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What is the best sleeping position for lower back pain?
How do you sleep? Are you a stomach sleeper? How do you feel when you sleep on your side? If you go to sleep on your back, do you wake up that way? Which position is the best for lower back pain sufferers?
Waking up with neck stiffness or back pain can be a result of how we sleep or perhaps, how our body was functioning the day before. If you awoke in pain after stomach sleeping, it is because of the sleeping position and how it forces your neck to the side?
If you have sleep apnea, can you fall asleep with a machine on your face while laying on your back all night?
Our advice for a sound and restful sleep
Stomach sleeping – Many of you may begin sleep on your side but will wake up on your stomach. Sleeping on your stomach is the worst position for you for a number of reasons.
Hyperextension of the lower back can occur while on your stomach. If you are having any problems in the lower back, or if the pelvis is distorted, this can exacerbate a lower back problem.
People who sleep on their stomach may experience more stiff necks than those who sleep on their side or their back. The reason this occurs is that stomach sleeping will forcefully rotate the neck, aggravated by your pillow. Neck motion is dependent on the lower and mid back regions. If the lower, mid back and pelvis is distorted, you will feel this tension in the neck rather than the back in many cases. Mechanical problems in the lower body can make stomach sleeping a mechanism for chronic neck problems.
Sleeping on your stomach may move the uvula out of the way reducing sleep apnea however, the risks of neck or back pain outweigh the benefits of sleeping this way.
If you do sleep on your stomach, placing a pillow under the hips can reduce back pain caused by the sleeping position.
Side sleeping – There are many benefits to side sleeping including:
A more open airway. Sleeping on the side moves the uvula out of the way reducing the likelihood of sleep apnea.
People who have lower back problems will like the way side sleeping allows them to bend their knees and relieve pain in the fetal position. This is the most popular way to sleep according to WebMD.
Some find that falling asleep is easier when on your side than on your back. Many people begin the sleep cycle in one position and end up either on their back or on their stomach.
Be sure to pick the proper pillow thickness if you like to sleep on your side. A pillow should fill in the space between your neck and your shoulder. If you have back problems, the fetal position as shown in this photo can help relieve back pain. If you do experience back problems, a properly measured pillow will fill keep your neck straight while you are asleep and minimize the possibility of experiencing neck pain in the morning.
Back sleeping can be good or bad depending on your back and your body style.
Back sleeping is A very relaxed position for the spine and pelvis, which can help minimize lower back problems for some of us while exacerbating back problems for others. If you like to sleep on your back and you get back pain, placing a pillow under the knees may help. A better choice may be to see your chiropractor and find out why the position hurts your back.
Snoring is often made worse by back sleeping since the sound is a result of the uvula and the soft pallet.
Sleep apnea is aggravated by back sleeping because of the position of the uvula toward the back of the throat, however, if you require a C-PAP, the mask works best if you are on your back.
Stiffness or pain in the morning; here’s why.
If you wake up in the morning stiff and sore, your sleeping position may be part of the reason however, what you did the day before and how your body is currently functioning may ultimately be the problem. A mattress will support your body no matter what condition it is in.
If your body mechanics are problematic before you go to sleep, you are likely going to feel stiff and achy the following day. The good news is, unless your mattress is very old, you can save a lot of money by keeping your mattress and visiting your local chiropractor to find out why you feel the way you do. Improving your body mechanics can improve the quality of your sleep, the way you feel and your overall quality of life.