Alleviating Hip and Shoulder Pain While You Sleep 

No one wants to step out of bed every morning and immediately wince in pain from aching hips, knees, and shoulders. Unfortunately, that’s a reality for far too many adults, young and old alike. Our bodies take a beating every day, and sleep is the time our joints, hips, and shoulders are meant to recover. However, sometimes, sleep is when our aches and pains are further exacerbated due to our sleep position, a faulty mattress, or simply not taking care of ourselves enough.

If you want to start waking up refreshed rather than distressed, consider the ways you can alleviate chronic hip and shoulder pain while you sleep.

What The Research Shows

Pain in your hips and shoulders is an inconvenience at best and can turn into a major problem at worst. According to the Cleveland Clinic, “Research shows that between 50% and 90% of people who have chronic joint pain don’t sleep well. And, that sleep deprivation can lead to other health issues, including low energy, mood disorders, and eating problems.” 

The fact is, pain in your hips and shoulders is a bigger issue than just some aching joints. If this pain is disrupting your sleep, it can affect you both physically and mentally. Lack of sleep can negatively affect your mental health, ability to handle your pain, cognitive abilities, and put further strain on your body as you’re not getting enough time to recover.

Hip Pain

Chronic hip pain at night is extremely common, affecting roughly one in five people over the age of 65. It’s particularly common in women aged 40-60. Lateral hip pain is when pain affects the outer side of your hip. Causes for hip pain include overuse during the day when working or exercising to health conditions like bursitis, osteoarthritis, and tendonitis.

Shoulder Pain

The shoulder isn’t actually one joint–it’s several joints that combine with tendons and muscles to allow a wide range of motion in the arm. Pain and inflammation in this area can cause your shoulder to become still, which limits this range of motion. Shoulder pain is a common affliction, and it can be caused by injuries to the rotator cuff, trauma, arthritis, nerve compression, and even bad posture. 

According to the Orthopedic Institute of New Jersey, “It’s also worth mentioning that shoulder pain usually doesn’t happen on its own. More likely than not, you’ll have issues with the upper extremities, in general.”

Consider Your Sleeping Position

The position you sleep in can be a major factor in both causing and alleviating hip and shoulder pain. In particular, sleeping on your side puts the most pressure on these spots. As you sleep, all of your body weight presses downwards against your hip and shoulder. 

For some, completely changing your position and instead sleeping on your back can help alleviate hip and shoulder pain, as it more evenly distributes your body weight. However, no sleeping position is perfect, and you may find it’s not enough to fix your hip and shoulder issues.

Find the Right Mattress 

A good night’s sleep starts with what you are sleeping on. If your mattress is not supporting or has imprints or dips where the majority of your body weight is, then you may need a new mattress that will be more supportive of those joints. This is especially important if your mattress is several years old, sagging, or has developed lumps due to the materials not decompressing properly.

How firm or soft your mattress is makes the biggest difference when it comes to relieving pressure. A mattress that’s too soft might not provide the support your body needs, creating pressure points. However, a mattress that’s too firm is also a detriment, as that also causes pressure. Therefore, your best option is to find a medium-firm mattress that will distribute your body weight evenly and keep your joints and spine aligned.

Gardner Mattress has many options for styles and types of mattresses with differing levels of firmness for your joint needs. Our mattresses have a wide range of materials and firmness levels so you can find the type that will be both supportive and comfortable. By visiting our showrooms you can test them out in person, and our mattress specialists can talk to you about your sleep needs and help you choose a mattress that addresses joint pain or chronic pain. 

Stretch Before Bed 

Many people who are afflicted with joint pain upon waking, find that if they do a modest amount of stretching before heading to sleep each evening that they have less pain. Stretching can lengthen and loosen sore muscles and allow them to rest and recover during the overnight hours. 

If your pain levels are not too high, consider doing light exercises during the day to get the muscles warmed up and moving. Even a short walk can be helpful. Plus exercise will help you sleep better! 

Take Pain Medication Before Bed 

If you suffer from chronic pain and have trouble ‘getting going’ every morning, talk to your doctor about over-the-counter medications that may help reduce inflammation overnight and make mornings less painful. 

Use Pillow Supports or An Adjustable Base 

Many side sleepers find that if they use a body pillow to support their hips and knees during sleep they experience less joint pain by morning. The same goes for using an adjustable base to elevate knees or shoulders and take the pressure off those joints. 

There are a lot of things you can do to ease your hip and shoulder pain. Stretching, changing your sleeping position can be a big help, but perhaps your best bet at sleeping pain-free is to get a new mattress that better suits your sleep needs. Talk to our team about the different types of mattresses that may help support your body and allow for the pressure to be taken off your aching joints.