What's your evening routine like? Do you take a walk? Watch your favourite series? Call your parents? Spend some quality time with your family? No matter what you choose to do in the evenings, we all have the same goal: to unwind. The evening is supposed to be a time when you can relax and de-stress from your busy day. Overnight while you're sleeping, particularly, should be the time when your body is most at ease. However, not everyone experiences this deep physical and mental relaxation that we all deserve. Many people dread going to bed because they know they'll experience nighttime back pain. While not everyone experiences this unpleasant phenomenon, many people seem to have lower back pain when they lay down and overnight while they're sleeping. This can be extremely frustrating because it usually results in a lack of deep sleep, which can lead to insomnia, nightmares, grumpiness, increased anxiety and even dehydration. The good news is that several methods have proven helpful for those who experience back pain at this hour. Here are a few ways to get rid of nighttime back pain:
Change your sleeping position
Sleeping position can have a huge bearing on whether or not you sleep soundly and whether you experience any pain. For example, if you sleep with a twisted torso or pelvis, you could be putting extra strain on your muscles. Experts say that the best sleeping position for those with lower back pain is on their backs or sides, but never on their stomachs. Stomach sleeping can exaggerate the arch in your back, which can intensify pain in the area.
Be more active in the day
Daily exercise has more than just health benefits. If you're someone who works at a predominantly sedentary job or who sits for the majority of the day, your back pain may be building up during your day and simply be exacerbated at night. The more active you are during the day, the more your muscles can be stretched and the less tight and constricted they'll be while you're sleeping. But don't worry- you don't need to run a marathon. Even walking and stretching properly for 30 minutes per day can make a huge difference.
Get a better mattress
The most common cause of nighttime back pain is a bad mattress. However, "bad" can mean several things. Your mattress doesn't need to be old to be giving you problems! If you aren't sleeping on the right kind of mattress for your body, you will likely experience severe pain. That being said, if your mattress is around 10 years old, you should consider having it replaced. Older mattresses do not offer as good of support as they should- even if they are marketed to last 20 years!
The best kind of mattress for you depends not only on whether you experience back pain but in your preferred sleeping position. While side sleepers tend to feel more comfortable on thicker mattresses, back sleepers usually prefer thinner mattresses. However, the majority of experts- and those who experience nighttime back pain- suggest a medium-firm mattress. At The Mattress Warehouse, we offer mattresses for every sleeping position and nighttime ailment.
You must be logged in to post a comment.