Q: After resting for four or five hours each night, I am awakened with moderate pain in my back. After exercising and walking for 30 minutes, I am able to get back to sleep. You had an article about this once in our local paper but I don’t remember how long ago it appeared. Thank you for your help.
A: We must consider that back pain can be the result of heavy lifting, bending over improperly, being overweight or in poor physical condition, from having a bulging or ruptured disc, arthritis, and countless other reasons. Back pain can be dull, sharp, come on suddenly, be constant, last a short time, or substantially longer. However, if that pain is only present following periods of rest and isn’t present during waking hours, he may have arthritis or even disc disease.
We generally think of sleep as being restorative, yet sleep patterns may be aggravating and actually cause back pain. Many people sleep on one side, with their legs flexed. This tends to leave the right leg without support when turned to the left and the left leg without support when turned to the right because the upper knee slides to the side, forcing the lower spine to rotate. This rotation may either cause pain sufficient to awaken you or may exacerbate existing back pain. To prevent the rotation, simply place a pillow between your knees and thighs, preventing the upper knee from slipping toward the mattress.
If you happen to sleep on your back, the normal curve of your lower back can be disrupted and cause pain. Again, a thin pillow or blanket roll placed under your knees can maintain a normal curve and prevent pain. You may also be more comfortable if you place a second pillow under your neck and head.
Some individuals enjoy sleeping on their stomach which can be a somewhat difficult task as the evening wears on. Again, to help maintain the normal curve of your back and legs, try placing a pillow under your lower abdomen. You might need to modify the height of the pillow under your head or to forfeit that pillow altogether. There are also body pillows that are simply larger than those you may be accustomed to, usually about 50” long. The added length will allow a person to turn to one side or the other and position the pillow between the knees, hips and arms, providing support and comfort.
The right mattress on your bed is also of great importance. If you have been sleeping on the same bedding for a number of years, you might consider a replacement to help you sleep. Don’t be afraid or embarrassed to literally lie on a mattress in the showroom of your local store. It’s too late once you have the product delivered to find you picked one too soft or too firm, so curl up for a few minutes, roll over, and determine which one might be best for you. We spend almost a third of each day sleeping. Pick something that is worthy of that amount of time in your life each day. You’ll be glad you did.
