Back Clinic Sleep Hygiene Chiropractic Team. The ideal sleep environment is cool, quiet, and dark. However, research has shown that continuous sleep can be interrupted by uncomfortable room temperature, light, and noises. Proper sleep hygiene specialists may also recommend that you select a comfortable mattress, pillows, and bedding, in addition to moving or hiding a visible clock. This prevents the sleeper from focusing on time passing while trying to fall asleep. Dr. Alex Jimenez describes sleep hygiene as a variety of different habits which are often necessary to achieve a proper quality of sleep to rise with full daytime alertness.
Sleep is essential for an individual’s mental and physical health and well-being because it plays an important role in the body’s natural healing and repairing functions. Therefore, the most important sleeping measure is to maintain regular sleeping patterns. According to Dr. Jimenez, heavy meals before bed, caffeine or alcohol before bed, and even improper sleeping postures accompanied by pain and discomfort can be frequent poor sleep hygiene practices that can interfere with the sleep quality of many individuals. Therefore, the various articles on sleep and sleep hygiene can help provide a useful insight towards improving sleep and overall health.
Sleeping Position: During pregnancy, you may find yourself tossing and turning, as best as you can, trying to�get comfortable before falling asleep. Unfortunately, regular�sleeping positions may no longer work during pregnancy.
There�are a number of reasons for this new discomfort, but there�are some sleeping positions that may help you get that much needed rest. When pregnant the body goes through a variety of changes. These changes tend to disrupt the peaceful sleep.
Here are a few suggestions that may not sound or look very comfortable, especially if you have a favorite sleeping position. This is often on your back or stomach. But you may find that they work. Keep in mind that you may do not have to stay in one position all night, rotating positions is completely acceptable and even encouraged.
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Sleep is the one time your body has during the day to repair and maintain its cells and systems.
It’s also essential for flushing out toxins and clearing away dead cells. Experts recommend between 7-9 hours of sleep a night.
Because sleep is so important, if there’s something that’s keeping you from getting comfortable and sleeping through the night, it helps to know what adjustments you can make to get the rest you need.
Following are some recommendations to help you find the best sleeping position to deal with your common aches and pains.
Finding Your Best Sleeping Position
These sleeping positions will make you feel like a brand new person every morning!
1. Best Sleeping Position for Lower Back Pain
Many people suffer from back pain. It’s often difficult to find a comfortable sleeping position when your back hurts. What you may need is a little support. The best sleeping position for back pain is lying on your back. Place a pillow under your knees and a rolled-up towel at the base of your back where it curves. This will relieve pressure on your lower back while adding support (1).
For those with back pain, alignment of the ear, shoulder, and hip is the most important part of sleep posture, so make sure to keep your spine aligned.
The University of Rochester Medical Center offers the following suggestions for a solid sleep without back pain, whatever the position (2):
Sleeping on your stomach can create stress on the back because the spine can be put out of position. Placing a flat pillow under the stomach and pelvis area can help to keep the spine in better alignment. If you sleep on your stomach, a pillow for your head should be flat, or sleep without a pillow.
If you sleep on your side, a firm pillow between your knees will prevent your upper leg from pulling your spine out of alignment and reduce stress on your hips and lower back. Pull your knees up slightly toward your chest. The pillow for your head should keep your spine straight. A rolled towel or small pillow under your waist may also help support your spine.
Insert pillows into gaps between your body and the mattress.
When turning in bed, remember not to twist or bend at the waist but to move your entire body as one unit. Keep your belly pulled in and tightened, and bend your knees toward the chest when you roll.
2. For Shoulder Pain
It may seem obvious but if one of your shoulders hurt, don’t add pressure by lying on it. Lie on your other side with your knees and arms bent. Place one pillow between your knees and another between your elbows so it touches your chest.
If both shoulders hurt, lie on your back with your arms by your sides.
3. For Sinus Issues
Congestion from a cold or allergies can get worse when you sleep, as gravity is working against you when you’re lying down. Prop up your head and shoulders with pillows while lying on your back so your sinuses can drain more easily into the back of your throat (3).
4. For Headaches
Sometimes a bad sleeping position can actually cause a headache by constricting muscles and nerves while you sleep. To keep your head in a neutral position, lie on your back and put a pillow or rolled-up towel on both sides of your head to keep it from wrenching during the night (4).
5. For Menstrual Pain
Cramps and bloating can make sleep difficult before and during your period. The best sleeping position for cramps is to lie on your back and place a pillow under your knees to take pressure off your abdomen and back. You can try applying a hot water bottle or heating pad to your abdomen and/or back when you go to bed to ease cramps and make you comfortable enough to fall asleep. (5)
6. For High Blood Pressure
There is a correlation between sleep and hypertension: sleep deprivation and disrupted sleep exacerbates the problem. The autonomous nervous system changes during sleep and that can affect blood pressure. (6) The worst position for sleep if you have high blood pressure is on your back. (7)
A Japanese study on the effect of sleep position found that blood pressure was reduced significantly when lying in the prone position (face down) as compared to lying on the back. (8) Lying on your stomach, however, can lead to back, neck, and joint pain and difficulty breathing, so you should alternate between positions every few nights. (9) Sleeping on your right side can ease pressure on the heart (which is on your left), lowering blood pressure. (10)
7. For Heartburn
If you have GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease), indigestion, or heartburn, sleeping on your left side may help. This is the best sleeping position to take pressure off the stomach and esophagus (12).
8. For Poor Digestion
If you have digestive issues, placing a pillow between your legs while sleeping on your left side will take a further strain off your digestive system to allow things to flow freely while you sleep. It’s also important to wait a few hours after your last meal before hitting the hay to make sure you don’t get indigestion.
9. For Neck Pain
Supporting the neck is key, whatever position you sleep in. On your back or side are easiest on your neck. (11) If you sleep on your back, roll up a small towel (or neck roll) and stick it inside your pillowcase with your pillow, adjusting the towel so it’s just under the curve of your neck. Your head should rest comfortably on your pillow. There are also special funny-looking pillows designed specifically for neck support.
Harvard Medical School has the following additional suggestions for getting rid of that pain in the neck (12):
Try using a feather pillow, which easily conforms to the shape of the neck. Feather pillows will collapse over time, however, and should be replaced every year or so.
Another option is a traditionally shaped pillow with “memory foam” that conforms to the contour of your head and neck. Some cervical pillows are also made with memory foam. Manufacturers of memory-foam pillows claim they help foster proper spinal alignment.
Avoid using too high or stiff a pillow, which keeps the neck flexed overnight and can result in morning pain and stiffness.
If you sleep on your side, keep your spine straight by using a pillow that is higher under your neck than your head.
When you are riding on a plane, train, or car, or even just reclining to watch TV, a horseshoe-shaped pillow can support your neck and prevent your head from dropping to one side if you doze. If the pillow is too large behind the neck, however, it will force your head forward.
For Your Brain
Parting Thoughts
While we sleep, our brains are as active as when we’re awake—and it’s not just conjuring dreams, it’s cleaning house. Brain waste is processed and eliminated during sleep.
Most animals (humans included) sleep on their sides. A study published in the Journal of Neuroscience looked into why this might be. Researchers observed activities in the brain for prone (stomach), supine (back), and lateral (side) sleep positions. They found that cerebrospinal fluid that gets flushed around the brain to clear toxins is more efficient when in a lateral sleeping position. (13) The brain is, therefore, better able to eliminate waste and prevent the plaque build-up that can lead to neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s.
The best advice is to sleep however is most comfortable for you. Regular adequate sleep is crucial for all the body’s functions. Dreams are a bonus.
Older people newly prescribed sleeping pills like benzodiazepines and �Z-drugs� have over double the odds of a hip fracture in the first two weeks, scientists have found.
Experts have said there is a 53 per cent increase in risk for people taking the medication for more than two weeks.
Sleeping tablets are prescribed if people suffer severe insomnia or as a short term measure to ease symptoms of insomnia.
However, experts have warned of the dangers of the drugs as they can cause side effects – such as drowsiness the following morning, which can lead to falls.
Users can also become dependent on them.
NHS Choices said: �Doctors are usually reluctant to recommend sleeping tablets in the long-term because they just mask the symptoms without treating the underlying cause.�
The results come from a new study by researchers at Cardiff University and King�s College London.
�While �Z-drugs are fast becoming the doctor�s hypnotic prescription of choice, there is no evidence that they are a safer alternative to benzodiazepines in relation to hip fracture risk,� said Dr Ben Carter, Cardiff University�s School of Medicine and the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King�s College London.
�Our study shows that both appear to significantly increase the risk of hip fracture when newly prescribed by doctors.�
A study of people aged over 65 found that new users of these hypnotic medicines experienced nearly two and a half times the fracture rate, when compared with older people not taking hypnotics.
An estimated 53 per cent increase in fracture risk was identified in medium-term users – 15 to 30 days, as well as a 20 per cent increased risk of hip fracture in long-term users which scientists classed as greater than 30 days.
Dr Carter added: �Careful consideration of the immediate increased risk of hip fracture should inform the clinical decision-making process.
�Clinically effective measures like strength training to improve frailty, removal of hazards at home, visual correction and a medication review are also needed to mitigate the risk of hip fractures, particularly in the first few days of use.�
The research supports previous studies linking use of hypnotics by older people with an increased risk of accidents, dependence, cognitive decline and hip fracture.
The drugs are also thought to cause drowsiness, delayed reaction times and impaired balance.
The study, called Benzodiazepines, Z-drugs and the risk of hip fracture: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis has been published in the journal PLOS ONE.
If you suspect you have a damaged gut, what can you do to fix it? (Of course you should see your doctor and get a proper diagnosis, and talk to him about your issues.) First, remember that if your gut is damaged you probably aren’t absorbing the nutrients from your food – even if you’re eating GREAT food! Switching cold turkey to a diet of salads and raw veggies isn’t even always the answer for healing your gut. Some raw veggies are actually really hard for a damaged gut to digest.
El Paso, TX. Chiropractor Dr. Alex Jimenez looks at sleep posture for back pain.
Whether you got back, neck, or pregnancy pain, your slumber posture makes a big difference in the way you feel each morning.
Great posture is a key to a healthier spine, but posture isn�t just about sitting or standing straight. Your sleep bearing has a significant effect on neck and your back. While some postures allow you to feel refreshed morning, come, others can leave you stiff, sore, and in pain.
Believe neutral, as it pertains to locating the very best sleep pose to your back and neck. Postures that put your spine in a neutral, or direct, alignment place the smallest amount of pressure on your own back and neck. Learn which postures set your back in a neutral state and those who must be prevented below.
The Very Best Sleep Posture For The Back: On Your Own Back
Sleeping in your back is for putting your spine in a neutral alignment, the very best, but only 8% of people sleep in this pose.
A few strategically placed pillows can boost the advantages of back sleep. A little pillow underneath your head and neck (but not your shoulders) will help to keep your back straight. Including a pillow under your knees will provide comfort and much more support, as it encourages your back to preserve its natural curve.
It’s a few drawbacks, though back sleeping is the best on your spine:
It�s not best for individuals with sleep apnea. Back sleeping may create the tongue to obstruct the breathing tube, so those with sleep apnea must not sleep on their backs. Instead, they ought to sleep on their side with legs right.
It�s not best for snorers. Back sleeping can worsen snoring. People who snore should sleep on their side with legs right.
It’s not best for women that are pregnant. Pregnant women who sleep on their backs danger growing a multitude of health issues, from back pain to low blood pressure. Plus, the on-the-back position decreases blood flow to the baby and also the heart. The very best sleep position during pregnancy is sleeping on the side with legs bent.
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The Next Best Choice: On Your Side With Legs�Straight
For those that snore or have sleep apnea�or in the event you just discover sleeping on your back uncomfortable�side sleeping with your torso and legs is a fantastic choice. That is the perfect sleeping pose for people and snorers with sleep apnea because it keeps your airways open. Adding a tiny pillow between your legs will also help in keeping your back neutral.
In Third: On Your Side With Legs Bent Upwards
Sleeping on your side together with your legs bent upwards�also generally known as the fetal position�is the most typical sleep pose (41% of adults sleep this manner). This posture keeps your neck and upper back, though it�s a popular alternative. The fetal position also promotes an uneven distribution of weight, which can cause tender joints and back pain. You can help reduce your odds of waking up by pulling your knees and maintaining your turning angle up as high as they can go.
While this is the third-best slumber pose for most, sleeping on your side with bent legs is the best sleeping position for women that are pregnant. It supplies the most comfort and safety for a growing abdomen, and sleeping on the left side adds the additional benefits of boosting blood and nutrients to the baby. For additional support, pregnant women may put in a pillow between their bent legs and knees.
The One Sleep Position Everyone Should�Avoid
No matter the sort of pain you might have, whether it�s neck, low back, joint, or related to pregnancy, sleeping on your stomach just isn’t recommended. This posture places the most pressure on joints and your back�s muscles as it flattens the natural curve of your back. Sleeping on your stomach also compels you to turn your neck, which may cause neck and upper back pain.
Getting the sleep you need is much more important while stomach sleeping is better prevented. You are able to calm some pressure off your back by placing a pillow under your pelvis and lower abdomen, and another pillow under your head if stomach sleeping is the sole way you can snooze soundly. In the event the pillow under your head causes pain, remove.
Still Feeling Sleepy?
You struggling to get a great night�s rest, although when you yourself have sleep bearing that is healthful, factors outside your sleep position may be the offender. As an example, environmental disruptions (for example bright lights in your bedroom) or dietary customs (like eating a substantial meal before bed) could be interfering together with your slumber. Learn about some common sleep burglars and how you can combat them in Sensible Sleep Advice to get a Wholesome Spine.
Getting more sleep will likely help middle and high school students in Nevada and across the country do better in school, be healthier and make healthier choices, according to a study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Epidemiologist Anne Wheaton with the CDC says only one in eight students in Nevada gets the recommended amount of sleep, between eight-and-a-half and nine-and-a-half hours per night. She says sleep deprivation is linked to drinking alcohol, smoking tobacco and using drugs as well as poor academic performance.
�If you haven�t had enough sleep and you�re sitting in the first period of school, you have a harder time paying attention and your memory doesn�t work quite as well,� she says. �If you don�t get enough sleep.�
Wheaton says a major cause of the sleep problem is 87 percent of middle and high schools in Nevada start school before 8:30 a.m., which does not give students enough time to get the recommended amount of sleep. She says puberty delays sleep, which means teenagers need more time to get going in the morning because their bodies are keeping them up later at night.
Wheaton points out the American Academy of Pediatrics issued a policy statement last year urging middle and high schools to modify start times to no earlier than 8:30 a.m. to aid students in getting sufficient sleep to improve their overall health.
�Not getting enough sleep tends to affect your appetite so you eat more, you�re more fatigued, so you�re less likely to exercise,� says Wheaton. �It can impact your blood sugar, so further down the road after years of not getting enough sleep, you�re more likely to develop diabetes for instance.�
There are other factors involved, but Wheaton says some school districts are resistant to later start times because they say it would increase costs for busing students. She says parents can also help their children practice good sleep habits by maintaining a consistent bedtime and rise time, including on weekends.
Chiropractic adjustment has various applications. From the treatment of chronic pain and pre-existing conditions to early or sudden onset pain. Perhaps most frequently cited, sufferers of back and neck pain, sciatica, migraines and more have found relief from chiropractic medicine.
In fact, many medical doctors recommend that their patients seek chiropractic care for a variety of conditions before seeking more invasive measures such as surgery. This sentiment was (echoed by the American Medical Association) as recently as 2013.
Relieving Back & Neck Pain
Roughly 80% of adults have experienced back pain at some point. (In a study by Consumer Reports), �14,000 sufferers were surveyed. None of these individuals had undergone back surgery of any type. By the end of the study, Chiropractic adjustment was rated as the #1 treatment option.
At the conclusion of the twelve-week study, patients who underwent regular chiropractic adjustments were twice as likely to be pain free as those who were treated with medication. (Further research demonstrates) the validity of chiropractic adjustments as easily seen via magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
Patients with lower back pain often experience limited mobility in the lumbar spine region that produces degeneration as well as adhesions within the joints of the vertebrae. When patients received an MRI scan following a chiropractic adjustment, the imaging showed an increase in spinal gapping. This breaks up the adhesions, allows the joints to move freely, and lead to a reduction in pain.
Headaches and Migraines
Chronic head pain, including migraines is another common condition that chiropractic adjustment can provide relief for. Through manipulation, chiropractic medicine is able to relieve pressure off of the nerves and provide relief. Headache and migraine sufferers may find long-term relief with continued adjustments, resulting in lessening the severity of symptoms or the frequency of onset.
There is also published research showing the validity of these treatment options. In an (Australian study that tracked 127 migraine sufferers), those who received regular chiropractic adjustments reported a decrease in migraine attacks as well as the need to take less medication.
Considering the rising costs of healthcare, specifically prescription medication, mitigating pharmaceutical costs can provide extra benefits.
Foundation for Chiropractic Progress
In Support of Chiropractic Care
Chiropractic care is becoming increasingly more widespread. Support from medical research and organizations such as The American Medical Association, as well as high profile supporters such as Tiger Woods, Jerry Rice, Aaron Rodgers have helped bring the treatments into the mainstream.
Today, Chiropractic medicine is practiced all over the world, and is an increasingly popular as well as effective form of treatment for a variety of conditions, including but not limited to the ones mentioned above.
(Some more statistics)
Utilizing chiropractic adjustments for treatment of back pain may help save Medicare costs by more than $80 million per year.
Back pain sufferers whose first point of treatment included a medical doctor or surgeon, went on to receive surgery 42.7% of the time. For sufferers who sought chiropractic adjustment first, surgery only occurred 1.5% of the time.
Chronic pain sufferers who sought treatment through chiropractic adjustment experienced a 20% reduction in overall care costs.
Is Chiropractic Adjustment Right for You?
The effectiveness of chiropractic adjustment in treating chronic and recent onset conditions is supported through research, scientific study, as well as patients just like you. If you are suffering from pain or discomfort in your neck, back, joints, or elsewhere,�contact a well qualified Chiropractor near you.
About the Author:
Dr. Alec�with Proactive Chiropractic and Rehab Centre extensively studied human anatomy, physiology, radiology, kinesiology and post graduate seminars in topics such as herniated disc, whiplash, functional movement, car accident rehabilitation. With over 10 years of experience, Dr. Alec helps care for patients with back pain, neck pain, headaches, knee pain, shoulder pain, foot pain, whiplash, etc. Treatment services include: spinal decompression therapy, functional rehabilitation, active release technique, gua sha, electro-stimulation, intersegmental traction, hands-on chiropractic adjustment, instrument assisted chiropractic adjustment and rehabilitation. Dr. Alec takes pride in providing individualized treatment for each patient, with lasting results.
Some People don’t believe in Chiropractic Treatment. However, chiropractic care is becoming increasingly widespread through�medical research. And�top supporters, such as Tiger Woods, Jerry Rice, and Aaron Rodgers have helped to bring�chiropractic�treatment into the mainstream.
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