The spine has natural curves. However, in some cases, some curves shouldn’t be there in the first place. If the spine has any abnormal curvature, it’s most likely due to scoliosis.
Scoliosis is often diagnosed during the teen years when the abnormal curvature becomes most noticeable. It can be caused by a lot of things. Sometimes, it’s genetic, but sometimes, it can be a congenital disorder or something that you’re born with.
If you have scoliosis, falling asleep at night is one of your biggest problems.
Below, we’ll give you tips on how to sleep better if you have scoliosis.
1. Get Yourself a Good Mattress
Not everyone sleeps the same way. However, if you have scoliosis, you want to keep your spine from getting worse. One way of doing that is to sleep on a firm mattress. This is because they’re less likely to sag and offers better support for your spinal curvature.
Of course, everyone has different levels of firmness and softness preferred, so, the actual type of mattress is up to you.
If possible, however, buy from a manufacturer that offers a night sleep guarantee. This way, you have a set number of days (usually a month) to try out a bed first before ultimately deciding if whether or not it’s the right fit for you and your back.
2. Avoid Sleeping on Your Stomach
There’s no right way of sleeping, even if you have scoliosis. But, sleeping on your stomach can be bad for your back, so you might want to change your sleeping style if that’s the case for you.
The reason why the stomach sleeper position is bad for people with scoliosis is that it is bad for your spine and arches it out of its natural alignment. Because your spine is already not aligned properly in the first place, sleeping on your stomach is only going to make things worse.
When looking for the right sleeping position, your priority should be how you feel in the morning. If you feel no pain and your spine isn’t twisted in any way or form, then it should be okay.
If you plan on using sleeping aids, make sure to consult your prescribing physician first.
3. Go to a Chiropractor
Scoliosis chiropractic care is very beneficial for people with scoliosis.
While chiropractors cannot correct, cure, or even reverse the effects of scoliosis on the spine, proper chiropractor care can help improve some of the symptoms and issues of the pain and help prevent them from getting worse.
Other ways to help improve your sleep is to follow a routine and make sure that your sleeping environment is as conducive to sleep as possible. This means keeping it cool with very minimal lighting and refraining from using gadgets at least an hour before sleeping.
If you can do that, the pain that typically comes with scoliosis when you wake up should be minimised, and as a result, the quality of your life will be so much better.