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Many people suffer from lower back pain. In fact, the way we sleep and the bedding we choose, which accounts for about one-third of our lives, hold the key to improving lower back pain.
This article will introduce the correct sleeping posture and appropriate bedding choices for a comfortable night's sleep and a healthy awakening.
Why does lower back pain occur during sleep?
If you experience back or lower back pain when you wake up in the morning, it's likely due to several factors that cause lower back pain during sleep.
Below, we'll explain each cause in detail:
- Poor sleeping posture
- Bedding that doesn't suit your body
- Sleeping for too long
Poor sleeping posture
If you have a lordotic curve (swayback) and sleep on your back, the curve of your spine creates a space between your back and the futon, providing no support for your lower back.
Additionally, the lumbar spine is surrounded by soft organs and muscles, so sleeping without sufficient support can cause the lumbar spine to sink and compress nerves, leading to lower back pain.
Furthermore, for individuals with lumbar spinal canal stenosis, sleeping on their back can cause the lower back to arch, further narrowing the already constricted spinal canal and compressing nerves. This can worsen symptoms of sciatica, such as pain and numbness in the legs and lower back, so caution is advised.
For more details on ideal sleeping posture, please refer to the following article:
What is the ideal sleeping posture? A comprehensive guide to sleeping on your back, side, and stomach
Bedding that doesn't suit your body
Mattress firmness greatly impacts lower back pain. If the mattress is too soft, your body will sink too deeply, making it difficult to turn over. This hinders pressure distribution and blood circulation, and also impedes the removal of waste products.
On the other hand, if it's too firm, pressure will be placed on protruding areas like the shoulder blades and buttocks, disrupting the natural S-curve of the spine.
According to the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare's information website "e-Health Net", a mattress firm enough to maintain a lumbar curve of 2-3 cm during sleep, compared to 4-6 cm when standing, is recommended.
Brain Sleep mattresses are designed to replicate the posture that places the least strain on the body, providing firm support not only for the lower back but also for the shoulders and legs.
Brain Sleep Mattress Premium Float
Sleeping for too long
The longer you sleep, the longer your body's movements are restricted. If this continues, it can put continuous strain on the lower back area.
In particular, the intervertebral discs between the bones of the spine can experience increased pressure on the lower back due to prolonged same-position compression, leading to pain.
According to the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare's "Sleep Guide for Health Promotion 2023", the ideal sleep duration is 6 hours or more, although this varies from person to person. If you'd like to know more about ideal sleep duration, please refer to this article:
What is the ideal sleep duration? How to find and ensure the optimal amount of sleep
What are the sleeping positions that improve/alleviate lower back pain?
Here are some measures to alleviate lower back pain during sleep.
Bend your knees when sleeping on your back
To relieve lower back pain, it is effective to place a cushion or zabuton (Japanese floor cushion) under your knees. By keeping your knees bent, your hip joints will naturally flex, which reduces the arch in your lower back.
This reduces the strain on your lower back and can prevent pain during sleep. Since cushions can shift during sleep, it's recommended to place the cushion or zabuton under your futon.
When sleeping on your side, support your lumbar spine with a towel
When sleeping on your side, firmly supporting your lumbar spine is key to preventing lower back pain. By placing a towel folded to about 10 centimeters wide under your waist, you can prevent your lumbar spine from arching unnaturally and maintain a stable posture.
Since a towel alone can easily shift during sleep, it's recommended to also use a tummy wrap. By inserting a small folded towel into the tummy wrap and securing it to the curve of your side waist, you can support the lumbar spine area and enjoy comfortable sleep all night long.
Turn over in a way that doesn't strain your lower back
People with acute lower back pain, severe lower back pain, or sciatica may experience intense pain when turning over in bed.
In such cases, there is a method that can reduce the burden on your lower back. Try this when turning over:
- Bend your knees and curl your body into a compact ball.
- Keep your abdominal muscles engaged.
- Move your upper and lower body in the direction you want to turn.
Moving your upper and lower body separately to turn over can put strain on your lower back and back, so be careful.
Sleeping and getting up positions to avoid when experiencing lower back pain
Here, we will introduce sleeping postures and ways of getting up that you should avoid when your lower back hurts.
Sleeping on your back with legs extended
Sleeping on your back distributes pressure evenly across your body, so it places less strain on your lower back compared to sleeping on your stomach or side.
However, sleeping with your legs completely extended can pull on your pelvis, potentially causing further lower back pain, so caution is advised.
Especially if you have a lordotic curve, sleeping on your back can exacerbate the arch in your lower back, putting strain on your lumbar spine. Therefore, using support or other modifications is necessary.
Sleeping on your stomach
Sleeping on your stomach naturally places gravity on your lower back, making it more likely for your lumbar region to sink. If this position is maintained, your lumbar spine can become excessively arched, leading to an unnatural posture over a long period.
As a result, this can put excessive strain on your lower back muscles and ligaments, potentially worsening existing lower back pain or causing new pain.
Sleeping with the painful part down
Sleeping with the painful part of your lower back facing down might seem like it would alleviate the pain. However, this posture can excessively tense the muscles in the painful area, leading to poor blood circulation.
Poor circulation hinders the supply of oxygen and nutrients to the muscles and also impedes the removal of waste products.
This is a sleeping position that must be avoided, as it significantly increases the likelihood of chronic lower back pain or worsening symptoms.
Getting up by swinging your legs
Getting out of bed by swinging your legs to gain momentum puts sudden strain on your lower back.
To minimize strain on your lower back, it's best to first turn onto your side, and then slowly sit up from that position. This way of getting up avoids significant strain on your lower back, allowing you to rise safely.
How to deal with lower back pain
Here, we have summarized key points for people with lower back pain to be mindful of.
Use bedding that reduces strain on your lower back
Lower back pain during sleep primarily occurs when the lower back is not properly supported for an extended period.
To remedy this, it is crucial to choose a mattress or futon of appropriate firmness that suits your body type and sleeping posture.
Incorporating bedding that firmly supports your lower back and evenly distributes body pressure can help prevent and alleviate lower back pain, leading to a comfortable night's sleep.
Incorporate a pillow that makes it easy to turn over
About 85% of lower back pain is called "non-specific lower back pain," which refers to lower back pain whose cause cannot be identified by examinations. This is because prolonged stooping or slouching, muscle weakness due to lack of exercise, and muscle stiffness due to cold weather in winter are thought to be contributing factors.
It usually improves with self-care, but can become chronic due to lack of rest or stress. For comfortable sleep, sleeping on your back is ideal. Sleeping on your back allows your body to relax most completely without any unnecessary tension.
Also, during sleep, you turn over to promote blood circulation and prevent pressure on specific areas. Therefore, choosing a pillow that makes it easy to turn over is also important. If the pillow is too soft, it will be difficult to turn over due to the weight of your head.
Conversely, if it's too firm, it can strain your shoulders and neck, potentially leading to stiff shoulders, so be careful.
Below, we introduce how to choose an ideal pillow, so please take a look as well.
What is the ideal pillow height? Also explains how to choose a pillow to improve sleep quality
Consult a medical institution
Lower back pain is a common symptom, but even if the symptoms are mild, if they persist for more than 6 weeks, consult a doctor at a medical institution. You can get an accurate diagnosis of the cause, appropriate treatment methods, and useful daily advice.
Furthermore, if you notice "redness or swelling around your lower back" or "pain that persists despite resting," it may be a serious condition.
In such cases, keep the affected area still and seek medical attention as soon as possible.
Brain Sleep mattresses that firmly support your lower back during sleep
Here, we introduce mattresses recommended by Brain Sleep. If you are suffering from lower back pain, please refer to this information.
Improve lower back pain with the right sleeping position and bedding
To improve lower back pain, it is important to have the correct sleeping posture and choose bedding that suits you. Especially if you want to reduce the strain on your lower back, choose a mattress or futon of appropriate firmness that matches your body type and sleeping posture.
For those suffering from lower back pain, incorporating a mattress into your sleep routine can help create a better sleep environment. Brain Sleep offers a range of mattresses that support correct sleeping posture, so please use this as a reference when choosing your bedding.
