For many people, posture is the last thing they are thinking about when they settle into bed for some shut-eye at night. But did you know that the positions in which you sleep can significantly affect your posture and how much pain you awake with? Here are some ways to help improve posture while you sleep!
Loosen Your Back Muscles
For some time before you go to bed, try to loosen and stretch the muscles in your back and body. This can help you achieve a good posture while you sleep. Something that may help is to start by soaking in a hot bath with essential oils or Epsom salt, which has healing properties that can not only loosen muscles, but relieve aches and pains and encourage relaxation before bed. If you have been sitting for most of the day, make sure to walk around a bit to increase blood circulation before going to bed.
Use Pillows and Bolster Supports
There are many different bolstering techniques that can be incorporated into your sleep schedule to help you maintain a healthy posture while you sleep. If you sleep on your back you can place a pillow under your knees, upper back, and neck to reduce pressure on your low back. When your legs lay flat, the natural shift in weight can compress your lower back, cause pain, and, in some cases, cause numbness and tingling. If you sleep on your side, place a supportive pillow between your knees to keep your natural spinal alignment.
Use a Good Pillow
While it may seem that all pillows are pretty similar, a pillow’s level of firmness, material, and size can make a big difference when it comes to your neck and back health. The important thing is that you find the right pillow for you. You don’t want a pillow that is too soft or too firm and thick. You want to make sure your pillow can fit nicely underneath your head and neck to hold your spine in a supported position throughout the night without making your chin jut out or tuck in.
Avoid Sleeping On Your Stomach
Sleeping on the stomach is one of the most popular sleeping positions, but it’s also the worst position for your spine. Sleeping on your stomach causes tension in the muscles and joints, leading to strain of the back and neck. Most stomach sleepers don’t sleep with their heads face down in their pillows, and instead, have their heads and necks turned in an awkward position in either direction. To avoid this, it’s best to sleep on your side or on your back.
Minimize Head Pillows
Waking up with neck pain is often caused by the pillow or number of pillows you are using when you sleep. Having too many pillows can cause the head to be in an unnatural position resulting in neck pain upon waking. Sleeping on your back with just one pillows under your head is usually the best way to sleep with good posture.
Schedule an Appointment With Us!
The tips above are just a few steps you can take to improve your posture while you sleep. When you come into Watkins Family Chiropractic for an adjustment, Dr. Watkins, Dr. Pfaff, or Dr. Trice can discuss your sleeping habits with you and help you optimize your sleeping positions for a healthier spine. For a Savage or Prior Lake chiropractor, give our office a call at 952-440-4553 or schedule online today to get an appointment.
