Sleeping and Sciatica don’t mix. Who can possibly get a good night’s rest with such pain? When you’re suffering from sciatica, the experience is not just painful, but also uncomfortable. Some people even have difficulties in standing, walking, sitting, and many also have difficulty learning how to sleep with sciatica or sciatica pain when lying down. For some, sleeping with sciatica can lead to anxiety the moments before bedtime as you prepare for the possibility of once again not getting a good night’s rest.

What is sciatica?

The term “sciatica” refers to the pain experienced when the sciatic nerve becomes compressed by inflammation or other spinal abnormalities. Many people often complain that “sciatica wakes me up at night”. Sciatica refers to nerve pain that happens when your sciatic nerve is compressed, irritated, or injured. The sciatic nerve starts in your pelvis run through your buttocks and down your leg to the knee. At the knee, it connects to other nerves that run down the calf and through the foot.

What Causes Sciatica?

When people have back pain, they often refer to it as sciatica. But what causes sciatica to flare up? Sciatica is a very common type of back pain that radiates down the sciatic nerve, hence the name sciatica. The sciatic nerve extends from the lower back and down the back of each leg. Sciatica occurs when the root or roots of the sciatic nerve, located in the lower lumbar spine, are compressed or irritated.

Causes of sciatica include:
Narrowing of the spinal canal in the lower back is caused by lumbar spinal stenosis.
Degenerative disc disease is when the discs that cushion the vertebrae break down and cause two or more vertebrae to rub against each other, generally caused by age.
Spondylolisthesis, when one vertebra slips over another one.
Muscle spasms in the buttocks or back.
Additional causes include lack of exercise, obesity, wearing high heels, or sleeping on a mattress that is too soft.

 Invest in a Good Mattress
Although your mattress is not the root of your sciatic issues, it could be making it worse. An orthopedic bed is an excellent option if you’re finding yourself losing sleep due to sciatic pain. Plushy, memory foam mattresses can lose their shape quickly and fail to support your spine properly. Winco Foam, therefore, presents the most suitable range of orthopedic mattresses that will give you that firmness and sturdiness.
For Stomach Sleepers:
Invest in a firmer mattress that aligns your body and keeps you afloat. The Winco Orthopedic mattress is most appropriate for this type of sleeper.
For Side Sleepers:
Find a soft mattress that offers support by your hips and shoulders. The Winco Merit Mattress is your best bet to give you’re the support you need.
For Back Sleepers:
it is recommended that you get a medium-firm mattress that gives you full-body support. The Winco Grandeur Mattress is best suited for this purpose
 
Use a Body Pillow
When sleeping with sciatica, use a body pillow when sleeping on your side or just place a regular pillow between your knees. By putting a pillow between your knees, it helps keep your spine, hips, and pelvis aligned. If sleeping with a pillow seems too bulky or uncomfortable, consider mimicking the same sleeping position without the spine. This will also align your spine with your hips and pelvis. You can check out the Winco range of pillows to give you that comfort that you deserve.

Change Your Neck Pillow
Many people sleep on fluffy pillows that provide very little support. Keeping your cervical spine aligned is highly effective at reducing lower back pain later. Investing in a supportive, high-quality neck pillow can help you avoid suffering from neck pain, as well as lower back pain, and eventually find a more comfortable position at night. The Winco range of pillows is made from fiber and high-quality cotton fabric, tailored to relieve pressure off your neck as you sleep-aiding you with the right neck support for a comfortable sleep.

Do Some Stretches before Bed
Exercising before bed is not recommended as you can quickly find yourself wide awake from the adrenaline rush. However, simple stretches before bed can reduce sleeping with sciatica pain. Many of these stretches can be done on your bed, so you don’t even need to wake up for them. These are the best stretches for sciatica:
Knees to chest
Pelvic tilt
Knees to the opposite shoulder

Takeaway
Many people with sciatica pain find lying down painful. In general, sleeping on your side or on your back tends to be better than sleeping on your stomach. If you’re a side sleeper, you may find it helpful to put a pillow between your knees and/or between your waist and the mattress. If you like to sleep on your back, you may find putting a pillow under your lower back and/or knees helps reduce pain.

Sleeping with sciatica doesn’t have to be a nightmare because the Winco range of foam products is carefully constructed to help your body repair itself and alleviate sciatica symptoms.

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Source:www.wincofoam.com