10 Daily Activities That May be Hurting Your Back

5. Your mattress is really old.

When was the last time you replaced your mattress? It could be the source of your pain. According to the national sleep foundation, a good mattress should last up to 10 years; you should consider changing your mattress much earlier, especially if you begin to develop throbbing pains. A study conducted by the Oklahoma State University found that switching mattresses every 5 to 6 years led to improved sleeping habits and better rest.

The Remedy: When choosing your mattress, be as picky as Goldilocks: Be sure your final choice is neither too soft nor too hard. Choosing a mattress that is too hard will increase the pressure on the spine and only aggravate the condition, according to Spanish Researchers. A medium-firm mattress was proven to improve back pain more than a firm mattress would, says another study.

Another way to ease the discomfort is to tuck a pillow under your knees if you tend to sleep on your back. A pillow placed between your knees works well if you are more accustomed to sleeping on your side and placing a pillow beneath your hips and belly does the trick for face-down sleepers.

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