Who doesn’t love feeling rested and energised… We definitely do! There has been a lot of research to tell us really how important sleep is. Not only does sleep help you rest, but it also helps you recover, switch off and heal.
Sleep is one of the best things we can do for our bodies, and we hate to be the bearer of bad news, but there is a good chance that you are sleeping wrong.
We know it is a bit weird to say, we don’t know how you sleep but there is a likely chance you are doing more bad than good with your sleeping habits.
What is the wrong way to sleep?
Well, maybe we should start with the right way to sleep. You should always try to sleep on your back, or on your side in foetal position. Sleeping any other way puts pressure on your joints, and the discs in your spine.
Having your legs tangled up, or arms slung around your pillow may be comfortable for the moment, but having a misaligned spine is a lot more uncomfortable!
When sleeping on your back you should always place a pillow under your knees for added support. When sleeping in foetal position you can always place a pillow in between your knees for extra support for your hips.
So, what is so wrong with sleeping any other way?
Sleeping on your front puts a lot of pressure on your lungs, but it also causes strain on the curve in your back. Now since you can’t sleep with your head in a pillow (no-one wants to suffocate) you have to turn your neck. That twisted position for a couple of hours can do some serious damage. From a stiff neck, to trapped nerves, to long term pain in your neck.
With a twisted neck, pressure on the spine, you’d think that’s all. Unfortunately, it is not. Having your body twisted and not supported correctly can cause misalignment directly from your hips. With your pelvis being misaligned that can then throw off your legs- yes one leg can appear shorter than the other purely because of the way you sleep!
Let’s talk pillows
Yes, even your pillow can impact your sleep. Having a too high or too low pillow can also damage your spine. If your pillow is too low, there is extra strain as your neck curves backwards. If your pillow is too high then your neck is straining upwards, once your head moves to a natural position the muscles retracting can then cause tenderness.
We know it sounds like a lot of changes (and a lot of pillows) but, once you have those first few nights sleep where you wake up rested and ache free you will ask yourself why you didn’t do it sooner!
So, how can you sleep better?
There are lots of ways you can encourage healthier sleeping habits, here is our top 10 list on how you can sleep better:
- Sleep in a cool room. Sleeping in a room that is too cold or too hot, you’ll spend half the night tossing and turning. Which is no way to feel rested after bed
- Avoid blue light at least 1 hour before bed! This one is really important, blue light is emitted from our phone screens, laptops, televisions and alike. Blue light acts as a stimulant in our brains and keeps us awake
- Do something relaxing before bed. Whether it is meditation, reading a book, listening to calming music, and so on. Relaxing before bed can help put our minds at ease, allowing for happier dreams and a better nights rest
- GET 8 HOURS SLEEP!! We cannot stress this enough, go to bed at a time that you will get more than 7 hours as a minimum. Got an alarm set for 8am? Get in bed and settled down before 11pm! That way you have time to fall asleep and can get all the rest you need
- Avoid caffeine. You’d have thought this was obvious but there are a lot of people drinking coffee after 3pm or having an energy drink with their evening meal. Do not do it, put the coffee away, have some fruit juice or a herbal tea instead
- Avoiding working from your bed, whether you are doing educational work or finishing up some emails. Associating work and a place of relaxation can cause your mind to subconsciously associate getting ready for sleep as preparing you for work. Which then naturally adds stress to a place that should be calming and peaceful
- Avoid naps! Napping can completely throw off your sleep routine. However, if you are to nap keep it to 20 minutes maximum, and only nap prior to mid afternoon. Any time after can have greater effects
- Try sleeping at consistent times. Make a habit of going to bed at a certain time and waking up at a certain time. Even on days you have off work or school. Waking up then becomes easier with time, as well as falling asleep
- Do at least 20 minutes of exercise a day and at least 20 minutes of natural light exposure in the morning. Having a good diet and making the most of the vitamin D from the sun can do wonders for your mind and mental health
- Finally, make sure your bed and sleep area is comfortable. The correct pillows, mattress and duvet, can completely change how you sleep at night. Figure out what works for you, some prefer memory foam, some prefer springs, and some prefer a mix of both
Overview
So, long story short you should get yourself a good pillow (we recommend a Tempur Memory Foam pillow that can be measured specifically to you, these can be purchased from our reception), sleep on your back or in foetal position with a pillow under your knees for support. Maintain a healthy sleep routine, and finally if you find yourself still struggling or in pain when you wake up, then talk to one of our chiropractors today!
Contact us today. You can call us on 01204 848887, or email us on
in**@bo****************.uk
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