If you want to know how to use lumbar pillow correctly, you must consider your sleeping position. Remember that lumbar pillows are essential for keeping your spine in a neutral position. However, using it will vary for every sleeping position to prevent tension and pain.
It would help if you also considered making a lumbar pillow yourself. This way, you can modify it according to your body and needs. You can learn more about making the most of your lumbar pillow below.
How To Use A Lumbar Pillow For Every Sleeping Position
A lumbar pillow is a useful addition when sleeping in every position. This way, you can ensure that your spine is neutral, and you can prevent back pain and other stress in different body regions. However, you should know how to use lumbar pillow according to the way you sleep.
Back sleepers
Even though sleeping on your back is the most recommended position due to it being the closest to the natural posture, you should still place a lumbar pillow on your lower back. What this pillow does is it will fill the gap between your back and the mattress and support this region.
Remember that the lumbar region is the place where the spine curves inward when you’re sleeping on your back. It’s one of the reasons why you might be waking up with back pain. It would be best if you also elevated your legs to help with the weight in the hips and add another pillow under your neck where there’s a space between it and the pillow or mattress.
After placing the lumbar pillow and other additions, you should check if your ears, shoulders, and hips are aligned with each other. Using a pillow too high for the head can strain your neck, shoulder, and back. On the other hand, be sure that your lumbar pillow stays under your lower back throughout the night.
Side sleepers
Another sleeping position that is supportive of the spine is on your side. Some people can’t sleep on their back, such as pregnant women or those suffering from breathing and acid issues. So how should you use a lumbar pillow if you’re a side sleeper?
Like sleeping on your back, you’ll notice no support between the area above the hip and the mattress. As a result, your spine bends downwards and cause straining and discomfort. Place a lumbar pillow in this region to fill the gap and support your back and use other pillows for the head, neck, shoulders, and legs.
How to achieve this? When sleeping on your side, you might benefit from a contour pillow for your head, neck, and shoulders. It has the curves to support these parts and relieve pressure. You can also add a pillow between the legs to help with the hips’ weight and encourage a neutral spine when sleeping on your side.
Stomach sleepers
Perhaps one of the most discouraged sleeping positions is on your stomach. This is because your neck turns too far from the back, unnatural for the spine and neutral posture. However, you can still use a lumbar pillow to support healthy sleep.
Since you flex your lower back when you sleep on your stomach, use the lumbar pillow below your abdomen to keep the spine level. It would also be best if the pillow you use is flat, similar to the one you use for your head. You can flatten a pillow, depending on the material, and use the lumbar pillow, not for the lumbar region but the pelvis area.
What about combination sleepers?
Not everyone stays in one position throughout the night. If you’re guilty of sleeping in one position only to wake up in another, get the proper lumbar pillow to ensure that your lower back is well-supported. To complement your various switches, you should use a lumbar belt.
What is a lumbar belt? Think of this as a pillow that surrounds your waist above the hip. Because it wraps around you, you can ensure that all sides of your lower back will be supported even if you change sleeping positions.
Types Of Lumbar Pillows
It’s essential to experiment with pillows and sleep positions to avoid back pain. Therefore, it will be useful to know about the different types of lumbar pillows for sleep. While they may vary in materials, the most significant difference among them is their shapes.
The most common lumbar pillows are cylindrical because you can easily slide them under the mattress gap and lower back when you sleep on your side or back. Another lumbar pillow is triangular to support the back, similar to when you use a lumbar pillow while sitting. And finally, there are lumbar belts that you can wrap above the hip, ideal for sleepers that move a lot during sleep.
Conclusion
Do you frequently wake up with lower back pain? Perhaps it’s time you familiarize yourself with using lumbar pillow according to your sleeping position. For example, both back and side sleepers can fill the gap between their back and the mattress with a lumbar pillow.
However, those who sleep on their stomach must use the lumbar pillow on the pelvis area instead. Following these guides should help keep the spine neutral and lessen the pressure on the back. It would be best that you also get the appropriate pillow for your upper and lower body.