Are you suffering from back pain? You are not alone. Back pain can be a temporary, acute, or debilitating chronic condition. So, it’s a broad problem. It can occur due to many causes that can vary in intensity, but the scope and effect of back pain can be quite significant when it strikes. Back pain is mostly generated due to wrong postures which include improper sleeping positions. In this blog, we are going to discuss the possible causes of back pain that comes from sleeping positions and possible ways to reduce them.
Related post – Why a consistent sleep schedule is important?
How to minimize Back Pain During Sleep
Back pain has a multitude of causes, but with the proper analysis, we can control certain things that can help minimize the effects of back pain during sleeping time. However, if you can ensure proper sleep positions that can support your back, choose a good mattress, and engage in healthy lifestyle habits all that play a role.
Be Careful Getting In and Out of Bed
Many back injuries occur due to bad postures and awkward movements when doing routine things. One of the easier ways to prevent new injuries or exacerbating old ones is to be conscious of your movements. Here are a few pointers from WebMD experts on protecting your back when getting in and out of bed:
• Don’t twist your back or make rapid jerking motions.
• Get in bed by sitting on the edge of the mattress. Support yourself with your hands, bend your knees, and lay on your side. Then adjust your position as needed.
• Get out of bed by rolling on your side (facing the edge of the mattress) and bend in your knees. Supporting yourself with your hands, carefully swing your legs to the floor and stand up straight. Get up from the seated position.
Choose Proper Sleep Positions that Support Pain Relief
How you sleep plays an important role to manage back pain, as certain positions place more strain on the back than others. Generally, back sleeping and supported side sleeping are regarded as most ergonomic, while stomach sleeping tends to be most associated with pain. Whichever position you prefer, here are tips for staying comfortable.
Side sleeping
Side sleeping is the most common position, especially among women. While it can place some strain on the body if you can ensure your hips and shoulders are supported then that can make it comfortable. Ideally, as a side sleeper if you bend both knees slightly and place a small pillow between their legs that help prevent hips from twisting and placing stress on the back. On the contrary, if you put your legs too straight that can exaggerate the curve of your lower back, but if your legs are drawn in too tightly, your back may round — and both can cause pain. Here your neck pillow also plays a crucial role to keep your spine straight and even. You must use pillows that are higher than the pillows used by back sleepers. Your chin shouldn’t be drawn into your chest or leaned too far back. Think natural standing position. This position reduces pressure on spinal joints which in turn gives you relief from conditions such as osteoarthritis, spinal stenosis, and foraminal herniated disc.
Back sleeping
Back sleeping is the ideal position for back health. It’s the second most common sleep position, and with a good mattress, sleeping on your back supports a neutral neck and spine position. Additionally, if you put a small pillow or towel beneath your knees that can optimize support and comfort to your lower back and hips as it creates a more natural spine curve. In this posture, your legs should be positioned straight out.
Other people may feel a small pillow under the lumbar region lends additional helpful support. Bed pillows should support the natural angle of the neck, not push your chin to your chest or allow your head to fall back too far. The semi-fowler position, in which the head and foot are both elevated, is often recommended for lower back pain, especially the type that feels worse when you stand up straight. A reclining chair or adjustable bed can allow you to achieve this position.
Stomach sleeping
Sleeping on your stomach is considered least ideal for pain relief, since the lumbar region is left unsupported, placing strain on your spine and lower back muscles. This position can also place strain on your neck and shoulders. To better support, your body, place a pillow under your pelvis and lumbar region. At your head, use a flat pillow or no pillow so as not to strain your lower back.
There are two situations where stomach sleeping is actually recommended, though. People with degenerative disc disease and paracentral disc herniation may feel more relief laying on their stomachs since it can reduce disc pressure compared to other positions. A firm mattress with a pillow beneath the abdomen is considered best.
The Role of Your Mattress
Quality of the mattress is as important as your sleeping position and overall posture. It may arguably more important as sleep is a time for healing.
So, what is the best mattress for back pain?
It’s an important, often-asked question. But, there is no single right answer. When it comes to picking a bed, there are no hard and fast rules that will apply for every person, every time. Essentially, the best mattress is the one that you feel gives you good, refreshing sleep with minimal pain and stiffness.
While we all have different preferences and needs that are important to consider, research and studies can shed some insight on different mattress traits and how they may interact with back pain.
The Two Basics of Beds
At their most basic, beds do two things: provide support and comfort. And this support comes from the core of the mattress which is a layer of foams and inner springs. That also varies with the type of bed. A supportive mattress will have enough firmness to keep your spine aligned, meaning your heavier areas like hips and shoulders won’t sink too far into the bed. On the other hand, it shouldn’t be so firm that it forces hips and shoulders up at an awkward angle either.
Comfort speaks more to a bed’s ability to prevent pressure points and pain. Although preferences for the firmness and thickness of padding layers will vary, a good mattress for back pain will also adequately cushion areas like hips, shoulders, elbows, and heels from pain in your preferred sleep position — without compromising the support of the mattress.
Now, comfort is pretty easy to identify, but how do you know if a mattress is providing adequate support? Essentially, your spine should maintain an even, natural posture (similar to good standing posture), with whichever sleep position you prefer.
• For side sleepers, your spine should be straight from your neck to your tailbone, and parallel with the floor. If your hips and shoulders tilt upwards (think smiley face), the mattress is likely too firm or lacks an adequate comfort layer. If your hips and shoulders sink downward (think frown face), your mattress is not supportive enough, or perhaps the comfort layers are too soft.
• For back sleepers, your back should maintain a neutral curve that mimics standing. Ideally, your neck should rest at a neutral angle to your shoulders, and your shoulders, hips, and heels should feel pretty straightly aligned. Your lumbar region should feel supported. If you notice a large gap beneath your back and your bed and feel pressure on your upper back and hips, the bed is likely too firm. If you feel like your hips and chest sink below your legs and arms or feel heel pressure, your mattress may be lacking support.
• For stomach sleepers, you also want to maintain a neutral curve similar to good upright posture (likely requiring the use of a pillow below the hips). The mattress shouldn’t allow your torso to sink in too far, which could exaggerate your lower back curve and place stress on your hips. While firm support is good, a mattress without an adequate comfort layer could be painful for the shoulders and sensitive areas.
Mattress Materials and Fabrics
There are a fairly wide variety of mattress types on the market, but scientific studies on mattress types and back pain prove quite limited. One of the few to compare types found that memory foam and waterbeds resulted in better sleep and less pain than firm futon-style mattresses. Since clinical data isn’t widely available, mattress reviews are one way to compare comfort and potential for back pain relief.
More common innerspring mattresses tend to be below average on pain relief due to potential durability issues. These are averages, however; within the categories, there can be quite a bit of variation, and the best one for you will depend on individual preferences.
When it comes to mattress types and back pain, the key thing to consider is the bed’s ability to provide long-term support and comfort for your needs. Always check into things like foam density or coil count/gauge, as these specifications will give you insight into how durable the bed will be — typically more so than price and warranties.
Researching and comparing beds can take a little time, but the sooner a mattress starts sagging and losing support, the sooner it will stop feeling comfortable. Fabrics on the surface of the mattress can also play a role in overall comfort. The majority of beds use polyester blends, but some may use natural fabrics like cotton and wool.
Cotton’s key benefit is excellent breathability, which keeps you cool. Wool is a natural thermoregulator, meaning it helps balance body temperature and may promote circulation, which can in turn reduce pain.
Mattress Age and Pain
The age of your mattress can play a surprising role in how it feels. As time wears on, even the best mattress will eventually begin to lose comfort and support.
Estimates vary quite a bit, but a quality mattress is generally expected to last about eight to ten years. Beds made with lower quality materials or that receive heavier wear may need to be replaced as soon as five years.
Don’t Forget the Pillows
An important, and often overlooked, part of mattress comfort is the pillow. A poor fit can strain your neck and throw off alignment, contributing to back pain. Regardless of sleep position, a good pillow will conform to different movements and support a neutral spine, as described in the sleep positions section above.
Stomach sleepers should generally look for higher-fill pillows or neck/contour style pillows. The pillow should support your neck, keeping a natural angle. A pillow that is too shallow can cause your head to bend inward and may place strain on your shoulder.
A pillow that is too high can cause tension in your neck. A body pillow is a favorite for many side sleepers since it can be hugged to the chest to prevent shoulder pain caused by awkward arm positions, and placed between the knees to keep the spine straight.
Back sleepers should generally look for medium-fill pillows. If you sit up straight, this is the same angle that your pillow should provide when lying down. If your chin is angled towards your chest, it’s too high; if your head falls back, it’s too low.
Side sleepers should look for fairly thin pillows with just enough padding to cushion the face but not so thick that the neck is forced backward.