World Sleep Day: Sleeping With Pillow Between Legs; Can It Benefit Pregnant Women?

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A pillow between the legs while sleeping on your side is one sleeping position that many people report helps them relieve pain.

Keeping a pillow between your legs prevents your spinal column from rotating during sleep, which can relieve some of the stress on the tissues in your back and may reduce the severity of back pain caused by a herniated disc or sciatica [1].

The use of a body pillow may help side sleepers eliminate the pain caused by conditions such as arthritis and sciatica by maintaining their hips and lower back in a straight position throughout the night.

Let's examine the benefits of sleeping with pillow between your legs.

Benefits Of Sleeping With Pillow Between Legs

1. Relieves back and hip pain

You may benefit from placing a pillow between your knees or thighs while you sleep since this may help maintain the alignment of your hips and pelvis, relieving the strain on inflamed ligaments and muscles [2].

2. May improve posture

Putting a pillow between your legs during sleep may help you maintain your spinal health and posture, as research has shown that sleeping in non-symmetrical postures causes structural changes to your spine [3].

3. Relieves sciatica pain

By compressing the sciatica nerve further, sleeping in positions that result in twisting of your lower back and hips may worsen your sciatica pain. When your sciatica nerve is compressed, it causes pain in your buttocks and down your leg.

You may be able to reduce compression by keeping your spine aligned by sleeping with a pillow between your knees [4].

Sleeping With A Pillow Between Legs: Does It Benefit Pregnant Women?

During pregnancy, doctors recommend sleeping on one's side. Your left side is often referred to as your ideal sleeping position. You may find that placing a pillow between your legs makes sleeping on your side more comfortable and reduces back pain by keeping your spine neutral while sleeping on your side [5].

When sleeping on your back, you may find it easier to relieve back and hip pain if you place a pillow under your knees. If you experience pain on both sides of your body, you may prefer sleeping on your back and oversleeping on your side [6].

On A Final Note...

Sleeping with a pillow between your legs is generally safe. However, if it causes discomfort, it should be avoided. It may be difficult to sleep on your side if you suffer from hip or back pain on both sides.

You may want to consider sleeping in another position, such as on your back with a pillow under your legs if this occurs.