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Did you know that the leading source of disability around the world was lower back pain? Employees miss work because of this reason too. The long hours of sitting in a chair for 5 days in a week leads to pain in the back. This is very common around the world. The strain caused on the back and neck can lead to chronic back pain.
If you are forced to sit in an uncomfortable chair for that amount of time, you will suffer from lower back pain. This lifestyle has caused many to suffer at the hands of nerve compression and other symptoms. When you sit in a chair for a long time, your muscles in the upper and lower back will hurt. The area under your ribs and down the legs will also ache as a result of nerve compression.
This can also lead to difficulty in walking, bending, and lifting. Another leading cause can be your posture. Slouching becomes common when the back is always aching. However, when you spend this time sitting on a reclining chair, you will notice that the pain ebbs away. It happens because when reclining, you are at a zero-gravity position. This helps in elevating pressure off the nerves. Another advantage of such a position is that your heart comes to the exact level as your feet. This helps in improving blood circulation around the body. The effect of gravity on the body shifts so the pressure on the vertebrae and other muscles is disposed of. This relieves you from backache.
The Correct Position to Sleep with a Backache
The ideal way to sleep is to maintain the alignment of your back. If you sleep on your back, placing an extra pillow under the knees helps to keep your spinal cord aligned correctly. You must keep a pillow under your head as well. This ensures that the curve of your back is maintained. If you sleep on your side, the best position is to bend your knees upwards and place a pillow between your knees. This helps in maintaining the ideal position of your back. If you are suffering from a backache, go for a lumbar roll or a rolled-up towel. Place it under your lower back so the curve stays.
This is also a great way of sleeping during pregnancy. Lower back pain is very common during pregnancy and using extra pillows under and between the knees helps. The extra weight of the baby pressurizes the spine, which causes pain when lying down.
Sleeping on the Right Mattress
Avoid sleeping on a mattress that is sagging. The uneven surface will cause terrible neck and back pain. Using a firm or a medium-firm mattress ensures a good night's sleep. The ideal mattress is one that has springs but good quality ones. This ensures that the mattress takes the shape of your spine making it very comfortable. This also elevates any back pain that you might be suffering.
Getting Out of Bed
When getting out of bed each morning, make sure to rise the correct way. Always turn on your side and sit up. Swing your legs off the bed and bend forward before standing up. This way, your core muscles are activated and your body warms up. Getting out of bed too quickly can cause a strain in your neck or back.
Using the Right Pillow
A right pillow is important for a good night's sleep. It supports the alignment of both the neck and the spine. The neck slightly bends forward to support the weight of the head; this should be maintained even in the sleeping position. When using a pillow, make sure that the loft of the pillow is of the correct size. If the loft is too high, the neck is bent forward. If it is too low, the neck is pushed backward. This can cause great discomfort to both the neck and the spine. There is a high chance that you will wake up with a terrible headache. Another impact a wrong pillow has is on the windpipe, the obstruction can cause snoring and sleep apnea.
Ideally, when you sleep the pillow should be under your head and not your shoulders. This should allow the position of the cervical and spine to stay aligned. Moreover, sleeping on your back or the stomach can cause discomfort for the neck. Using a pillow with the right loft height will ensure a comfortable night's sleep. Just using the wrong pillow can cause neck, shoulders, arms, and lower back pain. In addition to all that, you may also experience headaches and mental fatigue due to poor sleep.
Types of Pillows to Use
The huge pillow industry today combines science, biology, and technology to make the best pillows for you. Comfort is the motive but it is a careful combination of biotechnology. Let us look at some of them for your knowledge.
Regular Pillows
Regular pillow is rectangle-shaped with fillings. The fillings can be of fiber, down feathers, memory foam, microbeads, latex, and shredded memory foam. If you are allergic to volatile organic compounds, there are different pillow fillings available in the market. These filings are of kapok cotton, water, wool, buckwheat, and others. Every pillow has its pros and cons and not everyone can find every pillow suitable for them.
Pillow for Back Pain
A special pillow called the dual profile pillow has two lofts, one higher than the other does. It fits between the bed and your lower back. This pillow is designed for people who are recovering from a back injury or who suffer from chronic back pain. This pillow creates a comfortable reclining position that helps in elevating the pressure of gravity on the spine and back muscles. It simply recreates the reclining position on the bed.
Lower Back Support Pillow
This is called a lumbar support pillow. It is designed to fit the natural curve of the back and the chair. The lower back gets the sturdy support it needs when sitting in a single position for long hours. The downward pull of gravity is lifted somewhat, making it comfortable for people to sit for long hours. This also helps you to prevent your slouching position.
Back Support Pillow for Chairs
This kind of support pillow is ideal for drivers. If you drive for long hours during the day, the car seat bends slightly forward from the upper side. This leaves a gap in the lower back area, which can lead to tension in the back muscles. As a result, you will experience pain both in your upper and lower back.
A support pillow is great to relieve this tension on the back. The materials are made with a mesh that allows air to pass through. During hot days, your back will not sweat because of the additional pillow. The comfort this pillow provides to drivers is amazing. The lift of pain and tension on the back is instant. Even the thighs and calves get an instant relief from pain. The pillow comes with adjustable straps so you can move it around according to your height. The long straps help the pillow to stay in one place once attached to the car seat.
Support Pillow for Office Chairs
Many employees become the victims of chronic back pain from sitting long hours in office chairs. There is a support pillow designed for office chairs. This helps in preventing lower back pain and prevents slouching. This is also known as posture support. The lower back is under the pressure of the rest of the spinal curve, which causes all the pain. Therefore, this support cushion helps take that pressure off and corrects the spinal alignment. The pressure is taken off the lumbar vertebrae, giving you a comfortable position. Like the back support pillows for cars, this too has adjustable straps for the perfect height and fit.
Back Support Pillow for Couch
After a long day at work, the best way to relax is on the couch. However, couches are soft and so are unable to support your back. People who suffer from lower back pain cannot get comfortable on a soft couch. This can be remedied with a special support pillow designed for use on the couch.
This pillow is designed with a full height of the back of an average person, about 18 inches that allows support to your entire back. It covers the entire surface area of your back, from the top to the bottom. The area that fits on your lower back is slightly curved to provide extra support. It prevents you from sinking in the couch and increasing your back pain.
Consult a Doctor
You can prevent chronic back pain if you start using a back support pillow early on. Nevertheless, if you start to feel that your working or sleeping position is causing problems, change your pillow or add another one. Comfort can be achieved with the right kind of pillow, which will improve your overall health. If you feel that no extra pillows are helping you in any way, it is time to consult a doctor. Working or sleeping in the wrong position for too long can lead to serious health problems.
