Eliminate Morning Pain and Stiffness by Using the Right Pillow

Do you ever wake up with a stiff neck or pain in your lower back and think, "I must have slept wrong"?

Chances are, it didn't happen in one night. If your pillow doesn't support your head and spine at the correct level, your vertebra will open up unnaturally, bit by bit, and will eventually cause nerve impingement.

How do you prevent that? Get a pillow that supports the natural curve of your spine instead of changing the spine’s curvature in six-to-eight-hour intervals. You want a pillow that allows you to feel support, not pressure.

The benefit of sleeping in a properly supported position is that the fluids between the disks in your spine will be replenished, and you'll have better posture in the morning. In fact, you'll actually be a little bit taller!

To choose the best pillow, first consider your normal sleeping position. We don't recommend sleeping on your stomach. That will cause you the most difficulty. Consider sleeping on your side or back.

You need a pillow that supports your head in such a way that the vertebra in your neck are kept in line with your spine. The best way to check this is to lie down in your normal sleeping position with your usual pillow and ask a helper to check how straight your cervical spine is from your shoulders to your head. A ruler can help. Does the pillow keep your spine straight? Is the pillow so full it lifts your head too high? Or is it so soft that it allows your head to fall into a hole?

The type of pillow you choose—fabric covers and filling—are matters of personal preference. Some people are allergic to down. Many man-made fillings using a lot of chemicals, such as foam rubber, can trigger allergies. However, a good-quality fabric cover can slow the release of allergens.

Whatever type of filling and covering you choose, the most important consideration is whether or not the pillow supports your normal posture. If it does, you can say good night to a lot of stiffness in the morning.

Contact us today for a free consultation or to schedule a therapeutic massage service at Evergreen Massage Therapy.