Morning back pain is most often caused by sleeping poorly, especially if the pain tends to go away as the day progresses. Bad sleep that causes back pain in the morning may be due to an uncomfortable mattress or pillow. It could also occur when a person slept all night in an awkward, uncomfortable position. Another thing that may contribute to morning back pain is poor posture, both throughout the day and during sleep. Arthritis or a pinched nerve could also cause morning back pain.
If a person suspects that his back pain is related to how he is sleeping, he can usually eliminate the problem by trying to improve his sleeping situation. A pillow that has gone flat can cause a person to have to sleep with her head at an uncomfortable angle for her body. Additionally, a worn out mattress that is unpleasant to lie on does nothing to comfort a person with tired muscles that need rest. Replacing pillows and mattresses may take care of morning back pain problems. If it does not, the back pain is likely related to something else.
People with poor posture tend to have more problems with back pain in the morning than people who stand and sit up straight. A person who makes a conscious effort every day to improve his posture may wake up in the mornings with less pain. It is also probably a good idea for a person to practice good sleep posture. In most cases, sleeping on the stomach contributes to more back pain than sleeping on the back or side. Changing positions throughout the night may also be beneficial because it keeps constant pressure off certain parts of the body.
Arthritis is a common morning back pain culprit. Many people begin to have problems with arthritis when they reach their late 30s or early 40s, and the symptoms are often the worst first thing in the morning. Arthritis usually gets better as the day wears on and a person gets up and begins moving around. Another possible cause of morning back pain are pinched nerves. These can happen during the night simply from sleeping in the wrong position for too long. The only way for either arthritis or a pinched nerve to be correctly diagnosed is through a doctor, and a person with chronic morning back problems should see one as soon as possible to make sure the pain isn't caused by a more serious problem.