Bad Sleepers, Back Sleepers, & Side Sleepers
Getting enough sleep is an important part of starting the day off right. When you wake up in the morning, the way you feel the moment you open your eyes has a major impact on your attitude, productivity, and mood for the remainder of the day. Therefore, starting your day fully rested is the first step to accomplishing the most out of your week and completing any lengthy to-do list. So if you are a member of the bad sleepers, back sleepers, & side sleepers club, the chiropractors at RxWellness Herndon can help you get the most rest out of the eight hours of unconscious bliss.
Are You a Bad Sleeper?
If you have trouble getting enough sleep at night or wake up feeling worse than when you went to bed, then you’re probably familiar with the sluggishness, slowness, and mental disorientation that is present throughout the day. There are a lot of reasons that could be negatively affecting your quality of sleep. Some of them are within your control, and some of them are not.
Things within your control that can negatively affect your quality of sleep:
- Drinking before bed
- Staying up late
- Sleeping in on the weekends
- Eating right before bed
- Screen Time right before bed
Things outside your control that can negatively affect your quality of sleep:
- Pain
- Anxiety
- Prescription Medications
- Changing shifts at work
- Your sleep environment (noise, temperature, lighting)
Back Sleepers
Sleeping on your back is probably the easiest on your spine because gravity keeps your weight centered over it. This position could cause pressure on your neck, but with the correct neck support, back sleepers can have a comfortable night’s sleep. If you have back pain you can try placing a pillow under your knee to ease some of the pressure.
Side Sleepers
If you sleep on your side, it is highly recommended that you place a pillow between your legs to ease some of the pressure off your low back. Your number one concern is body alignment, so you want to sleep in a way that allows your spine to remain in a neutral position.
Belly Sleepers
If you regularly sleep on your stomach then you may already be aware of some of the discomfort that comes with it. Most experts do not recommend sleeping on your stomach. This is because sleeping on your stomach, requires your head to be turned in one direction or the other for a long period of time, and this can cause a lot of pain. It also extends your neck backward and compresses the spine. While on your stomach, you may notice that you can get more comfortable by pulling one of your legs up to your side. As comfortable as this might be, it can cause soreness in the hips and lowering back by torqueing the hip for hours at a time. This can cause misalignment, and contribute to severe discomfort.
Is It Better to Sleep on Your Back, Side, or Belly?
There is a lot of discrepancy between studies and whether it’s recommended to sleep on your back, side, or belly for the most restful night’s sleep. In some of the most recent studies, the best recommendation is to alternate between sleeping positions throughout the night. Experts explain that doing this prevents you from spending too much time on any one muscle group at a time, which can cause soreness and stiffness. For example, if you were awake and had to spend eight hours holding any one position, it would undoubtedly cause stiffness, fatigue, and discomfort. So you want to alternate between positions while making sure you maintain proper body alignment.
RxWellness & Sleep
There are more benefits to chiropractic care than we have time to list, but one major positive effect of regular chiropractic care is the outcome it can have on sleep. At RxWellness Spine & Heath, we will work with you to get a better understanding of your sleep activity and daily habits so we can then create a course of treatment to improve the quality. This can help you wake feeling fully rested. Our doctors are qualified professionals with decades of experience on how issues of the spine can affect the overall functions of the body, and they can help you learn more about your body and what steps you need to take to wake feeling fully rested. Oftentimes, they may recommend regular chiropractic adjustments to relieve stress on the nervous system, stress that could be contributing to poor sleep quality.
A lot of people never consider chiropractic care when contemplating ways to improve their sleep. However, chiropractic adjustments are very effective at improving sleep, and many patients report an immediate improvement in sleep quality after just one adjustment. After you receive an adjustment from the chiropractor at RxWellness Spine & Health you may experience:
- A reduction in muscle tension that can contribute to nighttime restlessness
- And improvement in blood flow and circulation
- An alleviation of pain and discomfort that can make it difficult to fall asleep
- An overall sense of relaxation that can put you at ease
- Improve nervous system functions
When you express your concerns to the chiropractors at RxWellness Spine & Health, they will be able to provide home recommendations that cover everything from mattress firmness to sleeping position and even pillow shape and type. They will gather a complete list of your nighttime routine and provide tips on how you can establish better habits for improving sleep quality.
Contact Us
Regardless of why you may be experiencing poor sleep quality, the dedicated doctors and team at RxWellness can help you improve your sleep quality and have you feeling better and more rested throughout the day. If you fall into the category of bad sleepers, back sleepers, & side sleepers, then the chiropractic team at RxWellness Herndon can help make a difference in your health and see an improvement with your day. If you have questions or would like to schedule a consultation, give our RxWellness Herndon office a call at 1+(703) 904 9666 or book an appointment online. We are located at 950 Herndon Pkwy Suite 130, Herndon, VA 20170.