Nocturnal Neck Advice - How to Use Your Pillow

Your pillow should support the natural
curve at the back of your neck.

Are you using your pillow correctly and is it the best pillow for you? The most common mistake people make  is to place their pillow beneath their shoulders so that it slopes down and provides no support for the delicate curve of the neck.

Ideally, the cervical spine lordosis - the little curve at the back of the neck - should be supported while you sleep so that your head is aligned with the torso. If it is not supported, the neck muscles are forced to rest for long periods of time in a shortened position.This can lead to muscle imbalances, trigger points, myofascial adhesions, reduced circulation to the brain, and possible compression of nerve pathways. Hopefully not all at once, but the correct pillow choice and position can keep these health issues at bay.

This illustration shows how to snuggle your pillow in around your neck
and shoulders in order to provide decent nocturnal neck support.

There are many types of pillows on the market - buckwheat, chipped foam, shaped foam, poly-fill, feather, wool. This image shows how to use a filled pillow (not shaped foam) to your advantage. Not sure which one is for you? Read a review on  natural fibre pillow options.

Are you a side-sleeper like me? Take a look at yourself in the mirror noting the distance between your outer shoulder and the side of your head. For me, this is about 15 centimeters (6 inches). When I sleep on my side, the distance between the side of my head and the bed is a bit shorter than this measurement, due to the rolling in of my body, but there is still a significant distance to be taken up by a pillow in order to achieve ideal sleeping alignment.

I happily use a buckwheat pillow. This variety works for me because I don't mind shifting my pillow around as I reposition my body throughout the night. I find special satisfaction as I turn to my side and stuff my pillow in around my head, neck and shoulder filling that head to bed discrepancy I spoke of. Yes I know, I am a posture nerd, even at night.

If you are a dead-to-the-world sleeper, who wakes with your pillow as shown in diagram B or D, consider using a shaped foam pillow to provide the needed support while you are out for the night. But take care in choosing this type of pillow as exposure to common petroleum based chemicals (as are found in most common foams) have been shown to weaken or damage the immune, endocrine, and nervous systems. Yikes! Read more about the hazards of polyurethane foam here. Fortunately, there are non-toxic natural latex foam varieties available on the market, just be sure you know what you're getting.

Rest well, choose natural, and I'll see you in the clinic,
Dana



Sources:

• Illustraion from page 326 of Travell & Simon's Trigger Point Manual Vol.1
• http://www.drkarencann.com/2011/08/31/do-you-suffer-from-cervical-lordosis/
• http://blog.remakehealth.com/blog_Healthcare_Consumers-0/bid/9046/What-does-an-MRI-scan-of-the-cervical-spine-upper-neck-show