When many of us were kids our mother’s or father’s cautioned us never to sleep with a pillow between our legs because it would cause “back problems.” Well, the experts have spoken on this issue and there are actually some significant benefits to sleeping with a pillow between your legs – just not for back problems.
When you’re pregnant you’re advised to sleep with a pillow between your legs, but why? For one, studies have found that bed rest has been linked to stress urinary incontinence. Sleeping with your knees up helps prevent the pelvic muscles from weakening. And, it’s believed that sleeping with a pillow between your legs helps the uterus stay in place.
Another reason women are advised to sleep with a pillow between their legs is if they have just had surgery on their perineum due to giving birth or other types of surgery. The doctors say this can help keep swelling down and bleeding to a minimum – not only that but you’ll find that there are several other benefits too!
Sleeping with Pillow between Your Legs for Bladder Control
One of the most important reasons why women should consider placing a pillow between their legs while they sleep; particularly after an episiotomy or corrective surgery of some type is because it might improve bladder control and reduce leaking (incontinence). We know that sleeping with a pillow between the legs is especially important to prevent swelling and reduce bleeding after perinea surgery.
There are several reasons why women suffer from incontinence, but most of the time it’s simply due to weakened pelvic floor muscles that can be helped by Keel exercises or pelvic floor muscle training. During pregnancy the hormones cause the ligaments to loosen which can have negative effects on your bladder control.
Sleeping with Pillow between Your Legs for Better Sleep
Sleeping with a bow pillow between your legs may be beneficial if you’re uncomfortable because of any kind of health condition (back problems, stress urinary incontinence), pregnancy, or some type of surgery (i.e. episiotomy). For one, it can help you get a better night’s rest – this is especially true if you’re among the many people who sleep on their side.
If you sleep on your back, sleeping with a pillow between your legs may also be recommended by doctors to help reduce sciatic nerve pain/pressure (common during pregnancy). If you tend to toss and turn at different times during the night, placing a pillow between your legs might make for easier periods of sleep without waking up.
Sleeping with a Pillow between your legs for hip pain
Hip pain is never fun, no matter what age or sex. It can definitely make it difficult to get comfortable enough to fall asleep. One of the potential causes of hip pain (especially in women) could be the way they sleep. Women who sleep on their sides may find that sleeping without a pillow between the legs could cause hip pain over time, especially if the hips are normally rotated inward while lying down. If you’re among this group of women it’s advised to place a pillow between your legs while you sleep to take pressure off of your hips and spine area.
Sleeping with Pillow between Your Legs for Good Posture
Whether or not you suffer from sciatic nerve pain/pressure when pregnant or other types of back problems good posture is always important, sleeping with a pillow between your legs can help prevent poor posture when sleeping on your side which could lead to future back problems later in life – but remember, this position isn’t recommended if you have back pain or sciatic nerve problems.
Sleeping with Pillow between Your Legs for Less Pain
As you might have guessed, most of the reasons are pretty much related to pregnancy and childbirth or surgery recovery. This is because many women find relief from their specific type of pain by placing a pillow between their legs when lying down. For instance, some women complain about pelvic area pain for no apparent reason which could be due to endometriosis – sleeping with a pillow between your legs can help reduce that pain while resting or sleeping at night. Another example is certain types of stomach pains that may only occur when you’re lying flat on your back; this can often be relieved by simply placing a pillow below your knees when lying down. The list goes on and on, but the point is that a pillow between the legs can be a very effective pain reliever while lying down.
Conclusion
In conclusion, using a pillow between the legs when sleeping can relieve pain in several different areas of your body including hips, back, bowels and bladder. In addition to that, it could improve your posture while resting at night which could reduce future back problems. However, if you tend to experience hip pain while lying on your side or have sciatic nerve problems/pain, don’t sleep with a pillow between your legs.
