How To Sleep With Lower Back Pain

By Philip Yiga | September 18, 2015

A lot of people suffer low-back pains and these are usually caused from work, exercise, excessive-standing and other chronic conditions. In fact, the lower-vertebrae or lumbar-region is more prone to pain and muscle-exhaustion compared to the upper-back sections. This implies that you should take care of your spine by simply learning how to sleep properly but some of the new sleeping-positions may take some time for the body to get used to. However, changing your sleeping-position and supporting your back will pay-off in the long run and this is why you should persist on sleeping properly. Additionally, in case you suffer from severe back-pain, then try to invest in a good mattress and pillows then go ahead to learn about supportive sleeping-postures and also take steps to achieve good-sleep every night. In fact, you should know that sleep helps to relax muscles and reset pain-receptors so that you can always wake-up feeling pain-free in the morning and this is why I have decided to provide you with some of the methods that will enable you achieve a good-sleep in case you experience lower-back pain:

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METHOD-1: ADJUST YOUR BED:

• Consider how long you have been with a particular mattress: check whether you have had a mattress for more than 8-years and if so, then it is time for an upgrade. This is because materials within a mattress tend to break-down over time hence becoming less supportive for your back and body. However, there isn’t a type of mattress perfect for people suffering from back-pain, so this means that you should test-out a few mattresses before making a purchase in order to discover a mattress that feels most comfortable for you. This is because some people prefer firm-mattresses while others like soft ones. Additionally, some people feel very comfortable on foam-mattresses while others achieve comfort on inner-spring mattresses.

 

• Make a more supportive bed: in case you can’t afford to purchase at the moment, then you need to make your bed more supportive by simply using ply-wood slats. Place these slats between the box-spring and mattress to achieve for better support. Likewise, you may also place the mattress directly onto the floor. On the other hand, memory-foam or latex mattress pads also tend to make a bed more supportive and these are actually cheaper options than replacing the entire mattress in case you can afford it at the moment.

 

• Purchase supportive pillows: go and buy a pillow that is tailored to support the way you sleep and this may either be a side or back pillow depending on want you want at the moment. Additionally, you may also consider placing a body-pillow or king-sized pillow in-between the legs in case you’re a side-sleeper.

 

METHOD-2: LEARN BODY-MECHANICS:

• Learn how to get in and out of bed properly: you may actually harm your lower-back by moving improperly into bed. So, try to use the leg-roll whenever you wish to lie down. Additionally, sit on the side of the bed and approximately where you want the buttocks to lie while sleeping then lower your torso down on the left or right side as you bring the legs up but you should stay in a straight-plank during this motion. Likewise, in order to sleep on your back, try to roll in plank-motion from the sides to your back. In order to move to the other side, bend the leg opposite from the side you want to roll onto and then press the foot down so as to push yourself onto the other side. All in all, you should learn to always move in plank-motion in order to avoid wrenching the back.

 

• Sleep in a fetal-position: sleeping on one-side with your knees drawn-up can actually help relieve lower-back pain because it allows the joints in the spine to open-up. Additionally, remember to place a king-sized pillow or body-pillow in-between the legs when sleeping on your side. In fact, bend both knees and then bring them up to a comfortable position but avoid your spine for best results. Lastly, in case you are a side-sleeper, then try to alternate between the side to sleep-on because sleeping on the same side everyday can cause muscle imbalance or pain.

 

• Place a plush or supportive-pillow underneath the knees: if you prefer sleeping on your back, then try to place a plush or supportive pillow underneath your knees because this helps to flatten the back hence removing a large-arch from your lower-back region. In fact, this action will help to relieve pain in just a few minutes. Additionally, you may also place a small, rolled-up towel under your back in order to achieve extra support.

 

• Try to avoid sleeping on your stomach in case you have lower-back pain: sleeping on your stomach actually places a burden on your lower-back and can even create an unpleasant twist on your spine. However, in case you find that this is the only way you can sleep, then place a pillow the pelvis and lower-abdomen but avoid using a pillow below the head because it will place your neck and back in a strained position. Lastly, some people experiencing lower-disc bulges can benefit from stomach-sleeping on a message table.

 

METHOD-3: PREPARING THE LOWER-BACK FOR SLEEP:

• Go for a warm/ hot water bath before going to bed: heat actually helps the muscles to relax and this will relieve lower-back pain. In fact, heat is a very effective for chronic back-pain than ice. This means that you should try to take a short warm/hot shower for about 10-minutes before going to bed but remember to let warm/hot water run over your lower-back for best results. Alternatively, you may use a hot water-bottle or heating-pad to apply heat over the sore areas in the back before going to bed.

 

• Do some deep-breathing exercises when you get into bed: try to breathe in and out deeply while closing the eyes and then imagine yourself in place where you feel relaxed and calm. Additionally, visualize each muscle in your body to be relaxing and you may even listen to a guided sleep meditation online.

 

• Avoid eating large-meals, alcohol and caffeine before going to bed: taking a large-meal before bedtime can actually cause acid-reflux and this may keep you awake. So try to take a light snack and limit your overall consumption of alcohol before moving to bed. Additionally, avoid drinking caffeine within 6-hours to bedtime because this will disrupt your sleep.

 

• Apply an analgesic rub on the lower-back before going to bed because this cream will help to create a pleasant sensation of warmth and relaxation in the muscles.

 

• Never stay in bed too-long: prolonged bed-rests create muscle stiffness and even increase back-pains. For this reason, try not to stay in bed for more than 3-days after a minor back-injury unless you’re recommended by a doctor to do so. In fact, having some physical-activity helps the body to heal naturally.

 

METHOD-4: SEEK FURHTER HELP:

• See a doctor: acute back-pain should actually improve on its own with proper treatment or self-care techniques. But in case your back-pain doesn’t improve after a month, then you should consult a doctor because you might be having a serious health-condition which requires additional treatment.