How to Sleep With Hip Pain - Long & Short-Term Guide
Hip pain at night is the last thing you want when you climb into bed.
It can be caused by a selection of reasons, from arthritis to bursitis, or even sciatica in pregnancy. Whatever the cause, many people find themselves tossing and turning, searching for the best sleeping position for hip pain to relieve the discomfort.
If you’ve ever wondered how to sleep with hip pain, you’ve landed on the right page. This guide offers both instant relief strategies and longer-term solutions.
Instant Relief For Hip Pain At Night
When hip pain interrupts your rest, the first step is to manage discomfort in the short term so you can fall asleep.
Don’t underestimate the importance of a good night's sleep. A now-famous study from the 1980s found that sleep is needed for physical recovery, leading to shorter healing times and better immune function (Adam and Oswald, 1984).
Short-term solutions to help you begin sleeping with hip pain include:
- Healthy sleeping positions - Proper back or side sleeping positions keep your spine aligned, and can remove excess pressure from your hips.
- Supportive bedding - Supportive mattresses or memory foam pillows can further reduce pressure and ease hip soreness. For example, the Groove Adjustable Pillow can be personalised to your exact needs.
- Pain relief medication - Over-the-counter pain relievers like ibuprofen or paracetamol may calm inflammation enough for rest.
- Heat packs or cold therapy - Heat or cold therapy can provide instant relief. Heat relaxes tense muscles while cold reduces swelling, so you can choose whichever feels better.
These methods can provide temporary hip pain relief while sleeping.
However, long-term improvement requires addressing underlying causes. You may also need to improve your posture and adopt healthy movement habits.
How To Sleep With Hip Pain
For long-term hip pain relief while sleeping, you need to seek the underlying cause and make some lifestyle changes. Here are seven points to consider.
1. Choose The Right Sleeping Position
The best sleeping position for hip pain depends ultimately on the individual, but two approaches are widely recommended:
- Side sleeping - This maintains pelvic alignment and reduces stress on the hips. It’s also recommended to place a pillow between your knees. The Groove X Lower Back Pain Relief Pillow is designed for side sleepers, providing extra support with memory foam technology.
- Back sleeping - Proper back sleeping eases pressure on the lower back and hips. You might need to train yourself to sleep on your back before you start.
Experiment with these postures to see which gives you the most relief. If you feel uncomfortable or the pain worsens, change positions.
2. Find The Right Mattress And Bedding
Your mattress plays a huge role in sleeping with hip pain.
Research suggests that medium-firm mattresses are often best, as they provide a balance of support and cushioning (Caggiari et al., 2021).
Memory foam or hybrid mattresses that contour to your body can reduce pressure points, especially around the hips.
3. Use Supportive Pillows Strategically
Pillows are more than just head support or a bed decoration!
Placing a pillow between your knees, under your hips, or beneath your lower back can help distribute pressure and promote better alignment.
Speciality memory foam pillows can provide consistent support throughout the night, like the Groove Adjustable Pillow that comes with four removable panels for height and depth customisation.
4. Apply Heat Or Cold Therapy
As mentioned in the short-term section, many find relief by using a heating pad for 15–20 minutes before bed to relax muscles.
Alternatively, cold therapy can reduce inflammation if your hip feels swollen or irritated.
Try both and see what works best for you.
5. Gentle Pre-Sleep Stretching
Stretching before bed can reduce stiffness and make it easier to settle into a comfortable sleeping posture for hip pain.
Gentle movements such as hip openers and glute stretches can improve circulation and flexibility. If you’re unsure where to start, look for low-intensity yoga routines on YouTube.
6. Adopt Mobility Exercise Routines And Resistance Training
Long-term hip health depends on strength and mobility. Stronger muscles absorb impact and protect your joints.
You should aim to build supportive muscles around the hip joint through resistance training. When combined with mobility exercises, it can reduce pain at night and throughout the day.
Consistency is key, so make these exercises a daily habit.
7. Identify And Address Underlying Causes
For most people, nighttime hip pain is often a symptom of a deeper issue.
Common causes include:
Identifying the source with help from a healthcare professional is vital for lasting relief. So, book a doctor's appointment to get a medical professional’s opinion.
FAQs
What’s The Best Sleeping Position For Hip Pain?
Side-sleeping with a pillow between your knees or back-sleeping with knee support are widely recommended options for the best alignment and pressure relief. But make sure you maintain a healthy position, as improper side sleeping can cause hip pain.
Why Does Hip Pain Worsen At Night?
Reduced movement at night can allow inflammation to build up in the joints, and sleeping on overly soft or misaligned surfaces adds extra pressure on the hips.
Research shows that poor sleep quality, such as waking up from hip pain, can further increase inflammation and create a difficult cycle (Irwin, Olmstead, & Carroll, 2016).
Can A Pillow Between My Legs Help Hip Pain?
Yes, placing a pillow between your legs helps maintain pelvic alignment and reduces strain on the hips. There are plenty more benefits of sleeping with a pillow between your legs, such as better circulation and clearer airways.
Are Some Mattresses Better For Hip Pain Sufferers?
Absolutely. Medium-firm mattresses with contouring support, such as memory foam or hybrids, help balance comfort with proper spinal alignment. Poor-quality mattresses can even lead to worse pain.
When Should I See A Doctor For Hip Pain At Night?
Seek medical advice if the pain persists for more than a few weeks, limits your ability to walk, or is accompanied by systemic symptoms like fever or unexplained weight loss. If the pain interrupts your daily routine, seek immediate help.
Last Thoughts
Sleeping with hip pain can be incredibly frustrating, but by investigating the issue and making appropriate changes, you can fall into bed at the end of a long day without any extra worries.
Hopefully, these nighttime hip discomfort tips have helped you make a plan. For many, minor changes such as adding a supportive pillow or adjusting mattress firmness make a significant difference.
Get better support today with specialised memory foam pillows from Groove.
References
- Adam, K. and Oswald, I. (1984). Sleep helps healing. BMJ, 289(6456), pp.1400–1401. doi:https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.289.6456.1400.
- Caggiari, G., Talesa, G.R., Toro, G., Jannelli, E., Monteleone, G. and Puddu, L. (2021). What type of mattress should be chosen to avoid back pain and improve sleep quality? Review of the literature. Journal of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, 22(1). doi:https://doi.org/10.1186/s10195-021-00616-5.
- Irwin, M.R., Olmstead, R. and Carroll, J.E. (2016). Sleep Disturbance, Sleep Duration, and Inflammation: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Cohort Studies and Experimental Sleep Deprivation. Biological Psychiatry, 80(1), pp.40–52. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsych.2015.05.014.