Is Your Back Pain Affecting Your Sleep?

As one of the most common health conditions, back pain can complicate all areas of your life. Physical activity, work-related duties and other hobbies can feel impossible with a sore back. What’s even worse, you may have trouble sleeping. About 50 to 80% of individuals with back pain face sleep difficulties, which in turn makes your pain worse. Sleep is an essential part of feeling your best, and a lack of sleep can make discomfort more pronounced. 

Kouimanis Chiropractic is committed to helping patients feel better naturally. Here’s what you should know about the relationship between sleep and back pain, and how chiropractic can improve sleep quality. 

Why Back Pain Causes Difficulty Sleeping

Everyone experiences back pain differently, and so there are many reasons discomfort might be keeping you awake. A few obstacles that prevent sufficient rest include: 

• Awareness of Pain. During the day, you can do things to distract yourself from back pain. However, while laying in bed at night, you may find yourself highly aware of the pain, causing you to focus on it. 
• Uncomfortable Sleeping Positions. No matter what position you try, you may find your symptoms more pronounced lying down. This can cause you to toss and turn frequently. Alternatively, you may have to get accustomed to a new sleeping position to relieve the pain, which can feel awkward at first. 
• Medications May Disrupt Sleep. Common pain medications can cause various sleep-related complications, including sleep apnea, which is associated with long-term opioid use. On the other hand, chiropractic can relieve your pain while promoting deeper sleep. 
• Inactivity Means Trouble Sleeping. The benefits of physical activity are well-documented, and sleep is no exception. Regular exercise is linked to a better night’s rest. However, when you’re in pain, such a feat can feel impossible. 

In turn, a lack of sleep can make chronic back pain feel worse. Sleep is necessary to release the growth hormone, which heals the body, so less sleep means you aren’t experiencing that regeneration needed to feel better. When you can’t sleep, you also experience higher inflammation levels, which aggravates pre-existing symptoms. 

How Chiropractic Can Help

Talk about your experience with a chiropractor. Dr. Kouimanis is well-versed in using chiropractic to treat back pain, as it’s one of the most common reasons patients visit our office. We’ll use a variety of maneuvers to relieve your symptoms. We recognize that many patients want nothing more than to feel better, and we guide you towards your health goals with this in mind. 

Generally, people who have sleep disorders can find relief through chiropractic care. Many individuals with insomnia or pain that keeps them awake turn to natural remedies. Since there’s a risk that certain medications can disrupt sleep cycles, it’s important to try natural solutions before proceeding with more invasive measures. We’re confident that chiropractic is the right solution for you. 

Get Started Today

Start your journey to better health at Kouimanis Chiropractic. Talk to our team now to learn how chiropractic is the key to getting a good night’s rest, even with back pain.