What Sleep Positions Are Best For Your Hip Pain?

For sufferers of chronic hip pain, even going to bed can be a painful, challenging experience. When you’re not able to find a comfortable sleeping position, you could end up spending the night tossing and turning with absolutely no relief from the pain. It’s not just a problem for sufferers of pre-op hip pain, either. Even if you’ve recently undergone hip replacement surgery, it can still be a challenge to find the best position to sleep in that won’t leave you sore or tired in the morning. However, if you’ve seen your orthopedic doctor in Richmond VA recently, you’ve probably been told that certain positions can make a huge difference in terms of lessening the pain and soreness at night when your joints tend to act up. Having a mattress that works for you can be a huge help, as well as the right padding and tools that can help you stay supported through the night. However, there are a few other tips you can use to ensure the best sleep possible without buying any expensive new mattresses or bedding. To learn how to get a great night’s sleep despite hip pain, read on.

Sleep on Your Side

When we’re in a deep sleep, we’re bound to start tossing and turning as the night wears on. However, we can exercise a certain amount of control over how we go to bed in ensuring a more peaceful rest. While you’re asleep, you can end up putting too much pressure on your sore hip by laying on your stomach, so most doctors recommend that you shift to your side to protect your joints from too much pressure. Sleeping on your side with a pillow between your legs will help you give your hip the amount of leverage you need during the night. Keeping your knees close, try and adjust your hips to that they’re parallel to the bed rather than facing flat down. From this position, you can use a pillow or pad between your knees to support your position through the night. This will help prevent too much tossing and turning while giving your bad hip the time it needs to regenerate during sleep.

Raise Your Hip

Keeping your hip raised won’t just give you a better support system during sleep. It will help your hip from sinking and becoming stiff during the night. If you’re someone who often wakes up because of joint pain, finding the best position is even more important to help you get as much sleep as you need. If you’re not feeling any better with a pillow between your knees, try adjusting your padding, using blankets and pillows as supports for the small of your back, your neck, and any other pressure point where you’re likely to hold stress. The more easily your body can relax into sleep, the better your hip will do during the night.

Switch It Up

Not having any luck on your side? Try sleeping on your back using supports and slightly raising your legs. Don’t get frustrated if you have to try several different positions to get it right. Often enough, hip pain begins when you’re putting too much stress on your core or lower back, such as during a pregnancy or injury. Resting on your back will help even out your weight distribution. If you use the right support under your back, you’ll be able to relax your neck and let your hips rise slightly upward for more comfort. If this doesn’t work, you can always try slightly raising your legs. Whatever you do, avoid sleeping on your stomach in order to get the most support during the night.

Ice Before Bed

If you ice your sore joints through the day, you should continue the practice at night. Icing a sore or inflamed hip joint before bed will help you ease into a more restful sleep while keeping your pain at bay. Ice for at least 20 minutes before going to bed, using an ice pack and a paper towel or a cloth. Never put the ice directly against your skin, and don’t ice for more than 20 minutes at a time. This will give your body time to adjust and get the blood flowing normally. You can also use a heating pad if it helps. Just remember to turn it off before falling asleep.

Have Pillows and Padding on Hand

Having the right support will be a huge help through the night. Have an assortment of pillows and support props to help you find the right position, as well as using the best possible mattress for sustained comfort. Using breathable foam will help you keep cool through the night, and will mold to your body’s shape for better support.