Introduction
For those who live an active life and believe in the unrealistic paradigm of "I'll sleep when I'm dead" (Bon Jovi style), it's time to "wake up" and smell the coffee. Kudos to you if you have so much to do that you can't clock in about seven to eight hours that will eventually lead to a breakdown slowly and surely!
The bottom line is that getting in a good night's sleep is vital to anyone who would like to motor on with their daily activity. After all, every living organism needs to rest, and we're no human… no matter what developments in science manages to conjure in the near future.
However, there's another angle to this: the posture with which one sleeps is also just as important. And for most of you who have had one of those 'wild nights' and wondered why you woke the next morning not knowing why you have that pain in your neck or your back and to the extent of muscle cramps and strains will probably have figured that by now.
Introduction to Sleeping Postures
There are several postures that one usually sleeps in. Not all of them are good for your spinal cord because the posture that you sleep in affects the this part of the body most.
Since the spinal cord in our body is straight, it is therefore not a good idea to sleep in postures that are curved but straight… or else all sorts of issues will crop up due to the misaligned spinal cord which can be attributed to the strain placed on the back due to these faulty postures.
Types of Sleeping Postures
Now there are three types of postures that anyone is used to sleeping in (not unless you're up to to crazy nocturnal stuff that some folks do):
1) On your stomach
2) On your back
3) On your sides
For those who are used to (1) would also notice that their stiffness and pain of the neck is often involved, and the ideal position of sleeping with a straight back is not achieved as well.
If you can't stop sleeping this way, it is often suggested that one places the pillow under one's stomach instead of the neck so as to relieve the pressure on the back and the neck while increases the chances of damaging you nervous system and the spine as the head is turned in extreme rotation putting it extension, thus stopping the flow of blood and oxygen to your brain. This is apparently the worst posture to sleep in, according to chiropractors and those in the medical community.
However, for those who are used to either (2) or (3), it is disputed that some either of these positions serve the purpose of keeping one's spine straight which of course, depends on a few factors.
Tips for sleeping in the right posture(s)
1) On your back
Keep your neck supported while also keeping your knees elevated as well using an old pillow.
2) On your sides
There should be enough pillow between your ear and the bed so that your head isn't forced in any particular direction. Also remember to place an old pillow between your knees which will prevent one from twisting their pelvis which is not good.
In Closing
And it would be useless for me to even bring up how lousy it is for one to sleep in a seated position.
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