If you are struggling to get a good night's sleep because of back pain, find it difficult to get comfortable so you can fall asleep, or find it painful to change positions in bed then this blog is for you.
And you're not alone. A lot of our patients with back pain struggle with this. Dealing with back pain is already frustrating enough, but when you are left with no energy, have difficulty focusing during the day, and are a little cranky from lack of sleep, it makes everything worse.
Getting enough good quality sleep is important for a lot of reasons, including helping your body recover from back pain. So, today we’re going to share some easy, natural, drug-free solutions to help you stop back pain at night and finally get some sleep.
How to Reduce Back Pain So You Can Fall Asleep
If you struggle to fall asleep, a good place to start is to establish a “bedtime routine” 30-60 minutes before going to bed. You could take a warm shower or bath, apply a hot pack to your sore back, and do some light stretching exercises to relax your tight muscles which can help reduce your back pain. Adding a warm cup of tea, reading a book, or listening to soothing music can all help prepare you for better sleep…even if you don’t have back pain. You could also try listening to a guided meditation before or after you climb into bed for the night. If you are still struggling to fall asleep it might also be helpful to AVOID alcohol, big evening meals, and avoid caffeinated drinks after noon (or all together if you are sensitive to caffeine). What’s The Best Sleeping Position For Reducing Back Pain? Once you’ve implemented a good bedtime routine, you can get in bed feeling more relaxed and with less pain. The next step is to focus on getting into a comfortable sleeping position that won’t aggravate your back pain. The best sleeping position is determined in large part by individual preference as it’s difficult to all of a sudden become a side sleeper if you always sleep on your back. However, if you want to stop back pain at night, you’ll want to keep your spine in good alignment, regardless of your preferred sleep position. Sleeping On Your Back Try placing a pillow under your knees, which will help keep a natural curve in your lower back and ensure your spine remains aligned throughout the night. Sleeping On Your Side Try placing a small pillow between your knees, which will help keep your hips, pelvis and lower back in a neutral position. You can also rest your arm on another pillow in front of your chest to help prevent twisting of your spine that can increase your back pain at night. Long-term it’s also a good idea to alternate which side you sleep on to avoid creating any muscular imbalances that can put you at risk for more back pain. Sleeping On Your Stomach In general, sleeping on your stomach is not a good option as it can lead to back pain, and/or neck pain. However, if you are a stomach sleeper and cannot get comfortable in any other position, try placing a pillow under your hips or pelvis to relieve some pressure on your lower back. Sometimes making a small adjustment in your sleep position and how you support yourself with pillows can make a HUGE impact on your back pain and ability to get better sleep. Another Natural, Drug-Free Way to Stop Back Pain At Night If you wake up with back pain and can’t remember the last time you changed your mattress, or if your mattress is sagging or uneven, it might be time to look for a new mattress. Don’t underestimate the importance of a good mattress, especially if you have back pain. Your mattress plays a vital role in supporting your body while sleeping. If your mattress isn’t providing proper support, it may also be interfering with your sleep and contributing to your back pain problem. The ideal mattress will vary based on individual preferences, preferred sleep position, body shape and size. However, most people with back pain will generally do best with a medium-firm mattress. If you need to invest in a new mattress, make sure you find a store that allows you to properly test it out. Lying down on a mattress in store for a few minutes is a good start, but you will likely need to sleep on a new mattress for at least a few nights (maybe even a few weeks) before you know for sure if it’s the right fit. So, look for a store that gives you the option to return or exchange the mattress if you aren’t satisfied after a trial period. The FASTEST Way To Stop Back Pain At Night…and Finally Get Some Sleep! We hope you've found the tips in this blog helpful. These are the same tips we share with our patients to help stop back pain at night and get better sleep. And we know they can work for you too! However, if you are tired of dealing with your back pain at night, tired of waking up stiff and sore, tired of feeling exhausted, and tired of your back pain keeping you from enjoying an active lifestyle, then please reach out to our team. There is so much more we can do to help! We have helped THOUSANDS of patients with back pain over the years and we know how to get you to your goal much faster. How To Get Our Help If you’re 100% certain you are ready to get help from a physical therapy back pain specialist, just give us a call at 503-744-0046 to schedule or click the link below to fill out a short form and we’ll call you to arrange a time for your first Initial Evaluation & Treatment Session. Click Here To Arrange To See A Back Pain Specialist If you’re still a little unsure if physical therapy is the right solution for your back pain problem, you may want to start with a FREE In-Person Discovery Visit. This gives you the opportunity to ask any questions you might have and discover:
If you would like to take advantage of one of our FREE Discovery Visits, simply click the link below to complete a quick and easy form and we’ll be in touch to arrange a time for your visit. Click Here To Arrange Your FREE Discovery Visit More Information To Help Stop Your Back Pain At Night If you want to get even more back pain advice right now, then click the button below to download our free e-book entitled: “7 Natural Ways To END Back Pain & Stiffness…Without Needing Pain Pills or Having To Call The Doctor!" This report is packed with powerful, but simple strategies to help you start your journey toward living without back pain. You can also check out our other back pain blogs by clicking the link below. Click Here To Read More Back Pain Blogs Comments are closed.
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Helping active adults FINALLY get rid of their aches, pains and injuries, so they can keep moving, stay active and improve their health naturally - without pain medication, injections or surgery.Oregon City, OR
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