Best Sleep Positions For Back Pain

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Best Sleep Positions For Back Pain

Unless you can recall a certain moment where you experienced trauma to your back, your back pain is most likely caused by your sleep position. Believe it or not, there are certain positions that can hurt your back and others that can help it.

The absolute worst position for back pain would be sleeping on your stomach. While it doesn’t look like it would be harsh on the back, your hips actually sink into your mattress, putting a strain on your lower back. This position distorts your spine in a position that’s completely unnatural. Staying in this position for extended periods of time can cause chronic back pain and be tough to fix.

On the other hand, there are multiple sleeping positions that will help with existing back pain or prevent back pain altogether. Sleeping on your side with a pillow between your knees is one of the top positions you can practice. You want to be careful that you’re alternating sides that you sleep on as to not create targeted pain in one shoulder, counteracting the switch in position in the first place. The pillow between your knees is the most effective part of this position because it allows you pelvis, hips, and spine to stay in alignment.

You can also try sleeping on your back with a pillow under your knees. When you sleep on your back, your weight is evenly distributed throughout your entire body. This in turn puts less strain on your spine. The pillow under your knees serves to keep your spine aligned, just as it did in the previous scenario.

Though sleeping on your stomach is the worst position for your back, some people just can’t kick the habit. If you’re one of these people, you’re in luck because there are things you can do to combat the chronic back pain. Try the other positions before resorting to this, they don’t work, try placing a pillow under your hips while sleeping on your stomach. This should prevent your hips from dipping into the mattress and creating an unnatural curve in your spine. You want to be aware of the strain that this position places on your neck. Because you can’t sleep face down, you’re forced to turn your head to one side. This could cause terrible neck pain over time, which is why this is the last resort!

Besides sleeping positions, you should also take a closer look at the mattress you’re sleeping on. Sleep experts say that a traditional medium to firm mattress is going to give your back the best support, however great support also comes with sleeping on a memory foam mattress. Memory foam is great on your back because it contours to your spine, leaving no gaps between you and your mattress to cause back pain. Real Sleep by Real Simple offers a wide selection of mattress with a 100-night sleep trial.

Try sleeping in a new position to stop chronic back pain. If that doesn’t work, it might be time to switch up your mattress! 

As always keep it southern y'all!