When a person is suffering from chronic neck pain, choosing the right sleep position is an important part of recovery. Even if one’s neck is properly aligned by an upper cervical chiropractic adjustment, relief from pain means holding that adjustment for as long as possible. The wrong sleep position may throw the adjustment off, especially during the first few days after an adjustment when muscles are healing. This article should help our patients to sleep better, and if you are not a patient yet, you’ll get a glimpse into how important neck alignment is.
The Right Way to Sleep to Avoid Neck Pain
Awakening to a stiff neck is a sure way to have people wondering if you got up “on the wrong side of the bed” as it were. No one wants to spend the day in pain, but we all need to sleep. Here are a few dos and don’ts.
Don’t Sleep on Your Stomach – Bas news stomach sleepers. This is the worst position for your neck. Think about it this way. How would you feel if you spent 8 hours looking over your shoulder during the day? That would be miserable on your neck. Sleeping on your stomach is like looking over your shoulder all night. You can’t expect to wake up feeling okay.
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Do Sleep on Your Back – This is the best position for your neck. Whether you use a feather pillow, a cervical pillow, or a memory foam pillow, the key is to support your neck without elevating it too much. If you have your head propped too high, that would be the equivalent of looking down for 8 hours. Smartphone addicts can tell that does a number on your neck.
Do Sleep on Your Side – This position is good for your neck too. You just need a little extra neck support so your head isn’t slanted down toward the bed. Remember to keep a pillow between your knees so your lower back doesn’t get twisted.
Keep that Neck Aligned Right
If you do wake up with a stiff neck, your upper cervical spine may be out of alignment. Be sure to schedule an appointment as soon as possible to get checked so any subluxation can be corrected before it has time to cause further symptoms.
To schedule a complimentary consultation with Dr. Crowder call our McKinney office at 972-562-0674. You can also click the button below.
The post Neck Pain — Sleeping in the Correct Position Is Key appeared first on Crowder Specific Chiropractic.
