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Chiropractic
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Written by Dr. Maya
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Wednesday, 16 September 2009 16:58 |
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"What kind of pillow should I use?"
It's a common question that I hear from my patients. The answer depends on how you sleep. The proper pillow for your sleep position can prevent neck pain and even improve the quality of your rest.
So, do you sleep on your side or on your back?
If you're a side sleeper, the height of the pillow is important. If the pillow is too flat, your head will be tilted down and if it's too fluffy, it will be tilted up. Either can make you wake up with a kink in your neck. The perfect pillow will be thick enough to allow your head to be aligned with the rest of your body, without inclining it at an angle, like your head is when you are standing up.
If you mostly sleep on your back, then you want to make sure to provide support for your neck and the best pillow for that is a contour one. It will cradle the curvature of your spine so that your head is aligned with the rest of your body. When your neck is not supported, your muscles will continue to work throughout the night instead of resting and you may wake up feeling tired and achy. The contour pillows have a thin side and a thick side. When sleeping on your back, it may be more effective to use the thick side however, if you have a slighter body frame, the thinner side may be the best for you.
You'll notice that I haven't talked about stomach sleepers yet. From a chiropractic perspective, this is the least desirable way to sleep because it forces you to turn your head to one side or the other for a long period of time. This can cause neck pain, headaches and tense neck muscles. That said the best pillow for sleeping on your stomach, is actually no pillow at all! If you must have one, then get the flattest pillow you can find. This will prevent your neck from being propped up and turned at the same time.
A few simple changes in your sleeping habits could be the difference between waking up to a "good morning" or to a "pain in the neck"!
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