I am a fan of the Dr. Oz shows where he deals with many people's health issues.  On a recent segment, he addressed sleeping positions and different ways to sleep better.  I was hoping he'd talk about beds, but he didn't.   He spoke of the correct height pillow  for each sleep position(flatter for stomach sleepers, medium for back and fluffier for side), and recommended a pillow for between the knees to keep the pelvis aligned.  All this I had heard before.  What I had not heard before was his recommendation to use a small rolled up or folded towel(I used a quilted piece of fabric folded to about 4" wide) under the low back for back sleepers(and I think side sleepers) to support the low back.  Hmmnn... 
I did notice that when I am on my side that I tend to let my upper hip lean over toward my waist, which leads to tightened muscles in my low back.  I realized that this happens because there is a void under my waist area, and when I kept my waist  up off the bed my hips stayed aligned. So last night I tried it.  What I found out was pretty cool.  I never woke up during the night, slept straight through!  Very unusual for me.  The folded up quilting stayed in one place the whole night, and I rotated from back to sides.  My back felt very strong and relaxed when I woke up this morning.  I did feel a tinge of discomfort where the quilt was up under my low ribcage, but not much.  This was a really great tip and I recommend others try it. 
Kait

Thanks for the tip, Kait!! I've had to put my new mattress purchase on hold due to other things vying for my paycheck - lots of vet bills for my critters and just found out I need a new furnace... :-O But lower back pain is my biggest complaint! Can't sleep on my stomach anymore because my old inner spring mattress turns me into an inverted banana, so I've started sleeping on my side, but I always let my knee on my top leg come over my bottom leg towards the bed - have a pillow there that it rests on so I'm not COMPLETELY twisting, but still. I'll try the folded towel idea and see if that helps any! Thanks!! :)

I've slept with pillow between my knees for years and another, thinner pillow rolled up and wedged against my back when I'm on my side. I can use either pillow for between knees and back support. I've tried something under my lower back when I'm sleeping on my back, but it's not comfortable. I actually try to stay on my side, anyway. I tend to open my mouth and snore when I'm on my back.:) Anyway, if I stay at a hotel, I have to make sure I have three pillow. And, the one under my head needs to be down.


Kait wrote:

mattressnewbie: Never sleep on your stomach! Everyone who knows anything about sleeping and about backs, says never sleep on your stomach!

As to the roll around the waist and something between the knees, I was told this years ago by a chiropractor and have tried it.
However, it does not work for me because inevitably during the night they get moved around and end up in places where they either don't work, or - worse - cause problems.

For example, I tried rolling a towel and putting it around my waist and it ends up riding up or down and then hurting my back.

With the leg thing, it usually doesn't hurt me, but nor does it help because it moves and doesn't stay in the right place.

If someone could come up with a way to put these things on the body and NOT have them move that would be great but I can't seem to make it work for me.

i tried this for the first time last night, the roll around the waist, i had a scarf that i folded in 3 and it's about 4 or 5 inches wide, and i was sleeping on a king featherbed folded in half so it didn't move lol... anyway, what a revelation!!! i woke up without back pain for the first time in years!!! thank yoiu Kait!!!!