We’ve all heard and read about what can cause back pain; (incorrect lifting, bad posture, too much bending, sleeping wrong.. etc) But did you know that you may be making a common mistake in your daily routine, that might be making your back pain worse?
What I’m about to tell you might sound surprising, but hear me out and I’ll explain why it can cause your back pain to get worse, as well as give you some tips on how to change it.
1.) Lack of Exercise
By this I mean, lack of the correct exercises. Many people stay active by going for long walks, playing sports, and going to the gym. Yet, how many people actually put time aside to do something like strengthen their core muscles, or increase their flexibility?
Core strengthening and flexibility exercises always seem to be overlooked, but they really shouldn’t be. Stretches before and after exercise could help with flexibility, however the main reason you see this commonly done is to get rid of the lactic acid built up from exercise. Lactic acid often causes muscle soreness post-workout. If you are someone who is noticing stiffness more frequently after exercise and stretching, you may really benefit from Yoga or Pilates.
Yoga is a great exercise to add into your daily routine. Yoga might include stretches that you may already be familiar with, however it involves so much more than just a few stretches. Both yoga & pilates help focus on your breathing, which will help to calm your nervous system — making you feel less stressed, while easing muscle tension. This also can help to increase your flexibility.
Many yoga & pilates exercises also require a significant amount of core stability, which can help to increase your core strength over time. Core strength is extremely important for maintaining a healthy back.
Just because these routines aren’t as fast-paced as HIIT or Zumba workouts, doesn’t mean that it’s not an intense workout for your muscles! Try Yoga and/or Pilates on a daily basis because of their amazing benefits and see how you feel after a couple weeks of consistency!
2.) Poor Diet
Being overweight can have a great impact on your health AND your back pain. If you are overweight, then you are putting extra pressure on your back and joints. An example of this can be shown where the body stores sugar; when we eat sugar, any energy that we don’t use from it is stored in our fat deposits centered in our abdomen — an area that is supported by the back. Another place that it can be stored, is at your lower back (aka your love handles).
Try cutting down on the sugar, caffeine ,processed foods and choose more natural foods to overcome this issue. Just remember, any unused energy will be stored as fat in the body.
3. Your Mattress
How old is your mattress? When you actually think back to when you got your mattress, you may be surprised at how old it actually is! Although your mattress may have been very supportive and comfy in the beginning, over time the springs can wear down and may ultimately not end up giving your body the support it needs. On average, humans spend 1/3 of our day sleeping, so it is vital to ensure that your mattress is providing your back the support it needs.
If perhaps you can’t afford to go out and buy a new mattress this minute (because let’s be honest, not many of us can), then another way to get ideal body support is to buy a comfortable mattress pad or use pillows.
If you sleep on your side, place a pillow between your legs for extra support. This will help your hip joints as well as your lower back. If you prefer to sleep on your back, get a pillow or two and place them under your knees. This changes the way your spine is positioned when you sleep, providing more support for your back, while keeping it in a more neutral alignment.
And there you have it! Having a healthy diet is more important than just getting the correct nutrients for your body. It can help ease any pressure on your joints and muscles by keeping your organs functioning properly. Your mattress, as comfortable as it may feel, might actually be causing your body harm!
Not many people seem to notice these problems in their lifestyle and often ignore them because they don’t see how what they eat and what they sleep on, can have a big impact on their back pain, never mind the type of exercise they do!
So please don’t make the mistake that so many other people are making, and implement these into your daily routine today!
Thank you very much for reading! Please let me know what you think in the comments and check out some more of my articles below!
