improper spinal alignment, forcing your muscles and joints to overcompensate during sleep. This added strain may result in chronic body aches or stiffness that linger throughout the day.
A mattress that is too firm might create uncomfortable pressure points, while one that is too soft may fail to provide adequate support, causing your body to sink and your spine to curve unnaturally.
Regularly waking up with these symptoms is a sign that your mattress is no longer meeting your body’s ergonomic needs.
c. Frequent Sleep Interruptions Due to Discomfort
If you find yourself constantly shifting positions or waking up during the night due to discomfort, it’s a strong indication that your mattress is no longer functioning as it should.
Tossing and turning can prevent your body from settling into a deep and restorative sleep cycle, leaving you feeling unrested.
An uncomfortable mattress can create a restless sleep environment, disrupting both your physical comfort and mental well-being.
Over time, this can lead to sleep deprivation, which negatively impacts your energy levels, mood, and overall health. A good mattress should allow you to relax fully and remain in one comfortable position for extended periods without the need for frequent adjustments.
d. Feeling Tired Despite Enough Sleep
Even if you’re spending the recommended 7–9 hours in bed, waking up feeling groggy and tired might indicate that your mattress is compromising the quality of your sleep.
When your body is unable to achieve proper relaxation and alignment during the night, restorative sleep stages—such as deep sleep and REM—may be interrupted.
This leaves you feeling physically and mentally fatigued the next day, regardless of how long you slept. A mattress that no longer supports your body can cause subtle disturbances throughout the night, often without you realizing it.
Over time, this poor-quality sleep can affect your productivity, mood, and overall quality of life.
How Poor-Quality Mattresses Contribute To Circulation Issues?
A bad mattress can have significant effects on your body, particularly by disrupting blood circulation.
1. Inadequate Support
A mattress that does not provide proper support can negatively impact your body’s alignment and blood flow. When a mattress is too soft, your body sinks too deeply, resulting in unnatural spinal curvature.
On the other hand, an overly firm mattress can push against key pressure points, creating discomfort. Improper spinal alignment from inadequate support places stress on muscles, ligaments, and joints.
This stress can lead to the formation of pressure points in areas like the hips, shoulders, and lower back, which restrict blood flow to these regions. Over time, poor support also contributes to muscle fatigue and chronic pain, further hindering circulation and overall comfort.
2. Pressure on Blood Vessels
An uneven mattress surface can compress blood vessels in areas of high contact, such as the shoulders, hips, and legs. When certain parts of the body bear excessive weight, soft tissues, and capillaries in those areas can become compressed.
This restriction of blood flow leads to sensations of numbness, tingling, or “pins and needles.”
These symptoms are common after waking up in an uncomfortable position caused by poor mattress support.
In addition to immediate discomfort, prolonged pressure on blood vessels reduces the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to tissues, impairing the body’s ability to heal and rejuvenate during sleep.
3. Increased Tossing and Turning
Uncomfortable mattresses can cause frequent tossing and turning throughout the night, preventing the body from finding a stable, relaxed sleeping position.
Constant movement disrupts deep sleep stages, which are critical for restorative processes and optimal blood flow.
Restlessness caused by an unsuitable mattress forces the body to work harder to achieve circulation balance, leaving you feeling fatigued and sore upon waking.
Over time, this interrupted sleep pattern can lead to chronic issues such as poor circulation, muscle tension, and even long-term sleep disorders.
4. Old or Worn-Out Mattresses
As a mattress age, its materials degrade, resulting in loss of support and uneven surfaces. Worn-out mattresses often sag in the middle or develop lumps that force your body into unnatural sleeping positions.
These irregularities increase pressure on specific areas of the body, such as the lower back or shoulders, while failing to provide adequate support to others.
This imbalance can compromise circulation, as compressed areas experience reduced blood flow.
Furthermore, older mattresses may no longer have the resilience to evenly distribute your weight, amplifying the risk of discomfort and circulation issues.
5. Temperature Regulation Issues
A mattress that traps heat or provides uneven temperature regulation can affect blood circulation. Mattresses made of low-quality foam, for example, tend to retain body heat, causing you to overheat during the night.
Overheating leads to vasodilation (the widening of blood vessels), which can cause discomfort and restlessness.
On the flip side, a mattress with poor insulation might create cold spots, leading to vasoconstriction (the narrowing of blood vessels), which restricts blood flow and causes stiffness or numbness.
An optimal sleeping temperature is essential for maintaining proper circulation and comfort throughout the night.
6. Allergies and Respiratory Problems
Old or poorly maintained mattresses often harbor allergens such as dust mites, mold, and bacteria. These allergens can trigger respiratory problems and inflammation, indirectly impacting circulation.
For example, when allergies cause swelling of blood vessels, blood flow to certain areas may become restricted.
Additionally, difficulty breathing due to allergens can disturb your sleep cycle, leading to a lack of deep, restorative rest.
Without sufficient rest, the body’s circulatory system cannot function efficiently, further compounding circulation issues.
7. Impact on Overall Health
The effects of poor circulation caused by a bad mattress extend beyond just discomfort during sleep.
Inadequate blood flow to muscles and tissues throughout the night can leave you feeling tired, sluggish, and unmotivated during the day.
Over time, poor circulation may contribute to serious health issues, including varicose veins, deep vein thrombosis (DVT), or even cardiovascular problems.
Furthermore, the lack of restorative sleep caused by poor mattress quality can weaken your immune system, making you more susceptible to illnesses and reducing your overall quality of life.
How to Choose a Mattress That Promotes Good Circulation
If you suspect your mattress is contributing to poor circulation, it’s time to prioritize finding one that supports your body while encouraging healthy blood flow.
A mattress designed with comfort and ergonomics in mind can significantly enhance your sleep quality and overall well-being.
Here are some key factors to consider when making your choice:
1. Opt for Medium-Firm Mattresses
A medium-firm mattress strikes an ideal balance between comfort and support unlike overly soft mattresses that allow your body to sink too deeply, or excessively firm ones that create pressure points, a medium-firm option contours to your natural shape while evenly distributing your weight.
This balance ensures proper spinal alignment and reduces stress on pressure-prone areas, such as your shoulders and hips.
By minimizing localized pressure, a medium-firm mattress promotes uninterrupted blood flow throughout your body, preventing numbness or discomfort.
2. Look for Pressure-Relieving Features
Certain mattresses are specifically engineered to alleviate pressure on key areas like the hips, shoulders, and lower back. Look for options marketed as “pressure-relieving” or “orthopedic.”
These mattresses often incorporate zoned support systems, where different sections of the mattress are designed to provide varying levels of firmness.
This targeted support minimizes the risk of blood vessel compression in high-pressure areas, allowing for better circulation and reducing the chances of waking up with stiffness or numbness.
3. Replace Your Mattress Regularly
Even the best mattress loses its ability to provide proper support over time.
Most mattresses are designed to last between 7–10 years, depending on their quality and construction. An old mattress can sag, develop lumps, or lose its elasticity, all of which negatively impact your body’s alignment and circulation.
If your mattress is visibly worn or no longer comfortable, it’s time to replace it.
Investing in a new, supportive mattress can drastically improve your sleep quality and ensure your body remains in an optimal position throughout the night.
4. Test Before Buying
Finding the right mattress for your needs often requires a bit of trial and error. Many reputable mattress companies now offer extended trial periods, ranging from 30 days to several months, allowing you to test the mattress in the comfort of your own home.
During this period, pay attention to how your body feels upon waking.
A good mattress should leave you feeling refreshed, free of numbness, and without lingering aches or stiffness. Taking advantage of these trial periods ensures you make an informed decision tailored to your body’s needs.
Types of Best Mattress for Poor Circulation
1. Memory Foam Mattresses
Memory foam mattresses have gained immense popularity for their ability to conform to the unique shape of your body.
Developed initially by NASA to improve cushioning and safety for pilots, this viscoelastic foam has since been transformed into a material that revolutionized the sleep industry.
Memory foam softens under body heat and pressure, creating a custom sleeping surface that cradles your body.
Benefits
- Pressure Point Relief: Memory foam evenly distributes your body weight across the surface, minimizing concentrated pressure on sensitive areas such as your shoulders, hips, and lower back. This helps blood vessels in these regions remain unobstructed, promoting smooth circulation.
- Motion Isolation: If you share a bed, memory foam absorbs motion, ensuring you’re not disturbed by your partner’s movements. Uninterrupted sleep supports your body’s natural processes, including circulation.
- Spinal Alignment: By contouring your body’s curves, memory foam supports proper spinal alignment, reducing stress on muscles and enhancing blood flow.
Considerations
While memory foam has many benefits, traditional designs may retain heat, leading to discomfort for some sleepers.
To address this, manufacturers now incorporate cooling gels, open-cell structures, or other technologies to regulate temperature.
Additionally, new memory foam mattresses may emit an odor, known as off-gassing, which typically dissipates within a few days.
Latex Mattresses
Latex mattresses are crafted from natural or synthetic rubber, providing a unique combination of support and responsiveness.
Natural latex, derived from rubber tree sap, is prized for its eco-friendly qualities, durability, and hypoallergenic properties.
Latex mattresses differ from memory foam by offering a bouncier, more elastic feel that supports easy movement during sleep.
Benefits
- Resilient Support: Latex gently cradles the body without the sinking sensation of memory foam. This ensures pressure relief while maintaining proper spinal alignment, which is vital for optimal blood flow.
- Temperature Regulation: Natural latex is inherently breathable, allowing air to circulate through the mattress and helping you maintain a stable body temperature. Preventing overheating is essential for restful sleep and smooth circulation.
- Encourages Movement: The buoyant nature of latex makes it easier to shift positions during sleep, reducing the risk of circulatory restrictions caused by prolonged pressure in one area.
Considerations
While latex mattresses offer excellent longevity and support, they can be heavy and more challenging to move or rotate.
Additionally, high-quality natural latex mattresses often come with a premium price tag, but their durability and performance can make them a worthwhile investment.
Hybrid Mattresses
Hybrid mattresses combine the supportive foundation of innerspring coils with the comfort layers of foam or latex.
This design brings together the best features of multiple mattress types, creating a sleep surface that balances support, comfort, and breathability.
Benefits
- Balanced Support and Comfort: The innerspring coils provide a sturdy base that keeps your spine aligned, while the foam or latex layers contour to your body to relieve pressure points. This combination ensures even weight distribution, enhancing blood flow throughout the night.
- Improved Airflow: The open spaces between coils allow for natural ventilation, which helps regulate temperature and prevents overheating, a common factor that disrupts circulation.
- Adaptability: Hybrid mattresses are available in various configurations, making them suitable for a wide range of sleepers, including couples with differing preferences.
Considerations
Hybrids, while versatile, can sometimes transfer more motion than all-foam options, depending on the design.
Additionally, the complexity of combining multiple layers and materials may reduce durability over time or make the mattress more challenging to maintain.
Which Mattress Is Right for You?
When selecting a mattress, consider your preferred sleep position, body type, and any specific health concerns:
- Side Sleepers: Memory foam mattresses are ideal for relieving pressure on the hips and shoulders, promoting better circulation.
- Back and Stomach Sleepers: Latex mattresses provide the resilience needed to maintain spinal alignment and encourage healthy blood flow.
- Couples or Mixed Sleepers: Hybrid mattresses cater to diverse needs, offering the versatility of both support and comfort.
Final Thoughts
A bad mattress can cause poor circulation by creating pressure points, failing to support your body, and leading to discomfort that interrupts sleep. If you’re waking up with numbness, tingling, or aches, your mattress might be to blame.
By choosing a high-quality mattress that supports your body’s needs, you can not only improve your circulation but also enhance your overall sleep quality and well-being.
Remember, your mattress isn’t just where you sleep; it’s where your body rejuvenates.
This article is for informational purposes and should not replace advice from your doctor or other medical professional.
Sarah Anderson, Certified Sleep Science Coach 
Sarah Anderson is a sleep, health, and wellness writer and product reviewer. She has written articles on changing and improving your sleep schedule, choosing the right mattress for chronic pain conditions, and finding the best pillow for you. Sarah Anderson has her Bachelor of Arts degree from Arizona State University in Journalism and Mass Communications. Prior to working for Zoma, she wrote for a variety of news publications. Sarah's work has been featured on Bustle, PureWow, and other publications.
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