You’re sore and you can’t quite figure out why. You roll over in bed and try to take stock of your body. Did anything hurt while you were lifting? Did that squat hurt more than usual? Does this pain feel like it’s coming from the back or side? Nothing stands out as abnormal, but, man, your ribs hurt like crazy when you take deep breaths. What are the reasons why you’re having rib pain when you wake up? Maybe it’s not as bad as it feels; after all, even famous people get aches and pains now and again. It could be nothing more than an unfortunate consequence of a workout or something more serious. The following information will help you identify whether your pain is normal or something to worry about.
Why Do My Ribs Hurt When I Wake Up
- Your ribs are sore when you wake up.
- Your ribs hurt when you take a deep breath.
- Your ribs hurt more than usual, even when you’re not doing anything strenuous.
- You feel the pain on the side of your rib cage, especially if you’re lying on your side or stomach.
- The pain is worse in the morning and lasts for a few days after waking up from sleep.
- The pain is worse in the morning, but it doesn’t seem to be related to exercise or physical activity of any kind; it just happens randomly during the day and then disappears when you go to bed at night.
- You can feel your rib cage pressing into your back when you breathe deeply, but it isn’t painful at all while breathing normally or even while sleeping unless you turn onto your side or stomach or take a deep breath while lying flat on your back in bed at night while sleeping normally (in other words, unless you do something that makes it hurt).
- There are no new injuries visible on your body that would explain why this is happening, and no new injuries visible in the area of your ribs either (for example, no broken bones).
- You have no other symptoms that would explain why this is happening, such as a fever, a cough, an earache, a headache, or anything else that would cause you to wake up in the middle of the night with pain in your ribs.
- Your pain is worse when you’re lying on your side than when you’re lying on your back.
Normal Causes of Rib Pain When You Wake Up
1. Excessive Breathing Pain
It’s important to differentiate between pain and discomfort that can happen in the morning. If you’ve been lifting weights at the gym or doing some other form of heavy exercise, breathing deeply is likely to be painful. You may also experience pain in your ribs if you’ve been coughing or sneezing, particularly if you’ve been doing it for a long time. If you experience pain when you breathe in deeply and it doesn’t go away, you should immediately see a doctor. If your pain is connected with a fever and if it’s been going on for more than a couple of days, it may be indicative of a bacterial infection.
2. Stretching Exercises and Other Causes
If you’ve been doing a lot of stretching exercises before bed, you may wake up with a sore chest. This happens because, after sleeping, your muscles are stiff and tight. It’s a good idea to do some light exercises before going to bed, especially if you’ve been lifting heavy weights, as this will help loosen your muscles and reduce any risk of injury. A sore chest can also happen if you’ve been coughing or sneezing too much. If you have a cold, the muscles in your chest get sore, which can make them feel stiff and uncomfortable. If you’re suffering from allergies, your chest may feel tight and painful as well.
3. Rib Interventions
If you’ve been exercising heavily, it’s possible that you’ve injured a rib. If you’ve been lifting weights or doing something that puts a lot of pressure on your chest, you may have cracked a rib or even broken one. A broken rib is extremely painful and may take a long time to heal. If you’ve been doing a lot of heavy exercises and you’re in pain, you’re probably just suffering from costochondritis, but it’s a good idea to get it checked out anyway. If you’re exercising regularly, you need to make sure that you’re doing it safely. If your exercise routine is causing you pain, it might be time to change things up.
4. Diagnosing the Cause of Your Pain
If you’ve ruled out all of the above causes, it’s time to go to the doctor and get checked out. If you’ve been exercising, you may have strained a muscle or pulled a tendon. The easiest way to tell if you’ve strained a muscle is if the pain is mild. If it’s very painful and you can’t move it at all, it’s probably not a mild strain. If your doctor can’t find anything wrong with you, you may have a rib cage disorder like costochondritis. If you’re suffering from this condition, the doctor will probably prescribe antibiotics, painkillers, and rest.
Some Types Of Rib Pain
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Rib Pain Caused By Pregnancy
Rib pain can sometimes be caused by pregnancy. Because your body is under a lot of extra stress during pregnancy, you may experience costochondritis or rib pain. Pregnant women often experience rib pain because their rib cage is expanding to accommodate their growing abdomens. This can make it difficult to breathe and cause discomfort in your ribs. If you’re suffering from rib pain caused by pregnancy, there isn’t much you can do about it. Most cases of pregnancy-related rib pain go away after the baby is born.
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Rib Pain Caused By Bad Breathing Habits
Rib pain caused by bad breathing habits happens when you hold your breath for too long or do not breathe deeply enough. If you’re really stressed out, you may also breathe too fast, which can cause you to hold your breath for too long. Deep breathing exercises can help you get a better grasp of your breathing habits. If you’re experiencing rib pain because you’re holding your breath, it can sometimes help to count to 10 while you’re exhaling. If you’re having trouble relaxing enough to breathe deeply, try practicing mindfulness or meditation.
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Rib Pain Caused By Lack Of Sleep
If you’ve been getting less than 7 hours of sleep per night, it may be causing your ribs to ache. Sleep deprivation can cause many different health issues, including mild rib pain. If you’ve been getting less than 7 hours of sleep, try to make some changes. Cutting back on caffeine, exercise, and screen time can all help you get better sleep. If you’re sleeping poorly, it’s also a good idea to make sure that your sleeping environment is as comfortable as possible. Try using a heated blanket, a sleep mask, and some noise-canceling headphones to help you sleep better.
Conclusion
You don’t want to ignore rib pain – but you don’t want to go to the doctor for every little ache either. Try to find the root cause of your pain, and then work from there. You’re bound to find something that helps you. If you’re lifting weights or doing any other form of exercise, make sure you’re doing it safely and paying attention to your body. Rib pain is annoying and inconvenient, but it doesn’t have to be something that completely disrupts your life. If you follow the advice in this article, you should have no trouble identifying the cause of your pain and finding a way to deal with it.
