Headaches are a very common health problem. Almost everyone has experienced headaches at least once in life. For mild headaches, usually can be overcome by a lot of rest and take headache medicine. But, do you know that sleeping in the right position can also cure headaches, right? Let’s see the explanation further below.
You realize, most of your time is spent on sleeping. That is why experts conclude that sleeping position plays an important role in many lifestyle problems that we face today. According to a study by Harvard Health, a person’s favorite sleeping position is usually determined early on and is difficult to change.
Not to mention that most people often wake up in a position that is not the same as when they first slept. In fact, by improving sleep position, there are many health problems that can be corrected, one of which is a headache.
Many people often experience chronic headaches. The position of your neck during sleep play a major role in the headaches you experience. In addition, how you sleep can also change the way the body works during the day.
Well, the most common way to prevent headaches that often occur is to sleep with a set of extra small pillows on your neck to prevent it from twisting. Clinical and orthopaedic physiotherapy, sleep posture is as important as sleep posture during the day, because it is time for the body to rest and improve.
In addition, the trigger point for migraine headaches often comes from the neck. The neck is connected to the back consisting of the spine and lower back, so the whole area also needs to be treated and repaired. Correcting only the neck position may not help.
You also need to keep your spine in a neutral and naturally curved position during sleep to avoid these problems. The recommended sleeping position is to sleep on your back with a pillow under the knee. This will help relax both knees and back.
Headaches also often are a side effect of a bad night’s sleep. So, besides improving sleep position, you also need to improve the quality of your sleep. Jason Rosenberg, MD, director of the John Hopkins Headache Center revealed that in many cases when a person has quality sleep, this thing is able to prevent them from various types of headaches.
So, if you often have trouble sleeping at night, try to do the following tips:
- Don’t take a nap, because it will make it harder for you to sleep at night.
- Avoid consuming caffeine, nicotine, alcohol, and eating large portions before bedtime.
- If you can’t sleep, get out of bed and do something quietly in low light in another place, like reading in another room, until you are sleepy.
- Keep your cellphone, tablet or laptop away from the bed. The screen light from the gadget can make your body think that it is still morning so that it keeps you awake. Also avoid bad habits, such as watching movies, reading texts, or the news online when you are already in bed.
- Wake up and sleep at the same time every day. This can help shape your body’s natural sleep hours.
If the headaches still persist, or get worse and are accompanied by other symptoms, consult a doctor immediately.