AIBU to want to know why my lower back hurts every morning?

[Thingsthatgo]

Does anyone else have this? I am in my forties, fairly fit, normal BMI. Every single morning my lower back hurts. Just for 5 minutes or so it feels like I can’t straighten up properly. Is this just how life is now?
Maybe I need to do some yoga or something?
I also can’t sleep on my side without a pillow between me knees... is that normal?

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Could be your mattress?

I had lower back pain for years, caused by major neck surgery in my 20s. I just thought it was life, we bought a new hybrid mattress 2 years ago and I haven't had any back pain ever since!!

Yep, I get that too (same age, also reasonably fit etc). Makes me feel so old!

Yep, you’re getting old !
Find a gentle back stretching exercise to do when you get up.
And yes, I sleep with a pillow between my knees. Have done since I found it comfortable when pregnant.

Yep, if I ever have to sleep in our spare bed I wake up in pain. It was our bed for years and I never made the connection between the mattress and the pain, which seems silly now. It's definitely worth considering that it's your mattress or pillows at fault.

I had this a couple of weeks ago. I'm mid-forties. The last part of standing up was really painful in my lower back. I put it down to too much sitting as I'm working from home and no longer pairing that with running round after my son since he started school. So I'm just at my desk for most of the day. Age and the change in temperature may also be factors. I took an anti-inflammatory every morning after breakfast for about five days and tried to move more often. It's much, much better now.

bladder?

I’m the same. Just ordered a new mattress to see if it helps !

Thanks for all your suggestions. I don’t think it’s the mattress, I hope not because it’s less than a year old and I love it!

I get this! I had an MRI to check for rheumatoid conditions first off, as stiffness first thing is a symptom. They ruled that out and told me I had a couple of fused vertebrae at the bottom of my spine and recommended yoga, which helps. It's also worst if I have a lie in, which is very annoying.

I have this recently and I think it's mattress related. We've had the mattress since March. I read somewhere that putting a pillow between your knees takes the pressure of your lower back and that is working really well most nights until I accept that i have to part with the current one!

Mattress and/or pillow related.

I had this. I was convinced there was something wrong with my mattress. Turned out it was gluten intolerance, which i know sounds bonkers. It disappeared completely (that and a whole load of other symptoms) when I cut out gluten.

Maybe your mattress might be the way your sleeping i tend to wake up with bad lower back if I've slept longer than normal think its because of staying in same position to long a good stretch and quick shower sorts me out tho.

Yes I have this too, I think it is age related and possibly hormonal due to peri menopause.

Egg cup foam mattress topper. Changed my life for fifty quid.

I’m suffering with this so Bad right now! I’m 24 weeks pregnant and having to sleep i my side (was always a back sleeper) I have a million pillows in the bed and have tried everything - but every morning wake up with a sore back

I actually think my mattress might be too soft :(

I got a few nice back stretches to do in Pilates class - so I tend to give those a go first thing and it sorta it out

So annoying though

@IncognitoBurrito what else improved? I have the OP’s symptoms but had never linked them to various other things that disagree with me e.g. bread.

I get this too! Also early forties and had assumed it was either an age thing or a consequence of cosleeping with a wriggly two year old. Might try the pillow between the knees thing tonight and see how I get on 🤔

I get this if I sleep for longer than 7 hours. Similar age as well. Just assumed it was because I've not moved for a while and goes away after moving around for a few minutes.
Luckily (?) I don't often sleep for longer than 6 hours so not too much of a problem.

Welcome to peri-menopause. Parts of your body you never knew existed will start to ache.

@FippertyGibbett

Yep, you’re getting old ! Find a gentle back stretching exercise to do when you get up. And yes, I sleep with a pillow between my knees. Have done since I found it comfortable when pregnant.

I'm nearly 60 and don't get this. More likely to be the mattress.

Even if you are fiit, you can lack the core strength to not feel achy. Doing some kind of resistance exercises a few times a week will sort it out. Honestly, not enough women do resistance exercise, and it is really good for strengthening bones, muscles and joints. X