Buy A Mattress With Adaptive Support And Pressure Relief
Sleeping on a high-quality hybrid mattress with an adaptive coil core and memory foam or latex foam in the upper comfort layer is one of the most effective ways to prevent upper back and neck pain by helping you sleep in good posture.
For side sleepers with upper back and neck pain, I personally recommend the Puffy Lux Hybrid mattress because it has more give around the shoulders to allow for better posture.
1.1: Orthopedic Mattress Can Prevent Upper Back and Neck Pain
I usually tell my patients who suffer from severe back pain to switch to an orthopedic mattress as they are specially designed to provide targeted support to the joints of your musculoskeletal system.
Several studies have shown significant improvements in back pain relief, back discomfort, back stiffness, and overall sleep quality among volunteers who used orthopedic bedding for 28 days , , .
An orthopedic mattress offers a firm surface that helps the sleeper obtain the correct sleep posture.
The unique design of an orthopedic mattress evenly distributes the body weight to prevent the build-up of tension and pressure on the neck, back, and hip joints.
Hence, switching to an orthopedic mattress is worth consideration for back pain and neck pain patients.
Avoid Electronic Devices 2
The use of electronic devices is associated with poor quality sleep.
Electronic devices like mobiles, computers, laptops, etc. have become an important part of our lives but they can interfere with our sleep through various mechanisms:
- The use of these devices suppresses the production of melatonin, a natural hormone produced in our body that initiates sleep.
- They disrupt our sleep/wake up cycle.
- Psychological and emotional factors triggered by using these devices result in the release of adrenaline that further delays the onset of sleep.
I recommend avoiding smartphones, laptops, and other electronic devices in the bedroom.
Sleep On Your Side With Your Knees Slightly Bent
What is the best sleeping position if you have lower back pain and sciatica?
The best sleeping position for individuals with lower back pain and sciatica is on your side with your knees slightly bent putting a small cushion or pillow between your knees is also helpful in order to decrease the pressure on your spine .
If you are unable to sleep on your side then you can do the following to improve your posture:
- Place a cushion under the legs, knees, and lower back to support the spine.
- Use an adjustable bed and raise the lower portion of the bed to minimize tension on your back.
- If you are a habitual stomach sleeper then place a cushion under your hips and belly.
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What Are Ways To Relieve Sciatic Pain During Pregnancy
While sciatica can lead to significant pregnancy pain and discomfort, there are some practical ways to address it.
Sleep on your side. Sciatica tends to worsen over night, and is often especially bad in the morning, because you place so much strain on the sciatic nerve when you lay down to sleep. Sleeping on your side will generally eliminate that strain, allowing you to sleep more comfortably. Naturally, youll want to sleep on your pain-free side.
Use pillows. By placing a pillow or two under your legs or back, you can elevate your lower back and pelvis and limit the pressure on your sciatic nerve. Experiment with different pillow placements that offer you some extra back support.
Linking Sleep And Back Pain
The majority of people sleep one of three ways: on their back, on their stomach, or on their side. There are ways in which all three can have a negative impact on spinal health and existing pain conditions.
For sciatica, one of the greatest culprits for prolonging and exacerbating pain during sleep is stomach sleeping. Other positions that may worsen the pain include any positions that involve a twisting torso, sleeping on your side without support, and other positions that bend the lower back awkwardly.
Its important to visualize how posture and movement might affect your spine. Remember that sciatica is often caused by a pinched nerve root in the lower back.
If you take your hand and place it behind your back, and spread your fingers, the region in question is roughly the length from your little finger to your thumb if your little finger is placed just above the tailbone. Lets take a look at how different sleeping habits might affect this portion of your back:
If you sleep on your side, the gap between your hips and shoulders will sink deeper into the mattress, causing your spine to bend awkwardly.
Because your knees would be uncomfortably stacked on top of each other, you would likely shift one knee in front of the other, causing your lower back to bend. In this case, you would be both bending and twisting your lower back.
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For Those Who Sleep On Their Stomach
Stomach sleeping is something that can lead to pain. Not only does it cause your back to arch in an unnatural position, but it also causes your neck to strain when you move it on the side to breathe. It also works against gravity. However, there are some people who find sleeping on their stomach the most comfortable. If you absolutely cannot avoid this, then make a slight adjustment by putting a pillow under your belly or under the pelvis to assist the back in maintaining a slightly more natural position.
Dont Use A Mattress That Is Too Soft
While a soft bed might be your preference, if you have developed sciatica, it might not be the best idea. A mattress that is firmer could well help make your nights more comfortable as you wont be sinking into an overly soft mattress that puts your spine out of alignment. So, try and get yourself a medium-firm mattress or consider putting something firmer under your existing mattress, such as plywood. The Sleep Foundation has put together an article about the best mattresses for sciatica if you decide a new mattress is the way to go.
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Take A Warm Bath Before Bed To Relax
A warm bath before bed provides a soothing effect and aids sleep.
Warm water has a relaxing and healing effect for any injured tissue.
It increases the temperature of the muscles and stimulates blood flow around injured tissue.
It also relieves muscle spasms and promotes healing.
Various studies have confirmed the beneficial effect of a warm bath on the onset of sleep.
Please remember that using water that is too hot can have the opposite effect as it can burn the skin .
Risk Factors For Sciatica
Certain individual and lifestyle factors can increase a persons risk for sciatica and exacerbate the resulting pain or discomfort. Increased age is a primary risk factor. Being overweight or obese can be another factor. The extra weight adds stress to the spine, which can trigger sciatica. Having diabetes may also be a factor as that condition can generally cause nerve damage.
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Certain occupations may also lead to increased risk for sciatica. Jobs that require heavy lifting and unusual movements may cause damage that results in sciatica nerve pain. Prolonged sitting such as at an office job or while driving a motor vehicle for extended periods of time, can also increase the risk of developing sciatica.
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Intolerable Pain On Both Legs
A sharp pain traveling down your leg or down both your legs is the most commonly reported symptom of back pain, and it may indicate more serious complications. Usually, this complication results from a sciatic nerve injury in the lower back.
Bilateral sciatica occurs when the pain affects both legs at the same time. The condition may result in bladder and bowel dysfunctions.
Its also possible to notice a malfunction or altered sensation in your genital area, which is indicative of cauda equina syndrome.
Use A Mattress That Is Not Too Soft Nor Too Firm
If you have sciatica or lower back pain, pay attention to your mattress. Check if it is too soft or too firm. A wrong type of mattress can worsen your condition.
If you have sciatica or lower back pains, the surface where you should sleep on must provide proper cushion and support. It should conform to your body, without sagging excessively. It should also limit the pressure against your shoulders, hips, and other bony prominences.
If your mattress or bed is too soft:
Your body will conform to the curves of the sagged areas
As your body follows the curves of your sagging mattress, the normal curvature of your spine will be altered
The spine will not be properly aligned
Spinal misalignment can cause more pressure or irritation on the spinal nerves
There will be limited movement and moisture drainage if the body contours excessively which can lead to increased discomfort
Certain muscles will not be able to relax well as they try to adjust to the pits on the bed
Youll end up with muscle strains
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Take A Warm Relaxing Bath Before Going To Bed
Finding a way to relax and unwind is an important part of preparing for bed if you have sciatica, and a nice bath is a great idea to accomplish this. Soaking in a warm tub will initiate the release of pain-relieving endorphins and will relax the muscles surrounding your sciatic nerve. Warm water is best for this form of relaxation. If the water is too hot or too cold it can be overstimulating and may produce results far different from what you desire.
Try One Of The Best Sleeping Positions For Sciatica
Finding a comfortable sleeping position with sciatica is one of the biggest challenge patients experience. These are some of the best sleeping positions for those suffering from lower back pain due to sciatica.
Use a pillow between your legs The pillow is there to help align the hips, pelvis, and spine better.
Sleep in a fetal position When you sleep in this position, you open the space between the vertebrae, providing pressure relief.
Use a pillow under your abdomen If you can only sleep on your stomach, add a pillow under your abdomen. This is particularly helpful for those with degenerative disc disease.
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Mix Up Sleeping Position
Find your sleeping problems getting worse over time you might want to try a new sleeping position. I put together a list of my 3 best way to sleep with sciatica if you are out of ideas for new positions. Learning how to lay in bed with Sciatica can be tough especially if you are trying a new sleeping position.
Adjust Your Sleeping Position
When learning how to sleep with sciatica, your sleeping position can impact your level of pain drastically. For instance, sleeping with sciatica becomes more difficult when your back is arched or curves more towards the mattress. This may be because you sleep on your stomach, or your mattress is too soft so your spine curves, adding pressure to the lower back and sciatica nerve.
There are many sleeping positions that can minimize hip pain when sleeping and help you learn how to sleep with sciatica pain.
If you do have sciatica pain or hip pain at night, then one of the best positions to sleep in is on your side with a pillow between your legs. Sleeping on your side with sciatica reduces the pressure put on the nerve.
Most people have sciatica pain that is isolated to one side of their body, so learning how to sleep with sciatica pain may involve sleeping with that side on top to avoid any unnecessary pressure on the nerve.
Just remember, alignment is still key!
Adding a pillow lengthwise between your knees and ankles in this position will help to put your hips in a more neutral position. The pillow will lift your knee up slightly to make it more aligned with your hip, taking some of the pull off of the hip muscles while you sleep.
Sleeping with sciatica pain will look a little different for everyone, so trying out afew sleeping positions for hip pain may be necessary to find the one that works for you.
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Tips For Getting To Sleep With Sciatic Pain
Sciatic pain can make it almost impossible to find a comfortable position and fall asleep. The symptoms dont abate just because it is time for you to go to bed. And often a throbbing pain in your foot or burning sensation in your calf can cause you to wake up in the middle of the night abruptly. Some of the questions that most people have are: What is the best way to sleep with back pain, or more specifically what is the best way to sleep with lower back pain? Try these tips to help you fall asleep and wake up refreshed and ready to face the day.
What Does Sciatica Pain Feel Like
Sciatica pain is often described as a sharp shooting pain that starts in the lower back and radiates down the legs. Your sciatica nerve can be damaged from a sudden accident or be the result of arthritis in the spine. Sciatic pain can be relieved with over-the-counter medication, surgery, physical therapy, or holistic remedies.
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Preventive Efforts For Sciatica Pain
Ideally, you will take steps to be generally healthy and promote spine health, which would also help to prevent sciatica. Regular movement and exercise are key parts of prevention. Specifically, do activities that will keep your back and core muscles strong. When you sit for extended periods, use good posture. Having your seating set up in an ergonomic style will also be helpful. Further, when you must do heavy lifting, avoid putting too much strain on your back. Use braces and supports as needed.
Consider A New Mattress
Ive already mentioned that the type of mattress you have can impact how to sleep with sciatica pain. The cause of your sciatica and the severity of the pain can certainly impact this, but there are some mattress types that can help minimize your pain.
As a general rule, softer surfaces cause more curvature in your spine, which adds more pressure to the nerve. Some people with sciatica pain actually choose to sleep on the floor because it keeps their spine in proper alignment.
When learning how to sleep with sciatica, you might try laying down a camping pad or a yoga mat. This generally works for most people that have severe sciatica pain.
If sleeping on the floor doesnt seem like the ideal solution, there are other options!
Seek out a medium-firm mattress. This should help improve your spinal alignment and reduce your sciatica pain.
If you dont want to invest in a new mattress or sleep on the floor, still another possible way to learn how to sleep with sciatica is to firm up the current mattress you have. This is easily done by slipping a piece of plywood under the mattress but on top of the box spring.
The firmness you prefer will likely be different from another person with sciatica pain, and if you sleep in the same bed as your partner, they may not like the mattress to be so firm. So, for many people, effectively reducing and managing their pain could be a combination of a few different strategies.
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Hot Tips For Sleeping With Sciatica
Here are some more ways to improve your sleep with sciatica.
- Keep your body in alignment. Try not to twist your spine or swing your hips over too far to the side.
- Try yoga or light stretching. A gentle yoga or stretch sesh before bed can help reduce nerve pressure. It can also loosen and relax your muscles.
- Swap your mattress. Goldilocks knows whats up. Go with a medium-firm mattress. Studies show theyre best for promoting primo spine health.
- Get a piece of plywood. We know this might sound weird, but hear us out. Put a piece of plywood between your mattress and box spring. It will add a firm layer of support.
- Add tub time to your routine. A warm bath may help soothe lower back pain. Plus a relaxing bath has beaucoup mental health benefits. Win-win.
- Get a body pillow or pregnancy pillow. These bad boys will keep you from flip-flopping throughout the night. They might be extra useful if youre a stomach sleeper since they can stop you from rolling onto your belly.
- Develop good sleep habits. Adopting solid sleep habits can boost the overall quality of your sleep. Try to go to bed at the same time every night, keep your room at a comfy temp, and say no to caffeine before bed.
Why Is Sleep So Important
When we have trouble sleeping with sciatica, this lack of sleep hinders the natural process of recovery in our bodies, which in turn slows down our recovery from sciatica.
This is why we need to make sure that everything in your sleeping environment is absolutely geared towards sleeping with sciatica for 7-8 hours each night.
Sleep is so important in the healing process that I couldnt leave this advice out for any client.
Sleep is when healing occurs certain hormones are released during sleep that regulate just about everything in the body. This is we need to make sure that we are doing everything we can get plenty of rest when we are sleeping with sciatica.
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