Is your Sleeping Position Responsible for your lower back pain or pain in neck?
It is rather unfortunate that a lot of people complain about waking up with back pains and muscle aches.
One of my reader Paul Boxcer, forwarded this article where he explained possible causes of back pain, sciatica & neck pain due to improper sleep position.
When you are suffering from either low back pain or sciatica, the last thing you want to be doing is laying awake for hours with only the pain for company. Unfortunately that's how it is for many people, especially in the early days when there is still a high degree of inflammation present which is contributing to the pain.
There are typically two postures or activities which will tend to aggravate your pain, those being Extension based activities (e.g. leaning backwards) and Flexion based activities (e.g. leaning forwards).
If, when you go to bed, you tend to lie on your stomach and it is extension based activities which aggravate your pain, it is likely your pain is going to be aggravated further during the night. This is because lying on your stomach encourages extension of the lower back.
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Alternatively, if it is flexion based activities which aggravate your pain and you are lying on you back of a night, this could also lead to a poor nights sleep. This is due to lying on your back encouraging flexion (this is not strictly true, as there are exceptions to the rule.
However, for now, we shall take it as true). Under these circumstances, I would suggest you try lying on your front of a night (this time, you may wish to place a small pillow underneath your stomach). Either of these should help you get a better night's sleep.
The best nighttime remedy for back pain is to give your back muscles rest and a chance to recuperate while you sleep. We recommend that you sleep with your head and feet slightly elevated supporting the natural curves of your spin on an adjustable bed. In this position your spine can align putting it in a natural position temporarily taking the strain off your lower back muscles.
Video on how to correct your sleeping position to get rid of lower back pain
The best nighttime remedy for back pain is to give your back muscles rest and a chance to recuperate while you sleep. We recommend that you sleep with your head and feet slightly elevated supporting the natural curves of your spin on an adjustable bed. In this position your spine can align putting it in a natural position temporarily taking the strain off your lower back muscles.
HOWEVER, if your pain is still quite sensitive, neither of these positions may be very comfortable. When this is the case, I would encourage you to try lying on your side (whichever side you find the easiest) BUT ensure that your top leg is bent slightly at the hip and knee and also supported by a pillow or two. By doing this, it enables your top leg to remain parallel with the bed therefore preventing your leg from dropping down.
It is this 'dropping down' action of the top leg which tends to have a twisting/stretching effect on your lower back and sciatic nerve and will undoubtedly aggravate your pain.
As I mentioned earlier, the sleeping position is just one potential factor which can aggravate your pain at night, but it is a very important one and if you can get this right, a good night's sleep will not be too far away!
What's the best sleeping position to avoid neck pain during sleep?
Any position that allows you to provide good support for your neck and back are recommended. Sleep neck pain can be avoided if we take the fetal position, which is probably a reason why this is the most popular sleeping position of all. But however we sleep, what's important is that when we wake up, we don't have any kind of pain or soreness caused by an awkward sleeping position.
The wrong mattress can cause back and neck pain as well as muscle aches. This may be due to the fact that when an individual sleeps on the wrong mattress, he or she will suffer from disturbed sleep. According to studies, disrupted sleep can worsen chronic back problems, forming a vicious cycle: back pain disrupts sleep and poor sleep will then worsen the pain.
How to select the mattress?
A mattress should be able to support, gives comfort and should be firm. My personal preference is Sleep Innovations 12-Inch SureTemp Memory Foam Mattress which comes with 20-Year Warranty.Support of a mattress depends on the coil type, coil count and connections between the coils. The coils should be made of steel and the thicker the coil, the more support the mattress will provide.T he coil count ranges from 300 to 800 per mattress and generally more coils offer better support. The coils must be interconnected by wires to prevent misalignment.
You can also try some other sleeping pillow like better sleeping pillow to get rid of pain in neck.
This pillow can mould itself to your head, neck and shoulders, giving you a perfect spinal alignment and a good posture all night long, no matter if you sleep in a back position, side position or front position while sleeping. Most side sleepers for example, like to tuck an arm under their head, the better sleep pillow has an arm tunnel under it which works like a bridge allowing their arm to rest comfortably while the top supports the weight of the head, neck and shoulder providing great comfort.
You may also try Leachco Snoogle Total Body Pillow.
Got Back Pain When Sleeping?
Alexander Heyne says it’s All About the Spinal Curves. Visit modernhealthmonk to know best sleeping position with lower back pain.
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| Paul |
Paul Boxcer - Bsc (Hons) Physiotherapist, has over 14 years experience of treating people in pain. During this time and especially over the last few years, he has concentrated his treatment on those suffering with Low Back Pain & Sciatica. Use the following link http://www.spinal-health-care.com/index.php?page=sleeping-positions for more information on how to get a good night's sleep.
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