3 Tips to Get You Waking Up Pain Free

Whatever pillow you choose to use, make sure that it actually offers you the right amount of support so that your neck isn’t tilted upwards or downwards. When your head is in anything but a neutral position, it causes your neck to strain and after staying in this position for about 8 hours, it is no wonder you can wake up with a sore neck or a headache. 

If you sleep on your back, a pillow under the knees will help put your legs into a bent position which will put less pressure on your spine and will allow your head, neck and spine to rest in a neutral position.

If you sleep on your side, a pillow between the knees will prevent the upper leg from pulling your spine. The best pillow will be high enough so that it keeps the legs wider apart so the top leg does not angle downwards at all but is kept at a neutral angle. It is also ideal to either rest your hand on your leg, or if you like to put it in front of you, rest it on a pillow near your chest. This will prevent your upper arm from pulling your spine.

If you sleep on your stomach, try putting a thin pillow under your pelvis, abdomen/hips to try and achieve a more neutral position for your spine. 

3. Make sure your body is aligned. After using all the proper support from pillows, do a quick check.

Draw an imaginary line from the top of your head, and move down making sure that every part of your body is following this line and is relaxed.

If you are a back sleeper, start from the top, make sure your head is centred and not tilting to the left or to the right. 

Move to your shoulders and make sure one side isn’t tilted higher than the other. If they are, straighten them.

Move down to your arms. If they are crossed, uncross them. Are your hands in a neutral position?

Then move down to your hips and make sure your legs aren’t shifted to the right or the left but are straight under your spine.

Continue downwards. Remember that your knees should be bent to allow your spine to to relax and be straight so ideally, you’ll have a pillow under them for support. Finally, are your feet crossed? Uncross them. 

Relaxing every part of your body allows your muscles to recuperate from the stress of the day.

If you are a side sleeper, make sure you aren’t sleeping with a curled back (fetal position) because that could cause strain on your back. Try to imagine a straight line running from the top of your head and down your spine so that means trying to sleep with a straight back with your head above your shoulders and not in front. If you have trouble doing so, try lying down on a sofa. Lean your head and your back against the cushions and you will feel your spine straighten out.

If you are a stomach sleeper, it’s definitely harder to keep everything aligned, but try to go through the same checklist as a back sleeper. It is also worthy to note that in order to keep your neck relaxed, you could prop your forehead on a pillow thereby elevating your head enough so you can breathe without turning your head to the left or the right. Buckwheat pillows can be scrunched up, and are usually offered in smaller sizes than a regular pillow, so you can mold it, and move it around. Some buckwheat pillow users have found it comfortable to rest their mouth on the pillow, moving the upper portion away from their nose so they can breathe while being face down. 

A ComfyComfy buckwheat pillow can help you wake up pain free by offering supported sleep by keeping your head and body aligned. It’s moldable and the filling is adjustable so your pillow is never too high or too low.