Your Spine and Your Sleep

Want to have a better night’s sleep? Instead of listening to whale sounds maybe it’s time you start focusing on your spine.

That’s right your spine affects your sleep. This should not come as any surprise to anyone, but it is frequently overlooked, often on a nightly basis. Sometimes people will stop at nothing in search of that magical mattress, padding, and pillows that suddenly allow for a guaranteed eight hours and the ability to wake up feeling refreshed every morning. Unfortunately, this journey often still results in the usual aches and pains. The reason? People are not changing the WAY they sleep. If you are still sleeping on your stomach every night, it doesn’t matter if you’re sleeping on a cloud – your spine is still suffering.

If this sounds like you, no need to worry (and no need to go shopping for the highest tech bedding). Here are a few simple remedies that you can try in order to reduce the stress placed on your spine while sleeping:

Stomach Sleeper – Try placing a pillow, preferably one that is not extremely fluffy, underneath your stomach. This should help to balance out your posture and restore the natural curves.

Side Sleeper – This places additional pressure on your hips. To combat it, try placing a small pillow between your knees.

Back Sleeper – Even this position can cause back pain, primarily in the lower back. If this happens to you, try placing a small pillow underneath your knees. This will provide more of a natural curve to your spine.

It is also important to consider your head position because this can affect the position of your entire body, while adding additional stress on your spine. Your pillow should reside below your neck and shoulders, not at the top of your head. You should also seek out a firmer pillow that provides enough support to keep your body in a natural alignment.

Sleep is sacred and we should do all that we can to make sure we are supporting our body’s health while doing it. Plus, you’ll wake up feeling better and you will actually be strengthening your back muscles and ligaments, helping improve your posture.