Have you ever woken up in the morning with either neck pain or shoulder pain? It’s likely you’ve experienced these from time to time. But when this happens do you make the connection that this pain contributed to your bad night’s sleep? “I must have slept wrong” is a phrase most of us have used one time or another, usually without really addressing the cause of the discomfort.
Well, did you ever consider that the position of your neck and shoulders while you’re dreaming away could be what’s “wrong” with your sleep? I’m here to suggest that you make some changes with the one item you probably spend more time with than any other—your pillow.
On the market now are a wide variety of special pillows for neck, shoulder, hip, or knee pain. There are even special pillows you can buy to use when you are pregnant or lonely or traveling on a plane.
Many of us could benefit from such a purchase—a pillow designed to relieve or even eliminate whatever pain issues you have with your joints as you sleep. It’s unavoidable that, as we age, the connective tissue that holds the shoulders to the shoulder blade and keeps the knee lined up with the hip becomes thinner and less flexible. As a result, joints are more easily “tweaked.” Small changes, though, can have major benefits.
Denise’s
2 Cents:
It is frequently the little things in life that really influence your posture or your body’s ability to align correctly. Sitting in a favorite chair, driving with your arm out the window, slumping over a desk—the results of habits like these don’t seem like much at first, but have a cumulative effect over time. They can create misalignments in the body, which produce the little “tweaks” that can turn into injuries.
Which brings me back to pillows! I’m confident that many of us could get significant relief from joint pain by using carefully selected new pillows. As a bonus, we’d also discover that our overall quality of life is enhanced by this modest investment.
I suggest first getting feedback from medical professionals who understand the spine and alignment. Perhaps a chiropractor or a massage therapist—referred to you by someone you trust—would be a good place to start.
Sleep is a huge health practice.