Sleeping tips to ease back pain

If you suffer from pain after getting up in the morning or you want to avoid aches and pains, check out the four helpful tips below for preventing sleep-related back pain.

One of the main causes of back pain from sleep is to sleep on your stomach. Sleeping in this position compresses your lower back, which puts it under unnecessary pressure. It also allows your neck and head free to twist in the middle of the night, causing strain on them as well.

For people who are chronic stomach sleepers, doctors recommend wearing a t-shirt with a pocket and putting a tennis ball in it to prevent them from rolling over onto their stomach in the middle of the night.

The most comfortable position for back health is to sleep on your side, in the fetal position. In order to reduce pressure from knees touching together, sleep experts recommend sleeping with a pillow between your knees. Finding a comfortable position that's good for your back will minimize the chance that you'll move around in the middle of the night, further reducing the risk of developing back pain.

To avoid putting stress on your neck and creating upper back pain,  sleep with a thin pillow that doesn't elevate your head too high. Either find one thin pillow to sleep with, or use a folded up towel as a pillow instead.

Most sleep experts recommend a medium firm mattress when it comes to preventing back pain. However, the most reliable way to choose a mattress is by finding one that feels comfortable on your back. Test out mattress firmness levels at the store, and see which one feels like it offers your back the best level of comfort. If buying a mattress isn't in the budget for you right now, you can add extra support to your current bed by adding plywood supports between your mattress and bed frame.