How Does Sleeping On A Pillow Prevent Neck Pain?
Naturally, there will be gaps between the spaces of your body and the mattress. These spaces can strain your back or neck muscles, so you should use pillows to fill these gaps and reduce stress. Secondly, people often move when they sleep. An important benefit of sleeping with a neck pillow is that it really helps to improve your posture while you sleep.
They can also improve sleep by relieving and supporting tight neck and shoulder muscles, increasing blood flow to the head. While research is limited, anecdotal reports show that sleeping without a pillow can help reduce neck and back pain in some people who sleep. People who sleep on their stomach are best suited to go without a pillow, since the lower angle of the neck promotes better alignment of the spine in this position. Sleeping on your back helps maintain the natural curves of the spine.
You can use a thinner pillow in this position than you would when you sleep on your side. The position of the head should be slightly raised so that it is at an angle similar to that of when standing. Cervical contouring pillows work best for most people, says. The head rests in a depression in the center.
The neck rests on a lower side when lying on its back or on a higher side when lying on its side. The right pillow is essential to keep the neck in a supportive position with neutral alignment during sleep. Without proper pillow support, the intricate neck structures will become stressed, worsening any existing neck condition and causing neck pain or stiffness during the day. If you sleep on your side or on your back with a flat pillow, a second roll or rolled towel under your neck may provide extra support.
For side sleepers, placing a thin pillow between the knees also helps keep the spine aligned with the head and neck. The best positions if you have neck pain (or just want to avoid it) are sleeping on your back or on your side. In one study, higher pillows created more skull-cervical pressure (i.e., at the point where the head and neck meet) and a larger cervical angle, meaning that the head is not aligned with the spine. In this case, adding a pillow can tilt the head too far up, which increases the tension in the neck and upper back.
If you sleep on your stomach, you may have neck pain because your neck is turned to the side and your back is arched. Research suggests that not only the sleeping position, but also the sleep itself, can play a role in musculoskeletal pain, including neck and shoulder pain. Each sleeping position affects posture differently, so a pillow may not be needed for certain sleeping positions. And while most of us do it (the wrong way), there is an ideal pillow and proper way to sleep that gives your neck and spine the right support for a much better night’s sleep.
In addition, it is well established that pain can disrupt sleep, contributing to a vicious cycle of pain that disrupts sleep and sleep problems that contribute to pain. If you have allergies, choose a pillow filler that won’t trigger them and consider using a pillowcase that protects against allergens or dust mites. If you sleep on your back, choose a rounded pillow to support the natural curve of your neck, with a flatter pillow that cushions your head. Some people also claim that sleeping without a pillow can be beneficial for skin and hair, but more clinical studies are needed to evaluate these claims.
If you sleep on your stomach, for example, a flat pillow under your stomach might help keep your spine aligned with your head and neck. Side sleepers work best with a relatively firm and thick pillow that can fill the space between the neck and shoulders.
