Relieve Neck Pain Today!
Life is hectic enough without having to deal with neck pain! With everything that goes into busy days we can sometimes forget how the little things can affect us so much. Here are 3 small things that have a huge effect or the spine and can lead to neck pain.
Neck Pain from Cold Weather
It may sound strange but you actually can experience neck pain or more severe neck pain during colder months than in the summer. How is this you ask? Think about your posture in the heat compared to when your body is cold. In the heat our bodies are open but when we feel cold it’s a common reflex to hunch our shoulders trying to bring them closer to our body.
Continually hunching your shoulders or rounding your body inward can put strain on your neck and back resulting in pain. As winter continues try to stay attentive to if you hunch over to try and fight the cold. If you catch yourself straighten out your posture. You will be amazed out how simply changing your stance can significantly reduce neck pain.
Neck Pain from Work
One of the biggest causes for neck and back pain in the office relates to the setup of your computer and keyboard. Improper placement of either can leave you hunched over and straining for several hours a day causing headaches, soreness, and pain. Here are a few rules to live by when using your computer at work or in your home.
• Set up your keyboard so it is close and centered to your body. It’s important that the height of the keyboard be configured in a way that allows your shoulders to be relaxed and your wrists straight.
• Place your computer monitor about arm’s length away from where you sit. Next tilt the monitor in a way that allows your neck to be centered and in a neutral position while viewing.
• Take breaks! Sitting for too long working on your computer can lead to straining your eyes and body so make sure to take a break every couple hours to recoup.
Want more tips on how to make your work space a pain free zone? Visit Blue Zones blog on: Easy Ways to Relieve Back Pain at Work
Neck Pain from Sleeping
Sleep is a time for our bodies to rebuild and rejuvenate from the strain of the day. Sleep shouldn’t cause pain. If you are sleeping on the wrong pillow or in the wrong position though, sleep can lead to neck pain.
The wrong pillow is to your neck what the wrong shoe is to your foot. The right pillow will not only be comfortable but also support the necks cervical curve of the spine.
Stomach sleeping is another way that sleep can take its toll or your neck causing pain. AS I stated in an early blog:
Sleeping on your stomach is extremely detrimental to your spines health! Turn your head towards one of your shoulders placing it in a similar position to how it is while sleeping on your stomach. It won’t take long before you begin to feel discomfort, now imagine leaving your head and neck in that discomfort for 8 hours while you sleep.
To read more on how your mattress, pillow and position affect your sleep go to: Sleep Smarter with These 4 Tips for Your Back
Comment below to let us know if any of these tips helped you relieve your neck pain!
Photo Credit: pierre hanquin via Compfight cc
