The quality of your sleep can have a significant impact on the way you feel physically and mentally during the day. It is in fact, the time when we do most of our healing and repair for our bodies. If you wake up stiff and sore, you most likely have been bothered by tense muscles, neck aches and/or leg cramps. This will inhibit your ability to reach stage 4, or REM, sleep which is when this repair can occur. If you let your body go too long without this deep sleep stage, you will have increased body pain, fatigue, weakened immune system and an increased risk of disease. A bed that is too soft or gives inadequate support can cause these nighttime ailments.
Your doctor of chiropractic can be a source of information and recommendations for a new supportive mattress, pillows and cushions. The chiropractor is especially trained to provide medical expertise for the neck and back. These are areas of common concern when discussing sleeping problems. After making sure there is an appropriate sleeping surface, the next most important topic is our sleeping posture. Here are some pointers.Sleep on your back with a small pillow under your neck and nothing else. A travel pillow roll is perfect. Put the big pillows under your knees to take some pressure off of the lower back. If you cannot sleep on your back, your side is a distant second place. Make sure your pillow is appropriate width for shoulder so that your neck is aligned. Put a pillow between your knees. Do not sleep on your stomach. There is no postural benefit and over time this will only cause problems.There are special pillows and mattresses that can help. Ask a professional before you spend money as this items can get expensive.If you have trouble sleeping because of aches and pain, you might get a new mattress but get to your chiropractor and see how it feels to sleep all night again. When you first visit the chiropractor, you will receive a thorough diagnostic examination with an x-ray where necessary to pinpoint locations of spinal misalignment. The doctor may perform adjustments or manual traction to restore spinal integrity and eliminate nerve irritation due to misplaced vertebra.
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