How to sleep with slipped disc

After working all day, everyone wants to have a good and sound sleep at night. But due to many reasons, many people are not able to achieve this. One of the reasons for this is a slipped or herniated disc.

When a person has a slipped disc problem, they feel a sharp pain in the lower back as a symptom. This pain goes to the feet of the person. Apart from this, if a person sits in one place for a long time in a slipped disc, then they may feel difficulty in bending or turning the body. Symptoms of a slipped disc include muscle cramps, tingling, a prickling feeling in the feet or hands, muscle weakness, etc.

(Read more: Slipped disc diet)

It is a bit difficult to sleep properly when you have this problem. But there are some sleeping positions, by adopting which a person can sleep well even if there is a slipped disc. In this article, you will learn more about those sleeping positions.

Best way to sleep if you have a slipped disc
How not to sleep with slip disc
Takeaway
Doctors for How to sleep with slipped disc

Best way to sleep if you have a slipped disc

The correct way to sleep for a slipped disc patient is as follows:

Put a pillow between the knees: If you have slipped disc, then try sleeping with a pillow between your knees. You may feel uncomfortable sleeping on your back after applying the pillow. In such a situation, you can try to sleep on your side. Apart from this, if you feel tingling between your waist and neck while taking turns, then you can put a small pillow in that place too. But note that whether you use one pillow or two, sleeping on only one side can make the problem worse and the muscles can also become unbalanced as a result. So it’s best to keep changing your position.

Fetal position: If you have slipped disc, then you should try the fetus position. For this, lie down on your back, bend both your knees and bring them to the chest. Now bend your head towards the knees. Since this position cannot be sustained for long while sleeping on the back, you can sleep on your right or left side to maintain it. Sleeping in this position can reduce pain as well as relieve muscle weakness.

Put a pillow under your stomach: Usually, if you have slipped disc, you don’t sleep on your stomach as it can have a negative effect on your neck. But if you want to reduce this pressure, then put a pillow on the lower part of the stomach. By doing this, the tension felt between the discs due to sleeping on the stomach can be relieved.

(Read more: Sleep disorders)

Keep a pillow under the knees: Sleeping on the back with a slipped disc is considered the most comfortable. You can keep a pillow under your knee in this position to feel less or no pain. When you sleep on your back, your weight is evenly distributed and moves across the widest part of your body. Due to this, there is less pressure on the affected part.

(Read more: Sleep chart by age and gender)

How not to sleep with slip disc

Avoid sleeping on your stomach if you have a slipped disc as it can have a negative effect on the spinal cord. Sleeping on the stomach can put unnecessary pressure on the muscles present around the cervix, due to which the pain experienced by the patient can increase. Apart from this, avoid sleeping on the same side consistently as the muscles may become unbalanced.

Takeaway

The sleeping positions mentioned in this article can be very useful for those who have a slipped disc to get good sleep. If you feel pain or pressure while adopting any position, then use that position only on the advice of a doctor.