Tossing and turning: Tips on getting to sleep with back pain

Do you find yourself tossing and turning during the night in a valiant attempt to find that perfect sleeping position?

Well you’re not alone. Millions of people around the globe struggle to get a good night’s sleep and back pain is often a key contributor to the problem. Sleeping repeatedly in the same position night after night can in itself cause the pain in the first place.

While there is no one right way to sleep, there are some positions that we recommend to people who suffer with back pain. Any sleep position will have pros and cons.

For example, sleeping on your back can be helpful for lower back pain, but it can aggravate digestive problems and can worsen snoring (and if that doesn’t wake you up, it will certainly disturb your partner!) Sleeping on your stomach isn’t encouraged as it can put pressure on the lower back joints and shorten your calf and hamstrings muscles as you point your toes, thus affecting your stride and ultimately your back.

The optimal sleeping position will ensure that the muscles do not shorten or stretch during the night and also ensure that joints are not overly compressed. With this in mind, here are some tips for sleeping with back pain…

• The general consensus for many back problems is that sleeping on your back is the most comfortable. Keep a neutral position, with your spine aligned as if standing straight.

• Make sure your mattress is hard enough to stop you sinking into it. Very often, placing a pillow under your knees when sleeping on your back is helpful, as it will keep your legs raised and ease the pressure on your spine.

• Make sure your mattress isn’t too old with a big dip in it.

• Make sure your mattress isn’t too hard as this makes your muscles support your back over night rather than the bed. You will wake up with an achy back from the early hours onwards. Try putting a duvet under the bottom sheet to soften the bed. If this works then consider buying a topper for your mattress.

• Adopting a foetal position and placing a pillow between your knees can also help ease pain for many patients. The pillow between the knees helps align the hips so reduces the tug from them to your lower back. It is also great for hip arthritis too.

• Having a good pillow for your neck is important to keep your spine in alignment. We have a loan pillow at Not Just Backs; so you can try before wasting more money on yet another pillow! Contact reception if you would like to try it.

We hope you find these little tips useful and informative. As always, if you have any questions about your own health or the conditions we treat, please do not hesitate to get in touch on 01722 512 043.