How to Sleep With Back Pain (Zero Gravity Chairs May Help!)
Experiencing back pain can make it hard enough to get through the day let alone get a good night’s sleep. If you’re one of millions of people who suffer from back pain each year, you may be compounding the problem due to sleep deprivation.
Today we’re taking a look at how to sleep with back pain and how zero gravity chairs may help. You’re certainly not alone in the struggle to find a sleeping position for back pain and we’re here to help potentially make it a little bit easier.
Importance of Learning How to Sleep With Back Pain
Getting a good night’s sleep is crucial to your overall mental and physical health. Sleep is a huge contributor to how the body heals itself. Studies have shown, however, that this is a two-way relationship in that back pain can be a common cause of insomnia and other sleep disorders that decrease your body’s ability to heal while lack of sleep leaves you more prone to experiencing back pain.
Best Sleeping Positions for Back Pain
Since sleep and back pain have that two-way relationship, learning how to sleep with lower back pain is critical to help stop or prevent back pain both now and long term. The best sleeping position for back pain depends on your typical sleep habits and what physical limitations you may be experiencing.
For instance, side sleepers will benefit from different tips for how to sleep with back pain than those who tend to sleep on their stomachs. If you’re having trouble getting into bed at all, then you may even find an alternative such as sleeping in a reclined position in a zero gravity chair helps relieve back pain and gives you the good night’s sleep you need.
Some tips for how to sleep with back pain depending on your sleep position habits we’ll be exploring include:
- Side sleepers sleeping with a pillow between your knees
- Sleeping in the fetal position to help heal herniated discs
- Supporting your abdomen while sleeping on your stomach
- Elevating your knees while sleeping on your back
- Sleeping in a reclined position to alleviate back pain
Avoiding Back Pain Sleeping On Sides of Your Body
The first method for how to sleep with back pain we’ll look at is avoiding back pain by sleeping on the sides of your body. If you’re a side sleeper, make sure your shoulder is making contact with the mattress. Many people have a tendency to adjust their pillow too far under them, which throws off your spinal alignment and may contribute to back pain.
Once you’ve aligned your body positioned on your side, place a pillow between your knees. If you find you’ve got a slight gap between your waist and the mattress you should consider a small pillow there, as well. This support helps keep the full length of your spine in alignment from the pelvic area to your neck while you sleep.
Make sure the pillow you use between your knees makes them run parallel along the natural lines of your body. Too thick or thin a pillow and it won’t be as effective for how to sleep with back pain when you’re a side sleeper! Additionally, resist the urge to sleep on the same side each night. While some studies have shown that sleeping on your left side may contribute to better digestive health, sleeping on the same side every night may lead to muscular imbalance or other spinal conditions like scoliosis.
Sleeping in the Fetal Position for Back Pain
You might be experiencing back pain due to a herniated disc. For help on how to heal a herniated disc naturally, try sleeping on your side in the fetal position. Curling up into the fetal position may sound strange, but it helps open up space between vertebrae, allowing the herniated disc to heal and fit back into place more easily.
Sleeping on a Stomach for Back Pain
The next method we’re going to be looking at when learning how to sleep with back pain is for stomach sleepers. In general, sleeping on your stomach is the least optimal way to sleep when figuring out how to sleep with lower back pain. In this position, your spine is most likely out of its natural curvature and sharply twisted or angled where your neck meets your pillow.
If you’re set on sleeping on your stomach, however, try putting a pillow beneath your pelvic region and stomach. Supporting this area of your body while you sleep face down helps relieve some of the pressure on your spine, which is a common cause of back pain. Some people who opt for this may even find they prefer to not have a pillow under their head if they’re using one to support their stomach and pelvic area!
How to Sleep on Your Back With Back Pain
Sleeping on your back may be the best way for you to learn how to sleep with back pain. For those trying this method while they figure out how to sleep with lower back pain, try adding a pillow underneath your knees to elevate them slightly. This sleeping position for back pain helps keep your spinal position more neutral and in its natural S-shaped curvature. The end goal is to help distribute your weight along your body as you lie horizontally in bed.
Sleeping in a Recliner for Back Pain
For those who have difficulty getting in and out of bed due to back pain or who might be having trouble alleviating back pain while lying horizontally, consider a recliner for back pain instead. Specifically, you may want to experience how sleeping in a zero gravity chair improves sleep quality and alleviates back pain.
Choosing between a zero gravity chair or recliner, you’ll see that traditional recliners may cause back pain to get worse rather than improve. The reason is because they only recline so far, which actually focuses pressure on the lower back instead of relieving it. The zero gravity position, however, elevates the legs above the heart level and distributes weight along your entire body. This advanced reclining position drastically reduces pressure on your lower back, making zero gravity chairs for back pain and treating sciatica symptoms very popular.
Some other health benefits of zero gravity chairs that make them ideal for learning how to sleep with lower back pain include improving poor blood circulation to deliver oxygen and nutrients more efficiently, enhancing how the body heals itself, and helping reduce stress. Bonus features of zero gravity luxury recliners may include heat therapy and massage features that further help reduce back pain and keep muscles loose, helping you get a better night’s sleep.
Learning how to sleep with back pain doesn’t need to be complicated! With a few simple adjustments to your sleeping habits, you may be able to reduce pressure on the back and help relieve back pain that’s keeping you up at night. Whether it’s trying new pillow placements to align your spine in bed or choosing a zero gravity chair to sleep in a reclined position, you’ll see how getting adequate amounts of sleep can make a huge difference. Try some of these tips and see if you can stop the downward cycle of back pain and sleep deprivation to get back to feeling great again!
For more information about the importance of spinal care and zero gravity chair benefits, check out these resources:
