How Your Sleeping Position Affects Your Back

Your sleeping position will keep your entire body in the same posture for hours, apart from a few tosses and turns until you enter a deep sleep state. This can put a lot of unwanted pressure on your joints and even your spine if your position isn’t comfortable enough, or doesn’t support the natural position the spine wants to take.

You’ve likely felt the consequences of sleeping in the wrong position before. You can wake up sore, or even in full-blown pain simply because your body was not sleeping in its most optimal position.

What’s the Best Sleeping Position for Your Back?

When you’re sleeping, it’s best to try and keep the body in a neutral position. Regarding your back, the spine should remain straight, the shoulders should drop low, and the chip should be slightly elevated thanks to the neck support provided by the pillow.

You’ll notice this is similar to the optimal back position when standing as well. But how can you make sure your body keeps this comfortable and neutral position all through the night?

Well, it may take a while to teach your body to sink in into the position you’re taking at night, but it can be done, especially with a few adjustments to these sleeping postures:

• Flat on Your Back - This distributes weight in your body evenly, so you are not putting unwanted pressure anywhere in your joints or spine. A good pillow can help support the neck and make this position more comfortable;
  

• Flat on Your Side - Sleeping on your back is the best position for your spine, but some people can struggle to get comfortable. If side sleeping is better for you, you should try to stretch your legs to help the spine remain neutral, and choose the right pillow to support your neck and head during your sleep;
  

• On Your Stomach - This position puts a lot of pressure on your lower spine and can stretch the muscles in your neck far too much. If this is the only way you can fall asleep, try to first keep your head straight to take some pressure off the neck, and place a pillow on the abdomen to help your spine remain straight. If this still doesn’t relieve any pains, you should try adopting another sleeping position.
  

Back Pain Relief at Vidan Family Chiropractic

If you’re dealing with back pain, whether that’s caused by your sleeping position or not, Vidan Family Chiropractic can help alleviate the pain in this area, allowing you to feel better.

‍Book a consultation with Dr. Alex Vidan today to access the back pain relief you need.