Creaky Joints features advice for people with ankylosing spondylitis, a type of inflammatory arthritis that affects the spine. The hallmark symptom is lower back pain, but it can affect your entire body. Other symptoms include chronic fatigue, a stiff neck and trouble sleeping.

Pain that wakes you up in the second half of the night is common; lying still for too long contributes to painful inflammation and stiffness. If you’re having trouble sleeping, make sure you have a firm mattress and a pillow that’s flat (or no pillow at all), the article advises. In addition, “people like using heating pads because it is comforting,” says Karmela Chan, MD, a rheumatologist at Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City. Exercise may also improve nighttime sleep, she says. Plus, you may want to talk to your rheumatologist about your medications to make sure they’re providing you with the relief you need to get a good night’s sleep.

For more information on coping with the condition: https://creakyjoints.org/