Is there a connection between sleep and your health and chiropractic care? Let us dive into a few aspects to think about when it comes to sleep.
Why is sleep important? We spend about 1/3rd of our day and life in bed. Making sure that we are in a good position and getting good rest can be all the difference when it comes to healing and recovery. Proper sleep is one of the best things we can do for recovery during an injury.
What position should you sleep in? The first question is what type of injury are you trying to get over or avoid? For example, sleeping face down with neck issues is one of the worst options for you unless you are able to sleep with your face straight down, which usually would result in suffocation so not a recommended an option. Another example would be a low back pain that is aggravated by extension or bending backwards, would be a bad option for sleeping on your stomach. The next position would be a side lying position. This can be helpful for some injuries but worse for others. For instance, sleeping on your side with a shoulder injury would likely make the shoulder more painful. This usually is worse with sleeping on the affected side but can make the other side worse for those who tend to roll up into a ball on either side and then both shoulders are rounded forward. Typically sleeping on your back is the best sleeping position. In the case of having a low back disc injury, sleeping on your back with a small bend in the knee, like a small pillow under the knees, has been shown to put the smallest amount of pressure on the low back disc. Each position has some pros and cons but if I were to prioritize it, I would go with sleeping on your back is best, a close second would be on your side, and then a way behind would be sleeping on your stomach or face down.
When was the last time you changed your pillow? Pillows like everything will wear out. Having the same pillow for extended periods will change the support that it offers due to normal wear and tear. Depending on the position that you sleep in, if your pillow can not keep your head in a neutral position, it may be time for a new one. So, choose a pillow that can keep your head in a neutral position and understand they have a lifespan somewhere between 1-2 years. That 1-2 years can vary greatly between pillows so that is just a number to give you a ballpark idea. I would always start with replacing a pillow prior to a mattress because a pillow is significantly cheaper.
What mattress should I get and how long should they last? This is another one that I will say “it depends” for how long they will last. On average a mattress can last 7 years, some more and some less. As mattresses age they lose some of the support and tend to soften but also may develop hard or pinch points. Choosing the right mattress goes back to that question of what position do you sleep in. Knowing your most common position will be a large factor in the firmness or softness you will want. You will want to sleep in a fairly neutral spinal position and that will vary due to position and how hard or soft of a mattress suits you best. Typically, too soft of a mattress will result in lumbar flexion like sleeping in a hammock and too hard would be arching your back.
Again, if we are not sleeping well then, we are not healing well. Take this a check out your sleeping situation and hope this gives you some ideas on how to step up your sleep and healing game.
Feel free to ask any more questions you may have and see you soon.
Tahoe’s Premiere Sports Chiropractor
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