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January 30, 2009

Tips for making yourself comfortable while sleeping

On the Mend

As a physical therapist, I receive a lot of questions concerning sleep. Everyone deserves a good night's sleep, but many of us struggle nightly to get comfortable. Sometimes it's a cranky neck or sore back, while other times the hips and legs may keep us awake. Below, you will find some suggestions that may help you rest easier when you turn in for the night.

One of the most important factors in a good night's sleep is pillow selection. Choosing the wrong pillow will hurt your chances of sound sleep, whereas the right pillow will send you swiftly off to dreamland. So how do you know which pillow is right for you?

People who have a straight neck type should use one pillow, and that pillow should be moderately firm to firm. Pillows that are too soft will not give adequate support. Using two or more pillows may cause neck pain. People of this neck type should try sleeping on their side.

For curved necks, or for people who have a bump at the base of their neck, two soft pillows placed underneath the shoulders and head is recommended. For proper spinal alignment, people fitting this description should try back sleeping.

People with neck pain may benefit from a memory foam pillow. Memory foam pillows contour to the neck and head and help a person to rest in a neutral position. There are two kinds of these pillows: one made for back sleepers and the other for side sleepers. A good memory foam pillow costs around $100 and is worth many times more than that if it helps you sleep through the night.

Some of us suffer from low-back pain. Side sleeping is the recommended position for people who have sore backs. As strange as it may sound, sleeping on the sore side while curling the other hip and knee upward often brings relief. There are some cases, however, where sleeping on the good side is best, so test out both to see which one works better for you.

Hip pain is another frequent cause of sleep problems. Aching hips can prevent a person from finding a comfortable position for their legs. This may cause tossing and turning, one of the largest contributing factors in restless sleepers. Sleeping on the good side with a pillow wedged between the legs tends to work well, and it works best if the knees and hips are each curled to forty-five degree angles.

As a rule of thumb, larger individuals, especially those with heavy abdomens, should avoid sleeping on their backs. Back sleeping may cause sleep apnea — a condition where there is a short cessation of breathing. The body loses oxygen for a period of time and has to work harder on subsequent breaths to make up for the lost air. Often, people wake in the morning feeling overtired or not refreshed. Larger people should attempt side sleeping. This minimizes the chances of sleep apnea and reduces the stress on the body's breathing muscles.

Professionally, I cannot recommend any form of stomach sleeping. It rotates the head and neck into extreme positions and often causes acute neck locks — a painful condition which often requires rehabilitation.

If you continue to have trouble sleeping, or have an orthopedic condition that's preventing sound sleep, seek the advice of a rehab professional. There's almost always a way we can help you catch a few more z's at night.

¢¢¢

Joe DiVincenzo is a physical therapist and clinical specialist in manual therapy. He works in the outpatient division of Beverly Hospital and writes "On the Mend" weekly.¬ Questions may be submitted to On the Mend, c/o Salem News, 32 Dunham Road, Beverly, MA 01915 or e-mail features@eagletribune.com.

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