In This Issue
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At Backs on Burnside, our health care team and whole health approach empowers patients to take part in their own care. Through learning simple wellness practices and participating in regular health maintenance programs, patients partner with us in managing their own well-being. |
Sleep Styles
A good night’s sleep not only refreshes your mind and body, it can also be great therapy for your back and neck. Correct sleeping posture can:
- minimize or eliminate morning soreness
- relax muscles and align joints properly
- relieve pressure on spinal discs and nerves
- promote circulation and healing
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Like any new habit, modifying your sleeping position can feel strange. At first it may take longer to fall asleep, but soon you should experience greater sleep comfort.
If you sleep on your back, place a pillow under your knees to help maintain your lower spine’s normal curve. With your palms supporting you behind your back, gradually lie down, first lowering your upper back down on your elbows. While you continue to lie down until your back is flat, actively lengthen your spine–vertebrae by vertebrae–by pushing through your hands. Lengthen the back of your neck using your hands, and finally, press your shoulders down away from your neck. A small, rolled towel under the small of your back can provide additional support.
Side sleepers should avoid hunching, which stresses spinal discs. Instead, lie on your side with your pelvis tipped a bit forward and your buttocks thrust slightly back. Bend your lower body so your hips, knees and ankles flex at approximately 120 degree angles. Then as you lengthen your spine, avoid over-arching or rounding your low back. Placing a pillow between your knees and thighs will keep your knees from shifting and twisting your spine. Finally, roll your top shoulder back to keep your upper back from slumping forward. If you have a narrow waist and wide hips, place a small towel roll under your waist to keep your spine aligned.
Sleeping on your stomach can be hard on your back. To keep from swaying the lower back, place a pillow under your pelvis and lower abdomen.
If you’re unsure how to modify your sleeping position, ask your chiropractor.
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Getting your ZZZs
Do you wake up in the morning feeling sore or achy? Sleeping on the wrong mattress or a worn-out one can cause, or worsen, back, hip, shoulder and neck pain. A good mattress offers you both comfort and support to promote good sleep posture by:
- Keeping your spine relaxed and rested
- Supporting your back’s natural curves and alignment
- Gently supporting your shoulders and hips
- Eliminating pressure points
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Studies show that no single mattress brand or style works best for low back pain, so ignore ad slogans like “orthopedic” or “medically approved.” What matters is how comfortable and supportive the mattress feels when you, or you and your partner, sleep on it.
There are two general types of mattresses—traditional spring mattresses with coils, or inner springs, and padding and foam mattresses. Foam mattresses, made either of latex or memory foam, are usually more expensive. When you lie down, the foam molds to the shape of your body. When you get up, it returns to its original shape. Some people enjoy this cradling feel while others find it uncomfortable. Foam mattresses can be purchased in different densities. Those made with memory foam, which reacts to body heat by softening the foam at “hot spots” where your body’s pressure points bear down, usually cost more. You can also purchase a pad made of memory foam for the top of a spring mattress.
A more expensive mattress is not necessarily better for preventing or alleviating back pain. However, studies do show that a medium-firm mattress usually provides a better balance between back support and comfort than a firm one. It seems to distribute pressure better and adjust to the natural curves of the spine.
When lying on the mattress in a store, pay special attention to your shoulders, hips and lower back—the heaviest parts of the body. For the best sleep fit, find a store that allows you to “test-sleep” the mattress at home for several weeks and return it if you are not satisfied.
To preserve a coil spring mattress, the Better Sleep Council recommends that you purchase the foundation that goes with the set. To keep a spring mattress wearing evenly, rotate it 180 degrees and flip it lengthwise every six months. Mattress lifespans vary (foam typically wears longer) so check with the manufacturer, and for your best sleeping comfort buy a new mattress when your old one wears out.
The Right Pillow
Finding a comfortable, supportive pillow can go a long way in alleviating or preventing back and neck pain. A contour pillow is specially designed to conform to your body’s unique shape, curves and sleeping position. Made out of latex foam, memory foam or buckwheat hulls, it supports the hollow space under your neck. This keeps your neck properly aligned with your spine. By distributing your weight evenly, the pillow prevents you from straining or over-bending your neck.
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Whether you sleep on your back or on your side, a contour pillow allows your spine to maintain a straight and natural horizontal line. To find out more ways to use pillows to properly support your back as you sleep, take a look at “Sleep Styles.”
Pillo-Pedic Contour
Pillow SALE
Sleep in comfort and wake up refreshed with a Pillo-pedic contour pillow. This therapeutic head rest can help alleviate many neck and shoulder problems, including whiplash and tension headaches. It also aids in holding your adjustment better by supporting your spine as you sleep. Each pillow has four support options--both a narrow and wide edge and a soft and medium center. Find the most comfortable spot for your neck by first flipping the pillow to its softer or firmer side and then place either the smaller or larger foam edge under your neck. The Pillo-pedic is now on sale at Backs on Burnside for only $50, $6 off the regular price, until January 15th.
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Book Review
8 Steps to a Pain-Free Back
by Esther Gokhale
After experiencing crippling back pain during her first pregnancy and following unsuccessful back surgery, Esther Gokhale began a lifelong crusade to vanquish back pain. An acupuncturist and yoga and dance instructor who has studied biochemistry at Harvard and Princeton, she spent years researching many traditional cultures where back pain is almost unknown. In her research, she discovered very simple, yet powerful, movements that can keep your back healthy without medicine, surgery or time-consuming exercises. In her book 8 Steps to a Pain-Free Back, she shows you comfortable ways to sit, walk, lift and bend that actually improve your back’s alignment and circulation as you do them. You’ll also find out how to lengthen your spine and relax tense muscles while you work at your computer, watch TV and sleep. Her step-step instructions are accompanied by numerous photos illustrating correct and incorrect movement. To learn more, go to her website at https://egwellness.com/8-steps-pain-free-back.
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