What Position Should I Sleep In?
Every day I have this conversation with at least one of my patients. I thought it about time that I put it into writing.
Most people don’t think about sleep as being a “stress” to their body, but think about it… The average American lives 78 years. That’s 28,470 days or 683,280 hours. We are in bed for 1/3 of those hours or 227,760 hours over our lifetime! You do anything for that long and it’s going to be a major stress to your body! You either do it right, or you pay the price.
The importance of sleep posture cannot be understated. Pretty much everyone has experienced the effect of sleeping awkwardly even for just an hour or two; the dreaded “crick in the neck”. Though this one is usually self-limiting within 3 days or so, the repeated postural stress can contribute to much more complicated problems over the years.
Let’s discuss a bit of anatomy first. Perhaps you’ve heard of the term “pressure points” as it relates to mattresses. Well, in reality, these pressure points are sensitive parts of your anatomy.
Dr. Donohoe is a family chiropractor specializing in the unique needs of pregnant women and children. His office is located at 41880 Kalmia St., Suite 135 in Murrieta. He can be reached at 951-677-6500 or through his website at www.DonohoeChiropractic.com.