Mind Your Posture
Given the time many people spend daily on their digital devices, it’s no surprise that their posture suffers from looking down at their phones or tablets. Most people spend the day with their head down and forward on their cell phone or rounded with their back at the computer. You want to avoid this type of position while sleeping.
To have good posture, you want the ear to be centered over the top of the shoulder and directly over the top of the hip in a nice straight line.
How the Proper Pillow Can Help
Many people often put two pillows behind their heads when they sleep. Doing so drives the head forward, stretches the neck, and perpetuates some of those neck problems. Instead, consider investing in a contour pillow built up larger to support the neck. Using such a pillow provides a nice C shaped arc in the neck. When sleeping on such a pillow, your ear will be directly over the shoulder in line with the hip.
Some people get low back pain when they sleep on their back, so we have them stack two pillows underneath their legs. This position removes a lot of strain from the low back, so you can sleep like this without pressure or pain.
Are you a side sleeper? If you can’t sleep on your back, the same principles apply: don’t put two pillows under the neck. Doing so would drive your head way too far one way. You also don’t want to sleep without a pillow, which lets your head sag down to the side. It’s important to use a pillow that provides enough support to support the neck and keep the head centered directly over top of the ribcage.
If you have low back pain, put a pillow between your knees, which supports the hip and low back, and prevents low back pain. Do you have shoulder problems or pain or tend to roll on your stomach and become a stomach sleeper? If yes, hug a pillow between the arms, which prevents rolling onto your stomach and also supports the shoulders.
Get Adjusted
Naturally, as your Winnipeg chiropractor, we recommend regular chiropractic care to not only alleviate back pain, but also foster sound sleep.
Be sure to check out our next blog post in our series, which focuses on postural exercises and bulletproofing your lower back!