Test your sleeping ‘Spinal Q’
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By Dr. Brandon Manson
Published:
Wednesday, March 30, 2011 2:11 AM EDT
If you are like most people, you look forward to a good night’s sleep. The following true or false statements may provide some fodder for thought while waiting for the REM zone ...
True or false:
Sleeping with two pillows under your head is better for you than sleeping with one.
False: Whether you sleep on your side or on your back, using two pillows under your head will force your spine into an abnormal position. In the short term, this abnormal spinal position can cause muscle and ligament soreness, tightness and fatigue. Eventually, chronic spinal problems may result. Sleeping with one pillow is better and a correctly contoured “cervical” pillow or small cervical roll is best. Contoured pillows or cervical rolls provide optimum support for your neck while sleeping and help to maintain normal cervical lordosis (spinal curvature in the neck) and spinal alignment.
Sleeping on your stomach is one of the least healthy positions in which to sleep.
True: Lower back and neck pain are two of the more immediate and obvious signs that “stomach sleeping” is not good for you. For some people, sleeping on their stomach may not produce symptoms for months or years. Unfortunately, when symptoms do start, poor sleeping habits are usually well established and spinal problems have become advanced.
The preferred position in which to sleep — in terms of both comfort and spinal health — is the fetal position (on the side with knees and hips bent slightly) with a thin pillow between the knees. This will help maintain the back in neutral position and minimize early morning low back stiffness.
The best position in which to read in bed is to lie on your back with your head propped up high.
False: Chiropractic doctors treat many patients with neck and upper back problems that are the direct result of poor postural habits. A common postural mistake involves the habit of lying on one’s back with the head propped up while reading or watching television. This position forces the head and neck into extreme sustained flexion, causing compression of the spinal discs, stretching of the spinal cord and cervical nerves that come out of the cervical spine and abnormal tension on the posterior neck muscles.
In small doses, such stresses are normal and easily accommodated by the body. The problems begin when these positions become habitual or a regular part of one’s routine. Repeated and long-term postural abuse will almost invariably cause chronic soft tissue damage, spinal distortions and accelerated spinal degenerative change.
The best position in which to read while in bed is the same as when you are sleeping — lying on one side with the head and neck in a neutral position. Think posture ... always!
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Dr. Brandon Manson is a local chiropractor and, along with his wife, Dr. Keri Bunbury, own KB Chiropractic in Hudson and Kingston. Dr. Manson is originally from Germantown and has returned to provide health services to the community. He attended Palmer College of Chiropractic in Davenport, Iowa, and, now, as a leader in health care, welcomes any questions pertaining to wellness and preventative medicine. Contact information: e-mail KBchiropractic@verizon.net.
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