The way you sleep will greatly impact the health of your back. Sleeping in poor positions can cause a great deal of strain to your back. This can cause problems with the spine and additional issues. In fact, if you already have back pain, poor sleep posture can cause this to worsen, as well as create it in the first place. When you sleep in the appropriate ways, you will be able to provide protection to your back and prevent back pain.
The Best Way to Sleep
Most people will sleep in the manner that is most comfortable for them. However, this won’t mean that it is the best position for the health of your back. Several ways are available to help you adjust your regular sleeping habits in order to provide additional support for your spine and protect your back.
Lie on your Back
Sleeping on your back is often the ideal position to improve the health of your back. When you sleep on your back, your weight will be evenly distributed across your body. Other positions tend to put an extreme amount of strain on a single part of your back. Despite being a great option to sleep in, there are still a few steps that can be taken to ensure your back has more support. Placing a small pillow below your knees helps you to maintain the natural curve of your spine, as well as increase the support of your back. Keeping your head straight, rather than turning it to the side, further helps you to maintain the alignment of your spine.
Lying on your Stomach
Though many people sleep on their front, this can be an incredibly poor position for the health of your back. When you sleep on your stomach, your head is likely pushed back, which causes the spine to be forced out of alignment. In general, you should avoid this position, but if you insist on sleeping on your stomach, you should ensure that you place a small pillow beneath your stomach and hips. This will help them to raise, which can improve spinal alignment. It is also important not to turn your head to one side, as this causes twisting in the spine and puts stress on the shoulders, back, and neck.
Sleeping on your Side
Sleeping on one side tends to be the most common position in which to sleep. Despite being incredibly common, it is important to note that this position can force the spine out of position. This results in an extreme amount of strain on the lower back. You can improve the support of this position by using a firm pillow between the knees. This will ensure that the top leg can be raised, which helps to create a more natural alignment. Placing pillows in the gaps between your body and mattress will further improve the amount of support on your body during sleeping.
Lying in the Fetal Position
The fetal position is another common position to sleep in. This position can be helpful for individuals that have back problems or herniated discs. By sleeping in the fetal position, you are able to limit the bending of the spine and open the joints. If you choose to sleep in the fetal position, it will be important to keep how you move in mind. When you twist from the spine, you can cause strain to your back. Move your body all together in order to prevent injuries and provide substantial support for your back.
Sleeping in the right positions will have a huge impact on the overall health of your back. When you sleep in a position that causes strain on your back, you will want to ensure that you take whatever precautions you can to minimize this strain. This can go a long way toward preventing back injuries. If you are experiencing back pain, you will want to ensure that you visit a chiropractor in order to have the problem resolved. This will often aid in alleviating discomfort and improving the health of your back. For more information about protecting your back while you sleep or receiving chiropractic care to deal with back injuries, contact us at Elite Chiropractic today!
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