How To Sleep Better With Arthritis In Your Hip Or Back

Arthritis pain during the day is bad enough, but when it interrupts your sleep, it can leave you feeling even worse.

However, you can use some practical at-home tips and tricks to lessen your lower back or hip pain.

In this blog, we’re looking at science-backed ways to enhance sleep and alleviate pain. We’ll also discuss some sleep positions to help you get a full eight hours.

Keep reading to learn how to sleep with arthritis in your back or hip now.

How Arthritis Affects Sleep

Arthritis can severely impact your sleep due to discomfort or pain.

Cervical spondylosis (arthritis of the neck and spine) is most associated with these problems. This condition is usually caused by age and wear over time, and approximately 85% of people over 60 are affected by this problem (American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, 2015).

This can be a negative feedback loop, as good sleep is needed for healing and recovery (Mostaghimi et al., 2005). If your sleep is disrupted, your arthritis might become more inflamed during the day.

A lack of sleep can also lead to non-arthritic problems, such as lowered cognitive performance, mental health problems, high blood pressure, and other conditions.

Causes & Risk Factors of Cervical Spondylosis

Cervical spondylosis is mainly caused by ageing. As you get older, the intervertebral discs become dehydrated and less elastic. This causes joint stiffness, bone spurs, disc degeneration, and other arthritis symptoms.

Other risk factors for cervical spondylosis include a sedentary lifestyle, previous neck injuries, repetitive neck strain, and genetics.

How To Sleep With Arthritis

Sleeping with arthritis in your neck, back, or hip doesn’t have to be uncomfortable. Here are some strategies you can use to alleviate pain and stiffness:

• Pre-bedtime care routines — Gentle neck stretching and yoga can help to soothe the neck and reduce pain while in your usual sleeping positions.
• Heat therapy — Studies have shown that low-level superficial heat therapy is a genuine pain relief option for back, neck, and hip pain (Freiwald et al., 2021). Heating pads or warm compresses should be applied before sleep.
• Over-the-counter painkillers — Paracetamol and ibuprofen can also be used to reduce pain before sleeping. However, you shouldn’t use these for extended periods.

These techniques and good sleep hygiene can reduce soreness and help you sleep better. Other key aspects of sleep hygiene include sleeping at the same time every night, not using screens before bedtime, and not drinking caffeinated beverages in the evening.

Best Positions For Hip Arthritis

If you’re experiencing arthritis in your hip, you might need to adapt to a different sleeping position to reduce the pain.

• Back sleeping — Sleeping on your back keeps your weight evenly distributed and off your hips. It also keeps your spine straight, reducing the chance of back or neck pain while you rest.
• Side sleeping — If you prefer sleeping on your side, make sure you use the side without hip pain. Otherwise, you’re just putting more strain on your arthritis.

Specialised pillows can provide even more comfort. For back sleepers, a memory foam pillow, like the Original Groove Pillow, can keep your neck and spine aligned and prevent any pressure or strain on your hip.

For side sleepers, the Groove X pillow can help. This memory foam design sits between your legs to reduce pressure from your hips while providing support throughout the night.

Sleeping Position For Arthritis In Lower Back

If you’re experiencing arthritis pain in your lower back, you must ensure you sleep in a healthy posture. The main aim of this ailment is to keep the back and spine straight. Further twisting can exacerbate the pain.

• Side sleeping — Side sleepers should ensure their heads, necks, and spines are straight while resting. Any twisting can put extra pressure on the lower back and aggravate the arthritis.
• Back sleeping — Sleeping on your back is a good way to relieve lower back pain. However, you must be sure your back and spine are straight and your arms parallel.

The Groove Body Pillow can help you achieve a pain-free night's rest on your side. This ergonomic pillow gently aligns your spine and helps joint stiffness, all while supporting a healthy sleep posture.

Likewise, the Groove X pillow can help side sleepers keep their legs aligned and, therefore, their backs in a healthy position.

Back sleepers can also support their spines with a traditional memory foam pillow (like the Original Groove).

Final Words

Understanding how to sleep with arthritis pain in your hip or back can help you unlock a better quality of sleep (and life!). However, if your symptoms do not improve with these strategies or if the pain becomes severe, you should contact your GP or seek immediate medical advice.

Start sleeping better today. Explore Groove Pillow’s memory foam sleep aides online now.

Or see what our users think. Read the Trustpilot reviews here.

References

• American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. (2015). Cervical Spondylosis (Arthritis of the Neck) - OrthoInfo - AAOS. [online] Available at: https://orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/diseases--conditions/cervical-spondylosis-arthritis-of-the-neck/.
• Freiwald, J., Magni, A., Fanlo-Mazas, P., Paulino, E., Sequeira de Medeiros, L., Moretti, B., Schleip, R. and Solarino, G. (2021). A Role for Superficial Heat Therapy in the Management of Non-Specific, Mild-to-Moderate Low Back Pain in Current Clinical Practice: A Narrative Review. Life, [online] 11(8), p.780. doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/life11080780.
• ‌MOSTAGHIMI, L., OBERMEYER, W.H., BALLAMUDI, B., MARTINEZ-GONZALEZ, D. and BENCA, R.M. (2005). Effects of sleep deprivation on wound healing. Journal of Sleep Research, 14(3), pp.213–219. doi:https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2869.2005.00455.x.

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