Sleep Easy: Advice from an Osteopath - Ampthill and Flitwick Therapy Clinic

Sleep

Sleep needs are different for everyone although essential to lead a healthy lifestyle. With good sleep quality there is a positive correlation with improved physical and psychological health as well as allowing the body and brain to rest and reset.

We will consider sleeping positions, ways to relax and general tips in this blog.

Sleeping Positions

Many people who see us ask for advice on the best positon to sleep, the key here is comfort. There are multiple sleep positions and rarely do we stay in one posion all night. The reason its so difficult to advise here is because a lot of movement in the night is sub conscious and we have little control.

Back Sleeping

When lying on the back usually one pillow is plenty to preserve a neutral spinal alignment and to prevent too much flexion or extension through the spine. This again is down to personal preference so if one pillow is uncomfortable try with two or no pillows.

Placing a pillow under the knees can be comfortable to some as well, this prevents too much extension through the lower spine.

Side Sleeping

When patients tell me they sleep on their side, I tend to advise two pillows with enough height to support the head away from the mattress and to avoid too much side flexion through the neck.

Placing a pillow between the knees also aims to maintain a neutral pelvic and lumbar spine alignment.

Front Sleeping

Lying on the front is ergonomically the hardest to make adjustments for. With this position due to the rotation through the neck, trying with no pillows or a very thin one can help to prevent excessive extension through the spine.

Ways to relax before sleep

Turning off electronic devices 30 mins before going to sleep. Electronic devices emit ‘blue light’ which inhibits the production of melatonin, a hormone responsible for drowsiness, to promote sleep.

Listening to meditation or gentle music

Using essential oils

Having a warm bath to relax the body and muscles

Deep breathing and relaxation.

Other considerations

Investing in a suitable pillow and mattress is beneficial in the long term, take time to find out your preferences and to test different styles to ensure the firmness is suitable for your needs.

Everyone requires different amounts of sleep in order to feel refreshed, depending on their natural circadian rhythms and lifestyles. Consider the amount of sleep you need in order to maintain a clean sleep routine.

Back Pain

Nearly two thirds of the population of the UK have experienced back pain which affects their ability to carry out daily tasks such as lifting or bending. 2.5 million people suffer back pain every day of the week. More working days are lost in this country through back pain than for any other reason.

Sources of the problem

It is not surprising that our backs cause most of the problems. Muscles in the back come into play during almost all movements we make, working against gravity to move us in the way we want to move. Back problems can be caused by acute and specific causes such as a fall or a road accident, but are more commonly caused by a gradual build-up of symptoms which increase over time. There is generally a fundamental difference in the treatment of back pain caused by injury than that caused by a condition such as rheumatoid arthritis or Ankylosing spondylitis.

How it can be treated, and what to expect at the physiotherapy clinic

Although there are a range of measures you can take to prevent back pain and to ease the symptoms, the Chartered Physiotherapist’s extensive training in anatomy and physiology means we are all experts in helping you understand what’s gone wrong, and how best to treat it. The most common causes of chronic pain are muscular or involve ligaments, joints, a trapped nerve or a disc. When you visit the Physiotherapist, they will carry out an extensive assessment before commencing treatment. This will include a discussion about your work, your leisure activities, and other aspects which could have caused the pain. You can expect a treatment which does not involve drugs, injections or complex machinery. Physiotherapy is still largely a hand-on profession. We will look at mobilisation of the joints of the spine, to see whether this causes or relieves the pain.

Massage helps to relieve spasm, increase circulation to the injured areas and help speed up the healing process. To some extent it is also down to you, you will be asked to carry out specific exercises to strengthen muscles and improve muscle support. Pilates exercises are effective in toning up your deep stomach muscles. Our physiotherapists are trained in Pilates and can give you individual advice and exercises.

Prevention methods

Don’t bend over for long periods of time, or bend when you could kneel or squat

Always warm up before you do any sport or exercise

Take time to improve your muscle tone, contract your stomach muscles for a few minutes each day

Always gently stretch backwards when you stand after having been bent over for some time

Whenever you sit, keep an eye on your posture to ensure your back is straight. Adjust your chair if necessary If lifting heavy or awkward objects, do bend your knees, not your back

Above all, call us! Whether it is to discuss your symptoms, or to discuss various aspects of your treatment, we will be happy to help.