The ideal sleep position: On your back The best position to avoid back pain is lying flat on your back. Even so, many people find it the hardest way to enjoy deep sleep. For optimal spine alignment, place one pillow underneath your head or neck and another underneath your knees.
The Overall Best: On your back. Sleeping on your back evenly distributes weight throughout your body and avoids unnatural or unnecessary curves in the spine. Use a small pillow underneath the head and neck (not shoulders) to keep everything in alignment.
By making simple changes in your sleeping position, you can take strain off your back. If you sleep on your side, draw your legs up slightly toward your chest and put a pillow between your legs. Use a full-length body pillow if you prefer. Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products.
Effects on Posture
Adding a pillow risks putting the neck at an even sharper angle, which is why many stomach sleepers feel comfortable sleeping without a pillow. Side and back sleepers usually require a pillow to maintain proper spinal alignment.
Sleeping without a pillow may help some people who sleep on their front. It can help keep the spine and the neck in alignment during sleep, easing neck and back pain. It is not a good idea for everyone, though. People who sleep on their back or side might find that sleeping without a pillow causes neck or back pain.
It can be caused by several things such as a change of spine position, inappropriate sleeping position, change of mattress or pillow, or it can be symptoms of some serious conditions like Arthritis or Degenerative Disc Disease.
Even laying on your side is appreciably more stress than laying flat. At the other end of the spectrum, sitting while leaning forward and lifting weight puts the most strain across your back. When dealing with significant lower back pain, keep this in mind.
Sitting is becoming more prevalent while at work, and having a sedentary desk job can result in sitting for around 8 hours a day. This position actually increases the load on your spine more than standing. Spinal pressure “sits” around 140mm pressure.
Bend your head down toward the opposite knee and take your other hand and put it behind your head and gently pull the head forward to stretch. Hold for 5 seconds and repeat 5 times. This simple stretch alleviates tightness and pain in the cervical spine (neck).
Never slump or slouch in your chair, as this places extra stress on your spine and lumbar discs.
What causes spinal cord compression? One of the most common causes of spinal cord compression is the gradual wear and tear on the bones of the spine, known as osteoarthritis. People who develop spinal cord compression from this are usually older than 50.
Get regular exercise. Exercise strengthens the muscles that support your back and helps keep your spine flexible. Maintain good posture and learn how to safely lift heavy objects. Other good body mechanics include sleeping on a firm mattress and sitting in a chair that supports the natural curves of your back.
Unsupportive Sleep Position
If you feel lower back pain every morning after sleeping, your sleep position. View Source could be at fault. Sleeping in an unsupportive position can increase pressure on your spine and lead to back pain.
Sleeping on your side can be great for helping to alleviate back pain. However, this position can also put unnatural pressure on your lower spine and hips as it causes your top leg to slope downward. Side sleepers should place a pillow between their legs, to support the top leg.
It May Increase Back Pain
While some people with back pain find it beneficial to sleep on the floor, others may find it increases their back pain. Without adequate cushioning around pressure points like your hips and shoulders, sleeping on the floor can cause stiffness and discomfort.
The pillow for your head should support your head, the natural curve of your neck, and your shoulders. Sleeping on your stomach can create stress on the back because the spine can be put out of position.
Sleep Position and Spine Problems
Where sleep posture plays a role in back pain is the neutral spine. If you're not positioned in a way that keeps your spine aligned and relaxed, you may be putting excess weight or strain on different parts of the back.
Research suggests that wearing socks to bed can help people not only fall asleep faster, but sleep longer and wake up fewer times throughout the night. One study found that young men wearing socks fell asleep 7.5 minutes faster, slept 32 minutes longer, and woke up 7.5 times less often than those not wearing socks.
The best sleep position to keep your spine neutral is on the back. When you sleep on your back, place a pillow under your knees and a little roll underneath the small of your neck. The pillows will help you maintain the natural curves of the spine.