If you have scoliosis, you may suffer from pain that makes it difficult to sleep at night. Luckily, a good night’s sleep is still possible. Here are some tips and tricks to help you sleep better with scoliosis.

Invest in a Good Mattress

Since you spend a third of your life in bed, having a supportive mattress is the best thing you can do to reduce your pain and sleep better with scoliosis. Here are some tips to help you pick the right mattress for scoliosis:

• Look for a good warranty and a long sleep trial. Some beds, especially memory foam, may develop dips fairly quickly, and you want to be able to return your mattress if it starts causing you pain.
• Go for a mattress with firm or medium firm support. While a soft, plushy bed sounds great in theory, the curvature in your back needs to be supported by a firmer mattress to help prevent and reduce pain.
• Invest in a mattress with durability. While it may be tempting to skimp and buy a cheap mattress, the quicker your mattress starts to sag, the sooner you will start experiencing pain. Invest more money in a mattress that will remain supportive for many years to come.
• Look for a mattress with motion isolation. When you have scoliosis, the last thing you want is for your back to be jolted every time your partner moves. A mattress with motion isolation will keep your back supported no matter how much your partner may toss and turn or get up to use the restroom.

Find the Right Pillows

Good pillows are just as crucial as a good mattress. If your back and neck aren’t getting the support they need from your pillows, you will still experience pain no matter how good of a mattress you have.

Look for a pillow to support your favorite sleeping position. People who sleep on their backs need different types of pillows than those who sleep on their sides (sleeping on your stomach is not recommended for people with scoliosis).

If you sleep on your side, you’ll want a thick pillow between your knees and under your head, with a thin pillow supporting the curve of your back. If you sleep on your back, you’ll want a thick pillow under your knees, a not-too-thick one under your head, and a thin one under your upper or lower back to support the curve of your back.

Strength Training, or Stretching

Having a strong, flexible core can help relieve back pain caused by scoliosis. No matter how you choose to strengthen and loosen your back and abdominal muscles, make sure you talk to a doctor first who understands the challenges of exercising with scoliosis to ensure you don’t do more harm than good.

Go to the Chiropractor

The curvature in your spine likely pulls your vertebrae out of alignment, causing additional back pain. Chiropractic adjustments can help keep your spine as straight as possible, reducing pain and allowing you to sleep better.

Try Acupuncture

Many people find great pain relief from acupuncture. This ancient Asian practice uses the insertion of fine needles into specific points on your body to stimulate the release of endorphins, the “feel good hormone.” Studies have shown mixed results regarding the effectiveness, but the risk of side effects is so low that it’s worth a try.

Get Regular Massages

The curvature in your back likely puts a strain on various muscles since your skeleton isn’t functioning as intended. This strain probably causes a lot of pain that may be relieved by getting regular massages. Most people find massages to be extremely relaxing, which can help improve your sleep all by itself.

Invest in Supportive Shoes and Ergonomic Chairs

The more you can do to support your back during the day, the less pain you should experience when you go to bed at night, and reduced pain means better sleep. If you’re on your feet all day, a comfortable, supportive pair of shoes is worth any amount of money. If you spend all day at a desk, then an ergonomic chair is crucial to support your back while you work.

You Can Sleep Better

You may not find enough relief from only one of these tips and tricks, but using multiple techniques from this list should help you experience less pain and sleep better with scoliosis. If all else fails, see your doctor to see what they can recommend to help improve your sleep.