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The following article was published in Your Health Magazine. Our mission is to empower people to live healthier.
Frank Gresham, CMTPT
Side-Sleep Position
The Chronic Pain Center
. http://www.thechronicpaincenter.com

Side-Sleep Position

Sleeping in the right position is usually a huge factor in getting folks to feel better when they have chronic back pain. It's very important to sleep in a nice, neutral position so that your muscles are relaxed at end of a

night's rest.

Too often folks have on leg rolled in front of the other, which is twisting most of the stomach muscles and actually the whole lower back as well.

In order for your muscles to be in a nice relaxed position so that they won't be tight in the morning, it is recommended that you sleep as follows

A pillow that keeps your neck aligned with your spine in a neutral position.

Your chin held so that you can comfortably fit your fist against it if tried, without being too far forward or back.

Keep your ear, shoulder, and hip in alignment.

Keep your knees together to keep your hips neutral; you may use a small pillow or towel between your legs if holding them together bothers you.

You might also want to use a pillow against your chest to rest your forearm against. This keeps your shoulder relaxed and in a neutral position.

Your lower arm should be stretched straight in front of you to keep that shoulder neutral as well.

Think about it; we try to sleep for six to eight hours a night. So, for six to eight hours, you are keeping those muscles contracted, which may well be causing the pain that you have.

Let me tell you how I used to sleep I was rolled over half onto my stomach, with my legs splayed out and my shoulders pulled up around my ears.

I had terrible shoulder, headache and lower back pain because of how I pulled my muscles through the night. It's no wonder I had chronic pain for those 20 years.

Now, I'm pain free because of making these and other changes.

Honestly, it will take a few nights to get this correction down, but remember, you are teaching your muscles a new memory.

Don't give up or get discouraged. It's like learning a new golf swing; you have to practice that new swing so that your muscles remember where to be. It may take a little time, but soon enough, you will also improve your pain symptoms.

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