Hip Pain When Sleeping: What should I do?

Hip pain when sleeping is very common among the adult population, especially in women. It is particularly common among people over 40 who usually lie on their side. 

There are different causes of hip pain when sleeping on your side, and a fundamental element to prevent or mitigate it is to have a good mattress. Choosing good rest equipment may be the difference between tossing and turning all night and sleeping peacefully.

Whether you suffer from hip pain all day and don't know what position to sleep in at night or you only have hip pain when you lie down, we have got you covered. In this article, we will explain the most common causes of hip pain and what to do to relieve hip pain as well as the best sleeping position for your sleeping comfort. 

Why Does My Hip Hurt In Bed?

The factors that cause hip pain when sleeping on your side vary. The most common are:

Sleeping on a worn mattress

If the mattress you sleep on is old, the layers of padding will not fulfill their function well. Therefore, the pressure on your hip joints is greater and this can eventually cause hip pain.

Arthritis

Arthritis is a disease that causes inflammation of the membranes of the joints. It is associated with increasing age and some other pathologies.

Osteoarthritis

It is a chronic and degenerative cartilage disease that can manifest as joint pain. It also worsens with age.

Osteoporosis

In this condition, the bone density decreases and weakens the bones. It is more common in women, especially during menopause.

Some sports

Repetitive exercises such as cycling or running can cause hip injuries which can cause pain. Hip pain can also be due to intense exercises that are beyond the body’s limit and fitness. 

Pregnancy

During pregnancy, mainly in the third trimester, changes occur in the woman's anatomy aimed at preparing the body for childbirth. The ligaments and muscles of the hip relax and the woman gains weight, All these factors may contribute to hip pain. 

Tendonitis

This is the inflammation of tendons and muscles and may occur mainly when playing some sports such as football or cycling. Women are also more likely to have this condition.

Bursitis

It is an inflammation of the bursa (a bag underneath tendons where they touch bones) caused by the friction of muscles, tendons, and ligaments. One of its main symptoms is pain in the hips when sleeping on the side.

Pain may become so intense that it is difficult to fall asleep even after lying down for hours.

What Can I Do To Relieve Hip Pain When Sleeping?

Go to a Specialist

The first thing to do when you develop hip pain unbearable enough to disturb your sleep is to go see a specialist to determine the cause of your hip pain.

The consequences of hip pain can worsen if left untreated. This condition affects quality of life and mobility. In addition, hip pain when sleeping affects rest, as it causes difficulties falling asleep and frequent nighttime awakenings. Once you have a diagnosis the pain can then be treated accordingly.

Watch your Sleeping Posture 

source: istock

If you have hip pain only on one side, you should try to sleep on the other hip to relieve the pressure on your affected joint. Another way to relieve the pressure is to get a cushion or pillow to fit in between your legs. 

It is best to sleep on the side that does not hurt or on your back, using a cushion/pillow under your knees to achieve correct hip alignment.

Get Out Of Bed Correctly

To reduce hip pain, it is important to learn how to get out of bed without straining the joints. To do this, get up while using your arms and elbows to support your body without crossing your legs. Sit on the edge of the bed with your feet flat on the floor and slowly get up with the help of your arms.

Maintain Healthy Lifestyle Habits

One of the factors that contribute to rapidly progressing hip pain is being overweight. Losing weight helps relieve the pressure that our hips endure.

Maintain healthy lifestyle habits that include healthy eating and regular exercise. A healthy diet also helps you to have a higher quality of sleep. 

Low-impact exercises such as swimming that involve joint mobility are highly recommended. Taking a walk on smooth surfaces is also beneficial.

Stretching And Massage Exercises

Have you tried stretching your muscles before? Stretching your muscles has great benefits and can help relieve pain. In addition to stretching, it is advisable to strengthen all the muscles in the area involved such as the glutes and hamstrings.

You will be surprised by the difference stretching and massage exercises can make. 

What Should I Avoid? 

While there are things you want to do more, there are also activities and things you should reduce such as: 

• Seats that are too soft or too low
• Heavy weight lifting
• Spending a lot of time standing without changing position or moving

The Ideal Mattress for Hip Pain

Having a good mattress can help prevent hip pain and alleviate it if we already suffer from it. Bear in mind that a worn or inappropriate mattress for our body can cause hip pain.

To choose the best mattress, we must take into account that hip pain is aggravated by the pressure that the joints suffer when we lay on the bed. Therefore, it is necessary to use a mattress that alleviates these pressure points.

Memory foam mattresses and medium or high-density latex mattresses are good options for many people who suffer from hip pain when sleeping on their side. They are especially beneficial because they have a good adaptability function and help reduce pressure on our hips. 

Be careful when choosing memory foam as many make mistakes and abuse this material. We do not need the mattress to be excessively soft either as this can be counterproductive.

It is also important to choose a mattress that can comfortably support the user's weight. If you suffer from hip pain and have a high weight, it is better to opt for a  pocket spring mattress. 

We have drafted the recommended mattress firmness for different body weights below. 

Do you need a custom mattress to relieve hip pain? Ask us, we can manufacture it to fit what you need and improve your rest.

Electric adjustable beds are also a good option as they can elevate your legs and offer pressure relief in the hip area.

Is It Time To Change Your Mattress?

Normally it is advisable to change your mattress every 8 or 10 years to prevent it from losing its cushioning properties and increasing pressure in your hip joints. Note that this may vary depending on the quality of the mattress and the profile of the sleeper.

Hip pain when sleeping is a common condition that may be caused by an inappropriate or worn-out mattress. The time may have come to renew your sleeping equipment, at Ego Home, we have mattresses adapted to your needs at your disposal. Improve your rest with us and you will get the best quality mattress on the market.

How To Manage Hip Pain

After learning ways to avoid hip pain and seeing a specialist regarding your pain, you might still feel residual pain from the previous night. Here are tips on how to manage it, so you can have a more comfortable day:

Modify Your Daily Activities

Hip pain can cause a lot of discomfort, therefore some activities in your daily routine need to be modified. Examples of modifications that need to be done include: 

• Avoid exercises that involve repetitive bending of your hip
• Stop any activities that aggravate the pain including running, jogging, jumping, etc.
• Maintain a good sitting posture that relaxes your hip joints
• Do not try to work through the pain
• Only perform light exercises especially those that don't involve the hip joint. 
• Avoid explosive or strenuous exercises like lunges.

Medications

If the pain is so severe that it makes you uncomfortable even at rest, you might want to consider using some medications. Over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers can be used to relieve hip pain.

Also, pain relieving balms can be used on the area where you feel the pain. If the pain still persists, you might need to see a doctor for a more potent pain reliever or for proper dosing of your medication.

Exercises For Core Strength

These exercises help to strengthen your core muscles which in turn helps to give proper support to your hip joint. The support can help relieve hip pain and make you more comfortable.