A day can’t begin the right way without a good night’s sleep. But there’s something that keeps you up at night and hinders your everyday activities: back pains.
Living each day to its potential feels nearly impossible when you can’t sleep through the night. Persistent back pain keeps you awake, leaving you tossing and turning and incapable of finding a sleeping position that’s comfortable and painless.
Continue reading to discover some ways to improve your sleep when you suffer from back pains so that you have the tools to develop a better overall quality of life.
Upgrade Your Mattress
Experts suggest replacing mattresses every six to eight years. Dents form over the years, and the mattress springs lose their elasticity. While mattresses are costly at times, a replacement is an investment worth making because a new mattress can improve your sleep.
A medium-firm mattress is ideal for those with back pains. Incredibly soft mattresses cause you to sink into the foam, while extremely firm mattresses allow for minimal bounce. When choosing a mattress, don’t be afraid to lay on several at the store. You want to ensure you’re choosing the right style that will accommodate your needs.
Alter Your Typical Sleep Position
Making small changes to your typical sleep position is one of the best ways to improve your sleep when you have back pain. There are three standard ways people will sleep: on their side, back, or stomach.
When you sleep on your side, rest your head on a firm pillow. Then, place another pillow in between the knees. This arrangement will help alleviate the pressure placed on the lower back during sleep.
For those who sleep on their backs, place a pillow underneath the knees. The additional back support creates a neutral spine position, leading to less stress on the back during sleep.
You may want to try to avoid sleeping on your stomach because it can put additional stress on the neck and back.
Sit in the Hot Tub Before Bed
People don’t only use hot tubs for relaxing in the summertime. Hot tubs help reduce back pain, in part because the combination of heat and water jets loosens and soothes the muscles. You’ll feel relief in the targeted area and throughout the body. You can spend time in a hot tub to help your body relax before you rest for the night!
Stretch in the Morning and Night
Back pain creates turmoil throughout the day and night. Sometimes, the thought of moving more than necessary is daunting. Stretching is one of the easiest ways to get your body moving, loosen the muscles, and minimize stress on the body.
In the morning, stretching helps loosen muscles. By the time night rolls around, stretching before bed further alleviates the tension the muscles experience during the day. This practice will put you in a better position for your mind and body to experience a better night of sleep.
Don’t let the struggles of back pain stop you from getting a good night’s sleep. Try out these helpful tips and see how your sleep cycle improves in no time!
