Getting The Best Night’s Sleep

The position in which we sleep is very important as we spend
about a third of our lives asleep.  Holding your neck or back in a
prolonged twisted or awkward position can lead to permanent
postural problems. So it is important to get your sleeping position
right.  

Lying on your front is the worst position for your spine as your head will be twisted to one side.  Lying on your back is not great either as your head will often flop to one side.  The ideal sleeping position is to lie on your side so that your spine is in a neutral  position. To allow this to happen you need a good quality mattress that is firm but yielding to the contours of your body.

A new study by researchers at the University of Warwick Medical
School, UK, shows that people who are unable to get a sleep of at least six hours a day are at an increased risk of suffering a heart attack or stroke.

The researchers found that those who slept for less than six hours a day had a nearly 50 percent more risk of suffering a heart attack and 15 percent more at risk of a heart stroke.  

You need a good quality pillow, which is the right softness and the right height, so that your head is supported in a way that allows your neck to be in a neutral position relative to the rest of your spine.  

Pillows made from down or feathers should be avoided as your head will sink into it, so that you cannot make minor changes to your head position while you are asleep. Most foam pillows seem to be the right density, including the new visco-elastic pillows.

At Kelly Chiropractic we sell the "Chiro-pilo" to our patients, which we believe to be the best value for money. This pillow allows you to take out different layers so that you can build the pillow which the perfect height for you, rather than settle for "one-size-fits-all" approach.  

Too many pillows sold to the general public are too high which leaves your neck in a raised position. If you use two or more pillows to sleep you may want to reconsider.

So, find a good bed that it firm but yielding to the contours of your body; choose a good pillow that is foam, and the right height that allows your neck to remain in a neutral position relative to the rest of your spine; and of course ensure your spine is well adjusted and functioning at its best for the best nights sleep.