Ever wake up after a long night’s rest with an achy, sore back and you don’t know how it happened? Before you rush to your local chiropractor or begin taking medication, the solution may lay right in your bed. Our sleeping position affects our back, neck and spine, and making improvements to how we sleep will not only reduce back pain but will help to keep our neck and spine in order. Here are three sleeping tips to help avoid back pain:
Sleep on a proper mattress.
Poorly padded mattresses do not provide the back support needed while sleeping. The American Chiropractic Association suggests sleeping on a mattress of medium firmness that will keep the curving of your spine to a minimum.
A mattress that is too firm only supports the hips and shoulders while the spine bends toward the mattress.
A mattress that is too soft allows the hips and shoulders to sink down and the spine bends away from the mattress.
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A medium-firm mattress allows the best support for the lower back. If you do not want to go out and buy a new mattress try adding a memory foam mattress topper that will form to the curvature of your spine.
Change your sleeping posture.
Most of us sleep either on our stomach or on our side in the fetal position and that very well contributes to back pain. Both positions put pressure on the spine, muscles, joints and hips.
Sleeping on your stomach compresses your lower back and twists your neck into an unnatural position and flattens the curvature of your spine.
Sleeping on your back or side is best for your back. While on your back, your neck, spine and hips are in a neutral position which eliminates stress on those body parts. Laying on your side lines your spine up with
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your legs and torso eliminating pressure and back pain.
Use your pillow.
Your pillow can be a great asset in helping decrease back pain as it eases the pressure on your back. The trick is to place a pillow between your knees while laying on your back or on your side.
You can also place the pillow below your lower abdomen for support while laying on your back.
These three sleeping tips combined will work wonders for a sore, achy back and will ultimately cost less money and fewer visits to the doctor.
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Other tips to help ease back pain:
Fix your sitting posture.
If the bulk of your work takes place sitting behind a desk using a computer then you may experience back pain if your back is not properly supported.
Slouching over a desk is bad for your back and sitting upright for long periods of time does not help either. A relaxed, reclined position is best as it causes the least stress on your spine.
Implement general exercise.
General exercise programs that improve muscular strength, flexibility and aerobic fitness are best for helping back pain. Increasing core strength helps the spine, increasing flexibility enhances range of motion and flexibility and aerobic exercises stimulate blood flow to soft tissues in the back.
Brisk walking, hiking, cycling, swimming or dancing are simple yet beneficial exercises.
