By Jonathan FitzGordon
March 10, 2014 4:25 AM EDT

Have you thought much about the positions in which you sleep? Considering that many of us spend close to a third of our lives between the sheets, if might be worth our while to contemplate how sleeping arrangements might hurt or help us.

It is pretty easy to know if the way you sleep is bothering you. How do you feel when you get out of bed in the morning? Some people jump out of bed ready to run a marathon while others find themselves bent over the bathroom sink, holding on for dear life, as teeth get brushed. Maybe you fall somewhere between those two extremes.

Let’s start with a position that no one should sleep in under any circumstance:

1. On the stomach
If there’s a winner in the worst sleep position contest, it’s stomach sleeping without a doubt.
If you sleep on your belly, your lower back is compressed all night long, and your head and neck are invariably twisting to one or the other side in a fairly extreme manner.

While changing sleep habits might not be the easiest thing in the world, we are a highly adaptable species capable of doing pretty much anything we want, though sometimes extreme measures are called for.

When it comes to sleeping on your stomach, you might need to wear a pocket T-shirt to sleep with a tennis ball tucked into the pocket. It is certainly possible that you might be able to change without it but if not, the tennis ball in the pocket should do the trick.

Another sleep position to be avoided is:

2. On the side with one leg hiked up higher than the other
This position moves us toward stomach sleeping but also twists and torques the pelvis for as long as you maintain the shape. People who adopt this pattern often do so to accommodate tight muscles, so changing this pattern can benefit you in terms of the quality of sleep and balance of your muscles.

Some people need to tie their legs together in order to make this change. You can use a bathrobe belt or something soft, and there’s no need to tie the strap too tight, but as long as the legs can’t separate you will be doing your body a wonderful service.

A great way to sleep for most people is:

3. On the back
Sleeping on the back is an excellent option with three important caveats.

If you sleep on your back, you probably don’t want to use a pillow, because this will force your head up at an unnatural angle.

Both legs should be straight. There’s a tendency for one knee to slide up and out. This should be avoided, as it can twist the pelvis.

Also, if you’re someone with very open hips whose legs flop completely open while lying in a supine position, you can be stressing the hip joints with too much rotation.

Propping up the outer calves or belting the shins is an option if you have open hips as described and don’t want to change your position away from sleeping on your back.

But the winner of the best sleep position for the long term health of your back and body is:

4. On your side, with the legs together
Sleeping on your side with the legs together and the knees aligned is a fine way to serve the needs of your body for sleep. The least amount of stress is placed upon the body when sleeping this way. Your pelvis is well situated, and this variation on the fetal position is both calming and comforting for your nervous system. Placing a pillow between the legs is an excellent complement to this position.

Make your pillow is the right thickness between your ear and your mattress so that both sides of the neck are evenly extended. This way, you’re setting yourself up for a comfortable and sound night’s sleep.

The quality of your sleep shouldn’t be disregarded in the search for a healthier and more fruitful life. The rest we get overnight impacts the energy of our waking hours in ways that are often underestimated. Good sleep positioning goes hand in hand with good sleep efficiency and fruitful waking hours.

February 5, 2014 | By WakingTimes

Sayer Ji, Green Med Info
Waking Times

by Dr. David Williams
Last Reviewed 12/23/2013

Has anyone ever told you how you should sleep? We spend at least one-third to one-half of our life in bed and rarely has anyone been taught proper sleep positions. I know that this will be disappointing to a lot of people but, if you sleep on your stomach you’ll eventually have a lot of back problems. You should train yourself to sleep on either your side or your back. Now, if you sleep on your side, your knees can be bent, but you should keep them together and not throw one leg up toward the chest or to your side. If you have to sleep with one arm under the pillow, then make sure it is fully extended or straightened out, not bent at the elbow and tied in a knot under the pillow.

If you sleep on your back, don’t sleep with your arms above your head, but rather at your sides or on your stomach or chest.

I know sleeping habits are hard to change, but in the long run, making a few changes may keep you from experiencing the terrible, debilitating pain associated with low back problems, numbness in the shoulders and arms, neck stiffness, and a host of other problems.

If you have a problem staying off your stomach, start off with a small pillow on each side; if you start to roll over on your stomach, it will wake you and remind you to reposition yourself on your back. Also, you can use a small pillow between your knees if it is uncomfortable to keep them together.

The results can be quite dramatic. Most people begin to feel a noticeable improvement within five to seven minutes. More stubborn problems, like severe headaches, may take as long as 15 minutes.

Read more: http://www.drdavidwilliams.com/the-best-sleep-position/#ixzz2s0D6N5BR

by Dr. Mercola

Chronic pain is an exceedingly common condition impacting an estimated 76.5 million Americans, one-third of whom describe their pain as severe and “disabling”.ⁱ

Among them, many suffer from neck pain, which is the third most common type of pain according to the American Pain Foundation.It is estimated that 70 percent of people will experience neck pain at some point in their lives but research into effective treatments is surprisingly limited.ⁱⁱ

If you visit a conventional physician for pain, there’s a very good chance you’ll leave with a prescription for a medication,as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), acetaminophen (Tylenol) and even opioids (OxyContin, Vicodin, etc.) are the go-to treatment for pain in the modern medical world.

However, there are better options than drugs for neck pain, not only in terms of pain relief, but also in helping to treat the underlying cause of the pain so that healing can truly occur.

New Study Shows Exercises and Chiropractic Care Beat Drugs for Neck Pain

According to a new study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine and funded by the National Institutes of Health, medication is not the best option for treating neck pain.

After following 272 neck-pain patients for 12 weeks, those who used a chiropractor or exercise were more than twice as likely to be pain free compared to those who took medication.

Specifically:

• 32 percent who received chiropractic care became pain free
• 30 percent of those who exercised became pain free
• 13 percent of those treated with medication became pain free

The Benefits of Chiropractic Care and Other Alternative Treatments for Neck Pain

Seeing a qualified chiropractor is another wise option if you suffer from chronic pain. I am an avid believer in the chiropractic philosophy, which places a strong emphasis on your body’s innate healing wisdom and far less reliance on Band-Aids like drugs and surgery. Chiropractic, osteopathic, and naturopathic physicians receive extensive training in the management of musculoskeletal disorders during their course of graduate healthcare training, which typically lasts from 4-6 years.

Due to their comprehensive training in musculoskeletal management, numerous sources of evidence have shown that chiropractic management is much safer and often more effective than allopathic medical treatments, particularly for back and neck pain. In addition, researchers have also found that chiropractic adjustments affect our bodies on a deep cellular level.

What that means is that chiropractic care may affect the basic physiological processes that influence oxidative stress and DNA repair, so in addition to addressing any immediate spinal misalignment that might cause pain, it can also address deeper dysfunction in your body.

Overall, the important point to remember is that there are many other options for treating chronic pain than drugs. For instance, therapeutic massage has been found to offer clinically significant improvement in function and symptoms for those with neck pain,^vii while a variety of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) treatments (including acupuncture, massage, spinal manipulation, and mobilization) were deemed to be significantly more efficacious than no treatment, placebo, physical therapy, or usual care in reducing pain immediately or at short-term after treatment for those with neck or low-back pain.^viii

So you have options when it comes to dealing with your pain, and there is good reason to explore them before you opt for medicated relief. Additionally, many massage and physical therapists can provide effective alternatives.

Pain Medications are Risky at Best

Millions of Americans depend on anti-inflammatory drugs to relieve pain, but the drugs are among the most dangerous on the market. Aside from significantly increasing your heart risks (such as a two to fourfold increase in the risk of heart attacks, stroke or cardiovascular death), NSAIDs are linked to serious gastrointestinal risks like bleeding of the digestive tract, increased blood pressure and kidney problems. Remember, this applies not only to prescription medications like Celebrex but also to over-the-counter drugs like aspirin, Advil and Motrin.

It’s very difficult to find a drug-based method of pain relief that is not saddled with severe side effects. The FDA has even recently limited the amount of acetaminophen allowed in prescription products and added a boxed warning due to liver toxicity concerns. Acetaminophen is actually the leading cause of acute liver failure in the United States.

As for the opioid painkillers like OxyContin, they are among the most commonly abused prescription drugs and are a leading contributor to the rising rates of fatal prescription drug overdoses. Many become addicted after using them to treat conditions like back or neck pain.

But no matter what type of painkiller you choose, the bottom line to remember is that they do not come without risks! Unfortunately, if you visit your conventional physician with chronic pain, a long-term treatment plan will typically include a drug-combination approach, using anti-inflammatory drugs, anti-seizure medications, muscle relaxants and possibly other types of pain medication as well. In other words, the answer for pain relief is drugs, drugs and more drugs — each one raising your risk of suffering potentially lethal side effects. Is there a better way?

More Natural Solutions for Neck Pain (and other types)

In the case of neck pain, the underlying cause is often related to body mechanics, meaning your posture or muscle balance is off kilter. Addressing your posture (or other factors that may be contributing to the strain, such as sleeping in an awkward position) and treating the condition with exercises is often effective at relieving the pain and addressing the underlying cause. If you have chronic pain of any kind, please understand that there are many safe and effective alternatives to prescription and over-the-counter painkillers, though they may require some patience.

Among the best are:

• Start taking a high-quality, animal-based omega-3 fat like krill oil. Omega-3 fats are precursors to mediators of inflammation called prostaglandins. (In fact, that is how anti-inflammatory painkillers work, they positively influence prostaglandins.) The omega-3 fats EPA and DHA contained in krill oil have also been found in many animal and clinical studies to have anti-inflammatory properties.
• Eliminate or radically reduce most grains and sugars (including fructose) from your diet. Avoiding grains and sugars will lower your insulin and leptin levels. Elevated insulin and leptin levels are one of the most profound stimulators of inflammatory prostaglandin production. That is why eliminating sugar and grains is so important to controlling your pain.
• Optimize your production of vitamin D by getting regular, appropriate sun exposure, which will work through a variety of different mechanisms to reduce your pain.

In the meantime, you don’t need to suffer unnecessarily. Following are options that provide excellent pain relief without any of the health hazards that pain medications often carry.

• Astaxanthin: One of the most effective oil-soluble antioxidants known. It has very potent anti-inflammatory properties and in many cases works far more effectively than NSAIDs. Higher doses are typically required and one may need 8 mg or more per day to achieve this benefit.
• Ginger: This herb is anti-inflammatory and offers pain relief and stomach-settling properties. Fresh ginger works well steeped in boiling water as a tea or grated into vegetable juice.
• Curcumin: Curcumin is the primary therapeutic compound identified in the spice turmeric. In a study of osteoarthritis patients, those who added 200 mg of curcumin a day to their treatment plan had reduced pain and increased mobility. In fact, curcumin has been shown in over 50 clinical studies to have potent anti-inflammatory activity, as well as demonstrating the ability in four studies to reduce Tylenol-associated adverse health effects.
• Boswellia: Also known as boswellin or “Indian frankincense,” this herb contains powerful anti-inflammatory properties, which have been prized for thousands of years. This is one of my personal favorites as I have seen it work well with many rheumatoid arthritis patients.
• Bromelain: This protein-digesting enzyme, found in pineapples, is a natural anti-inflammatory. It can be taken in supplement form, but eating fresh pineapple may also be helpful. Keep in mind that most of the bromelain is found within the core of the pineapple, so consider leaving a little of the pulpy core intact when you consume the fruit.
• Cetyl Myristoleate (CMO): This oil, found in fish and dairy butter, acts as a “joint lubricant” and an anti-inflammatory. I have used a topical preparation for myself to relieve ganglion cysts and a mild annoying carpal tunnel syndrome that pops up when I type too much on non-ergonomic keyboards.
• Evening Primrose, Black Currant and Borage Oils: These contain the fatty acid gamma linolenic acid (GLA), which is useful for treating arthritic pain.
• Cayenne Cream: Also called capsaicin cream, this spice comes from dried hot peppers. It alleviates pain by depleting the body’s supply of substance P, a chemical component of nerve cells that transmits pain signals to your brain.
• Therapeutic modalities such as yoga, acupuncture, meditation, hot and cold packs, and even holding hands can also result in astonishing pain relief without any drugs.

By T Sanuals

According to research found in The Annals of Internal Medicine, neck pain can be more effectively treated through chiropractic care than with medications such as narcotics and NSAIDs. While over 75 percent of Americans experience some sort of neck pain, many will be given pain medications that do little to mask the pain and nothing to actually treat the pain. The few that will be advised to seek chiropractic care, however, will have a solid treatment plan offered and will work on reducing pain through relieving the inflammation and compression found as the cause of many neck injuries.

The Study

The study was conducted by a research professor at Northwestern Health Sciences University, Dr. Gert Bronfort, who recruited adults with neck pain for a scientific experiment. There were 272 people shuffled into three groups that were followed for three months to assess pain management of their symptoms. A group was in for 15 visits of 20 minute chiropractic care sessions, a group was given common pain medications, and the third were given exercises to do daily. In 12 weeks, 57 percent of the chiropractic care group felt better and 48 percent of the exercise group felt better, compared to 33 percent in the medication group.

The Problem

One of the most frequent reasons given for visits to primary care physicians and Emergency Room staff is neck pain. Through constant work and repetitive motion, stress and strain of daily lives, your neck can be a focal point for tension. This pain can manifest in a dull or sharp ache or hot and stabbing pain.

Chiropractic Solutions

Without locating the source of the pain, pain medicine will just mask some of the symptoms and not deal with the reason for the pain. By going into for soft-tissue work or spinal manipulation, the chiropractor is able to adjust the reasons for the pain you’re suffering from, which leads to less pain and a higher quality of life. As you can see, while you can jump into “conventional” medicine and take tons of pills for your neck pain, you can also bypass that standard and try the alternative medicine approach of chiropractic care.  Those who choose the chiropractic care model are usually more involved in their own healthcare issues, don’t care to take drugs, and have found that the “silver bullet”  pill that everyone is looking for just does not exist. Lasting health is more about a healthy lifestyle and no drug can make us live a healthy lifestyle, that is our choice. Alternative healthcare is fast being proved in Western civilizations to be not only a viable solution to pain, but a preferred one. Hopefully the Medical Association will see the writing on the wall and allow alternative therapies into the US.