Best sleeping position for sciatica

Sciatica is when you have pain radiating down a leg because the sciatic nerve is irritated, either at one of its nerve roots in the lumbar spine or further down the nerve due to, for example, pressure from the gluteal muscles.
To reduce pressure on the nerve, the best sleeping position for sciatica may be to lie in the fetal position or on your back with your legs angled at the hip by resting your calves on a box, a pile of pillows, a laundry basket or similar. Both of these positions provide relief for the lumbar spine and also stretch the gluteal muscles to relieve any pressure on the nerve.

Sciatica is when you have pain radiating down a leg because the sciatic nerve is irritated, either at one of its nerve roots in the lumbar spine or further down the nerve due to, for example, pressure from the gluteal muscles.

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Why sleeping position is important for sciatica

Since the pain of sciatica is caused by the sciatic nerve being affected and irritated, either directly at one of the nerve roots due to a herniated disc or further down due to increased pressure from muscles and fascia, it is important to have a sleeping position that relieves the pressure and the impact that the sciatic nerve is exposed to. Not least to be able to relax and get a reasonably good sleep, which is always important for the body to heal an injury.

Lying in the fetal position rounds the lumbar spine and reduces pressure on the discs and nerve roots. At the same time, the gluteal muscles are stretched and lengthened, thus reducing the pressure on the sciatic nerve as it passes through the buttocks. The same applies to the position on the back with the legs resting on a box or high cushions and thus angled at the hip. The lumbar vertebrae are relieved and the buttocks are stretched. This is provided that the mattress is correctly adjusted.

It is important to have the right firmness of the bed mattress to provide relief for the spine. Research has shown that a medium-firm mattress is better than one that is too firm. The mattress must be adapted to your weight and body shape so that it can mold and provide relief for your spine. When lying on your side, your hips should be supported sufficiently to keep your spine straight.

The pillow must also be adjusted so that the neck is properly supported, not too high and hard pillow so that the head is angled up, but also not too low so that the neck is not supported at all. You can find more information and our sciatica treatment here.