Change Up Your Sleep Position Or Mattress
Switching to a more supportive sleep position can reduce lower back pain. Also consider how you can use pillows or invest in a new mattress to support better spinal alignment and relieve lower back pain.
Research suggests medium firm mattresses are the best mattresses for back pain. In one study of people with low back pain, those who slept on medium firm mattresses reported lower pain scores both during sleep and upon getting up in the morning.
Small Changes To Your Sleep Position Can Have A Big Impact
If youre sleeping on your back and thats not working out, try sleeping on your side, says Dr. Smith. You could even place a pillow next to your back so if you move from your side to your back in the middle of the night, youd have a gentle reminder to stay on your side, adds Dr. Grimes. If youre a stomach sleeper and you have neck pain, try using a skinnier pillow so your neck is not turned back as much, or if youre using two pillows, use only one.
Props like a pillow or rolled-up towel can also be helpful, says Dr. Grimes. If you sleep on your back, you might get an arch in your back in that position. If thats causing pain, place a pillow or two underneath the knees, which helps with low back pressure, and/or place a little towel roll underneath the arch of the low back to support that gap.
Similarly, stomach sleepers can put a small pillow under their stomach to help create a neutral spine. These fixes mean a person can still sleep in their preferred position, but theyre not putting as much stress on the tissues in their spine throughout the night.
How Are Sleep And Lower Back Pain Related
Researchers have long seen an association between lower back pain and sleeping problems, and growing evidence points a two-way relationship in which they can be mutually reinforcing.
Discomfort from pain can be a major barrier to sleep. Lower back pain makes it hard to get comfortable enough to fall asleep or may provoke nighttime awakenings when pain surges.
At the same time, people with sleep problems are more likely to start having pain or to have pain get worse. Experts arent certain why this happens, but there are several potential explanations. Sleep deprivation may impair healing, affect mood in a way that heightens pain sensitivity, or disrupt chemicals in the brain that are involved in how we experience pain.
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What Causes Back Pain How To Ease Back Pain While Sleeping
Back pain causes are as diverse as they are common. The most common are muscular, skeletal, and disc problems. Despite their seemingly simple nature, these conditions can be very painful. Some of the most common cause of back pain is improper posture. You should always strive to sit with your shoulders over your hips. This helps to keep your spine in the proper alignment. When you deviate from this position, you put extra pressure on your back muscles, which may lead to muscle spasms and even a spinal stenosis.
Some of the most common back pain causes are as described above: a dull ache in the back that can radiate to the buttocks or legs. Although not all cases of back pain are as serious, there are a variety of symptoms that can be caused by back issues. A doctor can determine the exact cause of your back pain by asking about your symptoms and performing a physical exam. Sometimes an x-ray will be taken to check whether your bones are aligned properly and to rule out any broken bones. Unfortunately, x-rays cant detect if your disks and nerves have been damaged.
Sleep On Your Stomach
This position is effective for stomach sleepers. But this sleeping position is not recommended for others because it may add stress on the neck. To relieve pressure off your back, place a pillow under your lower abdomen and pelvis. You may fall asleep with a pillow on your head or without. This position is highly recommended if the pain is caused by a degenerative disc disorder.
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If A New Mattress Isnt In The Cards Make Adjustments To Your Bed
Buying an entirely new mattress may not be economically feasible for you right now. You can make small adjustments now, though, if youre still trying to figure out how to get rid of lower back pain while sleeping.
WebMD.com recommends a few quick solutions. Their major one? If youre looking for a firmer mattress, try adding plywood supports between the mattress and its base. This can increase the firmness of your mattress, quickly and easily.
Construction Of Dreamcloud Mattress
The manufacturing of the DreamCloud mattress can be regarded as artisanal.
DreamCloud has two versions of mattresses you can choose:
Both come with 365-night home trial, forever warranty, free shipping and returns, but the main differences between the two are the number of layers and height. Let us see the components and layers of each:
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Consider Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
If at-home measures aren’t working, consider trying cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia under the guidance of a mental health professional. CBT-I programs can help you address the underlying causes that are making it hard to sleep, including unhealthy sleep behaviors and negative thought patterns that challenge your ability to get a good night’s sleep, according to the Mayo Clinic.
While CBT-I can be effective for anyone with insomnia, your therapist can tailor your program to addressing sleep problems related to your lower back pain.
There Is No Right Or Wrong Sleeping Position
Everyone has unique, individual variations in terms of the shapes of our spines and individual flexibilities. This is called body anthropometrics, says Dr. Grimes, so whats most important is to find a sleep position that balances support for your spine with comfort and allows you to get a good nights sleep.
Dr. Clark Smith
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Adjust Your Sleeping Position
Sometimes, lower back pain is caused by strain, stress, or pressure from an awkward sleeping position, sedentary lifestyle, and bad posture. Neurosurgeons at MINT say that the lower back caused by improper posture, wrong sleeping positions, arthritis, or the degenerative disc can be relieved with proper sleeping positions. MINTs experts recommend the following sleeping positions to relieve lower back pain. Continue reading!
What To Do If Youre Waking Up With Back Pain
Back pain is a common complaint for adults. About 80 percent of adults will experience lower back pain at some point in their life. More than a quarter of adults report experiencing low back pain within the last three months. Low back pain is the most common cause of job-related disability and a major contributor to missed workdays.
If youre waking up with back pain, chances are youre not getting the restorative sleep you need at night. Common causes of back pain include getting into an accident and lifting something heavy. Sometimes back pain can develop over time with age. A sedentary lifestyle can lead to low back pain, especially if you have a burst of activity your body isnt prepared for.
Most low back pain is short-term, lasting just a few days to a few weeks. Often, it resolves on its own or with a treatment of the underlying cause. However, chronic back pain persists for 12 weeks or longer. Sometimes, a medical or surgical procedure can relieve the pain, but sometimes, pain persists despite treatment.
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Lifestyle Factors That Prevent Back Pain
Aside from being conscious of how you sleep and where you sleep, there are a few daytime habits that can help reduce back pain as well. Much of the recommended habits for prevention go hand-in-hand with leading a generally healthy lifestyle. TheMayo ClinicVerified SourceMayo ClinicRanked #1 hospital by U.S. News & World Report and one of the most trusted medical institutions in the world. The staff is committed to integrated patient care, education, and research.View sourcesuggests the following for minimizing back pain risk:
Back pain is not a small or insignificant problem, but for many people the side effects and severity can be minimized with fairly simple changes to habits. Awareness of ideal sleep positions and the relationship between mattresses and backs are essential for keeping pain at bay during the night, and paying attention to posture and movements improves comfort throughout the day.
What do you find helps reduce back pain most for you? Do you notice differences between sleep positions?
About the author
Rosie Osmun regularly contributes to the Amerisleep blog writing about topics including, reducing back pain while sleeping, the best dinners for better sleep, and improving productivity to make the most of your mornings. She finds the science of sleep fascinating and loves researching and writing about beds. Rosie is also passionate about traveling, languages, and history.
Ask For Recommendations To Find The Best Mattress
If youre wondering how to get rid of lower back pain while sleeping, and youve decided to spring for a mattress, you can also rely on reviews to help.
Ask the salesperson which ones he or she would suggest for back pain. Also look towards the internet for online reviews and testimonials. We suggest checking out these mattresses that were created specifically for people with back pain.
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Tip #: Be Mindful Of How You Get In And Out Of Bed
Jerking yourself out of bed quickly or getting in too fast can exacerbate lower back pain, so make sure youre careful about doing each.
- When getting into bed: Sit down on the edge of the bed. Now engage your core and bend over the side while supporting yourself with your forearm. At the same time bring your knees to the bed. Now you can either stay on the side position, or roll onto the back.
- When getting out of bed: Do the opposite of getting into bed. Roll onto your side first towards the edge of the bed, bend your knees, engage your core, then use your arms to help push yourself up and bring your legs over the edge of the bed. This will prevent you from doing a sit up, which can trigger pain.
St Position Sleeping On The Back:
- Sleeping on your back is the best sleeping posture because it helps distribute weight evenly across the body and keeps proper alignment of your head, shoulders and hips.
- For the head: Use a thinner pillow to make sure your head doesnt protrude forward which can contribute to forward neck posture.
- For the lower body: Use a pillow under your knees, to avoid your low back from hyperextension, which can contribute to Anterior pelvic tilt.
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On The Front With The Face Down
Sleeping on the front is generally unhealthy when a person turns their head to the side, twisting the spine and placing additional stress on the neck, shoulders, and back.
To avoid this, try lying face down. To do so comfortably:
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How To Relieve Lower Back Pain By Sleeping With A Pillow
Improper sleeping postures can take a toll on your back. Here’s how to use a pillow to relieve lower back pain.
Hedy Phillips
CNET Contributor
Hedy Phillips is a freelance lifestyle writer based in New York. While she’s not writing on topics like living on a budget and tips for city dwelling, she can usually be found at a concert or sightseeing in a new city. Over the past 10 years, her bylines have appeared in a number of publications, including POPSUGAR, Hunker, and more.
Back pain can present itself at any given time and be caused by several factors. Back pain is also one of the leading causes of disability worldwide. According to a University of Georgetown study, more than 65 million people complain to their doctors about back pain, and 8% of adults in the study report chronic back pain, or pain that lasts for weeks.
While you can see a doctor for treatment options relating to your back pain, there are some more holistic approaches you can take at home, like stretching, using a massage gun or sleeping with a pillow between your legs. For the latter, we’ll give you some tips on how this simple solution can provide some relief for back pain. That way, you’ll fall asleep in no time and stay asleep all night without experiencing any pain.
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Figure Out The Best Sleeping Position For Lower Back Pain For You
If you have back pain, the best sleeping position for lower back pain is on your back. As well discuss, pillows strategically placed underneath the knees can further support the body and minimize arching of the back in this position.
Sleeping on your side isnt ideal, but its much better than sleeping on your stomach, which is considered the worst position for people with back pain. While many people have a default sleeping position, trying to change it could be worth the effort if the position you naturally adopt is causing or worsening pain. Our post The Best Sleeping Position For Lower Back Pain has more suggestions for how to fix your sleeping habits. And, if you cant get away from stomach sleeping, we suggest a few ways to alleviate pain from this position.
Try To Log The Hours You Need
Sleep deprivation makes you more sensitive to pain, according to December 2019 findings in âPLOS Oneâ. Put another way? The less sleep you get, the more likely your back is to bother you. This can lead to a vicious cycle of no sleep-more pain-no sleep, Dr. Singh explains.
With that in mind, do what you can to set the stage for good sleep to happen. Make sure your bedroom is cool, dark and quiet. Practice good sleep hygiene habits, like curbing afternoon caffeine use and avoiding screens before bed. Make it a point to go to bed and wake up at the same time each day too. Over time, a predictable sleep schedule sets your body’s internal clock, so you’ll naturally start to feel sleepy as bedtime approaches, per Harvard Health Publishing.
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Look Into A Custom Mattress For Even Better Back Pain Relief
Last but not least, you may want to consider buying a custom-made mattress to help eliminate your back pain in bed.
A custom mattress is precisely what it sounds likea mattress made to fit your exact specifications and unique needs.
Custom mattresses can be made to fit almost any size . But they can also carry with them a wide range of other benefits like eliminating back pain, keeping you cool at night, and even eliminating certain sleep problems.
Can A Bed Affect Sciatica
The answer is yes, a bed can affect sciatica. If you sleep on a mattress that is too soft, it can put pressure on the sciatic nerve and cause pain. Likewise, if you sleep on a mattress that is too hard, it can also cause pain. The best mattress for sciatica is one that is medium-firm.
It is critical that you seek immediate treatment if you are suffering from sciatica. Despite the fact that self-care treatments can ease pain, they are unlikely to address the underlying cause. Chronic nerve damage caused by sciatica can lead to further back and leg pain if left untreated. Pain in other parts of the body may become more apparent over time. Patients who stop taking pain medications, resulting in chronic pain, cannot be treated. Many self-care treatments are useful in relieving pain, but they do not solve the underlying problem.
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Find The Best Sleeping Position For You
Some sleep postures are better at taking pressure off your back than others. While there’s no one-size-fits-all sleep position that works for everyone with lower back pain, experts generally agree that laying on your back is best.
Back-sleeping evenly distributes weight across the widest area of your body , which can reduce aggravation to pressure points, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Tucking a small pillow or rolled towel under your knees can support healthy spinal alignment and ease pressure even more.
If you’re not a fan of back-sleeping, try snoozing on your side with a pillow between your knees, recommends the Mayo Clinic. This can help take some of the strain off your lower back, and if you switch sides throughout the night, you’ll keep pressure from building up on sensitive points.
Sleeping in the fetal position â where your knees are brought all the way up toward your chin â helps relieve pressure on the intervertebral discs in the spine, which could help with back pain.
Above all, try to avoid sleeping on your stomach. Doing so forces you to crane your neck, which can throw off your spine’s natural alignment and worsen back discomfort.
If you have to sleep on your stomach, though, placing a pillow under your hips can help relieve pressure and decrease the risk of back pain.
