Sleeping positions to help reduce back and hip pain

Experts say there is a unique sleeping position that helps relieve back and hip pain. That is sleeping with a pillow between your legs.

This position can help relieve back and hip pain when sleeping on your side. It helps keep your pelvis and spine aligned while you sleep. Proper alignment can also help relieve tension and back pain caused by a herniated disc or sciatica.

Benefits of Sleeping with a Pillow Between Your Knees

Reduce back and hip pain. A good solution to maintain stability and reduce back and hip pain is to sleep with a pillow between your knees. This will neutralize the position of the pelvis by slightly elevating the top leg. This will help reduce pressure on the lower back and hip joints while you sleep, resulting in less pain in these areas while you sleep.

Ease sciatica pain. Sleeping with a pillow between your knees can help relieve sciatica pain. It helps prevent back twists, spinal twists, or pelvic tilts while sleeping — positions that can compress the spinal nerve and make pain worse, according to Verywell Health.

Pain relief due to herniated disc. A herniated disc can put pressure on spinal nerves, leading to significant pain and numbness.

Sleeping on your side can make the pain of a herniated disc worse. However, placing a pillow between your knees can help relieve this pain by keeping your pelvis in a neutral position and preventing spinal rotation. Sleeping on your back with a pillow under your knees can also help reduce pressure on the disc.

Benefits for pregnant women. Doctors Pregnant women with hip or back pain are often advised to sleep with a pillow between their knees to relieve pain.

Keep your back in a neutral position. Even for back sleepers, placing a pillow under your knees can be helpful. This sleeping position can help maintain the natural curve of your spine, reducing stress on your back while you sleep.

How to sleep with a pillow between your legs

Lie on your side, placing a pillow lengthwise between your legs. Stack your knees, with the pillow in between, according to Verywell Health.