Sleeping Tips For People With Back Pain

Sleeping Tips For People With Back Pain
By: EzySleep

 

Introduction

As you sleep, you lose conscious control of your body which affects the spine in various ways.

You could end up twisting your spine or tucking your pelvis in. When you have existing back pain, it may become more aggravated if you aren’t taking preventative steps. This in turn can cause restless sleep.

Practicing supported sleeping postures will help ease stress on your spine, promote relaxation, and a calming environment for restful sleep.

In general, you want to avoid sleeping on your stomach because it affects the normal alignment of your spine. If you deal with more pain on one side and you have sciatica the guidelines below are helpful to follow. 

Let's get right into it.

 

Lying On Your Side In A Fetal Position

This position helps open the space between your spinal vertebrae, lessen tension on your discs and prevent the spine from curving backwards.

 

Lying On Your Back In A Reclined Position

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Reclining helps reduce pressure on your spine and helps provide support on your back by creating an angle between your trunk and thighs.

 

Practice Yoga Daily

Yoga is a mind-body therapy and through the physical poses, rhythmic breathing, and meditation, yoga may help relieve chronic back pain and improve sleep.

The practice helps to stretch and strengthen muscles that support the back and spine, such as the paraspinal muscles that help you bend your spine, the multifidus muscles that stabilize your vertebrae, and the transverse abdominis in the abdomen, which also helps stabilize your spine.

 

Take A Short Walk In The Evening

When you walk, your core body temperature increases. This temperature then begins to drop due to the heat dissipation mechanisms of the body.

The resulting lower body temperature then helps trigger your sleep cycle. Walking may also reduce anxiety, promoting better sleep. Additionally, walking helps strengthen the spine which is helpful for those who tend to sit at work or aren't active.

Muscles in the spine can become deconditioned and weak from a sedentary lifestyle, causing malalignment of the spine.

The simple movement of walking is one of the best things we can do for chronic lower back pain. Ten to fifteen minutes of walking twice a day will help ease lower back pain. Substitute this activity for a more vigorous type of exercise if you prefer and/or are able.

 

Practice Breathing Exercises

Slow, rhythmic breathing has calming mind-body effects and may help alleviate pain and stress, promoting sleep.

Research indicates that taking slow and deep breaths before bedtime can help you get to sleep faster and fall back asleep in case you wake up during the night.

This type of breathing technique also helps synchronize your heart rate and breathing pattern, which may help promote deeper, restorative sleep.

 

Roll Out Your Spine In Bed

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If you find yourself lying in bed, unable to sleep due to back pain, there are various positions to try. First, lie on your back with knees bent and feet on the bed.

Slowly rock your knees side to side for a gentle stretch at the low back. It helps keep the muscles and low back relaxed to avoid excess tension and pain overnight. 

 

Elevate Your Legs

Try elevating your legs for 20 minutes a day before bed.

Doing so improves blood flow, improves blood flow in your lower extremities, and reduces swelling.

 

Get A Heated Mattress Pad

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Heat therapy is a go-to treatment for many types of arthritis pain, including nighttime back pain.

One way to get even heated coverage throughout the night is to buy a heated mattress pad and put it underneath your fitted sheet.

This will prevent it from bunching or slipping during the night. Many models come with automatic timers if you’re worried about sleeping with it on all night or if you only need the heat to help you fall asleep.

 

Tuck Yourself In With A Heated Blanket

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Heated blankets come in many sizes, fabrics, patterns, and heating levels so you can find the right one for you.

A smaller pad can be tucked under your low back or a larger one can be wrapped all the way around you.

 

Consider Buying A New Mattress

The exact mattress that will be most comfortable and supportive for your back will be unique for you but sleeping on a high-quality mattress can make a significant difference in your back pain, multiple studies show.

There’s no hard-and-fast rule for how often to replace a mattress, but if you’ve had yours for a decade and you suspect it is contributing to your back pain at night, it’s probably time to start mattress shopping.

 

Use A Foam Mattress Topper

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More mattress support is usually better for people with back issues, so consider adding a foam topper, especially if your existing mattress is older or starting to sag, according to the National Sleep Foundation.

The memory foam can help you maintain proper spine alignment and support throughout the night.

 

Invest In An Adjustable Bed

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Adjustable bed designs vary, but typically they allow the individual to raise or lower the upper body and legs.

This positioning can be helpful in reducing back pain by shifting much of the weight off the back.

 

Summary

And there you have it fellow EzySleepers, 12 easy-to-apply sleeping tips for people with back pain.

If you have an insider tip that has worked for you and isn't on our list feel free to drop a comment or leave a message on our Facebook fan page and we'll gladly add it to the pile. 

Until next post, cheers!