Steer Clear of Back Pain With These 8 Lifestyle Changes

Back pain can sneak up on anyone. If you have experienced it occasionally or it is a regular part of your life, then you know how a small ache can lead to bigger concerns. You don't have to let back pain sideline your plans, though. Commit to a few of these lifestyle changes to lower your chances of developing the condition.

1. Practice Correct Posture

Sit up straight, stop slouching. These may sound familiar, but the tired advice really can help lessen your back pain. Learn what correct posture looks like (hint - it's not straight as a board) and work to practice it. Try some exercises like Pilates that are known to improve core strength and posture to help alleviate back pain.

2. Prioritize Sleep

Getting a goodnight's rest is crucial to avoiding injury and allowing your body to recover from daily activities. Aim for seven to nine hours of sleep each night for the best results.

Occasionally struggling with sleep is normal. However, if you find yourself unable to fall or stay asleep on a regular basis, try lowering the temperature of your room for better sleep quality. Rethink your innerspring bed, too. New latex mattress materials offer support and comfort for aching backs. Limit the light in your bedroom by covering windows and turning off tech gadgets to create a restful environment. The trick is to find what works best for you.

3. Increase Your Exercise

Make sure you are getting the recommended amount of exercise each week. For most adults, that is about 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity. You will be most likely to stick with an activity that you actually enjoy, and involving friends can make it even more appealing.

4. Get Comfortable

You now have a good medical reason to put away those skinny jeans. Overly tight clothes can restrict your movements, which can easily aggravate back pain. Opt instead for loose or stretchable clothing that gives you a full range of motion to bend, stretch, reach, and sit normally.

Look for low, comfortable shoes, too. Athletic shoes, flats, or low heels will provide the best alignment and support for your frame.

5. Watch Your Wallet

How you carry your wallet or purse can also impact the health of your back. Keeping a thick wallet in your back pocket when you sit causes a misalignment in the hips, which is a common cause of lower back discomfort. Remove your wallet from your back pocket when you sit down or find one that slips in your front pocket.

Purse carriers, you aren't off the hook. It's time to lighten your load. Or, at the very least, go for a cross-body or backpack style that can distribute the weight of your cargo evenly over both sides of your body.

6. Maintain a Healthy Weight

Those extra five or ten pounds may not even be noticeable in the mirror, but your back, hips, and knees support them all day long. Try staying within ten pounds of your ideal weight to help minimize the chances of back pain developing.

If you are already overweight, consider that there is a direct correlation between BMI and the incidence of back pain. Adopting healthy eating and exercise habits to help lose a few extra pounds can have a profound effect on your spine health.

7. Give Up Smoking

There is evidence that smoking contributes to a lot of really bad health outcomes. Cancer, lung disease, and heart disease probably come to mind. But it is also linked directly to back pain. It seems that smokers are more likely to develop back pain throughout their lives. If you are a smoker, find help to quit. If you aren't, don't start.

8. Develop a Stretching Routine

Try to make stretching a part of your daily routine. If the idea of devoting 30 minutes or an hour to stretching is more than you can handle, try taking small, five-minute breaks from normal activities to stretch tight muscles. It can help increase flexibility and reduce back pain and discomfort.

If you live with back pain, there are things you can do to help ease it. Be sure to avoid anything that aggravates it further, and talk to your doctor if you have any questions or concerns.