BBC show Morning Live’s doctor had some wise advice (Image: BBC Morning Live/https://x.com/BBCMorningLive)Get daily celeb exclusives and behind the scenes house tours direct to your inboxMore Newsletters SubscribePlease enter a valid emailSomething went wrong, please try again later.More NewslettersWe use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. More infoThank you for subscribing!We have more newslettersShow me See OurPrivacy Notice See OurPrivacy Notice×Group 28 Get daily celeb exclusives and behind the scenes house tours direct to your inboxInvalid emailSomething went wrong, please try again later.Sign UpNo thanks, closeWe use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. More info×Group 28Thank you for subscribing!We have more newslettersShow MeNo thanks, closeSee our
Privacy NoticeA popular drink can disrupt your sleep and make existing back issues even worse if drunk after 3pm, a TV medical expert has warned. Orthopaedic surgeon Dr Tom Naylor, speaking on the BBC’s Morning Live, explained that “120 million days of work” are lost due to back pain – and there’s often a common culprit making things worse. He explained that back pain – experienced by eight out of 10 adults – makes going to sleep harder. That causes a “vicious cycle” because having less than six hours of sleep a night is likely to make pain even worse. He insisted people suffering should avoid coffee and other drinks that contain caffeine after 3pm because it hangs around in your system for hours after you drink it and can keep you awake.
The BBC show covered the dual topics of back pain and sleep
(Image: BBC Morning Live/https://x.com/BBCMorningLive)
Dr Naylor told how back pain can be caused by pulled muscles or bulging discs but in the “vast majority” of cases – around 95 per cent – there is so identifiable cause for it. Talking about sleep, he said: “We all know that we’re aiming for seven and a half to eight hours of sleep. If we have less than six hours of sleep then that’s going to affect things and is going to make you feel worse and you’re going to feel more pain. “But quality is really important too, so ask yourself in the daytime do you feel refreshed in the morning? Do you ever wake up without the need for an alarm clock? Do you have enough energy throughout the day? And if you haven’t had all those things then you’re not getting enough or you’re not getting as good enough quality sleep as you should be having.” The expert says that people who suffer back pain should check how much they are having, explaining: “At least six hours after your cup of coffee, you’re going to be feeling it so avoid coffee or caffeine after 3pm.” Other culprits in sleeplessness, he said, include matresses. If yours is too old and too soft you may lie in positions that are uncomfortable – but too hard and you’ll get pressures in areas which will affect your sleep. A medium-firm mattress this is replaced about every eight years is the best solution, the doctor said. Sign up to OK!’s daily newsletter to get updates sent to your inbox for freeStory SavedYou can find this story in  My Bookmarks.Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right.Follow OK! MagazineFacebookTwitterCommentMore OnHealth
