Dr. Stefano Sinicropi, M.D.

Sleep is meant to be a restorative process that helps to recharge your batteries and start your day off fresh, but for millions of Americans, sleep is anything but a rejuvenating experience. If you’re one of the countless people who wake up with back pain each day, it’s time to get to the bottom of the issue and start a treatment regimen. In today’s blog, we explain why you may be waking up with back pain, and how you can treat it.

Back Pain Waking Me Up At Night

Back pain can make it difficult to fall asleep and stay asleep, which means you’re not getting quality sleep. This can make it so that you’re waking up tired, groggy or even in pain, and that’s no way to wake up in the morning. But what’s causing you to wake up in the middle of the night with back pain? Back pain that makes sleeping difficult could be linked to sleep-related issues or non sleep-related issues. We’ll take a closer look at each.

Non Sleep-Related Issues Causing Back Pain At Night

Any number of issues or underlying factors could be contributing to back pain that’s keeping you up at night. It could be a herniated disc, spinal stenosis, degenerative disc disease, a pinched nerve or a host of other problems. If you don’t believe that your sleeping habits are contributing to your middle of the night back pain, it’s time to consult with a spine specialist and get to the bottom of your issue.

Also, many people find it helpful to reevaluate their lifestyle habits and see how they could be contributing to their pain. For example, if you work a manual labor position, you specialize in one sport or you don’t have the best posture throughout the day, all of these factors could play a role in your back pain onset at night. Work to identify and address these risk factors to help reduce the likelihood of nighttime back pain.

Sleep-Related Issues Causing Back Pain At Night

If back pain is waking you up in the middle of the night, there’s also a good chance that your sleep habits are making the issue worse. How you sleep may not be the underlying cause of your cervical disc herniation, but how you sleep may be making the problem worse. Assess how you sleep and really make sure that your spine is in a healthy alignment when you sleep. The easiest way to do this is to sleep on your side with a small blanket or pillow between your legs and one small pillow underneath your neck. If your neck is unsupportive or overly supported, it will not be in alignment with the rest of your spine, and that’s why morning neck stiffness and upper back pain can develop.

It’s also helpful to take a look at your sleeping space. If your mattress is old and no longer adequately supports your body, consider upgrading to a more supportive option. You also want to ensure that your environment is conducive to sleep. Make the area as dark as possible, turn off all electronics and limit your food and beverage intake as bedtime nears. All of these things will help you fall asleep and stay asleep, and that can make all the difference if you have mild back discomfort that can flare up at night.

As is the case with this type of back pain, it’s also important to consult with a spine specialist like Dr. Sinicropi to learn more about the underlying issue and how you can work to correct the problem and improve your sleep quality. Don’t let back pain interrupt your sleep any longer. Connect with a specialist, get to the bottom of your pain and begin treatment to improve your sleep quality. It’s helpful for your whole body, not just your spine! For more information, or for help with your back pain, reach out to Dr. Sinicropi’s office today at (651) 430-3800.

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