Have you ever gone to bed feeling reasonably comfortable, only to wake up with a stiff neck, an aching back, or sore shoulders? Or perhaps you have noticed that your spinal (back/neck) pain feels worse after a poor night's sleep, even though you have not done anything differently physically. If so, you are not imagining it.
Sleep plays a much bigger role in pain than most people realise. In fact, for many busy executive mums, poor sleep can quietly make pain harder to manage and recovery more difficult. In this blog, let us explore the connection between sleep and spinal (back/neck) pain levels.
Throughout the day, your body is constantly adapting to the demands placed upon it. Sitting through meetings. Working at a laptop. Driving. Carrying bags. Managing work and family responsibilities. Even when these activities do not cause immediate back, neck or nerve pain, they create physical and mental load.
Sleep is when your body gets the opportunity to recover from that load. Your muscles relax. Your nervous system settles. Your tissues begin the process of repair and recovery. When sleep is interrupted or shortened, your body has less time to complete that work. As a result, you may wake up feeling less refreshed and more sensitive to discomfort.
Poor Sleep Can Increase Pain Sensitivity:
One of the most important things to understand is that sleep does not just affect how rested you feel. It also affects how your nervous system processes pain. After a poor night's sleep, many people notice that aches and pains feel more noticeable. Areas that were manageable yesterday suddenly feel tighter, stiffer, or more uncomfortable.
This does not necessarily mean your condition has worsened. Often, it means your nervous system has become more sensitive because it has not had the recovery time it needs. This is one of the reasons pain and poor sleep often create a frustrating cycle. Pain disrupts sleep, and poor sleep increases pain sensitivity.
Your Sleeping Position Matters:
If your neck is unsupported, your pillow is too high or too low, or your cervical spine is held in an awkward position for hours, you may wake up feeling stiff and uncomfortable.
If you sleep on your stomach the curve in your lower back (lumbar lordosis) is exaggerated to its maximum capacity. So the curve sits at a maximum angle and there are additional stress on the muscles, ligaments and joints in the lumbar spine. This can aggravate your existing back pain or could be the cause of your first back pain.
The goal is not to find the "perfect" sleeping posture. The goal is to find a position that allows your spine, neck, and joints to feel supported and relaxed. Watch this video to learn "Best Sleeping Positions to Avoid Back and Neck Pain"
If you are struggling with ongoing pain, start paying attention to your sleep as well as your posture, movement, and daily habits.
Simple changes such as improving your sleep routine, supporting your body more comfortably at night, and prioritising recovery can have a surprisingly positive impact on pain levels.
HERE is a free guide on "How can you maintain a Good Posture While Sleeping". It gives you the details of sleeping posture in side lying, back sleeping, 3 postures to avoid when sleeping and how to change to a better sleeping posture and much more.
If you like this blog and want to be notified about new blogs as soon as they are published, subscribe to my mailing list below.
I would love to see you around the internet! For other places you can explore more about me: https://withswati.com/page/link
0 Comments