By Andrew Siyabalawatte, posted April 2021.
Did you know that around ten million people in England suffer from back pain? Worrying figures from research by Arthritis UK show that people of all ages are struggling with a musculoskeletal problem.
Bad sleeping positions definitely contribute to this problem.
Especially at a time where working from home in all sorts of positions have become unavoidable, as prior to the beginning of this epidermic, most people were working from an office, with a reasonable desk setup.
Most of my clients feel great following a treatment session, only to return to an working environment, almost certain to unravel the good work carried out.
Therefore, whilst I cannot change their working environment, I can certainly advise how best to manage back pain during a time they are most likely to maintain muscle imbalances –
During Sleep.
What Sleeping Positions should be Avoided?
I shall bullet point this for ease of reading –
- Sleeping on the front – the best position to create muscle imbalances and breathing problems, remember, muscles store memory.
- The Foetal Position – the most common position to sleep in, why is it bad for back pain? most people curl up so much so that the spine and lower back is being overstretched into a position which results in pain, especially when turning – think the same as poor posture at the desk, just lying down.
Good Sleeping Positions for Back Pain
- Lying on the side – but, with a pillow in between the knees, why? The pillow will keep the hips, pelvis, and spine in better alignment and in turn, alleviate pressure off the knee. Pay good attention to position of head and neck alignment in this position too.
KEY POINT – only flex hips and knees slightly, as this position will ensure there is less pressure on the back.
- Sleeping on the back – the key here is a small pillow under the knee which can reduce either knee or hip pain by decreasing the stress on the joint and in turn, the pressure on the back.
Pillow Recommendation for Neck Pain Relief and Neck Alignment – The Original Groove® Pillow (formerly known as the EasySleeper). This pillow will maintain and support the natural position of the neck as the head rests. I recommend this pillow to all my clients and I use it myself!
Click here to read about my personal experience using this pillow.
At Back To Health Wellness Our clients focus heavily on improving their neck and back position in order to manage the stresses placed on the body through the working environment and everyday life. This is done through flexibility stretches and strengthening exercises.
Book with us to learn more about how to manage back pain and improve posture permanently.