What Type of Mattress or Pillow Should I Be Using?

A common question that my patients ask me is: “What type of mattress or pillow should I be using?”

And this is a great question for many reasons.

For starters, we spend ⅓ of our lives sleeping so it’s definitely important to consider how these sleep essentials could be affecting your health.

If you’re waking up feeling groggy or tired, it may be time to reevaluate your sleep situation. You should feel rested and energized after a good night’s sleep.

Firm is Usually Best

Now, your specific needs may be different, but, for the most part, a mattress or pillow on the firmer side is best.

This gives your neck and body enough support without causing too much strain.

On the flip side, if you opt for a squishy pillow or soft mattress, you could be causing your neck to over extend since these tend to sink in when you rest on them. This puts stress on your neck and could be causing you pain.

It’s always best to listen to your body.

Are you waking up with an achy neck? Do you feel tension on one particular side of your neck or body?

These can all be indications that your pillow or mattress is not meeting your support needs.

To prolong your mattress’ support, you should also rotate it every few months by turning it clockwise or flipping it over altogether. Body indentations are a sign that your mattress is losing support so it’s best to flip it if you notice that you’re sinking in too far each night.

If you continue to sleep in a groove like this, you may end up experiencing unwanted backaches since your body is not being supported properly.

Should I Sleep on My Stomach, Side or Back?

Again, this will depend on your specific needs, but, a general rule of thumb is that sleeping on your side or back should be your first choices.

When we sleep on our stomach, our head (and neck) can actually strain too far to one side (either the left or right). The result: you’ll wake up with side tension like I mentioned earlier.

Try to sleep on your side or back as much as possible to avoid adding unnecessary tension.

Should I Use a Special Neck Pillow?

You may have seen those unique wave shaped pillows where your head rests above a little bump and lays right in the center. Unfortunately, the little bump is not always the right fit for everyone and could cause you more harm than good.

Your neck and spine should remain in a level position. With these particular pillows, your neck ends up resting slightly higher than the rest of your body.

Instead, you’ll want to use a normal, slightly firmer, traditional pillow that allows your spine to stay in a neutral, straight position.

This rule also applies to choosing a mattress. If your mattress is too soft and causes you to sink too low (lower than your pillow for example), you’ll end up feeling it in your neck or lower back by the morning time. Plus, this pain could end up staying with you throughout the day.

By choosing a slightly firmer pillow and mattress, you’ll be supporting your adjustments and should feel much more refreshed when you wake.

Remember, it’s always best to listen to your body, so if you’re not feeling good when you wake up, it could be a sign that something more serious is going on.

If you’ve been experiencing any trouble sleeping, give our office a call today. Upper cervical chiropractic care is one of the best, natural ways to improve your sleep and overall health.

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