Do you have trouble sleeping? How many times do you wake up and have increased neck or back pain in the morning that takes forever to loosen up and feel better? Have you ever had your sleep position evaluated in order to improve your sleep?
Are you dreaming at night when you sleep? Did you know that your body heals when you sleep? In fact, the cycle of sleep just prior to dreaming is your body’s maximal healing.
Why a Good Nights Sleep is Important:
Required for survival
Helps with rest and recovery of normal everyday wear and tear
Helps with general tissue growth and repair
Many of the body’s major organs are still active during sleep
Certain parts of the brain actually increase their activity and produce more of certain hormones
Effects of Sleep loss:
Decreased performance, concentration, and reaction times
Increases in memory lapses, accidents, injuries, behavior problems, and mood problems
Causes exhaustion, fatigue, and lack of physical energy
Can cause pessimism, sadness, stress, and anger
Here at John Goetze Physical Therapy, we can evaluate your sleep position and improve it in order for you to get a good nights sleep and wake up feeling fresh, and more importantly not in pain.
A Few Quick Tips for Proper Sleep Positions:
Side sleepers: one pillow tucked under the head and around the shoulder, one pillow the entire length of the legs
Back Sleepers: one pillow under the head tucked snugly under the neck and shoulders, two pillows under the upper thighs that is slightly under bottom part of the buttock.
For more info, check out one of our video classics on sleep positioning at https://manualpt.com/videos/.
References: institute of physical art; http://www.sleep-deprivation.com; https://sleepfoundation.org/how-sleep-works/what-happens-when-you-sleep
