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Poor sleep habits are most often attributed to the stiffness and pain in the back that a large percentage of people experience when they sleep and immediately after waking up.

Although annoying, these symptoms do not usually stem from medical problems, but are due to inappropriate mattresses, poor sleeping posture and sudden movements after prolonged muscle inactivity. They subside with a change in sleep habits and with gentle, gradual activity.

It has also been found that there is a close relationship between back pain and sleep disorders. A growing body of scientific evidence suggests that its quality and duration have an impact on the proper functioning of the spine, especially in the elderly. Among many others, a Chinese study published very recently in the scientific journal Experimental Gerontology showed that middle-aged and elderly people who do not get enough sleep and those who do not get quality sleep have a 28% and 35% increased risk of developing back pain, respectively.

More rarely, the inability to move,  without discomfort, and pain are due to diseases that require diagnosis in order to either treat them or arrest their progress and allow the patient to sleep and wake up full of energy and well-being.

Back pain is a very common phenomenon. Its frequency of occurrence ranges from 22% to 48% worldwide, a percentage that is predicted to increase in the future, due to the extended life expectancy. As people age, muscles weaken, joints degenerate and bones lose density, resulting in the appearance of musculoskeletal diseases whose main symptoms are pain, stiffness and ultimately the limitation of daily activities.

At the same time, with aging, the person more often experiences sleep disorders – they sleep less, wake up frequently during the night – a phenomenon that has consequences for musculoskeletal health. Insufficient sleep negatively affects bone density, limits the ability to restore muscle tissue, leading to a gradual decrease in strength, increases sensitivity to pain and worsens inflammation, increasing the risk of spinal pain. Therefore, sleep management is a factor that should be taken into account in the prevention of back pain and spinal pain in general.

Of course, young people also suffer from back pain during and immediately after sleep. In most cases, it is the result of poor sleeping posture, in which the spine is not naturally aligned. For example, those who sleep on their side without bending their knees or with their knees bent without a pillow between them, on their stomach without a pillow under their stomach, or on their back without a pillow under their knees are more likely to wake up with pain and stiffness.

Another modifiable factor that causes nighttime or morning pain is the mattress. Studies from Harvard University have revealed that those who sleep on orthopedic mattresses report lower quality sleep compared to those who enjoy their sleep on more “soft” ones. Choosing a good quality mattress could prevent or help alleviate symptoms.

There are many advanced products on the market that support the body, offering excellent quality sleep.

However, no matter how debilitating the pain and stiffness, most sufferers recover quickly without drastic therapeutic interventions.

Things are different, however, for those whose symptoms are due to an underlying condition. Those who continue to feel pain after getting out of bed and starting to move should suspect it and seek medical advice.

Degenerative disc disease

Degenerative disc disease is one of the most common causes. More than 90% of adults over 60 have degenerative disc disease, which can develop with age or from heavy work and intense sports activities and lead to the appearance of arthritis, herniated discs and stenosis. Although not all sufferers experience pain, in those who do, it is more intense in the morning, due to prolonged inactivity.

Treatment of degenerative disc disease

Treatment for degenerative disc disease includes painkillers, anti-inflammatories and muscle relaxants, which, however, have limited applications, and physical therapy during flare-ups. For more serious cases, where conservative treatment has failed, the application of electrothermal nucloplasty is recommended, a minimally invasive technique whose advantages include simplicity, safety, low probability of damage to the surrounding tissue, same-day return home, short recovery time and the possibility of performing open surgery if required.

Nocturnal back pain can be a symptom of more serious conditions such as osteomyelitis, ankylosing spondylitis and spinal tumors. Although these conditions are extremely rare, the coexistence of symptoms, such as pain spreading to one or both legs, numbness or tingling, weakness, fever, unexplained weight loss should prompt immediate diagnosis.