Are your sleep habits affecting your health?
We have so many demands in our life whether it be hectic jobs, family activities, or daily errands, it is often hard to find time to relax. More often than not, we sacrifice a good night’s sleep. To ensure a good night’s sleep it is important to develop and maintain healthy sleeping habits.

Sleeping Positions for a Healthy Spine
Is there a right way or a wrong way to sleep in bed? Certain positions either help us rest in safe mechanical positions for joints or they stress joints to the point that we wake up with more aches and pains than we fell asleep with.

It is possible and desirable to take strain off your back by making simple changes in sleeping posture. The healthiest sleeping position is on your side. To help make sleeping on your side more desirable, draw your legs up slightly toward your chest and put a pillow between your legs. Sleeping on your side allows your spine to be in the most anti-resistant, anti-gravity position. This allows for all of your muscles to be relaxed throughout the spine.

If you sleep on your back, it is best to place a pillow under your knees to help maintain the normal curvature of your lower back. Sleeping on your stomach is generally bad for your back. In this position, the cervical spine undergoes considerable strain, which can cause nerve compression, muscular imbalance and muscle pain.

How To Ensure A Good Night’s Sleep

• Remove distractions from your bedroom including laptops, televisions, and phones. Try to avoid light and screens 60-90 minutes before sleep time.
• If you find that you can’t shut your mind off once you get into bed, set aside a time during the evening to de-stress, whether it be taking a relaxing bath or try meditating before getting into bed
• Try to establish a nightly routine, and stay consistent with getting to bed around the same time every night and waking up at the same time every morning.
• Avoid stimulants such as caffeine five to nine hours before bedtime as it can stay in your system longer than you may think!