Millions of people around the world experience neck, shoulder and back pain when sleeping, due to the way they sometimes fall asleep without realizing it. The way of sleeping not only speaks of the personality of each one, but can also have a great impact on health.
Getting enough rest can mean the difference between an incredibly productive day or a completely different day, where your body takes its toll on the position you’ve been in all night or have been carrying around for a long time.
Although the position to which we always settle may be automatic, with awareness and will power, you can start the night in the best possible position.
Approximately 30% of our lives are spent sleeping, which is why it is so important to take care of our health both when we are awake and when we rest.
Since some sleeping positions improve the functioning of certain organs, a simple change in habits can solve problems such as heartburn, chronic pain such as fibromyalgia, and improve your quality of life considerably.
“There is no universal optimal posture, it is more important to know what can be harmful and, from there, find the one that suits our needs and way of resting,” explains Humberto Rico, Physiotherapist at the ISAN school.
Recommendations on how to sleep to solve back, neck and shoulder pain:
Back pain
In back pain, it is very important to maintain the natural curve of the spine, which is why very soft mattresses are not the most recommended.
The most efficient way would be to sleep on your back. Put a pillow under the legs, this will restore the curve of the spine and reduce the tension of the tendons. A rolled-up towel can also be placed below the waist, which ensures additional back support.
If you are used to sleeping on your stomach, a small pillow can be placed under your pelvis so that your lower back does not arch more than normal. For people who prefer to sleep on their sides, doctors advise opting for the fetal position. Bring your legs towards your stomach, this will arch your back. Put a small pillow between your legs, so your hips won’t move and your lower back won’t be overloaded.
Neck Pain
As in the case of back pain, it is necessary to ensure a comfortable and correct posture of the neck.
The best option is to sleep on your back, putting a pillow under your head and under each arm. It is very important to use the correct pillow: it is convenient to choose an orthopedic one in the form of a tube.
If you like to sleep on your side, make sure the pillow is not too high. The best thickness is up to 15 cm. The perfect pillow should be as high as the width of a shoulder to keep the neck in the correct position.
If you sleep on your stomach, use a very thin pillow. But it is better not to sleep in this position, since in this case the neck is turned to one side, which will probably bring pain at some point.
shoulder pain
If your shoulders hurt, it is recommended not to sleep on your side, much less on the side that hurts. It is also not recommended to sleep on your stomach, since in this position the shoulders are not in the correct position.
The best option is to sleep on your back. Use a thin pillow, or better if possible an orthopedic one. Put a second pillow on the stomach hugging it. So the shoulders will be in a correct and stable position.
Tips before going to sleep
- Take a shower with hot water. Water acts as a vasodilator, so it improves circulation and helps us relax and rest better.
- Avoid copious dinners. Neither letting hunger attack us at night and keep us awake, nor binge eating that hinders digestion and makes us feel heavy.
- Maintain a routine. Going to bed and getting up at the same time, even on the weekend, helps to wake up feeling less sleepy. We can even manage to wake up a few minutes before the alarm clock rings.
- Do not fall into “postpone alarm”. It is proven that delaying the alarm clock for a few more minutes can keep us tired and sleepy throughout the day, since those small lapses interrupt the sleep cycle.
- Take care of our mattresses and pillows. It is necessary to turn the mattresses on a regular basis and renew them when necessary (as a general rule, when we see that the mattress loses firmness: they usually last about 8 years). The pillows must be clean, and not only the covers, but also their interior, since the proliferation of mites and bacteria in them is very common.