I Have Back Pain After Sleeping What Position Should I Sleep In
There are basically four positions you can sleep in. Back, stomach, left side, right side. The good news is you can sleep in any of these positions, even if you have back pain! So you should sleep in the position that youre most comfortable in, thats natural to you. Trying to sleep in a position that doesnt work for you negatively affects your sleep and wont help with your back pain if you dont know how to set it up.
The Best Sleeping Positions For Lower Back Pain
The best sleeping position for lower back pain ison your side with a partial bend in the knees. Keeping the knees bent helps balance the body and reduces pressure on the lumbar spine. Many people find it helpful to put a small pillow between their knees to make this position more comfortable.
Unfortunately, many back and stomach sleepers have a hard time changing their sleeping position. Even so, they can take steps to reduce strain on their lower back:
- Back sleepers can put a pillow under their knees, legs, and/or lower back to support the natural curve of the spine and minimize lumbar pressure.
- Stomach sleepers should opt for only a thin pillow under their head and place a more supportive pillow under their hips and abdomen. This works to prevent the lower back from sinking into a U-shape that pulls the spine out of alignment.
Some people with back pain use an adjustable bed that makes it easy to raise the upper or lower part of the mattress in a way that decreases tension in the lower back.
Consider A Mattress That Helps Relieve Your Lower Back Pain
The choice of your mattress plays a crucial role in reducing or even preventing lower back pain. A mattress in good condition helps support the body and ensures proper spinal alignment for a good night’s sleep. A medium-firm mattress improves pain among patients with chronic low back pain. Even though research recommends a medium-firm mattress to manage pain in the lower back, the appropriate firmness of a mattress generally depends on each person’s body type and preferences. For instance, body weight, sleeping position, and your comfort preferences will determine the kind of mattress that will work best for you.
Experts indicate that you need to evaluate your mattress every six to eight years. Consider changing your optimal support and comfort to help you improve your lower back pain. And if your budget allows, don’t be afraid to test a few mattress options to find what works best for you. Ensure that the mattress you choose supports you well and maintains your spine position.
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Is How I Sleep Causing My Lower Back Pain
February 11, 2022 By Simone Bueno
Do you experience lower back pain after you wake up? If you do, youre not alone. About 75% of all Americans experience back pain at least once in their lifetime. There are many possible causes of back pain, including diseases and postural problems. However, sometimes, its not as overt as that: something as simple as how you sleep can cause lower back pain.
How Sleep Can Contribute To Back Pain
Although there are many potential sources of lower back pain, how youre sleeping can be a factor. When youre sleep-deprived, your tolerance for pain is lower than it would be if you slept well. Studies have shown that losing sleep can heighten sensitivity to painful stimuli. In theory, sleep loss increases painful inflammation and getting enough sleep may reduce inflammation.
Another factor that can increase back pain is your response to pain medication when youre sleep-deprived. In a study of healthy normal adults, the analgesic effects of codeine are diminished in sleep-deprived individuals versus non-sleepy individuals. Sleeping well may help your pain medications work better.
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How To Sleep If You Have Lower Back Pain
Republished from MedicalNewsToday.com
Lower back pain can affect a persons sleep as well as their daily activities, and sleeping in certain positions can cause or worsen the issue. Below, learn about some appropriate sleeping positions for people with lower back pain. Then, find advice about choosing the right pillows and mattresses.
How Occasional Back Pain Disrupts Sleep
It might sound silly, but your sleeping positions at night can absolutely impact how your back feels the next morning. If you sleep in a position that does not support proper spinal alignment, you are more likely to experience pain the next day. Posture is just as critical when lying down as it is in standing and sitting positions.
Sleeping positions that involve twisting, contorting, or otherwise putting pressure on the lumbar spine can cause pain. This pain is usually the worst in the morning, and it can persist throughout the day.
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For Every Person An Essential Daily Activity Is A Nights Rest With A Full
An unpleasant, painful feeling torments both during the day and at night, not giving you a good nights sleep. The causes of pain can be various diseases and back injuries, pathological processes. However, it is necessary to organize a nights sleep in such a way as to reduce pain and ease the condition as much as possible.
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Alternate Sides If Youre A Side Sleeper
Some evidence suggests that habitually sleeping on one side on an ill-fitting mattress may contribute to muscle imbalance and pain. Always sleeping on the same side suspends the middle of your body between your hips and shoulders, the broadest parts of the trunk. Place a pillow between your knees as shown below to keep hips, pelvis and spine aligned.
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Try Stretching And Massage To Ease Lower Back Pain
Back pain disrupts the ability to sleep well, which generally affects your daily activities and productivity. Poor sleep also exacerbates pain symptoms and contributes to other health issues like diabetes and weight gain. Back pain can also be linked to tension and stress, and incorporating stretching or yoga helps reduce lower back pain, relieve stress, and helps you sleep better. Massages, on the other hand, help loosen your muscles to ease the pain. All these practices will help you stretch your muscles, lift your mood, and help you relax to ensure you properly manage your lower back pain.
Confirm with a professional on safe poses that will help you reduce the pain rather than make your back pain worse. Practicing stretches or yoga under an expert instructor will also ensure you practice the poses and breathe correctly which is the secret behind relaxation. For more detailed information about stretching, check out the Tight Hip Twisted Core, which clearly demonstrates helpful information about stretching and muscle release. In the book, you’ll be able to understand how muscle knots develop, and how you can handle them to reduce pain.
The 6 Best Lumbar Support Pillows Of 2022 According To A Physical Therapist
More than ever, we’re all doing a lot of sitting. Whether it’s time at the desk or long commutes, all this sitting puts excess pressure on our back and pelvis, resulting in discomfort. Lower back pain is a common problem, according to physical therapist Aman Dhaliwal PT, DPT.
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Since the lower back connects to the pelvis, sitting or standing with a certain pelvic tilt can cause the entire spinal curvature to shift, Dhaliwal says. This can usually result in anterior or posterior pelvic tilt â neither of which are healthy and can become increasingly painful if left untreated.
In addition to physical therapy, lumbar support pillows can be beneficial since they put pressure on the tilt to help your spine return to its original curve. You can think of lumbar support pillows like arch support shoe inserts. Use these pillows in situations where you feel pressure or discomfort the most to realign the curve and ensure you have good posture to prevent future pain.
“Anyone who is unable to sustain the curve consciously needs some type of a reminder or support system and, therefore, needs a lumbar support pillow,” Dhaliwal says.
The Best Lumbar Support Pillow of 2022
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How Should I Sleep If My Upper Back Hurts
On your back. Upper back pain is less common than lower back pain but is still a real problem for sleeping soundly.
Like other back problems, you need to find the optimal way of how to sleep with upper back pain to allow you to rest and be functional the following day.
Most upper back pain is caused by poor posture and soft tissue damage from strains and sprains. Looking down at a keyboard all day can be a major factor contributing to upper back pain.
If you have upper back pain, try to relax in a warm bath before getting into bed. If your partner can massage your upper back for a few minutes and apply some liniment, it will help relax the tense muscles.
Although many linaments have no real therapeutic benefits, the massage and relaxing sensation will help reduce pain in your upper back.
Lye on your back with adequate support from pillows for your head and neck. Lying on your back can cause tension in your lower back and the feeling your hamstring alignments are being stretched. To combat this, place a couple of pillows under your knees for extra comfort.
How To Sleep With Lower Back Pain
Jenny Iyo, Physical Therapist
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The lower back features an interwoven series of structures. It includes the five vertebrae of the lumbar spine, each of which is bolstered by shock-absorbing discs and held in place by ligaments. Surrounding muscles offer support and are connected to the spine by tendons. Nerves run through the spinal column to deliver signals throughout the body.
The lower back supports most of the bodys weight and is integral to all kinds of movements. Whether standing, sitting, walking, or lying down, the lower back plays a role in mobility and comfort.
Given the complexity of the lower back and how much we depend on it, it comes as no surprise that it is a leading hotspot for pain. Eight out of 10 people have back pain at some point during their life, and lower back pain is one of the top reasons why people see a doctor.
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Managing Low Back Pain
Manage back pain with regular exercise and professional help as requiredIf you have an attack of lower-back pain that is severe, continuous and not improving, assessment and treatment by a health care professional who focuses on the back or other musculoskeletal problems may help. These practitioners may use both active and passive techniques to help you feel better. Examples of passive techniques that may be used to get you moving include:
An active approach, like walking or water aerobics is usually the most effective. Exercise is often the best way to relieve lower-back pain.
Check with your health care provider before starting an exercise program.
Work with an expert. It may help to work with a health professional who can explain which activities are right for you.
Choose exercises you enjoy. Many activities can help relieve back pain. Try to include activities that strengthen the muscles around your trunk, your abdominal muscles as well as those in your lower back. Studies show the following activities help relieve back pain:
- Lifting light weights
How To Sleep Better With Low Back Pain
Due to its complexity and how much your body depends on it, its no surprise that the lower back is the top hotspot for pain that may deprive you of a good nights sleep. Research indicates that eight out of ten people experience back pain in their lifetime, and lower back pain is one of the most common reasons people visit the doctor.
Back pain ranges from short-lived to long-lasting and severe, and if you experience pain, youre likely to experience poor sleep. Lower back pain makes it harder to find a comfortable sleeping position and get a good nights sleep. But, how do you eliminate back pain for better sleep?
Understanding the link between lower back pain and sleep offers various approaches to finding relief and quality sleep. So, if youre having trouble sleeping due to lower back pain, check out these tips that will help you ease pain and make your sleep much better.
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How Your Mattress Can Cause Back Pain
If you have a mattress that doesnt offer the best support, it could be contributing to your back pain. Mattresses that arent supportive can cause further damage to the back and spine, as youre not being supported. With less support, more pressure is put on your lower back and spine. A firm or medium-firm mattress is going to be your best bet.
A memory foam mattress is a great choice for back support, as the memory foam will contour to your body, allowing for the perfect amount of support. You could also look into a memory foam mattress topper if you’re looking to stick with your current mattress. If youre looking to increase the firmness of your mattress, you can place a plywood board between your mattress and boxspring.
How To Sleep After A Chiropractic Adjustment
Sleep on your back. Your chiropractor will have made some slight adjustments to your spine, so you will be best to sleep in a flat position on your back until the adjustments have worked and you feel relief.
Sleep on your back with enough support for your head and neck, keep your back flat against the mattress if possible. For extra comfort, put one or two pillows under your knees. This will force the small of your back onto the mattress and reduce muscle tension.
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A Simple Tip For Alleviating Low Back Pain When Sleeping On Your Stomach
Many individuals wake up with low back pain. Sometimes this pain can be prevented. When individuals sleep on their stomach, the lumbar spine can go into excessive hyperextension. This jams the posterior elements of the spine together which can lead to pain.
In order to prevent this from happening, perform a posterior pelvic tilting action prior to lying down. Simply lift the body upward and squeeze the glutes as hard as possible, then lay back down. This new position will grip and the spine will be in a more neutral position, which will prevent the posterior elements from jamming together.
Ive had a few clients over the years inform me that this simple tip was a life-changer for them, so I figured it was worth posting as a blog in case others out there could benefit from it. Heres a 20-second video showing how its done:
There are plenty of other beneficial strategies for alleviating low back pain when sleeping. Placing pillows underneath the abdominals when sleeping on ones stomach, in between the knees when sleeping on ones side, and/or underneath the legs when sleeping on ones back can work miracles too, as can avoiding problematic positions altogether. Finding optimal mattresses and pillows can be life-savers as well.
Dont just accept low back pain as part of life be proactive about it and figure out solutions. Sleep should go hand in hand with your strength training endeavors, not work against them!
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What Types Of Lower Back Pain Are There
Lower back pain can take many different forms. It can be acute and last only for a short period of time, or it can be chronic if it lingers for longer than three months. Some people experience tingling or a dull, nagging ache. Others may feel a sharp or sudden pain in their back.
Back pain is most often caused by strain, trauma, or damage to muscles and ligaments. A blow to the back, jolt, or anything that adds pressure on your tissues or spinal bones can trigger a few days or weeks of back pain.
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How To Prevent Lower Back Pain
Lower back pain can be preventable, especially pain due to improper posture or lifting heavy objects. This means you can take steps to protect yourself and reduce your risk of back injury.
- Improve your posture: Avoid slouching. If your job requires long periods of standing, see if it is possible to alternate between resting one foot at a time on a stool or surface throughout the day.
- Lift heavy objects safely: When preparing to pick up a heavy object, bend your knees and tighten your core. Have someone else help you lift an item thats too heavy for you. If youre unsure on how to properly lift, reach out to a physical therapist or fitness expert for help.
- Quit smoking: Its never too late to experience the health benefits of quitting smoking. Ask your doctor about methods you can use to help you quit. Seek support from loved ones, and contact a tobacco cessation service.
- Drive carefully: Avoid driving long distances if you have lower back pain. If you do need to take a long-distance trip, take walking breaks every hour. Also, bring your car seat forward and upright to prevent bending when driving.
- Swap your furniture: Consider changing out your office seat and desk for ones that provide better support. Ergonomic furniture can help with supporting your back and protecting you against back injury. Work chairs with straight backs, armrests, and swivel seats can provide better support.
