New research from across the pond suggests that our spinal discs are impacted by our circadian rhythm, and if our sleep schedule gets out of whack, back pain can flare up.
More than 90 percent of Americans will experience back pain at some point in their lives, be it from a pulled muscle, a slipped disc or a spinal fracture, and this new research is the first to show a link between body-clock interruptions and spine pain. Our body clock – oftentimes referred to as our circadian rhythm – is a 24-hour cycle in the physiological processes of living beings, be it humans, plants or animals. Researchers uncovered that manipulating and interuptting this cycle led to numerous problems in the spine.
“The discovery of body clocks in the disc may go some way to explain for the first time the science behind this rhythmic physiology of the spine,” said Dr. Qing-Jun Meng, who also worked on the study. “Our research shows this system is regulated by our internal body clock and when the body clock ceases to work properly during aging or in shift workers, lower back pain is more likely. Looking after your body clock will help manage or delay the onset of your back pain.”
