Improve Spinal Health with These Everyday Habits
By Sara Butler
Getting into shape in order to stay healthy involves more than just getting to the gym! Making small changes to your everyday habits may make a big difference when it comes to your spinal health as well as your overall health. Sure, exercise is very important, but so is caring for your body – it’s a full-time kind of thing. If you can change some of your habits and make them healthier, then it can have a profound impact on problems you may be having, such as chronic pain in your back or neck.
Change No. 1: Take Small, Frequent Breaks
You need to break up lengthy periods of standing and sitting by moving around. You know how it goes – you’re at work and get into what you’re working on, then before you know it hours have gone by. Well, you need to change that! You can set a reminder on your computer or phone to help you remember to get up at least once every hour and move around, even if for just a few minutes.
Change No. 2: No More Stomach Sleeping
Sleep is important, and how you sleep is really important, too. If you’re a stomach sleeper, you need to change it for the sake of your spinal health. When you sleep on your stomach, you keep your neck in an unnatural posture for several hours at a time as you turn your head to breathe. This sleep posture also puts a lot of pressure on your lower back since it doesn’t help to support its natural curvature. It’s a recipe for disaster when it comes to your neck and back.
Sleep on your side, supporting your spine’s neutral position with pillows if needed. Also, make sure your mattress is sufficiently supporting your back as you sleep. If your mattress is more than 10 years old, it’s time for a new one.
Change No. 3: Drink More Water
You may think that drinking enough water every day doesn’t have a lot to do with the health of your back, but that’s wrong! Hydration is incredibly crucial to the health of your spine since the small discs that are used as shock absorbers between your spinal vertebrae need to stay hydrated in order to do their job the right way. You have to think of it this way: When your spine isn’t functioning as it should, then your nervous system isn’t either!
To learn more about your health and wellness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic.
