Back to Health with Correct Ergonomics and Chiropractic Care: Sleeping Posture (Part 4) is about how to make changes in your daily life (sleeping) for better posture and health. So posture is the way that you hold your body at any given moment, whether sitting, standing, or being active. And ergonomics is a science dedicated to studying human posture that is the most healthy for our bodies.
Many patients seek chiropractic care for pain relief, but your chiropractor should also help you decide which aggravating activities are unnecessary and must be eliminated. This is important for prevention of rein-jury and for further future trauma. Get started with some facts in our latest post.
Both Dynamic and Static Posture is Important
Both static (when you are still) or dynamic (when you are moving) poor posture in various forms strongly influences your myofascial pain cycle. Therefore, how you sleep is important. If you are causing postural strain while sleeping, it must be identified and resolved.
Sleeping Posture: Bed and Mattress
The best sleeping posture is supine (on the back) in a firm bed with adequate support of the cervical lordosis (neck’s natural curve). Furthermore, soft beds cause strain on your body. Therefore, a firm mattress is preferable. One solution is placing a plywood bed board almost as big as the mattress between the mattress and the bed spring. Also, sleeping prone (on stomach) must be corrected. This causes your head to be turned to one side and puts undue strain on the cervical (neck) joints and muscles.
Sleeping Posture: Pillow
A soft pliable pillow will provide support of your cervical lordosis. Place it under the head and neck and bring the two comers up over your shoulders. When lying on your back, you should pull the corners of the pillow forward between the shoulder and your cheeks. Make sure your shoulders rest on the bed and not on the pillow. Your cervical (neck) spine should be in line with the thoracic spine (mid back). Additionally, this encourages a shoulder-down position. Specifically, this avoids shortening and cramping of the chest and scapula (shoulder blade) muscles (e.g. upper trapezius). Lastly, you may wish to carry your own home pillow on trips.
Side Sleepers
Side sleeping is acceptable. However, side sleepers should focus pillow support between the head and neck, not the shoulder. And you should sleep on a bed that supports the spine in a neutral position. Only one soft comfortable pillow of adequate thickness to maintain a normal cervical lordosis is necessary. When you lie on the affected side, the pillow under the head should be thick enough. A pillow bunched up between the neck and shoulder will keep the head in neutral. It will prevent tilting of the head that would cause neck strain.
Your chiropractor is your partner in your healthcare.
At Meiri Chiropractic in West Palm Beach, we’ll work with you to get the relief and health you need through chiropractic care. Together, we can be on the lookout for life and work situations where you experience pain in relation with poor posture. Pain is our body’s way of warning us of problems, so don’t ignore it. Shape up your life! Check your posture today.📞Contact Meiri Chiropractic today at 561-253-8984 to make an appointment or to learn more about Back to Health with Correct Ergonomics and Chiropractic Care: Sleeping Posture (Part 4).