Sleep: Positioning and Alignment

The position in which you sleep is one of the many ways your spine can become misaligned. Poor sleep positioning can cause issues such as poor joint mobility and decreased range of motion, back pain, or even joint pain. Sleep is vital to the body’s recovery process, and can help the body regulate stress, energy levels, and inflammation. Good sleep is vital for the body, and one of the best ways to improve immunity, as well as increase metabolism. Sleeping poorly can not only disturb these functions but can also leave you with aches and pain. Sleeping in a comfortable, supportive position is a great way to prevent pain and misalignment of the spine. 

The spine is composed of 24 vertebrae interspaced by cartilage. Over the course of a day, the cartilage in the spine compresses through motion of the spine and gravity. These compressions are best alleviated at night by laying down on the back and allowing for the spinal column to decompress. An alternative to sleeping on the back is sleeping on your side with both knees parallel and a pillow between them to take undo pressure off the hips and lower back. However, sleeping on your stomach is not advised. It places pressure upon the lower back and strains the neck and shoulders. 

A great addition to your sleeping arrangement is a properly fitted pillow from Pillowise. This can take stress off the neck and allow for the spine to take its naturally curved shape. 

While these issues can be helped through chiropractic treatment with Dr. Urban, continual poor sleep positioning can cause misalignment and hinder your progress toward spine recovery. Learning to sleep properly is another way to carry out your treatment plan and live a healthy and restful lifestyle.