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Many of us cannot imagine sleeping without a pillow. The body and head are slightly elevated compared to the lower limbs. For some it’s a position they won’t give up; others would wake up feeling broken. The truth is that something different may suit each of us. But what does our spine say about it? It will be different if we sleep on our back or on our side; some even like to sleep on their stomach. It will also depend on what kind of pillow we use — whether very firm or softer, how big it is. You see there are really plenty of options.
How much the position affects sleep
If we sleep on our back, we tend to slide down during the night, and in the end only the head and cervical spine are on the pillow. The rest of the body lies on the mattress. For our spine and back in general, this is an acceptable position. However, if we prefer to sleep on our side, our spine is unnaturally curved. Over time this can cause pain, especially in the lumbar area. And sleeping on the stomach is the worst in terms of comfort. The spine is curved in the opposite direction, some muscles are tense in this position, and pain won’t be long in coming.
Is sleeping on a pillow necessary?
A large, firm pillow, as well as sleeping without one, are extreme positions. If you want to give your back some rest, try a small firm pillow that will support your head and keep the spine nicely straight when lying on your back or on your side. Your sleep will be much more comfortable, you won’t toss and turn as much, and your back will thank you. A substitute can be an anatomically shaped head support, which is commonly sold today. Or before you buy one, you can try rolling up several towels into a cylinder and sleeping on them. If that suits you, then buy the shaped one.
What a bad pillow can cause
In addition to the back pain already mentioned above, there can be numb hands because nerve endings become compressed. That may pass during the day, but it will return the next night. Your shoulders may also start to hurt because the spine’s position is not natural. We feel tired, our hands hurt, and the muscles in the shoulder area and upper back slowly stiffen. Eventually the pain will force us to change our head support. If we sleep on our side, our knees are also not in a natural position because the muscles in the hips, abdomen and back are constantly tense. You’ll relieve this by placing a small pillow between your knees, which releases muscle tension. Or a folded duvet will do. Many of you may not have considered that a bad pillow is causing your back problems. Now that you know, you can change it and get a proper night’s sleep.
