6 Best Tips To Deal With And Lessen Back Pain At Night

Back pain is a very common problem for people to deal with. In fact, over 16 million Americans deal with chronic back pain, and tens of millions more deal with it every now and then. It can make everyday tasks incredibly difficult and painful, and greatly decrease the quality of life that an individual has. It can come from an injury, bad posture, sleeping poorly and a variety of ways.

While back pain can always impact your lives, it can be especially hard to deal with at night. A long day or standing or sitting in uncomfortable positions can wreak havoc on your back. Thankfully, there are some things you can do to lessen the pain.

With that in mind, this article is going to go over a few tips to help you deal with back pain at night.

Buy a Better Mattress

One of the best things you can do for your back is get a better mattress. Older mattresses can become lumpy and saggy, which offers limited support for your back and spine. This can make existing back pain worse, or even lead to the development of new back pain.

If your mattress isn’t up to par, consider buying a new one. There are many different sizes and types of mattresses, so you can certainly find one that works for you.

When searching for a mattress, be sure to check out online reviews and resources. For example, this blog from Shape goes over some of the best memory foam mattresses to consider. These types of resources can help ensure you get a bed that is high-quality, and not one that isn’t.

Use Some Heat..

Heat is another way to lessen and relieve your back pain. Heat is great because it can help to loosen up muscles and offer some relief from pressure. Heat also increases blood flow to the area. A hot shower or a heating pad is perfect to soothe your aching back before bed.

Of course, be careful not to leave a heating pad too long in the same place. In some cases, this could lead to burns. You can also mix ice and heat to assist with inflammation and pain, as well.

Consider Taking Medication

If your back pain is bad enough and is hard to manage, you may want to consider taking some medication. There are many over-the-counter back pain options such as NSAIDs and acetaminophen that can give you the relief you need to live a normal life. Of course, be sure to go over side effects and ensure the drugs are safe for you to take.

You can find lots of back pain medication in stores, but if you want something a little stronger, consider visiting your doctor and getting a prescription. They will cover the potential risks or side effects, and will tell you if they are safe to take. Never attempt to get prescription drugs without consulting with a medical professional first.

And while these medications can help, don’t expect them to solely rid you of your back pain, so have other treatments or ideas in mind.

Change Up Your Sleeping Position

The way you sleep can also impact your level of back pain. There are many different sleeping positions that people will choose, such as sleeping on their back, on their side, on their stomach or even switching between them.

If you are a stomach sleeper, it should often come as no surprise that your back hurts, as that sleeping position can put a lot of pressure on your spine. In general, sleeping on your back is the best for your back. It is a supportive position, but if you need a little more, putting a pillow under your knees can help.

Changing how you sleep may not be easy, but can be beneficial in your battle against back pain. As mentioned earlier, make sure to find a mattress that offers you enough support as well, as trying to sleep in any position on a low-quality bed will be uncomfortable.

Exercise and Stretch

Among the best ways to deal with back pain is to actually get an adequate amount of physical activity. The stronger your muscles are, the better they will be able to give your back a little extra support. Of course, be careful not to work out too hard and be careful about overworking back muscles, as it can lead to injury.

Also, just as important as exercise is stretching. Doing yoga and other types of stretching can reduce muscle stress, improve your flexibility and also strengthen your back and core muscles, to reduce pressure on your body and spine. Start simple, and begin to add more difficult stretches over time.

Always make sure to keep the stretches gentle, and be aware of your limits, too. If you try and stretch too hard beyond where you are comfortable.

Maintain Better Posture 

It is frequently said how important our posture is, yet most of us still sit and stand in ways that are horrible for our back. While younger people can often get away with this, as you age, your posture becomes more and more important.

If you slouch while sitting or at the computer, especially for longer periods, your back pain will only get worse, not better. So ensure you sit straight, in a chair with good back support, and do your best to keep your shoulders relaxed.

When standing, look to keep your back straight, shoulders back, head level and keep most of your weight on the balls of your feet. Training and improving your posture can take some time, but is well worth it. Not only will you look better, but your back pain should be much less intense, as well.

In conclusion, these tips and tactics will be able to help you both deal with and lessen your back pain every night. Your back pain won’t magically disappear, but making an effort can certainly see it become lessened over time.For more visit helpsmaster.com