One of the most common questions I get is “how should I sleep?” Sleep can be extremely difficult when you have severe back or neck pain. There is no perfect answer to fit everyone, but there are a few tips that will help with most issues.
Side Sleeping: This is the best position for low back pain and most mid back pain. However, it does require a few modifications. You need to put a pillow between your knees to separate them to the same width as your pelvis. It is also very helpful to put a pillow between your arms. This will help keep you on your side and will reduce stress on the shoulders. If you aren't very tall, a king-size pillow works great for knees and arms. Body pillows tend to be to "mushy" to work well. With rib issues, shoulder pain and mid back pain, the pillow between your arms is a must. You also need a pillow under your head that is about 2-3 inches thick to fill the space between the neck and shoulder.
Back Sleeping: Back sleeping is best for neck pain and is also good for low back pain. It may or may not be best for mid back or rib pain; it depends on the person. Modifications for back sleeping include a pillow that has a hollowed middle for neck support or a thin pillow with a rolled towel under the neck and 1-2 pillows under the knees.
For extreme cases, patients may end up in a recliner. This should be done only if it is the only comfortable position. Use a rolled up towel behind the neck and a thin pillow may help behind the low back.
It is generally not a good idea to sleep on your stomach. It is also not good to sleep with one or both arms above your head. This can lead to neck, upper back and shoulder pain.
Sleep is essential to healing; it just isn’t always easy to do with pain!
