Maintaining proper neck and spinal alignment is essential for optimal health. While you may do everything you can to keep your neck and spine aligned during the day, did you know that you could also be optimizing your neck and spinal alignment while you sleep at night?
The position you sleep in can have a huge effect on how you feel the next day, especially if you deal with neck or back pain. Misalignments in your alignment as you sleep can cause pain to worsen and rob you of much-needed sleep. To prevent these misalignments, it’s important to sleep on either your back or your side.
Back
Sleeping on your back is one of the best positions for both neck and spinal alignment. Back sleepers distribute their weight more evenly along their spines. This results in fewer pressure points and the potential for misalignment.
If you choose to sleep on your back, it’s important to support your body properly. A firm cylinder-shaped pillow just under the neck along with a larger roll under the knees will keep your neck and spine close to their natural curvature.
Side
Many people cannot sleep on their backs due to respiratory issues, among other things. For these people, side sleeping can still offer neck and spine alignment benefits. Maintaining alignment during sleep is still important for side sleepers. A rolled pillow under the neck paired with a flat pillow under the remaining part of the head is best. It’s easy to contort the neck into a painful position while side sleeping if the pillows are not placed correctly. A pillow placed between the knees also helps keep the pelvis and lower back aligned.
People with herniated discs may find side sleeping in a fetal position to be the only truly comfortable position since it allows them to stretch their backs out without putting any weight on the injured vertebrae. Side sleepers should alternate which side they sleep on each night to minimize negative effects on one side of the body.
Spinal Alignment Specialists in Wesley Chapel
If neck or back pain has got you down and changing your sleeping position hasn’t helped, give the spinal alignment specialists at Florida Injury & Wellness Center a call at 813-566-0259 or contact us online. We can get you on the road to recovery with a customized treatment plan to restore your neck and spinal alignment, reduce pain, and increase function. Schedule an appointment with us at the first sign of alignment issues for the best chance to recover fully.
