Sciatica pain can be bothersome at all hours of the day and night. After all, your symptoms don’t subside just because it’s time for bed. A burning sensation anywhere from your hip down to your foot is enough to wake you up, assuming you can even drift off in the first place. For much-needed relief, follow these tips to help you fall asleep with sciatica.

Try Different Sleeping Positions

There isn’t one single “correct” position to fall asleep with sciatica. Some people prefer to sleep on their side, while others are more comfortable on their back. The only sleep position you should avoid is your stomach, which flattens the spinal curvature and strains your neck.

If you most often wake up with sciatica pain while lying on your affected side, you need a way to keep yourself from rolling over in your sleep. Try wearing pajama pants with pockets and put a tennis ball on the side you don’t want to shift to. This makes it harder for your body to change positions unconsciously.

Sleep on Your Back? Elevate Your Knees

According to Spine-health, sciatica symptoms flare up when any of the five sciatic nerve roots in your lower back becomes compressed or irritated. Sleeping on your back, especially with your knees propped up on a pillow, minimizes pressure on the lumbar spinal discs and provides relief for many sciatica patients.

Sleep on Your Side? Use a Body Pillow

Curl up around a body pillow or place a regular pillow between your knees to improve your posture while sleeping. When your knees stay hip-width apart, your spine, pelvis, and hips remain aligned, which can only help your sciatica pain.

Take a Bath Before Bed

You can relieve tight muscles and an irritated sciatic nerve root with a warm bath before bed. This relaxing activity also releases endorphins to fight your pain naturally. Through trial and error, you should discover if going to bed immediately after your bath is best or if you need to wind down with other relaxing activities, such as reading or knitting.

If you prefer not to bathe at night, you can enjoy other forms of heat therapy, such as applying a hot water bottle to the sore area or sleeping with an adhesive back wrap that provides continuous, low-level heat.

Sleep on a Firm Mattress

A firm surface is easier to sleep on for many sciatica patients. Trade out your soft mattress for a firm one to see if this helps. You can even try sleeping on the floor for an extra-firm surface that many people find beneficial.

Stretch Before Bed

While you shouldn’t exercise late at night because the adrenaline rush keeps you awake, some simple stretches, including the piriformis stretch, can help relieve sciatica pain and help you fall asleep.

Create a Calm Sleeping Environment

It’s easier to fall asleep with sciatica when the room is cool, dark, and quiet. Consider running a fan to help you stay comfortable and drown out background noises. You can also use lavender sprays or essential oils to create a peaceful, calming aroma that helps you drift off.

Treat Sciatica at Spine Correction Center in Fort Collins

These tips allow you to sidestep your symptoms temporarily so you can fall asleep with sciatica. Unfortunately, the underlying cause remains untouched. But with sciatica treatment at Spine Correction Center in Fort Collins, we can get to the bottom of your pain and help you feel much better before long. Your treatment will vary depending on the cause of your sciatica, but spinal decompression, chiropractic care, and trigger point injections are the types of methods we use.

To schedule your free consultation and get on the road to better health, please contact Spine Correction Center online or call us at (970) 658-5115 today!