Best Sleep Positions for Chronic Back Pain and How To Eliminate Pain Quickly When You wake Up in The Morning
In this blog, we will explore sleep positions for back pain. We will cover different sleep positions for different types of back pain. A variety of different underlying causes can cause pain in the spine and back, so finding the right solution will require some trial and error. We will review different sleep positions, including the side fetal, side with pillow support, back with pillow support, and face-down positions. We will also provide tips for choosing and using pillows for back pain relief. Finally, we will cover how to get out of morning back pain, or back pain when you wake up, with a set of gentle exercises and tactics. By finding the right sleep position for your back pain, using pillows effectively, and picking the right morning routine, you can reduce pressure on your back and alleviate pain throughout your day.
Lower back pain at night can be a common and frustrating problem. To alleviate this, it is important to choose a sleeping position that reduces pressure on the lower back. In addition to lying on your back with pillow support, you can try the side fetal position or sleep on your side with pillows for support. Sleeping positions for upper and mid-back pain may include lying face-down with a pillow under your waist or upper thigh to keep spine alignment. Alternatively, sleeping on your side with pillow support can also be effective for upper back pain. Let’s get into the details next!
Best Way to Sleep with Lower Back Pain, Mid-Back Pain, or Upper Back Pain
Different types of back pain require different sleep positions. So let’s cover the sleep positions that can reduce pain for different back pain including the upper back, the mid-back, and the lower back.
As Weill Cornell Medicine puts it, pain in the spine and back can be caused by various underlying causes. This means that there are no one-size-fits-all solutions to addressing back pain’s different effects on your life. Finding the right solution for you will come down to trial and error - from the right levels of activity to the position you sleep in at night. Let’s review different types of sleep positions to try that reduce pressure on your back.
Side Fetal Sleep Position
This sleeping style is best when you’re experiencing upper back pain, mid-back pain, or lower back pain caused by slipped or herniated discs. The side fetal sleep position mimics a fetus in the womb. In this sleep position, you lie on your side with your back slightly arched, and your knees folded up to meet your elbow or lower arm.
This sleep position allows you to stay off your back. It is recommended for patients with slipped or herniated discs which can occur at any part of the spine, causing pain in the affected area.
To maintain good sleep quality, it's important to change your sleep position every other night to avoid putting too much pressure on any one part of your body. If you happen to get up in the night, feel free to change your sleep position then as well. However, don't worry if you sleep on one side for a night or two - just make sure not to do it for too many consecutive days. When sleeping on your side, it's recommended to use a pillow under your head to keep your spine in alignment. Keeping your spine level helps prevent pressure and allows for healing.
Sleeping Positions for Lower Back Pain, Side Sleeping with Pillow Support:
Using pillows while sleeping on your side can help relieve pain, especially in the lower back. In addition to placing a pillow under your head, you can use two other pillows: one between your legs and one under your waist or hip. The pillow between your legs aligns your hips and legs with the rest of your body, while the second pillow provides support for your waist or hip by filling the gap between your body and the mattress. This can help keep your spine in alignment and prevent pressure on your body.
Sleeping Positions for Lower Back Pain, Sleeping on Your Back with Pillow Support:
Lying flat on your back with your arms to your sides is another great position for those who suffer from lower back pain. When sleeping on your back place a large pillow under your knees and a smaller one under your head. This will reduce stress on your lower back and maintain the natural curvature of your spine.
Sleeping Positions for Upper Back Pain or Mid-Back Pain, Body Down Sleep Position with Pillow Support:
The face-down position means that you would have your body and more importantly, your abdomen facing the mattress - with your head to one side. This position can be helpful for people experiencing upper or mid-back pain. This position helps spread your weight to a wider surface area, preventing concentrated points of pressure.
Typically, this position requires you to place your head directly on the bed (go pillow-less) and instead use a pillow under your waist or upper thigh to keep spine alignment.
Tips For Using Pillows to Improve Sleep Quality when in Back Pain
Pillows help improve our sleep quality and even act as barricades to prevent us from moving to the wrong position when sleeping. Choosing the right material pillow can also help with comfort when sleeping to make sure you don’t wake up in the middle of the night.
When choosing a pillow, it's important to consider the fill and casing materials. Popular fill materials include latex, cotton, and memory foam. Cotton is also commonly used for pillowcases, along with silk, linen, and nylon. Gel and latex fills are good for cooling, while cotton is better for breathability. Pillow cooling helps dissipate heat from your body, creating a cool feel. Meanwhile, breathable materials promote air circulation, keeping your pillow dry and free of moisture. This can help you sleep more comfortably.
Additionally, the firmness or softness of a pillow is determined by the materials used. Firm pillows are better for maintaining spinal curvature and body alignment. Flat, firm pillows can provide balanced support, reducing pain across the back.
Mattress Firmness for Back Pain
The mattress used by people with chronic pain should be sturdy and firm. A soft mattress bends your spine because the heavier parts of your body sink deeper than the lighter parts of your body. This creates unneeded pressure in different sections of the spine that can lead to additional injury aggravation or morning soreness.
Routine to Help with Morning Back Pain
Morning back pain can be frustrating - especially since you expect to be rested and ready for your day. Your sleep position, pillow, and mattress can significantly help reduce back pain when you wake up. In addition, your morning routine can set you up to reduce back pain when you wake up and have a productive day.
Stretching when you Wake Up with Back Pain:
Stretching and light movements are one way you could relieve chronic back pain once you’re up in the morning.
This works because when you sleep, your joints and muscles (including those in your back) become slightly stiffer. The degree of this stiffness depends on your sleep position and the fact that sleeping in a bad position restricts blood flow across your body. So by stretching specific muscles and tendons, and flexing your joints, you restore proper blood flow and aid the movement of synovial fluids while also waking your muscles. This is effective in resetting your body for pain-free movements throughout the day.
Warm or Hot Water Shower to Wake Up Your Body:
Whether you like it hot or warm, showering with high-temperature water will help alleviate back pain when you wake up from a night's sleep. The reason is that heat from the water is easily absorbed into the body, and your muscles react to this by relaxing or loosening up. Once this happens, your entire body moves more freely.
Warm-Up Exercises to Prevent Back Pain Throughout the Day:
Tai Chi - an age-old Chinese martial art - is reputed for its fluid movements and is effective at lubricating your joints to get about your day. Practicing this in the first few minutes after you wake is highly recommended.
Unlike regular exercises that target one or two major areas at a time, tai chi allows you to engage your whole body through continuous turns, stretches, leaps and balancing moves. A study released in 2018 even proves that tai chi works better for injury prevention in older adults than regular stretches or multimodal exercise.
Concluding the Best Sleep Positions for Back Pain
If you are experiencing lower back pain at night or waking up with back pain in the morning, it is important to find a sleep position that can help alleviate your pain. Different types of back pain require different sleep positions. Some sleep positions that may help include the side fetal position, which involves lying on your side with your back slightly arched and your knees bent up to meet your elbow or lower arm, and the body down position, in which you lie face down on the mattress with a pillow under your waist or upper thigh. Other positions that may help include sleeping on your side with pillow support and sleeping on your back with pillow support. It's important to use the right type of pillow and to change your sleep position every other night to avoid putting too much pressure on any one part of your body. Picking up a morning routine that includes moving and other stimuli can decrease pain throughout your day!
