Waking up Feeling Stiff and Achy? Try These Simple Tips!

It is estimated that the average person spends 33 years of their lifetime in bed, whether that be asleep or trying to get to sleep! That is a lot of time. So, it is not surprising that the positioning of our body whilst in bed will have an impact on the health of our spine and overall comfort. If you are waking up with neck ache or stiffness, here are some simple tips for you to consider…

Let’s talk pillows and sleeping positions:

The ideal position for our spine is sleeping on our backs. This allows our spine to remain in a neutral position, and therefore the muscles and soft tissue around the joints will be relaxed.

Back Sleepers: You want a relatively thin pillow that allows your head to feel supported but in a neutral position. If the pillow is too thick or you have multiple pillows, your head and neck will be forced into a flexed position, which is the opposite direction to the natural curve at the top of our spine. This will cause stress on the spine and encourage those muscles around it to be working hard, even whilst we are asleep.

Side Sleepers: You want a pillow that when lying on it, fills the width of your shoulder. This means that your spine remains in a nice neutral position.

If the pillow is too thin, your head will flex to one side, which will compress the side of your neck nearest to the pillow, and stretch the opposite side. And if it is too thick, your head will be pushed the opposite way, compressing the outside of your neck and straining the side closest to the pillow.

Front Sleepers: Sorry, but this is probably the worst position when it comes to the comfort of your spine, as your head will be forced to the side, and body will end up being in a twisted position causing stress on your joints throughout the night. I would recommend avoiding this position if you can.

What brand of pillow or mattress? We get asked this question a lot, and sadly we don’t have a set answer. Choosing a mattress or pillow is very personal, so I would recommend going to a reputable company and testing them out before you buy. If you do purchase one, many companies offer a significant return period to allow you to use the mattress but providing you the option to return if it is not quite right.

What I have talked about is the ‘ideal’ but I appreciate that certain sleeping positions aren’t comfortable for all due to current pain or discomfort, so if you need any tailored advise on this topic, please do ask and I would be more than happy to help.

With love,
Sarah