Sleeping With Back Pain

Sleeping positions are very important and we all have different ways in which we choose to get comfy. Back ache is common with medical conditions such as arthritis and poor posture but also associated with high levels of stress and anxiety. Our lifestyles can play another major part but as we do spend so much time in bed it is very important to get that aspect right. So lets see if we can help you sleep better by trying a few tricks of the trade. One of the best sleeping positions is lying just flat on your back, this helps your spine, neck and head to align naturally which makes your muscles relax, relieving tension and stiffness.

However, this is not the most popular way of sleeping so what can you do if you sleep on your side? Well, one good tip is to place a pillow between your knees, believe it or not it will help your knees, hip and pelvis to align and releases extra tension and stress on your lower spine, it is not the best way to sleep but if you are side sleeper this might just work for you. If you suffer from slipped discs or herniation, try curling up in the foetal position. Herniation happens when part of a disc pushes out of its normal space, causing nerve pain, weakness and more. Curling your torso into this position opens the space between vertebrae. This will allow your spine some much needed relief from pressure on the body. Another position which is not ideal is lying flat on your stomach, this puts added pressure on the upper spine and neck area. If you have ever woken to a sore or stiff neck you will more than likely have been sleeping this way.

To give you some extra comfort and back relief, just place a small pillow under the belly area to give some extra support and help your muscles relax while you sleep, your back will thank you for it later on in the day. Sleeping in this way could help with disc issues as well. As we said earlier sleeping on your back is the preferred way to sleep if you suffer from a bad back but for that bit of support try placing a pillow under your knees. You will be surprised at the effect, the release of lower back muscle tension will help tremendously and assists with trapped nerves and other spasms, aches and pains. When you sleep on your back, your weight is evenly distributed and spread across the widest area of your body. As a result, you place less strain on your pressure points. You will also be able to get better alignment of your spine and your internal organs. Looking after your body is key, keep your muscles strong with regular exercise and keep weight in check with a good diet, this is all very well documented but body alignment is key to getting good posture control and in turn this leads to less stress on the body which will give you that all important goods night sleep.

So if you cannot sleep on your back and you do sleep on your side or stomach what pillow should you be looking out for I hear you ask? Well a pillow should support your heavy head, not too high and not too low. So this unfortunately will need a bit of trial and error as we are all different. If you have a large gap you will need a thick and firmer pillow for the nape of your neck and in turn if you are small in build you will probably need to select a softer pillow. Pure down pillows are the best for this as they mould to the contours of your head and neck, you do need some room for your body to relax so try not to pick a pillow that tries to keep you fixed in one place. Sometimes we change position at night as the body recognises the need to move and change posture so your muscles and neck do not get sore from being in the same place for 8 hours. If you need any more advice or help with selecting products to help you sleep better, do not hesitate to drop us an email at sales@bedlinendirect.co.uk or ring us on 0161 3020361 as we are more than happy to help!