How to Sleep with Lower Back Pain: 10 Effective Tips

farha
By farha
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With the fast pace of changing lives, our actions and reactions are also changing, the more we are becoming techno-dependent, the weaker we are going on our body’s capacity for work. In that situation, we often get neck pain, back pain, lower back pain, etc. This article will tell about how to sleep with lower back pain and how to get lower back pain relief.

Before starting to jump to any conclusion it’s best to first look at the causes or reasons and then try to figure out its solution right from its roots. Some of the reasons for lower back pain are mentioned below:

What causes back pain? And what treatments can help? - George Pan, MD | UCLA Pain Center

1. Reasons for Lower Back Pain

There can be many reasons for lower back pain1; hence it’s always advised to visit a doctor or get an X-Ray if you have prolonged back pain, which is for more than 4-5 days. Some of the reasons are:

  • A very common mistake is that people often get comfort in sleeping in the fetal position, little do they know that this is the most dangerous position of them all and can create chronic low back pain in many people.
  • Some people use a very thin pillow, which can cause tension in their lower body area, resulting in lower back pain the other morning.
  • It also matters how you are taking your night’s rest since the position of your body for more than 6 hours matters a lot. Your sleeping positions play a key role.
  • It says that taking all your stress in your back will alternatively cause lower back pain, back sleepers tend to have more muscle tension in the lower back.
  • Sometimes serious medical conditions have also been found as the reasons for lower back pain.
  • Accidents or sudden falls have also been found to become a reason for lower back pain and these signs required medical assistance. So, always consider visiting a professional if one is facing such issues. Since the lower back is connected to causing nerve pain as well.
  • Usually, women around their PMS tend to face lower back pain than on normal days, and it is because women have a lower bone density around that phase.
  • Desk jobs or using computers for long hours can cause lower back pain and can be a major reason behind chronic back pain issues.
  • It’s advised to save hard exercise from your body if you face back pain, hence it can accelerate the pain in the body.
  • Where hard exercise is advised not to be done if you have back pain, it is also advised that lack of exercise is also one of the reasons found among many causes of lower back pain.

Many more reasons can be the real evil behind the low back pain, however, it cannot be summed up in just ten sentences, hence it’s always better to have a physiotherapy check-up if required.

2. Life with Lower Back Pain

Life can sometimes really be hard especially when one is struggling with low back pain which can result in problems with the entire body hence it is the main source of maintaining your whole body posture.

Whether it is sitting for long hours in a movie theatre or completing your important assignment or going to a trampoline park, we all require our backs strong for sitting and even sleeping too.

Also read : 8 Simple Tips to Get Over Back Pain Issue

Back Pain Relief Exercises & Stretches - Ask Doctor Jo

3. How to Sleep with Lower Back Pain

Sleeping is said to create a therapeutic effect because it helps in the rejuvenation of the body and minds along with the work of repair and rest. Sleeping can be hard when one is trying to sleep with lower back pain hence it is necessary to take proper measures and get that lower back pain relief while sleeping.

Following are the ways and measures that one should always-always keep in mind and be cautious about it if they have lower back pain or even if they do not then in order to prevent themselves from one.

3.1. Sleeping Positions

Your sleeping positions2 play a vital role in your lower back pain and lower back pain relief. It is said to have a normal to straight sleeping position for those who have lower back pain, try to avoid sleeping in a curled-up position.

The natural sleeping pattern consists of stomach sleepers to many awkward sleeping positions such as snail position as well, However, if you face low back pain then maybe it’s time to change to the best sleeping positions that suit your body.

3.2. Proper Alignment

If you look at the body of a human being, you will find out that it is not properly straight or erect it has gentle curves and moves. Therefore, it is also suggested to sleep according to your body. In such situations Body pillows have worked like a charm even a normal firm pillow underneath one’s knee or in a cuddling position will also help in sleeping with comfort, in order to get the proper spinal alignment.

3.3. Very Firm Orthopedic Mattresses

Doctors have suggested that in some cases firm mattresses have also been a cause of low back pain and that is why it is said to have a normal to minimal hard orthopaedic mattress 3that will give somewhat resemblance to lying flat on the floor.

Indians and ancient yoga have also been advocating lying flat on the floor with a mere mat for sleeping can really be beneficial for people with low back pain. Extremely firm mattresses must be avoided in order to get lower back pain relief.

3.4. Thicker Pillow

The sleeping position involves you, your bed, and your pillow. One should never compromise the quality of pillows that one uses for daily purposes. A good night’s sleep is very important and sometimes it can be hindered with a thicker pillow or even a very thin pillow as well. Hence choose a decent pillow that is firm but so thin as a feather that provides no support to your body, whether you put it below your knee, back, or even head.

Pillows below your head must always be according to your shoulder length, not so high rise or not even so low that you are unable to maintain proper alignment.

3.5. Sleep Deprivation

In some cases, practical answers were found to be sleep deprivation. When one is unable to sleep, it can cause more strain on the whole body including the lumbar spine. That is why it is recommended to get a better night’s rest with a proper sleep position where sleep quality also matters.

Lack of sleep or problems falling asleep can be found if you have high adrenaline levels or even your body temperature also matters, it should not be too high or too low when you are at bedtime.

3.6. Stomach Sleeping

If you are the one who feels some muscle tension or heaviness in your lower back and can’t fall asleep with the lower back pain then maybe it’s time to try stomach sleeping positions. It’s lying flat or in a child’s pose but upside down while maintaining the natural curve of your back.

One can also try having a firm pillow or soft cushions under the pelvis and lower abdomen if that helps in providing better sleep. stomach sleeping with child pose is said to be the best sleeping position for a cause.

3.7. Adjustable Bed

If you are a person who constantly gets back pains or any other type of pain then maybe it is time to invest in an adjustable bed with a firmer mattress if you have a really hard mattress or a medium firm mattress. Try to avoid innerspring mattresses as those springs can be bad for your back by not keeping proper alignment while you sleep.

3.8. Relaxing Space

It is also important to have a relaxing space when you need to sleep. Your kid jumping on the side of the bed while lying down to sleep can also cause movement in your back or even your whole body.

Try to shut down the lights and turn off the blue screen lights when you first lay down in a relaxing position where all your body parts are relaxed and then comfortably slide into whatever position your feel best with.

3.9. Body Pillow

Poorest sleep can also be caused by having wrong cavities in your body like below your back and bed and between your knees and thighs and or the space between your right or left shoulder or one’s own neck.

Avoid bad posture with a small pillow and be comfortable in a normal space. Try buying Body pillow protectors through the link given here: BUY BODY PILLOWS 

3.10. Physical Therapists

If you face some issues even after trying all the things mentioned above, then you should not be late and must try some advice from a physical therapist or physiotherapist or try to get some therapy instead.

You can also do those exercises with a rolled towel or plastic foam rollers that are easily available in the market. Sometimes heating pads are also helpful as a guide for how to sleep with lower back pain.

Final Note

Sleeping is a vital function for sustainability for every human being, however, it can be very difficult, especially in cases where you have back pain, but it can be reformed and can be prevented with some measure. This article will prove very helpful for people as it tells how to sleep with lower back pain. 

  1. Alsaadi, Saad M., et al. “Prevalence of sleep disturbance in patients with low back pain.” European Spine Journal 20 (2011): 737-743. ↩︎
  2. Bolton, Roman, et al. “Effects of mattress support on sleeping position and low-back pain.” Sleep Science and Practice 6.1 (2022): 3. ↩︎
  3. Votrubec, Radek. “STIFFNESS CONTROL OF ORTHOPAEDIC MATTRESS.” Annals of DAAAM & Proceedings 27 (2016). ↩︎

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She is a bibliophile with an inquisitive to explore my writing on several topics. Prolly own a library one day. She is an expert in fitness and health related issue. She is even provides tips about life and relationships. She loves to explore new food and writes abut it sometimes.