Back pain can derail a good nights sleep. Sleeping with back pain can make the night long and miserable. With a little bit of preparation, sleeping back pain can be relieved once and for all.
How to prepare for a great night’s sleep
A great night’s sleep doesn’t start the moment your head hits the pillow. Instead, it’s something you should prepare for throughout the day and continue to work toward at night. During the day, make a point of engaging in low-impact exercise. Stand or stretch your legs as much as possible. Remaining seated or sedentary for multiple hours can aggravate back pain, especially if you have poor posture.
At night, don’t stress about maintaining one single sleeping position for several hours. Instead, allow yourself to shift and move as necessary since remaining in one place for an extended period can cause additional pain.
As a chronic pain sufferer, remember that your back can react to pressure on areas like your shoulders, hips, and knees. Finding a comfortable sleep position means supporting not just your back, but also these other reactive areas.
- Sleep on your stomach to increase support
Sleeping on your stomach compromises your spine’s natural curve and increases pressure on your back muscles. This can get uncomfortable for the average person, but for back pain sufferers, this can be very painful.Rather than sleeping directly on your stomach, place a pillow underneath your lower abdomen and pelvis. This introduces more support for your spine, decreases strain on your back muscles, and makes a big difference in improving your comfort level overnight. - Sleep on your side and use a pillow
If you’re like most people, you sleep on your side. While this might seem like a comfortable position, it can lead to hip or back pain when your leg slides forward and forces your spine to rotate. Depending on your side sleeping position, a rotated shoulder might cause your spine to contort even more.To keep your spine aligned, try placing a pillow between your legs, preventing your top leg from sliding forward. For even more back support, use a body pillow to keep your legs, shoulders, and spine aligned. Consider using a more supportive pillow to take pressure off your neck as well. - Sleep on your back and support your spine
If you typically sleep on your back, you’re already in the best possible position for alleviating pain. If you don’t have a supportive mattress, however, you might be doing more harm than good. It’s really important that you sleep on the best mattress that supports your back so that you have the right posture and to avoid any future harm to your spine.If you still experience pain after sleeping on your back, place a pillow under your knees to support the curve of your spine. For even more support, try placing a small pillow under your lower back.
Some sleeping configurations just make a bad back worse, but these positions can help relieve your pain. Prepare as much as possible with physical activity throughout the day, and you’ll be on the path toward a full night’s sleep in no time.
