When you are struggling to fall asleep, finding the right position to nod off can sometimes feel impossible. And to make matters worse, if you make one simple mistake after tossing and turning, you could end up doing serious damage to your body, according to a spine surgeon.
When you are suffering from a serious lack of sleep, it can be tempting to grab a snooze whenever and wherever you can, but this could end up doing more harm than good.
Dr Themistocles Protopsaltis, an expert spinal surgeon working at NYU Langone Health, has explained how making just one common mistake when falling asleep can leave your joints and the disks in your back in a 'crooked' position, potentially setting yourself up for a day of aches and pains.
What you can do to keep your back pain-free
Speaking to the New York Post, Dr Protopsaltis stressed that the simplest thing you can do to keep your back in good health is eating a healthy diet and keeping your core muscles strong through regular exercise, ensuring that your spine has the flexibility to deal with everything the day has to throw at it.
He said: "When patients come to me with neck or back pain, I’ll ask them, 'What are you doing in terms of exercise?'
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"They stretch and work with weights, but they often neglect to mention cardiovascular exercise, which is a crucial part of maintaining good spine health. Aerobic activities not only improve the heart and lungs, but also memory, mood and all the muscles in the body, including those in the neck and back."
How to maintain the correct posture
But all of this regular exercise could be wasted if you then go and slump in front of a screen, Dr Protopsaltis explained. Ensuring that you maintain a proper posture is key to keeping your spine in good health, but as many office workers or avid gamers can attest, it is not always so easy.
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However, there are a few easy exercises you can do to keep your posture straight and your back in good shape. The expert spine surgeon detailed: "You should bring your shoulders back and lift your neck into a neutral position a couple of times throughout the day to reinforce the idea that you’re standing with good alignment.
"It may help to go through some gentle stretches to move the neck muscles left and right and up and down. If you’re at work and find yourself often looking down at your computer or phone, remind yourself to optimize the ergonomics of your spine."
The best sleeping positions for a good night's sleep
Dr Protopsaltis says that sleeping in a certain way can be the main cause of back pain, and revealed that the best positions to sleep in to keep your spine in a healthy shape are 'in a naturally aligned, S-shaped position with balanced curves'.
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This means either sleeping flat on your back or your side to avoid twisting any joints or disks into an uncomfortable spot.
He explained: "Belly sleepers are probably the most susceptible to neck and back problems.
"That’s because their neck is more likely to be in a turned position, where the muscles on one side are more engaged than the other. That can lead to muscle spasms and tension, resulting in a stiff neck in the morning.
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"Someone who experiences neck pain when they wake up should consider a new sleep position."
Changing your sleep routine can be difficult, with your sleeping body falling into unhealthy positions once you have finally nodded off. However, persistence is key.
After a few weeks of readjusting your position when you wake up in the night, sleeping on your side or back should become natural.
What to do if you wake up in pain
If you are waking up with pain in your back or neck, changing your posture or getting more exercise will do little to alleviate your difficulties. To deal with the immediate symptoms, you might need to take some over-the-counter medication, such as acetaminophen, or get someone to massage the painful areas.
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Dr Protopsaltis advises: "If you wake up with neck or back pain, consider taking a warm shower and massaging the hurting muscles. Topical over-the-counter anti-inflammatories and/or ice can be applied with the massage.
"Basic over-the-counter medications, such as a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory or acetaminophen, may help as well."
William Morgan