Back Pain Keeping You Up at Night? How to stop back pain at night to get a better night’s sleep!

Feb 28

Do you find yourself tossing and turning at night? Do you wake up feeling tired and achy? Do you have a hard time falling asleep due to pain? Do you have a hard time getting and staying comfortable? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then this blog is for you...

A lot of our new patients suffer with back pain and want to know how to stop back pain without having to rely on painkillers to get a good night’s sleep. In addition to dealing with back pain in day-to-day life, people we speak to frequently suffer with poor sleep, which in turn leaves you with no energy, and affects your mood during the day. This not only impacts you, but the people around you. This makes finding a solution imperative, with no time to waste. In this blog, we will cover how to stop back pain at night and get better sleep with natural, drug-free solutions that are practical, and easy to implement in your life.

Why Do I Wake Up with Back Pain?

During the night, you are moving less, and this leads to stiff joints, and tight muscles. This is made worse if you sleep in a poor position, which I’m sure you can feel in the morning. Many sufferers of chronic pain complain that they are unable to be in one position for long periods of time without pain during the day. This could be why you are waking up, getting poor sleep, or are just in pain after waking up.

How to Reduce Back Pain So You Can Fall Asleep (What to Try)

If you struggle to fall to sleep, there are a number of drug-free ways to reduce back pain and help you get comfortable in bed.

A good starting point is to try and establish a nightly routine around 30- 60 minutes before the time you want to fall to sleep. This could include drinking warm tea, reading, knitting, listening to soothing music or meditating. This is to alert your brain that it is time for rest and your mind will be less likely to keep you up or “race.” As for your body, you could take a warm shower or bath, apply heat pads, or do some light stretching exercises to loosen your muscles which can reduce back pain before you go to sleep. We have some excellent resources for back-pain stretches and releases in our Conquer Mystery Pain E-Course.

What to Avoid So You Can Fall Asleep

If you find you are still struggling to fall to sleep, then it’s best to avoid alcohol, big meals right before bed, and caffeinated drinks after 12pm. Screen time before bed has also been known to impact sleep quality so it’s best to put your screens away at least 30 minutes before bedtime. I know this is a tough one, but it could make a world of difference in your sleep and subsequently your mornings! (Don’t worry, your phone will be there when you wake up )

What’s The Best Sleeping Position for Reducing Back Pain?

If you’ve managed to apply some of the top tips from the previous section to your bedtime routine, and you are in the right headspace and environment for sleep, and with your joints and muscles feeling pain-free (or at least a lot less sore than normal), then the next step to focus on is getting into a comfortable sleeping position which won’t aggravate your back pain. The best sleeping position will depend on your preference, however, to stop back pain at night and get better sleep, you will want to keep your spine in alignment and here are some things you can do to make sure that happens.

Sleeping On Your Back

If you sleep on your back, this is a great sleeping position as it evenly distributes your body weight and therefore puts less pressure on specific points. To improve this sleeping position, you can place a small pillow or rolled up blanket underneath your knees, which will help keep a natural curve in your lower back. You can also place a rolled-up towel under the small of your back too for added support. This will ensure that your spine remains in alignment when you are sleeping on your back.

Sleeping On Your Front

This generally a poor sleeping position and can lead to back pain, and/or neck pain. However, if you are a die-hard front sleeper, then you could try placing a pillow under your pelvis and lower abdomen which will relieve some of the pressure on your lower back. Depending on your preference, you also might find it more comfortable to lay without resting your head on pillow. This will make your head and neck more aligned with your spine and cause less neck pain.

Sleeping On Your Side

The best way to avoid or reduce pain in this position is to sleep with your left or right shoulder in contact with the mattress, along with the rest of that side of your body, and with a pillow between your knees. Your neck pillow should sit between the top of your shoulder and your head, so that your neck is in a neutral position. An important thing to remember is that sleeping on your side alone won’t reduce back pain. It’s using the pillow between your knee, that makes the big difference, as the pillow will keep your hips, your pelvis, and your spine in better alignment.

Should I Change My Mattress?

If you can’t remember the last time, you changed your mattress, or you have noticed that it is sagging or uneven, it may be a good idea to find a replacement. Your mattress can play a vital role in supporting your body during your sleep, and in turn, influence whether you wake up with back pain and stiff joints, or you wake up feeling well rested. The ideal firmness of a mattress can vary based on a person’s sleeping position, body shape, and individual preferences, but as a general rule using a medium-firm mattress will be the best option for most people.

If your budget allows you to buy a new mattress, make sure to test drive these when in store, so you are sure that you are making the right choice. A lot of stores even allow you to try the mattress for 30 days or longer, with the option to return it if you aren’t satisfied.

We hope that you have found the advice in this blog useful, and we know that applying any of these tips will reduce your back pain, and help you get better sleep. However, if you want the most effective solution to stop your back pain at night, and you are sick of waking up sore, and with no energy for the day ahead, then reach out to our team of expert physical therapists. Our team has helped hundreds of back pain patients over the years and have a wealth of experience and knowledge to share with you.

How To Get Our Help

At Arancia Physical Therapy, we offer expert advice tailored to you and your life-altering back pain, which is wrecking your sleep, and leaving you reliant on painkillers, for FREE, in under 30 minutes. If you qualify for one of our free Discovery Visit consultations, you will get the opportunity to speak to one of our friendly team virtually via Zoom on a 1-1 basis and discover:

What is the underlying cause of your aches and pains?
Roughly, how long will it take to fix my problem?
What to do to help – which doesn’t include painkillers, resting or surgery etc.

To see if you qualify for one of our Discovery Visit’s, email us at info@aranciapt.com or give us a call at (401)602-7006 and a member of our team will be in touch with you shortly!