Worst Sleeping Position for Lower Back Pain

Sleeping positions can significantly impact your long-term wellness, from gastrointestinal health to brain health to musculoskeletal health and more. However, your sleeping position is particularly crucial to spinal health – especially if you already struggle with lower back pain. 

Keep reading to learn all about the best and worst sleeping positions for lower back pain, including key tips to make the most of your nightly zzz’s.

Worst Sleeping Position for Lower Back Pain

Table of Contents

What Sleeping Poses Could Harm Your Lower Back?

The sleeping pose that could harm your lower back is sleeping on your stomach.

Why is Stomach Sleeping Bad for the Lower Back?

Sleeping on your stomach can harm your lower back by increasing the pressure on the lumbar spine. In this position, your stomach sinks into the mattress, deepening the lumbar spine’s natural curvature. This strains the soft tissues in the area while placing excessive impact on the spinal structures. 

If you can only fall asleep on your stomach, try these tips to prevent lower back pain:

  • Place a small pillow under your midsection to support the lumbar spine and alleviate excessive pressure. 
  • Use a flatter pillow under your head to keep your neck and head better aligned with the rest of your spine. 
  • Use a firmer mattress to better support the spine. 
  • Make sure your legs are flat, not lifted or twisted, as this can throw off your spine’s alignment. 

Is Side Sleeping Bad for Your Back?

Side sleeping isn’t bad for your back, so long as you keep your legs in a good position. 

The best way to sleep on your side for lower back pain is to have a slight bend in your legs and a pillow positioned between your knees. Raise your chin so your head is aligned with the rest of your spine. This keeps the spine in neutral alignment while you sleep, preventing excessive impact or strain. 

While many people find it comfortable to sleep on their sides with their knees bent, this position isn’t typically ideal for the spine. It can unevenly distribute your weight across your spine, potentially causing inflammation and pain.

However, for individuals with certain spinal conditions, sleeping in the fetal position can open up space between vertebrae and reduce pressure on inflamed nerve roots. This can make it more comfortable to sleep with spine problems, like spinal stenosis.

What Is the Best Position to Sleep With a Pinched Nerve in the Lower Back?

The best position to sleep with a pinched nerve in the lower back is on your side with a pillow between your knees. 

This position reduces pressure on the inflamed nerve, allowing it to heal more effectively while you sleep. The pillow keeps your top knee from dropping down, which can compromise your spine’s alignment and strain the pinched nerve. 

What Is the Best Way to Sleep With Lower Back Pain?

The best way to sleep with lower back pain is on your back with a pillow under your knees or on your side with a pillow between your knees. 

Sleeping on your back is a simple way to keep your spine aligned while you sleep. For people with lower back pain, placing a pillow under the curve in the lumbar spine provides additional support. The pillow will also help relax your back muscles, preventing tension and spasms. 

Side-sleeping is often the most comfortable position for people with lower back pain. As we’ve already mentioned, put a small pillow in between your knees for the best spinal support. Additionally, using a thin pillow when you sleep on your side helps promote neutral spinal alignment.

How Should I Lay if My Lower Back Hurts?

You should lay on your side or back if your lower back hurts. 

Side and back sleeping provide the best spinal support for lower back pain – especially if you place a small pillow between or under your knees. However, there’s no one way to sleep with lower back pain. So, experiment with different leg positions on your back and side to find the best sleeping position for your needs. 

For example, individuals with spondylolisthesis may benefit from sleeping in a reclined position, with the torso propped up with pillows. This keeps your legs at an angle to your spine, which may minimize impact on the affected segment. 

Which Bed for Lower Back Pain Is Best?

A medium-firm bed is usually best for lower back pain. 

Choosing the best mattress for you is an individual decision that involves personal preferences. However, among people with lower back pain, medium-firm mattresses appear to be ideal. According to a 2021 study, medium-firm mattresses (compared to soft and extra-firm) are the best option to enhance comfort, sleep quality, and spinal alignment. 

Generally, air on the side of firmer (not softer) when choosing a bed for lower back pain. Soft mattresses allow you to sink downward, putting the spine out of alignment and increasing pressure on various tissues. 

Should I Rest in Bed if I Have Lower Back Pain?

If you have lower back pain, you shouldn’t rest in bed for longer than one to two days. 

Rest in Bed if I Have Lower Back Pain

Spending several days resting in bed can seriously compromise your recovery from lower back pain. This may be surprising to some, as you often hear to rest when you’re in pain. But, prolonged bed rest can worsen lower back pain by:

  • Weakening the muscles that support your spine
  • Contributing to muscle tension and stiffness
  • Reducing flexibility and range of motion
  • Creating the risk of muscle atrophy
  • Limiting blood circulation to the back

Lower Back Pain Treatment Options

Lower back treatment options include heat/cold therapy, physical therapy, pain medications, massage therapy, chiropractic care, and surgery.

Heat/Cold Therapy

Heat and cold therapy are among the best at-home remedies for lower back pain. Heat therapy relaxes tense back muscles, prevents spasms, and improves blood flow. Cold therapy curbs inflammation and alleviates pain.

Physical Therapy

Physical therapy is a tried-and-true lower back pain treatment. It involves targeted exercises and stretches to:

  • Improve mobility
  • Strengthen the spine’s supportive muscles
  • Correct imbalanced movement patterns
  • Naturally reduce pain

Pain Medications

Your doctor may prescribe pain medications (like NSAIDs, muscle relaxants, etc.) to help you manage lower back pain while it heals. Though medications aren’t typically used as a long-term solution, they can be a valuable tool in your back pain recovery. 

Massage Therapy

Massage can calm back muscle tension, boost circulation, and promote relaxation in people with lower back pain. It’s often used to complement other treatments, like physical therapy and medications, for persistent back pain. 

Chiropractic Care

Chiropractors perform spinal and joint adjustments, along with other manual therapies, to improve spinal alignment. One major goal of chiropractic care is to bolster the body’s ability to heal itself. It can be very helpful for individuals with back pain from poor spinal alignment or back injuries.

Regain your mobility with Premia Spine!

David danced at his son’s wedding

Bonnie explains why TOPS surgery was the right decision for her

Wade is back to hiking

Scott speaks about going to surgery

Regain your mobility with Premia Spine! Contact us now

Surgery for Lower Back Pain

Surgery is generally only used in severe cases of lower back pain that don’t improve after several months or years of non-surgical treatment. Many spinal conditions that cause lower back pain (like herniated disc, spinal stenosis, and nerve impingement) can be treated with spinal decompression surgery. 

Spinal decompression surgery alleviates pressure on the spinal nerves, offering relief from back pain and neurological symptoms.