How Salt Lake City Chiropractors Can Help You Sleep

With the weather quickly shifting to the blustery cold of winter, I could probably write a blog about winter sports and how to keep your body functioning at its optimal level and lower your back pain through routine chiropractic care.

As we are currently right in the middle of the best time of year (football season), I could probably write a blog about how chiropractic care helps athletes in Salt Lake City function to their bodies utmost and prevent injuries through chiropractic care.

I could probably write about how chiropractic care will help to keep you healthy as colds and flu's seem to be starting to overcome the masses.

But, I've already done all that. Over the past year or so I have written blogs that have covered all those subjects. So, I think I should write about something that i haven't written about yet. This is one of my favorite things to do...ever.

Lets talk about sleep. I can't tell you how many times I hear the phrase, "I didn't do anything, I just woke up with it", when people are talking about a new pain they are experiencing.

You spend a third of your life asleep. The position that you sleep in can have a huge effect on your health and the well-being of your body and your joints.

So, what is the best way to sleep?

According to my teachers in school....on your side. According to many "experts"...on your back. No one says to sleep on your stomach because that is pretty much one of the worst things you can do for your back or neck. Very rarely do I ever tell anyone to quit doing something immediately. One of those things is doing squats...DON'T EVER DO SQUATS...You will hurt yourself. Another thing I tell people that they should NEVER do is sleep on their stomach. You've got your head turned to the side for 8 hours and your lower back is put into a position of extension (leaning backwards) all night. Horrible for the joints...DON'T EVER SLEEP ON YOUR STOMACH!!!

Based on my experience, sleeping on you back or your side can be equally good (or bad) for your spine.

Here are some principles to remember when finding a position to sleep in:

1. Try to look at your spine when you are standing up. Keep your spine in that position when you are laying down. Whether you are on your back or your side, you want to keep your spine in a straight position while keeping the natural curves of your spine supported.

While on your side, you should have your knees slightly bent with a pillow between the knees to keep the hips in a natural posture. NO ROLLING YOUR TOP HIP FORWARD!!! Your shoulders should be square (do not tuck your bottom shoulder forward either, this creates torque in the spine and strain to the muscles of your shoulders). Your head should be supported in a way that keeps the neck and shoulders in a straight line with the rest of your spine. No flexion of the head (fetal position). Keep the head upright.

While on your back, put a small support under your knees. Position the pillow so that your head will stay straight (looking up at the ceiling). DON'T USE A VERY THICK PILLOW. A thin pillow under the head and a slightly thicker pillow under the neck (or 2 layers of pillow under the neck) should provide the right type of support for the head and neck.

2. Illustrated below are some positions NOT to sleep in: