pain-back-sleep

Back pain is an inconvenience for many people. In fact, according to Statistics Canada, between 70% and 85% of people suffer some degree of back pain at some point in their lives. Some 40% of these people find their daily activities disrupted, and around 10% have to stop altogether.

Symptoms of back pain often appear on waking. The first instinct is to blame the mattress. However, the mattress or sleeping posture are usually only aggravating or triggering factors. Physiotherapist Elaine Maheu explains the possible causes of back pain on waking and offers some preventive advice.

People at risk

In general, people over 40 are more likely to wake up with back pain. This correlation is explained by the inactivity of people in this age bracket, the increased risk of symptoms caused by the loss of joint mobility and the stiffening of tissues associated with osteoarthritis. However, a very fit 65-year-old may be less at risk than a less fit, less flexible 35-year-old with poor muscle tone. This makes it difficult to associate back pain with age, which is why it's best to focus on lifestyle habits. As a result, a person who is active and at a healthy weight is less likely to suffer from back pain.

Main causes of back pain

Back pain can be associated with a number of factors. If back pain is present at night or upon awakening, it may be caused by poor lying posture, mattress firmness or other sleep-related factors. However, in the majority of cases, and excluding accidents, it's poor lifestyle habits and the wrong way of moving that are the main causes of back pain. For example, the following factors can lead to back pain on waking:

  • sedentary habits (lack of physical exercise);
  • long-term maintenance of poor posture;
  • lack of flexibility;
  • lack of mobility;
  • loss of muscle tone.

While the following examples can be aggravating (or triggering) factors:

  • use of an unsuitable mattress;
  • use of an inappropriate pillow;
  • adopting an inappropriate sleeping posture.

As for aggravating factors, Elaine Maheu points out that they vary from person to person. While it's generally recommended to buy a semi-firm mattress, some people will be more comfortable on a slightly softer or firmer mattress, depending on their weight or condition. So it's essential to try out the different types of mattress when shopping, to determine what's most comfortable for your own sleeping habits.

Good and bad sleeping positions

Humans spend almost a third of their lives lying down. For a person over the age of 80, this represents around 250,000 hours. For people at risk, adopting good bed habits is essential to preventing back pain.

Here are some examples of good and bad sleeping postures.