Pillow Check

Steven Weiniger

We should spend nearly 1/3 of our life in bed. Sleeping really well is especially important if you’re spending less time than that. Improving our sleeping position and environment can help posture pains, as well as giving us a better nights sleep.

Your sleeping posture is how you hold your body when your mind is off in dreamland. Muscles should relax when sleeping, so to avoid uneven joint stress check out how each PostureZone aligns your body from head to toe.

Starting at the top, the right pillow will keep your head level and centered, minimizing muscle and joint stress and make breathing easier. This is especially important if you have problems with sleep apnea, or use a forced oxygen breathing system (i.e. a CPAP machine).

​It’s important to note that stomach sleeping is a bad habit.  Being on your belly makes it harder to breathe, and trains your head to turn to one side more easily than the other. In addition to straining your neck, sleeping on your stomach can cause hyper-extension of the lumbar spine aggravating low back pain.

The best pillow for your sleeping posture

When it comes to pillows, one size does not fit all. Your preferred sleep position and unique body may require a few tries to get the best fit.

Stomach Sleeper
Our only suggestion is to get off your belly. 

Back Sleeper
Keep head and spine aligned with a thin pillow. Consider one with a neck contour to support deep neck muscles. Avoid thick pillows that force your head up, or bring your chin to your chest – this position aggravates and promotes forward head posture.

Side Sleeper
Choose a pillow that supports your head keeping it in line with your spine.  A thin middle and lower lobe can give your neck more support. Try turning your contour pillow upside-down for a more gradual change in support surfaces.

​There’s a lot of choices out there.  Explore them, or get help from a professional to pick the right pillow if neck pain after sleeping is a recurring issue. It’s worth the investment to get it right, and the sleep fails can be sent to the guest room!

Article from Posture Month