How’s Your Sleep Posture?

(HealthNewsDigest.com) – Why is it that some people can sleep only six hours a night and wake up feeling rejuvenated, while others who get eight hours of rest still feel tired – and even achy – the next day? The difference could be as simple as their sleep posture. By making a few simple changes, most of us can improve the quality of our sleep as well as how good we feel during the day.

Sports chiropractic physician Jason Loth, DC, CCSP, CSCS, CMTA, was frustrated. For years, his patients would respond well to his therapies but often those changes wouldn’t last. While his patients followed his advice during the day, their problems evolved during the other approximately one-third of their lives as they were sleeping.

“I discovered that most people don’t have correct posture and support when they sleep. I attribute a lot of that to their pillows. When your neck and upper back aren’t well supported by your pillow, it can cause dysfunction in your joints and muscles which can lead to further wear and tear on your spine and surrounding structures, and can cause arthritis, neck pains and chronic headaches to name a few health issues.”

He adds that, “You toss and turn at night because you’re not comfortable. Unfortunately, each time you move, you may come out of your deep sleep or interrupt your sleep cycle, which can inhibit your body from regenerating while you sleep. So you get less regenerative sleep. As a result of all this, you wake up tired and maybe even in pain the next day.”

Sleep posture from the Doc
If you sleep eight hours a night, you spend one-third of your life in bed. Correct sleeping posture is essential. “The biggest need I’ve identified in my practice is helping people keep correct posture in bed so they get a better, more restful night’s sleep. I’ve seen first-hand how lives have been improved just by making small changes, such as using the right pillow,” adds Loth.

He explains, “When you sleep, the majority of the pillow’s support should be on your neck. But it should not stress your spine, as most pillows do, by pushing your head forward. When you sleep on your side, you need even more support due to the thickness of your shoulders.”

But finding the right pillow can be challenging. Most of us have pillows stuffed into our closets because they were too uncomfortable to use. It turns out, very few pillows are designed to accommodate both back and side sleeping positions. If they do, they may not fit a person’s individual size and shape. Others get hot, which can also interfere with a good night’s sleep.

“Millions of people are using store-bought, ordinary pillows that can be doing massive damage to their spines,” Loth confirms. “There are some specialized contour pillows on the market that work well for sleeping on your side, but they are horrible for back sleepers. The ones that use the right materials tend to lack the right structural design.”