Sleep position
On average most of us will spend about 24 years asleep. Sleep is essential for a person’s health and well-being, according to the National Sleep Foundation (NSF). Yet millions of people do not get enough sleep and many suffer from lack of sleep. You know lack of sleep can make you grumpy and foggy. You may not know what it can do to your sex life, memory, health, looks, and even ability to lose weight.
Patients suffering from chronic pain often find that their problems are compounded by the additional difficulties that come with lack of sleep. Back pain is the most common type of chronic pain problem. In a recent study, it was found that approximately two-thirds of patients with chronic back pain suffered from sleep disorders. Research has demonstrated that disrupted sleep will, in turn, exacerbate the chronic back pain problem. Thus, a vicious cycle develops in which the back pain disrupts one’s sleep, and difficulty sleeping makes the pain worse, which in turn makes sleeping more difficult, etc.
Sleeping in the right position so you don’t aggravate any problems goes a long way to help get a good nights sleep.
Back Sleeping
Good for: Preventing neck and back pain and reducing acid reflux.
Bad for: Snoring
Sleeping on your back makes it easy for your head, neck, and spine to maintain a neutral position. “You're not forcing any extra curves into your back”, says Gavin Young, a Chiropractor in Grimsby. It's also ideal for fighting acid reflux, if the head is elevated, your stomach will be below your oesophagus so your using gravity to help hold acid or food down. Although snoring is usually most frequent and severe when people sleep on their back.
Perfect pillow: One puffy one. The goal is to keep your head and neck supported without propping your head up too much.
Side Sleeping
Good for: Preventing neck and back pain, reducing acid reflux, snoring less, sleeping during pregnancy
Side-sleeping is great for overall health -- it reduces snoring and keeps your spine elongated. If you suffer from acid reflux, this is the next best thing to sleeping on your back. Consider if you're pregnant, sleep on your left side, it's ideal for blood flow. But if you snooze with your knees pulled up high and chin tucked into your chest, you may feel it in the morning, especially if you have an arthritic back or joints.
Perfect pillow: A thick one. "You need to fill the space above your shoulder so your head and neck are supported in a neutral position," says Gavin Young-Chiropractor.
Stomach Sleeping
Good for: Easing snoring
Bad for: Avoiding neck and back pain
Stomach sleeping makes it difficult to maintain a neutral position with your spine. What's more, the pose puts pressure on joints and muscles, which can irritate nerves and lead to pain, numbness, and tingling.
Imagine the soreness you'd feel if you kept your neck turned to one side for 8 hours during the day. In this position you have your head to one side for hours at a time.
You won't necessarily feel it the next day, but you may soon start to ache.
Perfect pillow: Just one (and make it a thin one) or none at all.
At Chiropractic First we appreciate how important a good nights sleep is. If you fed up of your back pain affecting you nights sleep then call the clinic today on 01472 488082. We want to help you with your back pain so you can enjoy life.
