Addressing Hip Pain
- By Adam Turner
- May 19, 2017
We spend roughly a third of our lives sleeping. Well, when all goes as planned, that is. There’s little more important than getting a good night’s rest, so it makes sense that there’s nothing as frustrating as tossing and turning, unable to get the sleep you need. Oftentimes this is linked to or can result in pain throughout the body. Based on how you sleep, your neck, shoulders, back and hips are all at risk for wear and tear, for strain and pain.
Our hips can also be a source of discomfort and pain at night. You may be sleeping on a bad mattress, experiencing tight or over-exerted muscles from exercise, or even suffering from a medical condition such as arthritis. Here are some tips to keep in mind:
- If your pain is specific to sleep, it may be due to your musculoskeletal or orthopedic condition irritated by your sleeping position. Experimenting with different positions may alleviate these issues.
- Hip pain is often the result a poor mattress support that is either too hard or too soft for your posture.
- Remember to stretch! This can prove extremely helpful, not only to address pain throughout your body, but to relax your muscles prior to sleep.
General Tips
Let’s address the elephant in the room: Sleeping on your stomach is almost never a good decision. It flattens the natural curve of your spine and invites pain all over, including your hips. It puts undue stress on your muscles. If you can’t seem to sleep any other way, consider sleeping without a pillow at all. Side and back sleep positions are much preferable, and varying your sleep position throughout the night may be the best solution.
One of the best ways to enhance your sleep and reduce the possibility of injury is practicing what is known as proper “sleep hygiene,” or good habits to ensure consistently high-quality sleep. Some of these habits include sticking to a nightly routine and sleep schedule (going to bed and waking up at the same time daily), reducing stimulants before bed, exercising regularly, avoiding abuse of sleeping medicine, keeping your sleep environment cool and dark, exposing yourself to natural light during the day, avoiding blue light emitted by some technology, stretching, and much more. The better you sleep at night, the less likely you are to experience pain. Quality sleep can help your muscles relax and heal, while sleep deprivation negatively impacts how we perceive pain.
Finally, poor sleep is even more likely on the wrong mattress and pillow. There is no one-size-fits-all solution to improve your sleep. Take our exclusive in-store Sleep Assessment to determine what’s keeping you up at night and find a properly fitted solution.
With any luck, you’ve found some small way to help you sleep better at night. If your issues persist, it may be time to see a doctor for a professional opinion. But if your issues can be fixed with a sleep solution, we’ve got you covered. Visit a conveniently located Sleep Outfitters near you today!
Have other sleep issues? Read our tips on back, shoulder, and neck pain, as well as dealing with sleep apnea, snoring, poor circulation and sinus issues!
Further Reading:
Addressing Neck Pain – Sleep Outfitters
Addressing Shoulder Pain – Sleep Outfitters
Addressing Back Pain – Sleep Outfitters
Treating Sleep Apnea – Sleep Outfitters
Treating Snoring – Sleep Outfitters
Treating Poor Circulation – Sleep Outfitters
Treating Sinus Issues – Sleep Outfitters
Hip Pain at Night – Manage Back Pain
