The quality of our sleep can certainly have an impact on our pain. If getting good sleep is challenging for you, it can be a great area for you to spend some time considering ways you can make it better.

While it would be nice if we could say that there is one way that will work best for you, the current available research doesn’t support any specific solution as being the “best” for everyone. You are unique, and so the solution that will work best for you is going to be different from the next person. Also, we change our position often over the course of the night, so even while we may try to get into that ideal position, there is a good chance you will find yourself in a different position when you wake up.

By listening to your body and taking time to understand what positions trigger your symptoms and which positions alleviate your symptoms during the day you can consider what might work best for you as you sleep. If you need some guidance it’s great to speak with a Doctor of Physical Therapy, who can help assess your needs more specifically. You can also experiment with some different solutions to see which provides you with the most comfortable and best sleep quality.

Some common adjustments that may help you feel more comfortable include testing a different sized pillow to change the angle of your neck while lying in your preferred position. You can also use pillows between your knees if you lie on your side. If you lie on your back, you may like placing a pillow under your knees.

At the end of the day, the most ideal sleep position is the one that allows you to get the most sleep so you can wake up feeling well rested.