Sleep On Your Side With Knee Support
Side sleeping is a common position, but it can lead to misalignment of your spine, especially if you have a low-quality mattress. Buying a comfortable mattress is worth your investment if you want to reduce back pain while sleeping. Sleep on your side and place a soft pillow between your knees to maintain spinal alignment and reduce back pain.
Back pain doctor Plano TX recommends side sleeping for pregnant women with lower back pain. Instead of using two separate pillows, it is best to sleep on your side with a body pillow to get severe back pain relief Plano TX.
It Could Be Your Sorry Old Pillows Fault
If your pillow is too thin or soft, your back will bend downward at an awkward angle. Conversely, if its too thick, your spine might bend unnaturally upward. Both situations can cause pain.
If your head is supported at the correct level, the muscles in your neck and back will be able to to completely relax. Pressure on your discs and muscles will be diminished and, as a result, your back pain reduced.
Most of us westerners are acclimated to traditional soft pillows containing down or polyester fibers. Traditional soft pillows will collapse under pressure and can not support your head consistently throughout the night. In fact, many find themselves using two pillows or folding their pillow in half in an attempt to support their head at the proper level. Fiddling with pillows in the middle of the night is not conducive to good sleep!
We are huge fans of buckwheat pillows due to their adjustable and malleable nature. The buckwheat hull fill is really uniqueit will perfectly conform to the space between your head and the mattress eliminating potentially pain-causing pressure points in your neck and back. Most buckwheat pillows are adjustable you can add or remove fill to dial in the loft so that your spine is straight rather than bent upwards or downwards.
Your old pillow is probably pretty gross anyway! Toss it out and treat yourself to a new one.
How Do Sleeping Positions Affect Lower Back Pain
Another link between sleep and lower back pain is tied to how sleeping position affects spinal alignment. Although posture is typically associated with sitting and standing, its also critical when lying down.
A sleeping position that involves twisting, contorting, or otherwise putting pressure on the lumbar spine can cause pain and stiffness. This pain is often worse in the morning but may persist throughout the day.
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Stomach Sleeping With Hip Support
Stomach sleeping is hard on the back and not recommended for people who suffer from lower back pain. However, if you struggle to sleep on your back or side, start by placing a pillow under your hips. The extra cushion prevents your back from curving unnaturally and reduces the pressure on your lumbar spine. Also, use a thin pillow under your head or no pillow at all so your head doesnt curve backward and result in further pain.
Use Extra Pillows To Support Your Back & Legs
If buying a new mattress is out of the question, you can start by using a few extra pillows every night, or even a body pillow. Place a small pillow in areas that you feel need extra support, such as the small of your back to reduce shooting pain.
The best sleeping position for sciatica is on your back with a pillow under your knees and your lower back. This ensures that your spine stays straight and supported throughout the night.
Need Help Sleeping Better? Request our FREE Sleep Hygiene Guide.
- Understand Your Sleep Habits
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Need More Help On How To Get Rid Of Lower Back Pain While Sleeping
If youre looking for even more information on how to get rid of lower back pain while sleeping, Alexander at ModernHealthMonk.com has put together a post with photos showing the best sleeping positions for lower back pain as well as how to use pillows to relieve pain.
Need more help on how to get rid of lower back pain while sleeping? It might be time to talk to a pain doctor, especially if your pain is severe and affecting your quality of life. A pain specialist can help you learn more about back pain treatments. These can get you back on the right track to managing and reducing your 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 Back With Knee Support
Lying on the back evenly distributes the bodys weight, helping to minimize pressure and ensure a good alignment of the head, neck, and spine.
Placing a small pillow under the knees may provide additional support and help maintain the natural curve of the spine.
To get comfortable in this position:
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Tips To Lessen Back Pain At Night
About 80 percent of Americans will experience lower back pain at some point in their lives. Depending on the cause which may include injury arthritis and chronic conditions like fibromyalgia symptoms range from dull throbbing aches to sharp shooting pains. If pain becomes too severe it can interfere with quality sleep leaving you feeling exhausted and depressed. Poor sleep can also disrupt the bodys natural healing process which can make pain worse and keep it from getting better.
Some people can sleep in positions that relieve pain. Others with nighttime back pain may feel like they cant find relief no matter what they do. For these folks pain may even worsen or flare up when they lie down. If this sounds like you and pain is getting in the way of sleep its time to try something new. These five tips can help relieve symptoms so you can get the sleep you need.
You may also consider seeing a pain specialist at Reid Pain Management.
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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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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.
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Take It Slow When Getting Up
Taking it slow when you get out of bed can be beneficial. You may want to use your arms to sit up slowly before moving your legs off the side of the bed. Once you plant your feet on the ground, shoulder-width apart, you can stand up slowly, using your leg strength instead of your back to help you up.
After carefully standing, you can further relieve tension by reaching your arms up above your head and stretching slowly from side to side.
What Causes Low Back Pain
Lower back discomfort can cause various symptoms including:
- extreme stiffness
- shooting pain in the back or around neck area
- difficulty walking and weak knees.
- numbness of hands and feet
- burning sensation or discomfort if you have been sitting too long.
Depending on the nature of your job, sedentary lifestyles that involve sitting down for too long can be one of the causes of lower back pain. Other causes include:
Chronic strain If you lift heavy objects incorrectly or often carry out strenuous activities without warming up properly before doing so, it will put a lot of stress on your muscles causing them to tighten This is where chronic strain begins to occur leading to lower back pain.
Weak muscles Lower back pain after sleeping could be due to weak abdominal muscles which results in back pain. If you do not exercise regularly, your core is weak, and without proper support to hold the spine straight during sleep, your body twists into an unnatural position causing lower back pain to occur The more you experience lower back pain after sleeping, the weaker your abdominals become.
Poor posture Most people spend most of their time sitting down for work or driving. This often leads to slouching as a person tries to rest his/her head on the steering wheel while driving or sitting at work all day long In this case, poor posture results in excessive strain on the muscles around the shoulders and neck which can lead to lower back discomfort.
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Bonus Proper Way To Get Out Of Bed To Reduce Lower Back Pain
Now, whether you sleep on your side or sleep on you back, when youre getting out of bed, the proper way to get out of bed to reduce the stress or strain on your lower back is to roll to your side, drop your feet and legs off the table, and then sit yourself up sideways.
Thats the proper way to get out of bed. I hope this has been helpful.
Chiropractic Care Treatment And Acupuncture
Lower back pain and even knee pain can also be treated by using complementary therapies. These include acupuncture and chiropractic treatment. Before going to have these complementary therapies, tell your doctor that you are expecting a baby.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture is considered beneficial in pregnancy-related back pain. The acupuncturist will insert needles at different pressure points of your body to remove blockages and relieve pain. Lower back pain points are present in your hands, foot, lower back, hip, and back of the knees.
When these points are stimulated, pain-relieving chemicals get released from the spinal cord that helps relieve pain. The stimulation of nerves and other tissues helps release endorphins that can change the way your body treats pain.
Chiropractic Treatment
Many pregnant women go for chiropractic treatment where the Chiropractors use spinal manipulation and a range of other techniques to treat lower back pain. The Chiropractors focus on the proper alignment of your musculoskeletal system. The purpose of this treatment is to provide relief from nerve compression and muscle tightness.
Chiropractic treatment helps your body deal with back pain symptoms in a better way by developing spinal health and nervous system function and increasing the mobility of your joints.
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What Is The Fastest Way To Relieve Back Pain
Depending on the type of pain, you can relieve back pain by taking Acetaminophen and applying ice to the affected area. Once you experience these symptoms, try lying down for 5 minutes on your side or stomach. This is a great way to reduce nerve pressure resulting in relief from the discomfort.
You will still feel some discomfort but it is unlikely that it will make you lie awake at night. However, if there is persistent lower back pain in the morning after sleeping, it would be best to see a doctor especially if the pain persists despite changing positions frequently throughout the day or using an ice pack overnight.
Sleeping On The Back With Knee Support
Lying on the back is usually considered to be the best sleeping position for a healthy back.
This position evenly distributes weight the full length of the bodys largest surface. It also minimizes pressure points and ensures good alignment of the head, neck, and spine.
Placing a small pillow under the knees can provide additional support and help maintain the natural curve of the spine.
To adopt this sleeping position, a person should:
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What’s The Best Way To Get Rid Of Low Back Pain
Low back pain can affect your sleep as well as your daily routine, and disrupting or not having the ability to have quality sleep makes everything worse. Even though you can incorporate tips to ease your pain, having a solid solution is essential. The best way to get rid of lower back pain is by tackling the root cause of the pain. You can achieve long-term pain relief through using the Hip Hook, a tool that’s specifically designed to release tension in your iliopsoas muscles, which are often the main cause of lower back pain.
Sleep On The Front Of Your Body
Many doctors donât recommend sleeping on the front of your body. But if you feel comfortable in this position, many of them will suggest you put a small pillow under your stomach and hips. This can improve the alignment of your spine. If you have degenerative disc disease or a herniated disc, sleeping on the front of your body with a pillow could be a great option.
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Find The Right Sleeping Position: How To Sleep With Lower Back Pain And Sciatica
The link between lower back pain and sleep can be tied to how your sleeping position interferes with spinal alignment. If you adopt sleeping positions that involve putting pressure on or twisting your lumbar spine, you’re likely to experience stiffness and pain in your lower back. It’s best to find a perfect sleeping position that’s comfortable for you. Try these sleeping positions to make your sleeping much more effortless.
Try sleeping on your side, place a pillow between your knees, and partially bend your knees towards your chest. Slightly bending your knees will help balance your body and reduce pressure or stress on your lumbar spine. Adding a pillow between your knees makes this sleeping position more comfortable, improves the alignment of your hips and pelvis, and can reduce pressure on nerves, thereby helping to relieve sciatica pain while sleeping.
If you’re a back sleeper, consider using a pillow under your knees or legs for support. You can also roll up a towel and place it under your lower back to support your natural spine curve and reduce pressure on the joints and discs in the lumbar spine.
Tip #: Relax With A Warm Bath/meditation Prior To Sleeping
There is a lot of research showing that psychological health can contribute to low back pain. Therefore taking a warm bath, or meditating/doing breath work prior to sleep, can be beneficial. It will help slow down your nervous system and help you mentally prepare for sleeping.
Going Beyond:
You also want to do corrective exercises to improve your posture, strength and mobility. The 2 most common posture imbalances you want to address are:
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