6 Tips to Alleviate Body Aches After Sleeping

.As annoying as it is, waking up with aches and pains from time to time is inevitable. We don’t always get a good night’s sleep, and it’s easy to overexert ourselves during the day, causing tightness in our muscles and joints.

The most common reason for body aches after sleeping is a lack of good quality sleep, according to Antony Colton of Bedstar (bedstar.co.uk). Without quality sleep, your body is deprived of the time it needs to repair cells broken down during the day. This is why sleep is so essential when recovering from an injury,

However, Mr. Colton says a lack of quality sleep may not be the only reason causing body aches after sleeping.

1. It could be your mattress.

If you wake up with body aches regularly, your mattress may be to blame.

A mattress that is too firm or too soft for your bodyweight – or your primary sleeping position – is very likely to give you aches and pains.

Too Firm: If your mattress is too firm, you will have aches in your muscles and joints, especially your pelvis and other touchpoints. This is because the mattress is too firm to compress under your weight.

Too Soft: If your mattress is too soft, you can get backache because the mattress doesn’t support your spine. Soft mattresses are kind to your joints and muscles, but they offer little if any spinal support.

2. It could be your pillow.

If you have upper back pain or neck pain after sleeping, there’s a strong chance your pillow is to blame. Mr. Colton suggests that most people have too many pillows; one correct-firmness pillow is best for most people to sleep on, with a soft pillow to cuddle or sit up against.

Try using fewer pillows or an extra pillow if you sleep with none. It would help if you also matched your pillow firmness to how you like to sleep...

On your side: firm pillow
On your front: soft pillow
On your back: medium pillow

3. Sleeping in odd positions

We all have nights where we may sleep on our arms, with our hips twisted and our legs in funny positions. Unfortunately, such positions restrict blood flow and cause inflammation in areas of the body that you use to do things.

Sleeping in odd positions means sleeping in unnatural positions, which can also affect health. It’s better to sleep in the following positions with an appropriate mattress.

On your side: A medium to medium-soft mattress is best
On your front: A soft to medium-soft mattress is best
On your back: A medium mattress is best unless you weigh over 200 lbs, in which case a firm mattress is most appropriate.

4. Lack of quality sleep

Not sleeping long enough can give you aches and pains for two key reasons, Mr. Colton says.

The first is that your body doesn’t have the time it needs to repair your cells. During the day, your body breaks down cells from doing a range of activities. Quality sleep helps repair and regenerate these cells effectively.
The second reason is that a lack of sleep can cause inflammation in the body. Inflammation causes aches and pains and exasperates injuries.

To achieve quality, restful sleep, begin be establishing good sleep habits that enable you to fully benefit from a good night's rest.

5. Overexertion (pushing yourself too hard physically)

Anyone who has lifted weights or gone on a run after a bit of time off will know the symptoms of overexertion. It doesn’t even have to be a sport; overexertion can happen by lifting a heavy box or walking up a steep hill.

Overexertion causes inflammation in the body, which causes pain and discomfort. This takes time to heal, and one night’s sleep isn’t enough. If your body's limits are extended, overexertion can also cause tearing or overstretching in muscles, tendons, and ligaments, leading to injury. Being aware of your activities and avoiding instances of pushing yourself too hard physically will help ease body aches from this cause.

6. You are getting older.

Lastly, let’s not discount the aging process.

As we age, our muscles and bones become less dense, becoming more prone to injury and soreness. Additionally, our ligaments, tendons, and joints become leathery, which is why mobility becomes more restricted as we age.

Ultimately, aging is a natural, unstoppable part of life. You likely will get more aches and pains with every passing decade. Yet, you can help reduce the effect of aging on your body by engaging in regular stretching and exercise, including yoga and swimming, as well as reducing stress and maintaining a healthy weight.