5 Sleep Strategies for Back Pain Sufferers
How to get to sleep with back pain…
How many nights have you spent tossing and turning with back pain, trying every position possible to get comfortable and getting up in the morning feeling more exhausted than when you went to bed? You aren’t alone - 1 in 3 of us will experience this at some point in our life.
And if dealing with back pain during the day isn’t hard enough, this pain often tends to increase in intensity throughout the night, meaning the resulting lack of sleep not only impacts on your ability to function the following day, but leads to a lot of people feeling anxious and even depressed.
Lack of sleep is an important component of the chronic cycle of back pain which takes more of a toll on our emotional state than most of us appreciate. What is interesting however, is that most back pain isn’t caused by serious medical conditions like cancer or arthritis.
Instead, its often brought on by strain from maintaining postures for too long (ie sitting at a desk for long periods), awkward sleeping positions, stress and other lifestyle habits such as poor nutrition, alcohol consumption and weight gain.
Here are 5 strategies that you can use to help you banish those sleepless nights for good, and allow you to wake up feeling refreshed.
Adopt the Right Sleeping Position
Many people find that lying on their back is the most comfortable position for back pain. if thats you then try placing a pillow under your knees which will help to maintain the correct curve in your lower back as you sleep. If you don’t find that comfortable then try sleeping on your side. In this position you should try and use a pillow between your knees to improve the alignment of your spine. Try to avoid sleeping on the same side all the time as this often leads to pain in the hips or shoulder.
Pick the Right Pillow
Your pillow should cradle your head and neck to support the upper portion of your spine. If you sleep on your back your pillow should completely fill the space between your neck and the mattress, from the base of your skull to the top of your shoulders. If your pillow tilts your head down (eg double chin) then it is too high or too thick and if your head tilts backwards then your pillow is too flat or too thin. Similarly,
if you sleep on your side the pillow must come down to touch the fop of your shoulders so your entire neck is supported. It is important that when sleeping on your side that your spine mimics a straight line from the base of your skull to your bottom.
Your Mattress Matters
Traditionally people with back backs were told to use a firm mattress, however a recent study showed that extremely firm mattresses gave the poorest sleep. That said, a very soft mattress gives very little support and encourages poor alignment of the spine. Ideally your mattress shouldn’t be more than 10 years old, so if you are choosing a new one try a medium or medium firm where possible. A lot of retailers are now offering 30-90 day trials which is a great way to be able to test the mattress. You will often find that your back feels worse for a few days on a new mattress so it is nice to be able to try them for longer periods.
If you are unable to buy a new mattress you can try to firm up your existing one by placing an inexpensive plywood board under it. Of you can try to soften up a hard mattress with a a memory foam topper
Stage Your Sleep Schedule
If you are struggling with your sleep then there are a few habits that you can put in place to improve the quality of your sleep.
Go to sleep and wake up at the same time every day, even on the weekends - this conditions your body to expect sleep at a set time and allows your body to get into a rhythm where sleep comes more easily.
Create a good sleep environment - make sure your room is cool, dark and quiet. Earplugs or white noise can help drown out distractions or you could play some calming music or nature sounds. It is best to avoid falling asleep with the television on, even if the sound is off.
Power down your devices - computer and phone screens emit what is called blue light. At night this kind of light can disrupt your body’s natural circadian rhythm and upset your sleep patterns. It is recommended to limit your exposure to these devices in the last 2 hours before bed.
Mind your lifestyle habits - what you do in the day will have a big effect on how well you sleep at night. Think about the food and drink you consume - caffeine is the obvious one but sugar is also a stimulant and should be avoided close to bed time. Alcohol may make you sleepy initially but then acts as a stimulant a few hours later, so be careful at what point during the day you consume alcohol. Exercise is good for your body and will help you feel physically exhausted but again doing strenuous exercise right before bed may disrupt your sleep.
Pain Relief Before Bed
Before getting into bed do some gentle stretches to help relax your muscles as much as possible before getting into bed. Most people will also move from the sofa to their bed in the evenings so it is a great way to get the muscles moving again before another prolonged period of inactivity. The use of an icepack or heat pad may help reduce pain prior to bedtime as well. Relaxation techniques, including deep breathing and body contract-relax techniques, may help settle you before bed again.
Osteopathy for Back Pain
We are experts at pain relief at Surrey Osteopathic Care and whilst we are currently not able to see patients 1-to-1 through the COVID-19 pandemic, we are still here to help you! We are currently offering video call appointments to provide you with specialised exercises, routine modifications and tailored advice to help get you through this difficult period. If you would like to find out more then please send us an email at hello@surreyosteopathiccare.co.uk or give us a call on 01483 789109