As a chiropractor in Lawrenceville, many of the people that we see come in because they experience lower back pain when they get up in the morning. Sometimes this is due to the position that they are sleeping in or the quality of their mattress.
Did you know that how much sleep you get at night can also play a big part in whether or not you experience back pain in the morning?
Today we are going to take a look at how sleep impacts your spinal health, especially in terms of how long you do or don’t sleep and whether or not you are getting truly restful sleep each night.
How Sleep Affects Your Spine
While you sleep, your body rests and recuperates from the day. There are many biological processes that occur while you are sleeping that affect spinal health including processes that enhance tissue regeneration, reduce inflammation and replenish energy reserves. While you sleep the spine decompresses from the impact of the day’s activities.
If you don’t get enough sleep at night, then your spine won’t experience these benefits, but there are also risks involved if you get too much sleep.
How Too Much Sleep Hurts the Spine
Most people know that you need to get sufficient sleep in order to maintain good health, and of course this includes keeping your back healthy. What a lot of people don’t realize is that there is such a thing as getting too much sleep. What we now know is that too much sleep can not only cause back pain in the morning, but it can also put you at higher risk for serious problems like diabetes, heart disease and depression.
Too much sleep can also exacerbate back issues, especially low back pain. Here are some of the possible roots of this problem:
Bad Mattress: A bad mattress can cause you to sleep in a position that is against the natural curve of your spine. This in turn, can lead to discomfort and back pain in the morning. The longer you sleep in this position, the worse the problem becomes. Oversleeping on a bad mattress just compounds an already existing problem.
Muscle Fatigue: When you lay on your back for an extended period of time, it can cause fatigue in the muscles that support your back. When muscle fatigue occurs during your sleep it can cause you to wake up feeling tight muscles and back pain in the morning.
Improper Sleeping Position: Sometimes it is caused by a bad mattress, but there are actually many reasons, including habits and lifestyle, that can cause a person to sleep in a bad position. When you oversleep, in fact, it is far more likely that you will sleep in an awkward position which will cause you to wake up feeling pain and discomfort in your back. If you experience back pain when you have overslept, try shortening the period of time that you sleep to just eight hours.
Other Causes of Low Back Pain in the Morning
Keep in mind that sleeping too little is as much of a problem as sleeping too much and vice versa. You have to find the right balance, and for most people that falls between seven and nine hours. If you think you are getting the right amount of sleep but are still experiencing unexplained back pain, some of the causes you might consider are:
- Stress
- Poor Diet
- Lack of Exercise
- Sedentary Lifestyle
How a Chiropractor in Lawrenceville at North Atlanta Chiropractic Center Can Help with Back Pain in the Morning
Chiropractic care is a wonderful tool for diagnosing and treating many of the musculoskeletal issues that can be the culprit of back pain. North Atlanta Chiropractic Center can help find the reason behind the pain you are experiencing and devise a plan for treating it.
If you are ready to find freedom from back pain, please visit North Atlanta Chiropractic Center online and schedule your appointment for a free consultation right away.
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