Reduce Back Pain By Changing Your Sleep Position
You are how you sleep. Both in quality and quantity. The better you sleep, for the appropriate amount of time, the healthier you will be.
Sleep is vital for good health. The evidence is overwhelming that insufficient sleep contributes to a variety of unhealthy conditions including diabetes, depression, obesity and cardiovascular disease. Poor quality sleep is also attributed to an increase in worksite accidents and automobile accidents.
While the quantity of your sleep – 8 hours, on average, is important, the quality of your sleep is even more vital to your overall health. Your body needs sleep to heal and rejuvenate and to help you handle stress and manage pain more effectively.
When it comes to lower back pain, how you sleep can make a big difference in how you handle it. Let’s review each sleeping position and how it impacts lower back spine alignment and pain.
Stomach Position -- Most experts agree that sleeping on your stomach is hard on your back and the least desired sleeping position for your spinal health. It tends to flatten the natural curve in your spine and the back is not supported or well aligned. To help ease the strain on your back, put a pillow under your lower abdomen and pelvis to support it. If this puts too much stress on your back, however, try using a flatter pillow or alternate your body position to take stress off your back.
Back Position – Most people can not stay comfortable lying flat on their back for an entire night and snoring may increase. You can placing a pillow under your knees to provide added support and comfort.
Side Position -- Many people with lower back pain believe sleeping on their side to be the most comfortable sleep position. If you sleep on your side, pull your knees up slightly to ease back strain. Place a pillow between your thighs and knees and a pillow between your arms for added comfort. Your goal is to have your spine in a level or straight position.
The quality of your pillow can also make a big difference in how well you sleep. You do not want your head pushed up or falling lower than the spine. Pillows get worn out over time and stop providing proper support. It’s a good idea to change your pillow on a regular basis. The therapeutic pillows are another good option to better sleep positions, protecting and helping the cervical neck curvature.
So, if you are experiencing neck, head or back pain when you wake up, it could be your sleep position or your pillow causing the discomfort. By adjusting your sleeping position and pillow, you may find relief.
How Sleeping Positions Affect Your Health
Getting regular spinal adjustments removes the stress in the spine, allowing the nervous system to function optimally. Many new chiropractic patients are surprised at how much better they sleep after having their spine aligned. For more information, call 480-325-6977 to schedule a free consultation. The doctors at Foresight Chiropractic, the Valley's premier Wellness Center, are Board Certified Atlas Orthogonal upper cervical specialists caring for families for over 18 years. Call us today and find out how to restore and optimize your health. You don't have to be sick to get well!
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