A night of good sleep for some people is indeed a treasure but it also puts you in a state of unconsciousness where you are unaware of your sleeping positions as well as the accuracy of posture. People with back pain in this regard need to be extra careful as professional back specialists advise their patients to remain cautious over the way they sleep and maintain their posture.
There is a possibility that during your back pain, you might end up with a twisted spine or a tucked in the pelvis. This means that your existing back pain can increase to cause spinal health deterioration. However, using support while sleeping and maintaining a sound sleeping position can help you a lot with your spinal health.
Let’s discuss some of the best sleeping positions that contribute towards the betterment of your spinal health.
Pillows are not just for your neck
Yes, you heard that right. It is normal to feel uncomfortable while lying flat on your back if you have any spinal problems. In this scenario, you need to shift to the side. Allow your shoulder to touch the mattress as well as your whole body. You need to put a pillow between your knees as well as between your waist and the mattress in case of any distance between them.
It is important to change the side you are sleeping on just to avoid general issues like muscle imbalance that might lead to scoliosis. Using the pillow between the knees is the hero in this position as it will assist your entire back and keep the pelvis, hips and the spine in an altogether better alignment.
Sleep Upside Down
Even though this is a fact that sleeping on your stomach is actually quite bad for the neck as it tends to stress your neck out and this might be a problem for the spine ultimately. However, maintaining a balanced posture while resting on your stomach will allow you to lie comfortably in one posture without the need of changing it to the other.
What you need to do is to place a pillow under the pelvis and the lower abdomen region so that it helps to relieve some pressure off your spine. If you are comfortable and the spinal posture is aligned, there is no harm in not using a pillow.
People suffering from a degenerative disc condition are the ones who benefit most from sleeping on the stomach with a pillow. This posture will also help you to get rid of any form of stress that is felt between the discs.
Sleep Like a Baby
To actually have a sound sleep like a baby despite having a herniated disc, you might like the sound of sleeping on one side curled up like an infant. All you have to do is to lie down on your back and then roll over to one side very gently. Tuck in your knees towards the chest and curl the torso inwards towards the knees. Don’t forget to change your side after a while just to prevent muscle imbalance.
Disc herniation happens when the discs are pushed out of their normal space. This causes nerve pain as well as weakness in the spine. The discs are very soft cushions between the vertebrae that lie in the spine. Sleeping with a curled up torso like a child will allow you to open up the space between the vertebrae.
Sleep in a reclined position
Who doesn’t like dozing off in a recliner? Even though sleeping on a chair may not be the perfect choice for a person especially if you suffer from spinal issues but in case you suffer from a condition recognized as isthmic spondylolisthesis, it can actually help you a lot. Think of making an investment in purchasing an adjustable bed so that you can give yourself the perfect alignment as well as support.
Reclining can be good for your spine if it is consulted by a back specialist. Since it creates a good angle between the thighs and the trunk, this will help you in reducing the pressure on the spine and relieving you from the unwanted pain.
Put a Pillow under Your Knees
For many people, sleeping straight is the most comfortable position that they can sleep in. For this, your spine needs to be perfectly aligned to avoid any future pains. Lay flat on the back and place a pillow under the knees. This will help you to keep your spine neutral and in balance. The pillow is fairly important as it assists in keeping the curve in your back. You can also put a small towel rolled up to provide you with additional support.
Sleeping on your back will distribute your body weight evenly across the cross-sectional area of the body. This will help you in putting less stress on the pressure points and will also lead to a natural alignment of the spine as well as relaxation in the internal organs of your body.
Additional Things you can do to support your spine
- Use a night roll as it will help you in maintaining neutral spine alignment. Since it moves with the way you move in your sleep, a night roll is definitely something that you need to invest in.
- Make changes in the place where you sleep. For example, persistent back pain might also indicate that you need to sleep on something different, something perhaps more spine friendly.
- Perform a morning stretch every morning just to open up the muscles and to create a comfortable spine orientation for yourself.
- Squat more, hydrate and sit with back support. Many people suffer from back issues due to obesity and therefore, you must start striving towards a better lifestyle.
Conclusion
Spine pain is common among people of age and those who suffer from obesity. It is important that you maintain an aligned sleeping posture and also strive towards building a healthy spine.
