Best Sleeping Positions for Back Pain

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What are the best sleeping positions for back pain? Different people prefer different
sleeping position. In this article, we will discuss the perfect sleeping position for upper,
lower and middle back pain. Read the full article to learn more.

Back pain is a common problem for many of us. Lower back pain is named as the
leading cause of disability across the globe by The Global Burden of Disease study.
The interesting fact about back pain is that it is not caused by any serious condition.
Instead, it is caused by bad posture, inappropriate lifestyle habits, and bad sleeping
position.

Talking about sleeping position, the way a bad sleeping position can cause you back
pain, the same way a good sleeping position can give you relief from back pain. It is
different for different individuals. Different people find different position helpful to get
relief from back pain. We will have to try different sleeping position to see which one
help us to get rid of back pain.

There can be back pain in different back parts of our body. It can be lower, middle or
upper back pain. Among all these back pains most people suffer from lower back pain.

Best Sleeping Positions for Back Pain (Lower,

Upper, Middle, and Neck)

 Lower Back Pain

 Middle Back Pain
 Upper Back Pain
 Neck Pain

Lower Back Pain

Lower back pain is a common problem that we face at some part of our life. It can
affect you at any age, but the occurrence is more common for the people aged
between 35 and 55 years. Doctors say that back pain is associated with the way our
bones, muscles, and ligaments in our backs work and get attached to one another.

6 Perfect sleeping positions for lower back pain

There are many sleeping positions that you can try to alleviate your back pain during
sleeping. The positions are described below:

1. Sleep on your side

You can try sleeping on your side if you are uncomfortable sleeping on your back. Turn
to one side. Keep your waist and thigs connected to the mattress. Place a pillow
between your knees. If you feel there is any gap between your waist and the mattress,
use a thin pillow to cover the gap. This pillow will align your hips, pelvis, and spine
better. Avoid sleeping on the same side every night.

2. Sleep in a fetal position

Sleep on your side curled in a fetal position. Curve your back and bring your torso
towards your knees. This position is very comfortable if you have a herniated disk.
Change the sides from time to time so that there no imbalance.

3. Sleep on your back placing a pillow under your knees

Lay on your back and keep a pillow under your knees. Add a rolled-up towel at the
base of your back where it curves. This will help relieve pressure on your lower back
giving a good support.

4. Sleep in a reclined position

If you have Isthmic spondylolisthesis, you would be very comfortable to lie on your
back in a reclined position. Buy an adjustable bed if you want to sleep in that position.
You will get the best alignment and support.

5. Sleep in a log position

Lay on your back with a pillow under your head resting your arms straight on both
sides. Turn to one side keeping your arms and back straight. Place a thin pillow
between your knees to ease the pressure on your hips. Keeping your back straight
keeps your spine aligned. This is a very good position for the people who are suffering
from lower back pain.

6. Sleep in a starfish position keeping a pillow under your knee

Lay on your back. Spread your legs apart. Bent up your arms on either side of your
head. Put a pillow under your knees. Sleep on a firm mattress. This will provide
support for your spine and will help you to avoid back pain.

How To Sleep With Lower Back Pain During

Pregnancy

During pregnancy, there are a lot of hormonal imbalances. To prepare yourself to

deliver the child, your body produces a hormone relaxin that helps to relax the
ligaments in the pelvic area and loosens the joints so that the baby would be easily
delivered. However, this same hormone can lead to loosening of ligaments that
support the spine and thus cause instability and pain.

Best sleeping position for lower back pain during pregnancy

During pregnancy, it may seem difficult to sleep in your usual position. It may be due to
various reasons. The reasons include:

 Increased size of the abdomen

 Back pain
 Heartburn
 Shortness of breath
 Insomnia

If you find discomfort in your usual sleeping position, try SOS position. SOS position
means sleep on side position. Also, sleeping on the left side will ensure the adequate
amount of blood and nutrients supply to your baby. Turn your left side and keep your
knee bent. Place a pillow between your knees.

To alleviate back pain, place a thin pillow in the gap between your waist and mattress.
It will provide a good support. According to the statistics presented by the American
Pregnancy Association, between 50 and 70 percent of pregnant women experience
moderate to severe back pain during their pregnancy period. It is not a sign to worry
about. Medications are hardly prescribed to relieve pregnancy period back pain. Health
practitioners can give you myriad remedies that can help you to get rid of the back
pain. Here are some remedies that you can try to lessen your back pain.

Middle Back Pain

There can be several underlying causes for the ache in the thoracic region of your
back. Usually, it is not a result of a serious spinal issue. It is usually associated with
weak or poor posture. It can also be the result of any injury that includes herniated
discs, sprains, or more serious fractures. If you are experiencing middle back pain, it is
very likely that your thoracic spine is traumatized. Osteoarthritis and degenerative disc
disease are also known to cause middle back pain. middle back pain can also act as a
symptom of gallbladder disease and even heart attack.

What are the best sleeping positions for middle back pain?

There are two sleeping positions for middle back pain. If you are planning to sleep on
your back, get a contoured memory foam pillow. If you are palling to sleep on your side
place a pillow under your upper arm and a contoured cervical pillow under your neck to
keep your head and spine aligned.
3

Upper Back Pain

Upper back pain is positional. It will either get better at improving posture or else it will
get worse with bad postures. Postures in not only important when you are sitting or
standing. It is also important in which posture you sleep since you spend one-third of
your life sleeping. Back pain can also begin from any accident or injury. It can also be
due to overactivity or without any apparent reason. So, if you are already experiencing
back pain, it is very important to follow a proper sleeping position. Also, if you don’t
sleep in a proper position you may start to experience back pain.

Good sleeping position for upper back pain

To minimize upper back pain, you need to choose a posture pillow specially designed
for cervical support. Lay flat on the bed and turn to your side. Bent your knee and keep
a pillow between your knees. It will help you to keep your body aligned.

Neck Pain
All of us have suffered or will suffer from neck pain at some point in our life. We often
woke up neck pain. Neck pain usually arises from the soft tissues in and around the
cervical spine. Like always prevention is better than cure. It is true that age-related
neck pain, are not under your control. But you can definitely take steps to minimize the
chances of getting neck pain later in your life.

What are the best sleeping positions for neck pain?

There are two sleeping positions that you can choose to avoid neck pain. That is either
you sleep on your back or else you sleep on your side. When you are sleeping on your
back, consider using a feather pillow to support the natural curve of your neck. Use a
flatter pillow to cushion your head. Avoid using a too high pillow. When sleeping on
your side, keep your spine straight by using a pillow that is higher under your neck
than your head.

Tips For Getting Better Sleep

Whatever pain you may have, you can still have peaceful sleep at night. If not to the
fullest you can at least improve your sleep. here we are giving you some simple tips
that will help you to get better sleep at night.
1. Use a firm mattress

Always use a firm mattress if you are suffering from back pain. Check how long have
you been using your mattress. If it is more than 10 years old, it is the time to throw it
away. Invest in buying good quality mattress since you spend one-third of your day
there. Remember soft mattress doesn’t mean a good one. A firm mattress would be a
good choice for you if you experience back pain.

2. Spend less time in bed

You should not exceed spending more than 8 hours lying in bed. Even if you feel
severe pain, you should limit the amount of time you spend lying in bed. If you see
your condition worsening, you should decrease the time to less than eight hours.

3. Buy sleeping aids

Spend on buying sleeping aids like bed towels that you can use under your waist while
sleeping. Buy feather pillows that you will help to give you relief from neck pain.

4. Avoid using electrical devices

Avoid using electrical devices like smartphone or laptops at least 30 minutes before
heading to bed. There is an internal clock in our body. The light that we are exposed to
tells the inner clock when the daytime is and when is the time to sleep. Light emitted
from electrical devices can confuse our inner clock and may keep us awake till late
night. Also, the blue light that is emitted from such devices reduces the secretion of
melatonin. Melatonin is responsible for making us fall asleep.

5. Listen to relaxing music

Listening to relaxing music before bedtime is a great way to relax our body. You can
also do regular mediation. This will help to relax your body reducing your stress level.

6. Choosing the right pillow

Choosing the pillow depends on your sleeping position. If you sleep on your back, your
pillow should completely fill the space between your neck and the mattress. On the
other hand, if you sleep on your side, go for a thicker pillow to keep your head aligned
with the rest of your body.

Avoid Some Sleeping Positions

There are many sleeping positions that are causing our body to ache. These positions
put pressure on your neck, back, shoulders and heels which lead to pain. The worst
position that causes back pain is sleeping on your stomach. It flattens the natural curve
of your spine, putting additional strain on your back muscles. Sleeping on your
stomach means you keep your neck rotated the entire night. This can result in neck
pain or back pain between your shoulders. But if you are comfortable sleeping on your
stomach you can follow that sleeping position. If you feel you are not feeling any sort of
body ache you can continue to sleep in that position. Also, it is better not to sleep in
the same position the entire night. However, it is all about finding your own comfort.

During pregnancy avoid sleeping on your back. This can cause backaches, shortness
of breathing, dysfunction in the digestive system, hemorrhoids, low blood pressure and
a decreased blood circulation.

Conclusion

We suffer from back pain time to time. Correcting our sleeping position can help us to
get rid of back pain. Try the sleeping position that we have suggested for different kind
of back pains. There are specified sleeping positions for each kind of back pain. See
which one suits you.

Source: Few images are collected from Amazon.com. The owner of that
images is Amazon.com.