Dealing with lower back pain? Don’t let your sleeping position make it worse.
Before talking about the best sleeping position for lower back pain we’re going to talk about some of the causes of lower back pain. Low back pain affects the majority of the population in the United States and can be related to a variety of causes. It normally stems from mechanical stress and strain from the weight of the upper body putting train on the lower part of the body meaning the lower back. This can be felt because of bad posture or overall stress on the body.
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Oftentimes the discs that absorb the movement of the body begin to wear down over time, adding pressure and pain to the discs. These discs overtime can sometimes slip, creating a herniated disc. Other conditions that can cause lower back pain are:
- Tear in the disc
- Spondylolisthesis which is normal wear and tear on the joints and ligaments allowing them to move around more than they should causing bones to press on the nerves in the spine.
- Fractures in the vertebrae that can be related to osteoporosis
- Spinal stenosis which can put pressure on the nerves and is caused by a narrowing of the spine
- Scoliosis which causes curvature in the spine and cause pain all over the back
What is the Best Sleep Position for Back Pain?
As stated above, the majority of the population in the United States struggles with lower back pain. Oftentimes it can be difficult to find the best sleeping position for lower back pain because it seems like certain positions make it worse. Here we’re going to give you a few recommendations for the best position to sleep for back pain.
It’s important to remember that no matter which position you choose to sleep in, the alignment of your back is the most important part. This means that you ears over your shoulders over your hips. When you focus on aligning those three things, your spine will automatically fall into line. When you twist your body different directions, you are allowing your spine to be un-aligned.
Another important part of the best sleep position for back pain is the pillow. When you have a good pillow you’re allowing your pillow to fill the space between your head and the mattress, keeping your body align. Your pillow should never be placed under your shoulders, and depending on the position in which you sleep, there is a pillow for that. Those who sleep on their backs should have a thinner pillow with support in the bottom for the neck. Those who sleep on their stomach should try sleeping without a pillow or have the thinnest pillow they can find. Stomach sleepers benefit from body pillows more than head pillows because it allows the body to hold onto something while staying align. Those who sleep on their side may want to invest in a firm pillow and have something between the knees to keep the hips align.
Here are our recommended best sleeping position for lower back pain:
- Try sleeping on your back in a reclined position, this can mean sleeping in an adjustable bed or a recliner to see if it can relieve any of the back pain that is being experienced
- Try sleeping on your back with a pillow under the knees. This helps keep the spine in a neutral position keeping the weight evenly distributed across the body relieving any stress or pressure on the lower back.
- Try sleeping on your stomach with a pillow under your stomach. By placing a pillow under your pelvis, it can allow for relief for any stress placed on the discs in the lower back.
- Try sleeping on your side in the fetal position. This is a great position for someone suffering from a herniated disc because this position allows for space to open up between the vertebrae.
- Try sleeping on your side with a pillow between your knees. It’s important to point out that the pillow between the knees is the key, this allows for the hips and pelvis to be in alignment with the rest of the spine relieving pressure and pain.
When all else fails, speaking to a medical professional about the best sleep position for back pain can be beneficial. They will be able to provide insight and give recommendations to help you feel better as quickly as possible.
