There are times when, despite a full night’s sleep, you end up waking sore. There could be a lot of reasons why the body hurts after waking up. The mattress on which you sleep is the culprit often. Sleeping in the wrong posture, or in the wrong position, also causes body pain. The relationship between sleep and pain, however, has more variables.
It is difficult to control posture while sleeping as we are unaware of the positions we get into. This leads to discomfort and contributes to pain in the shoulders, back, the hips and neck, say experts.
Body pain and sleeping position
Sleeping in an improper posture can cause pain in different areas of the body, depending on the position. For instance, sleeping in a position that puts a lot of strain on the upper and lower spine, can cause back pain. Sleeping in a prone position (or on your stomach) is likely to cause neck pain.
“The pain, or the area affected, is also determined by the kind of pillow used,” adds Dr Kumardev Arvind Rajamanya, head of the department and lead consultant orthopaedics, Aster Whitefield Hospital, Bengaluru. “The pillow should be such that the head and trunk should be aligned and takes away the strain from shoulder and neck.”
Using a pillow that is thick or too thin, or using no pillow at all, is not advisable. This arches the head backward and forward in unnatural positions, leading disturbed sleep, and pain.
“Sleeping on your front, half sitting up and half lying down lying with your head resting on your upper arm, can even result in bone, muscle, or nerve injuries,” says Dr P Venkata Krishnan, senior consultant internal medicine, Artemis Hospital, Gurugram.
It also has implications beyond sleep and body pain.
“Furthermore, sleeping while resting your head on your upper arm is also not a good position. This is the area where the radial nerve is located and putting pressure on it for a longer period can cause nerve damage,” adds Dr Krishnan.
Hand pain occurs when they are kept bent at the wrist for long periods while sleeping. If the palm is straight while kept under the head for support, it will not lead to pain. However, when there is a flexion of the wrists, it compresses the nerve, and could cause numbness and tingling sensation around the fingers.
“Sleeping in one posture for a long duration is bad, and the body will subconsciously send signals when it feels discomfort, which helps a person change the position,” says Dr Rajamanya.
Ways to treat pain caused by sleep
Sleep is something which everybody wants to enjoy, and so one can’t prescribe a certain sleeping position.
“More than focusing on sleeping posture, what matters is what you are doing during the day,” says Dr Rajamanya. “Activities like sitting and standing for prolonged periods or not following proper ergonomics, and lack of physical activities, contribute to such pain. Rectifying such mistakes can go a long way in preventing/minimizing pain.”
Maintaining proper posture throughout the day is important. Emphasis should also be given to the mattress and the sleeping position. The mattress should be firm and not too plushy.
“The best sleeping position is sleeping on your side,” says Dr Krishnan. “Flex your knees and keep a pillow between them. This helps in aligning your spine, pelvis, and the hips. This sleeping position helps in taking the pressure off your spine.”
Since one is unaware of the position during deep slumber, get into a comfortable position while you lie down. Before sleeping off, lie down with the tummy facing up and the knees slightly bent with a pillow underneath, and a standard pillow underneath your head. This position reduces the strain from the lower back and the hips. More importantly, if the pain persists, consult a doctor.
Takeaways
- Sleeping in an improper posture can cause pain in different areas of the body. The relationship between sleep and pain have more variables too.
- Sleeping in wrong posture or position can strain on the upper and lower spine, causing back and neck pain. It also leads to nerve compression.
- To treat the pain resulting from improper sleep position, stretch after waking up. Following proper ergonomics and maintaining a good posture throughout the day help in avoiding sleep-related pain. If the pain persists consult a doctor.
