Chiropractor Chapel Hill, NC
At the alternative medicine clinic of Dr. Lisa Oskardmay in Chapel Hill, people sometimes ask if sleeping in the face-down position is good or bad for their health. While research is somewhat scant, some indications sleeping in the prone posture can affect health in myriad ways. Since we spend approximately a third of our lives sleeping and the goal of sleep is to relax and restore, it is vital to understand how to sleep in a posture that brings us the best benefit.
Research from the NIH (PUB article PMC6609073) shows that the face-down position puts more compressive pressure on the bones and soft tissues of the back. This is because the spine is in relative extension, compacting the small joints that support the spine and allow the spinal column to move freely. Over time, this pressure will cause more inflammation and pain, and stiffness in the morning. Eventually, habitually sleeping in the face-down position can cause increased spinal degeneration and disability.
Sleep position can also affect dreaming, according to studies in the UK. The prone posture is related to people experiencing more dreams connected with feeling locked up, smothered and unable to breathe, and other negative themes. This is because the prone position puts more pressure on the front of the body and makes it difficult to breathe. Understandably this could trigger stressful dream responses.
At our office, we strive to help patients achieve excellent mental and physical health using non-drug, natural methods wherever possible. Recognizing that sleep posture will impact physical and mental health today and into the future is an excellent first step to improving that third of one’s day. Getting the answers you need to questions about sleep posture and the help you need to enhance spinal biokinetics is the next step to sleeping well and feeling better each day.
During an office visit, Dr. Oskardmay helps patients understand the impact of sleep position and other factors on their well-being. Using the chiropractic adjustment, she applies gentle, specific vertebral movement to individual spinal bones to restore the position and reduce inflammatory pain between vertebrae caused by sleep load pressure or other factors. The application of soft tissue massage and other therapies to the neck, back, legs, and paraspinal regions assist in muscle relaxation that improves healing response. Also, as a licensed acupuncturist, Dr. Oskardmay can apply acupuncture to body regions to enhance overall body qi flow.
Call (919) 929-1400 today to schedule your alternative health evaluation and treatment. Located in the Eastowne Office complex just off I-40 at Durham and Chapel Hill junction, Dr. Oskardmay has helped thousands of Triangle residents with pain and other disorders caused by sleep and other conditions since 1995. Or visit us online 24 hours a day to learn how chiropractic and acupuncture can help you.