Sleep posture and back pain

On average humans tend to get about eight hours of sleep a night. It’s estimated that over the course of our lives, we spend about a third of our lives sleeping.

So can your sleep posture affect your back, and overall health and well-being? The answer is an emphatic ‘yes’!

That’s because getting enough good quality sleep gives your body time to recuperate, repair and detoxify. This in turn, is essential for good health, peak performance, and proper mental and emotional functioning.

So what’s the best sleeping position for you?

Unless you have a health condition, it’s fine to sleep in the position you most naturally favour.

But if you’re suffering from back pain, experts say the best sleeping position is to lie on your side with your knees bent and a pillow tucked between your legs. This position allows you to sleep more comfortably as it keeps your legs, hips and spine aligned, and your airways clear. It also allows your spine to keep its natural curves in the lower back, middle back and near your neck.

If sleeping on your back is comfortable for you, try using a pillow under your knees to maintain your back’s natural curve and ease the pressure on the sciatic nerve in your lower back. But be warned that this position is more likely to contribute to snoring or sleep apnoea.

Sleeping on your stomach is the least recommended position as it tends to exaggerate the arch at the base of your spine, and force your neck sideways, causing strain.

The importance of sleep

Good quality sleep is the single most important activity you can do in a day, even more so than eating, according to Sleeping Better Clinic director and chiropractor Dr Jonathan Lubetzky.

His Melbourne-based chiropractic clinic specialises in offering holistic health care programs to help people with chronic pain and sleep disorders, enhance athletes’ performance and support children with sleep, learning and behavioural difficulties.

“Our bodies transition from trying to hold ourselves up against gravity during the day to spending the majority of its energy on detoxification, repair and healing at night when we sleep,” Jonathan says.

“As sleep is a time for your entire body to recuperate and repair, you need to make sure your body’s self-healing mechanism is functioning well at night while you sleep. Without good quality sleep, your sleep debt accumulates, leading to more physiological stress, which is the number one cause of illness and disease.”

Jonathan says the Sleeping Better Clinic offers a distinctive approach by integrating various scientific healing concepts from chiropractic, kinesiology, dentistry, nutrition and environmental medicine.

“We examine the body’s relationship to gravity, which determines both brain function and how well you move, your breathing mechanics and dynamics, your body chemistry, and mental and emotional state,” he says.

“If these areas are not working well, you may experience body aches and pains during the day and sleep problems at night. The result is a fatigued and less capable body.”

Top tips for getting better sleep

• Have a regular bedtime routine and wake-up schedule
• Get a comfortable and supportive mattress that works for you
• For the most rejuvenating sleep, get to bed before midnight
• Avoid caffeine after midday to allow your body time to naturally wind down towards the evening
• Try to exercise in the morning rather than the evening as it will make you more alert
• Avoid having electrical appliances and technology close to your bed at night as the brain is sensitive to electromagnetic fields
• The best sleeping conditions are in a quiet, dark and comfortable room with a temperature of about 20 degrees
• It’s best not to bring work into the bedroom