Tips for a Comfortable Night’s Sleep

08 Jun Tips for a Comfortable Night’s Sleep

Are you finding that you’re consistently waking with neck pain or headaches in the morning? Are you a stomach sleeper? The posture we adopt while we sleep plays an important role in spinal health. Stomach sleepers have to turn their head to one side in order to breathe which creates tension in the muscles of the neck and upper spine. This sleeping position also increases the curve of the lower back, making you more prone to low back pain.

Changing your sleeping posture is not always easy. Even those who start out with the preferred posture of lying on their back or side may end up on their stomach shortly after falling asleep.

To help prevent sleeping on your stomach try the following tips:

1. When on your back place a pillow under your knees, so they are slightly bent. This allows the lower back to relax and flattens the arch of the lower spine slightly.
2. If you lie on your side, place one pillow between your knees and another at chest height, to wrap your arms around. This is usually comfortable and helps keep the spine in a relaxed and neutral position. It may also help prevent you from being able to roll onto your stomach. You might be surprised how easy it is to bring the extra pillows with you when you roll from side to side during the night.

Think you’ve got the correct sleeping posture but you’re still experiencing neck or back pain? It could be time for a new pillow or mattress. A bed that is too firm will elevate the hips & shoulders, causing the spine to sag in the lower back region. Similarly, a bed that is too soft will cause the spine to sag at the hips, both resulting in localised pressure on the spine that can lead to fragmented sleep and longer term health problems. Because everybody is different, it’s important to choose a bed with the right support and comfort for you.

Here’s some of the benefits of using a memory foam contoured pillow:

• It features ‘higher’ and ‘lower’ sides as well as contour variance for maximum individual support and comfort for side or back sleeping.
• Scalloped under-edges allow shoulder when side sleeping to slip snugly under pillow.
• Head and neck are cushioned and supported during sleep.
• Designed to help alleviate and avoid neck and shoulder stress and muscle stiffness in both ‘new’ and ‘old’ injuries.
• Pillow’s contour may help minimise light snoring by enhancing the airway through encouraging better spinal alignment.
• I recommend the Complete Sleeprrr Range for my clients (available in clinic or online).

Sleep allows the body to rejuvenate, both physically and mentally, to ensure you wake refreshed to make the most of your day. Chiropractors understand the vital role that sleep can play in your health and wellbeing.

To discover if Chiropractic can help you achieve a better night’s sleep or for any advice on pillow and mattress support, reach out and get in touch!