Sleep & Lower Back Pain
I came across a discussion from Dr. Eric Cobb recently that made me pause—and honestly rethink how we approach low back pain as teachers.
Because most of the time, we go here first:
core strength
mobility
alignment
stability work
All important. But possibly not the first place to look.
👉 One of the strongest drivers of low back pain in the research?
Sleep.
What the Research Shows (and Why It Matters)
In one study, researchers tracked:
sleep quality (rated 0–3)
pain levels (rated 0–10)
What they found was striking:
For every 1-point drop in sleep quality, pain increased 2–2.5 points
That means:
Improving sleep could shift pain 4–6 points
That’s not small.
That’s often more impact than many physical interventions.
Why This Matters for Dancers
From a neuro perspective (which is what this newsletter is about):
Pain is not just about tissues.
It’s about how the brain is interpreting input.
Poor sleep affects:
inflammatory markers
neurotransmitters (especially dopamine)
brain oxygenation
overall nervous system sensitivity
👉 In simple terms:
A poorly rested brain is a more protective brain.
And a protective brain will:
tighten the lower back
limit movement options
increase perceived effort
amplify pain signals
The Part That’s Easy to Miss
Many dancers (and teachers) are doing everything right:
strengthening
stretching
adding mobility work
…but still dealing with:
persistent low back tension
inconsistent pain
“good days / bad days” patterns
Before adding more exercises, it’s worth asking:
👉 How are you actually sleeping?
A Simple Framework to Think About Sleep
Instead of chasing “perfect sleep,” think in three buckets:
1. Quantity
Most people fall somewhere in the 6–8 hour range
2. Consistency
This may matter more than total hours
6.5 hours every night > 8 hours occasionally
3. Quality
Are you waking up frequently?
Do you feel restored?
A Real-World Perspective
One of the examples shared was an athlete with significant back pain that didn’t improve with traditional care.
What changed things?
Not a new drill.
Not a better exercise.
It was addressing an underlying issue affecting sleep.
Within weeks:
sleep improved
pain resolved
What This Means for How We Teach
This is where I think this becomes powerful for us as teachers:
We don’t need to become sleep experts.
But we do need to zoom out.
If a dancer is struggling with:
persistent back tension
slow progress
inconsistent results
…it may not be a programming issue.
It may be a system issue.
A Better Question to Ask
Instead of:
“What exercise do they need?”
Try:
“What might their brain be missing right now?”
Sometimes the answer is:
better joint awareness
better visual or vestibular input
And sometimes…
it’s simply:
better sleep
Bottom Line
You can do all the “right” exercises in the world…
But if the brain isn’t well-rested, it won’t use that input effectively.
If this resonates, you might start simply:
Ask your students how they’re sleeping
Notice patterns between fatigue and pain
And consider whether recovery—not more effort—is the missing piece
To your success,
Deborah