If you’re living with back pain, I don’t need to tell you how much it impacts your life.

And you’re not alone.

Back pain is the leading cause of disability in America.

And it’s the second most common reason for a doctor’s office visit, according to the American Chiropractic Association (ACA).

The ACA also says that lower back pain is the number one reason people are prescribed dangerously addictive opioids.

Luckily, there are a number of non-drug solutions that can help ease the pain.

One of those is making sure your sleeping position is providing maximum relief…

And isn’t making the pain worse!

The most important thing is to align your spine when you sleep.

Try to pay special attention to aligning your ears, shoulders, and hips in bed.

And be careful when rolling, twisting, or moving overnight – you can easily throw off your alignment.

Try to tighten your torso and move your body as one.

Here are 4 sleeping position that can help with degenerative and herniated discs, and general back pain.

We hope they help you find some relief.

General Back Pain? Try this Pillow Position

For general back pain, sleeping on your side with a pillow between your knees can help align your spine for relief.

Try this:

Let your shoulder, side, and hips relax into the mattress.

Draw your knees up slightly.

Then, place a firm pillow between your knees.

Another option is to use a full length body pillow in this position.

Note: Using a knee pillow is vital to this position – it helps align your hips and spine.

Don’t always sleep on the same side. Be sure to switch it up regularly.

Degenerative Discs? Try Stomach Sleeping

Sleeping on your stomach can make back pain worse, because it puts pressure on your neck.

However, for some people – especially those with degenerative discs – a special stomach position may help you find relief.

The trick here is lie on your stomach, and then place a pillow under your hips and abdomen.

This can relieve some of the pressure on your back and spine.

Depending on how this position feels, you may find you don’t want to use a pillow for your head. However, you should base that decision on your personal comfort.

Curl Up for a Herniated Disc

If you’re suffering with a herniated disc, many people find relief sleeping in the fetal position.

That’s because the curled up position can help open the spaces between your vertebra, releasing the pressure on your discs.

Here’s how to do it:

Start on your back. Then, gently roll to your side.

Pull your knees up towards your chin, and gently roll your torso down towards them – until you’re curled up.

Don’t curl too tight – make sure it’s a comfortable position.

Be sure to switch sides regularly, so you don’t create any imbalances.

This Old Standby Still Works

For years, people with back pain were told to sleep on their backs.

And that’s often good advice.

The reason is it helps distribute your weight across the largest area, taking some of the pressure off your pain points.

It also helps align your spine.

However, there are ways to enhance this pain-relieving position.

When you’re on your back, take a pillow and tuck it under your knees.

That helps support and maintain the natural curvature of your back.

And support your neck with a pillow too.

You may find that rolling up a towel and placing it under your lower back enhances the pain relief.

Bottom Line: Stay Aligned

Finally, Retire That Old Mattress and Pillows

If you’re sleeping on an old, worn-out mattress, take it to the dump!

A high-quality mattress that supports your neck and back can offer real relief for back pain.

And thanks to the recent innovation of “memory foam” mattresses, a new mattress may be a lot less expensive than you remember.

Note: Firmer isn’t always better! That’s a bit of a myth.

According to health.com, the way you sleep should dictate how the kind of mattress you buy – as you want to be sure your mattress supports and aligns your spine.

They say, on a scale of 1 to 10 (with 10 as the firmest), here’s what to look for depending on how you normally sleep:

• • Side sleeper? You need a slightly softer mattress in the 5.5 to 6.5 range for firmness.
  • Back sleeper? You need a solid medium-firm mattress and should aim for around a 6 to 7 on the firmness scale.
  • Stomach sleeper? You need a slightly firmer mattress in the 6.5 to 7.5 range, allowing for individual preferences.

Try searching “mattress for back pain” on Google, and you’ll find several websites that have compared top brands.

You’ll also see that a new, high-quality mattress can be had for under $1,000.

And it isn’t just a new mattress that could make the difference.

Finding the right pillow for how you sleep could also help relieve your back pain.

• • Side sleeper? You need a thicker, firmer pillow. And don’t forget a firm, flat pillow for between your knees.
  • Back sleeper? You may need a thinner pillow, though make sure it fills the space under your neck for complete support.
  • Stomach sleeper? You’ll do best with a very thin pillow or even none at all.

Tip! 30-Second Back Stretch to Release Your Pain

Yoga can be very effective at relieving back pain.

However, a study found that stretching can be just as effective as yoga in relieving chronic back pain.

It makes sense… Our muscles become shorter and less elastic as we get older.

Avoiding movement only makes these issues worse.

By stretching our backs and chests and keeping our shoulder joints and the joints in our back moving, we can avoid pain, improve posture and range of motion, and maintain a higher quality of life.

If you’re interested in learning an effective stretch for back pain, consider this message from our affiliate partner, Emily Lark…

Emily used to suffer from horrific back pain caused by a car accident that wasn’t her fault.

She tried many things and was on the verge of getting back surgery when she discovered an unusual stretch that HEALED her back pain & sciatica in just 30 seconds a day.

She never did get surgery.

And she doesn’t use painkillers.

Looking at her today, you’d never know she was once crippled by back pain.

This unusual stretch is so effective, Emily is now on a mission to share it with as many back pain sufferers as possible.

=> This 30-second stretch ERASES back pain & sciatica

Since discovering this stretch, Emily has taught it to thousands of back pain and sciatica sufferers all over the world, and their lives have been transformed…

Emily is ready to teach this one simple stretch to you today.

You can learn how to do it here:

=> This 30-second stretch ERASES back pain & sciatica