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Strong Women
3 sleeping positions to relieve lower back pain, whether you’re a side, back or stomach sleeper
By Lauren Geall
10 months ago
5 min read
Back pain keeping you up at night? Check out these tips from a musculoskeletal expert for nailing your sleeping position.
Whether you enjoy curling up tight in a ball, lying flat on your back or collapsing face down in a starfish position, everyone has their own favourite sleeping position. It’s probably not something you think of that often; in most cases, it’s simply what feels most comfy.
But the position that feels good when you first climb in between the sheets may not be best for you in the long run. In fact, adopting the wrong sleep position can not only exacerbate pre-existing back pain, but also create new issues. So, while contorting your body in a certain way might feel natural, it could also be the reason you wake up in agony.
Of course, you can’t always control what happens while you’re asleep, as anyone who’s woken up with a sock flung halfway across the room and the legs of their pyjamas hoisted up above their knees will know. What you can do, however, is go to sleep in a position which will best support your back as you’re nodding off – and that’s where this guide comes in.
“There isn’t one ‘right’ sleeping position that will guarantee everyone a restful and pain-free sleep – everyone experiences pain differently and what works for one person may not work for another,” explains Karen Beattie, a leading musculoskeletal expert and corporate clinical lead at Vita Health Group. “However, there are some simple tricks you can try that’ll help to take the pain and strain off your back and give you a restorative night’s sleep.”
Below, Beattie talks us through the best sleeping positions to relieve back pain for back, side and stomach sleepers, as well as some easy tricks you can use to reduce pain before you get into bed.
The best sleeping positions for relieving back pain
Credit: Getty
For side sleepers:
Side sleepers with lower back or neck pain will benefit from using pillow supports, Beattie says.
“Try drawing your legs up slightly towards your chest and putting a pillow between your legs,” she explains. “This can help to align your spine, pelvis and hips.”
The pillow between your legs can also prevent your upper leg from falling forward, which can cause your torso to twist and increase tension across your back.
“Avoid tucking your chin to maintain the natural curve of your neck,” Beattie adds.
For back sleepers:
Back sleepers can also benefit from using a pillow to support their alignment.
“Placing a pillow under your knees can help to relax your back muscles and maintain the curve of your lower back,” Beattie explains. “To hold your body in place, you could also try putting a small, rolled-up towel under the small of your back.”
For front sleepers:
It’s worth noting that sleeping on your front isn’t ideal for your musculoskeletal health because of the extra strain it places on your neck and lower back.
But if sleeping on your front is the only way that feels right, you can also use a pillow to relieve some of the tension, Beattie adds.
“Placing a pillow under your hips and lower stomach can take the pressure off your lower back,” she says. “You may also want to try having a pillow under your head [if you sleep without one] if your neck feels strained.”
How to enjoy a comfortable, pain-free sleep
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While your sleeping position will make a big difference to how your body feels while you’re in bed and when you wake up in the morning, there are some things you can do to relieve tension and prevent pain from arising before you even get into bed in the evening.
1. Do some light movement
“If you take just a few minutes to stretch and move your body before you go to bed, it can help to ease muscle tension that’s built up during the day,” Beattie says. “Stretching and light exercise can also help to reduce stress before going to sleep.”
The key word here is light: anything too heavy that elevates your heart rate could make it harder for you to fall asleep, so make sure to take things nice and slow.
2. Get the temperature right
During deep, restorative sleep your muscles do not move, so maximising the amount of time you spend in this state will allow you to maintain your sleeping position and prevent too much tossing and turning, which can put strain on your muscles and joints.
Ensuring your bedroom is the right temperature for a restful night’s sleep is a good place to start, Beattie suggests. “Having a bedroom that’s hot and stuffy, or too cool, could cause you to have a restless night’s sleep. Think about the tog rating of your duvet: a lighter one is best in summer and a heavier one is best to support sleep in winter. Focus on creating an environment that’s comfortable for you and gives your body the opportunity to have a restful night sleep.”
Having a hot bath before bed can also help your body to feel cooler once you’re in bed, as the hot water will cause your body’s cooling response to kick in. This cooling effect can also make it easier for you to fall asleep, as the drop in temperature stimulates the release of the sleep hormone, melatonin.
3. See an expert
If you’re struggling with persistent back pain, it’s time to seek professional help.
“Reassuringly, most episodes of back pain will resolve naturally over time,” Beattie says. “But for those stubborn episodes that don’t resolve as quickly as you would have hoped, musculoskeletal experts – such as physiotherapists, musculoskeletal clinicians and rehabilitation specialists – can support you with your recovery by providing tailored programmes consisting of advice, coaching, and tailored exercise programmes, with your goals at the core.”
A GP appointment is a good place to start, as they should be able to refer you to any specialists or recommend additional treatments.
Images: Getty
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