While your consciousness is at rest, your body is still exposed to all external influences. The night is a time of regeneration. Our body regenerates itself so that when we wake up we feel refreshed and ready for the day. But this doesn't always happen automatically. When it comes to back and neck pain, your body needs a little help to avoid them.
The position you sleep in has a direct impact on the health of your spine. Most of us wake up with neck or back pain at some point in our lives, and our sleeping position is often to blame. What can we do to fix this? In short, the way to a happy spine is to keep it neutral. Neutral means that your spine rests in its natural curve. Starting from the head and neck, it extends to the tailbone and you should not ignore it at any point. Even things like a one-sided hip/pelvis tilt can twist your spine.
4 basic sleeping positions
Below is a breakdown of the four basic sleeping positions.
1. The overall best
On the back. Sleeping on your back distributes weight evenly throughout the body and avoids unnatural or unnecessary curvature of the spine. Use a small pillow under your head and neck (not under your shoulders) to keep your body aligned. Even better is a small cylindrical pillow in the crook of your neck to support your neck and keep your head neutral on the mattress. However, keep in mind that this sleeping position can cause snoring for some people.
2. Side sleeping with your legs stretched out
This is a good alternative to sleeping on your back, especially if you tend to snore. Placing a thin pillow between your legs can help straighten your spine, hips, and pelvis. However, pay attention to the pillow under your head. It should only be thick enough to form a straight line from your head and neck down your spine. Your shoulders should not rest on the pillow.
3. Not so good
On your side, with your legs curled towards your chest. This means the shoulders and neck are not straightened. In addition, the weight is not evenly distributed throughout the body, which can cause you to wake up in the morning with back pain.
3. To avoid
On the belly. This position does not support spinal alignment and puts pressure on your joints. Additionally, because you can't breathe through the pillow, your head is pushed to the side, causing your neck to twist.
Listen to what your body is telling you
These are just the most general sleeping positions. As we all know, there are a thousand other ways we can position ourselves at night. So how do you distinguish a good sleeping position from one that leads to back and neck pain? As mentioned earlier, the most important question to ask yourself when lying down at night is: "Is my head, neck and spine in a neutral position?" If that's the case, chances are pretty good that you'll be able to keep your body healthy for longer.
