We spend roughly a third of life sleeping. Sleeping posture is highly personal, right down to the pillow. Whether you like to sleep on your back, side or front, there are ways to support your posture to make your preferred sleeping posture more optimal. People who suffer from joint pain can easily aggravate and even cause an injury without proper support. If you are someone who wakes up with a soreness, or find difficulty getting in a comfortable position you are likely lacking proper support or density of your chosen bed.
Back sleeping is the most recommended posture by sleep specialists. Back sleepers should snug their pillow up against the upper trap muscles to make sure their neck is fully supported. If low back pain is an issue, or if you just feel like being super comfortable, placing a pillow under the knee joint relieves tension in the back body
Side Sleepers also need to make sure their pillow supports the full length of their neck. Side Sleepers with low back pain should consider a body pillow to support this position. Placing the body pillow between the thighs helps keeps lumbar spine stable. Side sleepers with shoulder pain should always avoid sleeping on that side, and they should also consider supporting their top shoulder with a pillow or body pillow. Ideally, people with shoulder issues should sleep on their back, but that isn’t always possible – we tend to shift to our sweet side in the night! Placing a pillow under your top arm does two things: it keep the muscles that stabilize the shoulder blade from over lengthening keeps the pectorals muscles from shortening. Because this muscle disfunction contributes to rounded shoulders, those who suffer from rounded posture should also consider a top arm support pillow. Those who sleep on the injured side, depending on the injury, can find relief by placing a pillow under the forearm of the bottom arm as shown below in the video.
Front sleeping takes a toll on your neck and low back. It is not recommended by sleep experts. If you are a front sleeper, you definitely want to have a mattress that supports you, but is not so firm that it forces your joints into awkward positions. Ideally, try to retrain to side or, ideally back sleeping.
The Natural Mattress Store has an awesome selection of beds and pillows.
This is an awesome video by Kelly Starrett of mobility WOD – its got some great insight and detail on how to place your pillow and some injury specific stretching you can do before bed to help you sleep best.
Gumsaba Fitness Class schedule Wednesday 9/21/16
5:30AM Sunrise Danville Womens only class – Coach Karen – HIIT Humpday
6AM Sunup Moraga Womens only Class – Coach Briana – Chip It Humpday
8:15AM Sunshine Moraga Womens only Class – Coach Briana & Coach Kristin – Chip It Humpday
9AM Sunshine Walnut Creek Womens only class – Coach Jentry – HIIT Humpday
9:30AM Sunshine Orinda Sleepy Hollow Co Ed PRIVATE Class – Coach James – Chip It Humpday
11:00AM Cytosport Next Level In Trinity – Coach Michelle (private class)
12:00AM Cytosport All Levels HIIT – Coach Michelle (private class)
12:30AM Cytosport All Levels Trigger Point Rolling – Coach Michelle (private class)
2PM Cytosport Hatha Yoga – Coach Michelle D. (private class)