The Best Sleeping Positions for Avoiding Back Pain

by | Jun 8, 2022 | Uncategorized

Lower back pain is the leading cause of disability across the globe, and most of it isn’t even caused by serious medical conditions, like cancer or arthritis. Oftentimes, lower back pain, or LBP, is brought on by stress, bad posture, incorrect sleep posture, and other lifestyle habits.

It’s said that defined abs start in the kitchen, and we’ve noticed a similar abstraction. A good back begins in the bedroom—with good spinal alignment while sleeping. Here are a few of the best sleep positions to reduce LBP and get a better night’s sleep.

 

Good Back Posture for Side Sleepers    

There are a few ways to sleep on your side, but the steps to basic positioning are simple to follow:

  1. Lay down. Make sure your shoulder is touching the mattress.
  2. Put a pillow between your knees—this will help keep your spine properly aligned.
  3. If your midsection feels unsupported, grab a small pillow and put it in the gap between your waist and the mattress.

Don’t forget the pillow! Just sleeping on your side won’t be enough to change your spinal alignment. Using the pillow as outlined above keeps your spine, pelvis, and hips closer to ideal alignment.

If you’re a side sleeper, it’s important to switch up which side you sleep on from night to night. Otherwise, side sleeping can cause muscle imbalances or even scoliosis.

 

Good Back Posture for Back Sleepers

Sleeping on your back is regarded as the ideal sleep position for avoiding back pain. Sadly, this position is underused, as many find it difficult to attain deep sleep on their back. To achieve optimal alignment, follow a few simple steps:

  1. Lay down flat on your back.
  2. Position two pillows; one under your head or neck and a second beneath your knees.

While sleeping on your back is the most spine-beneficial position, you should avoid this position if you’re pregnant, as it decreases blood circulation to the heart and fetus.

 

Good Back Posture for Stomach Sleepers

Sleeping on your stomach has been identified as the worst position for your spine. The turning of the head and neck and the flattening of the spine’s natural curve means the pressure is spread unevenly along your back. This doesn’t mean stomach sleepers need to change their entire positioning—though it would help. The ideal stomach sleeping position can still be achieved by following a few simple steps:

  1. Relieve pressure off your lower abdomen and back by laying on a pillow placed under your pelvis.
  2. If comfortable, place a pillow under your head as well.

While not ideal for many, those with degenerative disc disease may benefit from this sleeping position. The positioning of pillows under the pelvis and head relieves any stress placed on the space between your discs.

 

Sleeping With a Bulging, Slipped, Ruptured, or Herniated Disc

Alternatively, if you have a bulging, slipped, ruptured, or herniated disc, try sleeping on your side in the fetal position:

  1. After laying down flat on your back, roll gently onto your side.
  2. Curl your torso toward your knees while simultaneously tucking your knees toward your chest.

As with LBP-prevention side sleeping, it’s very important to switch up which side you sleep on to prevent spine misalignment. This position isn’t the best for those without slipped discs, as it promotes an uneven distribution of weight and can cause sore joints.

This sleeping position focuses on the alleviation of pain related to a herniated disc. Discs, being soft cushions between the vertebrae in your spine, sometimes pop out of their normal space, causing nerve pain, weakness, tingling, and worse. Adjusting your torso into the fetal position frees up space between vertebrae, relieving pressure from slipped discs.

If you have back pain from bad sleeping posture, herniated discs, or just bad posture at large, contact Crossroads Chiropractic today for chiropractors who care.