Back pain is absolutely miserable. It impacts nearly every single aspect of your life. It can be tough to find the right position, whether you’re trying to sleep, trying to walk, or just trying to sit up. At least when you’re awake, you can adjust a little more easily. Fortunately, there are some proven sleep positions that are known to provide some relief.

The Best Sleep Positions

We all sleep differently. There is no one size fits all. That doesn’t mean there aren’t certain ways of sleeping that are more beneficial to most of us. One of the most important things is to be willing to make modifications for back pain.

1. On Your Back – When you’re sleeping on your back, try putting a pillow beneath your knees. Our spine has a natural curvature and when you are lying flat, it can cause pressure on the spine. Placing a pillow under your knees can help alleviate that pressure and allow your spine to curve in the way it needs to.  
2. On Your Side – There’s a reason why we liked the fetal position so much while we were in the womb; it’s comfortable. When you’re asleep on your side, try bringing your knees up to your chest. Again, this relieves pressure on the spine and allows it to curve. You can even try putting a pillow between your knees to straighten out the spine.

Sleep Positions to Avoid

When you’re looking for the best positions, it’s also important to know what to avoid.

• Sleeping on Your Stomach – This position flattens your spine and puts pressure on the muscles in the back. They’re working so hard to compensate for the position, that it causes undue stress. If you must sleep on your back, then try placing a pillow under the upper part of your pelvis. It will help relieve back strain.
• Staying in the Same Position – If you’ve had a long day or one too many glasses of wine, you might find that you wake up sore. This is because you didn’t move much during the night. A healthy back is a back that moves.

An Adjustable Bed

Sleeping in certain positions can sometimes only get you so far. With the advent of adjustable beds, many back-pain sufferers have found lasting relief. An adjustable bed allows you to change your position any time you feel your back getting stiff or sore. Lying completely flat for eight hours can hurt the back of someone without back problems, so just imagine what it does to somebody with back problems. Unfortunately, you probably don’t have to imagine.

An adjustable bed not only allows you to raise your head, but many models also allow you to raise your feet. This is a position that chiropractors often recommend. When the feet are elevated, it relieves pressure from the lower back and creates a nice, healthy stretch. This position can be excellent for pain relief. 

Hopefully one of these tips will help you get a better night’s rest. Dealing with back pain can be difficult enough during the day. You shouldn’t have to be deterred by it during the night, too.