Sleep Better While Improving Your Posture and Back Health
For many people, their 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? As your local chiropractor in East Islip, we strive to provide our patients and readers with the tools they need to take care of their spinal health in correlation with the chiropractic care we provide. In today’s post, we will look at some tips for improving your posture while you sleep.
Loosen Your Back Muscles
Before getting into bed, take some time to loosen and stretch the muscles in your back and body, which can help you achieve a good posture while you sleep. Start by soaking in a nice hot bath infused with lavender and chamomile essential oils or Epsom salt, all of which have 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 get your circulation going before hopping into bed.
Use Pillows and Bolster Supports
There are many bolstering methods you can incorporate into your sleep regimen to help you maintain a healthy posture while you sleep. If you sleep on your back (great!), place a pillow under your knees, upper back, and neck to reduce pressure on your sacrum and lumbar spine. When your legs lay flat, the natural shift in weight can compress your lower back, causing pain, and, in some cases, numbness and tingling. If you sleep on your side, place a supportive pillow between your knees to uphold your natural spinal alignment by supporting your hips and pelvis.
Use a Good Pillow
While it may seem that all pillows are basically the same, a pillow’s level of firmness, its material, and its 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 your unique needs. You don’t want a pillow that is too soft and squishy 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.
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 belly creates tension in the muscles and joints, which causes the back and neck to strain. Most belly 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.
Schedule a Spinal Adjustment
These are just a few steps you can take to improve your posture while you sleep. When you come to Islip Chiropractic for a chiropractic adjustment, myself or Dr. Diana D'Angelo Sepe, DC can discuss your sleeping habits with you and help you optimize your sleeping positions for a healthier spine. Give our office a call today to schedule an appointment or book online.
-Dr. Laura Bowen, DC
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