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Last Updated: Jul 2nd, 2008 - 21:15:22 |
(ARA) – Do you often wake up feeling stiff and sore? How about with numbness and tingling in your arms and hands? Or with a tension headache?
Craig Mell of Chanhassen, Minn., used to experience those problems and more pretty much every day.
“I herniated a disc in my back three years ago and haven’t been the same since,” he says. “As if that weren’t bad enough, I also suffer from sleep apnea.”
One morning after waking up tired, cranky and in excruciating pain, Mell decided it was time to visit a chiropractor.
During the visit, Dr. Tom Schmidt examined Craig and asked him a question that improved his situation practically overnight.
“He asked me what kind of pillow I was sleeping on. I told him I wasn’t sure what brand it was, but it was soft and comfortable. He told me to throw it away and start sleeping on a Tri-Core cervical orthopedic pillow instead. I did and have had tremendous results,” says Mell.
Unlike standard pillows, which are typically the same dimensions throughout, the Tri- Core pillow features a trapezoid-shaped center and raised side sections. The unique center of the pillow is designed to cradle the head and provide the maximum support for the neck, whether the user is sleeping on his back or side.
“The design also helps relieve spasms and alleviates minor tension since it re-establishes the natural cervical curve of the neck while the person is at rest,” explains Dr. Schmidt.
Numerous studies have shown a proper sleep posture can provide relief from, and help prevent the following problems: tension headaches, neck muscle and joint sprains and strains, ligament sprains, whiplash injuries, arthritis and tingling and numbness in the arms and hands.
Mell says once he started using the Tri-Core pillow, all his back pain went away. “Even better than that, it seems to have cured my sleep apnea as well.”
Mell still uses the Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machine that his respiratory doctors have prescribed for him to keep his airway open, but now with the addition a using the Tri-Core pillow which adds to keeping his airway open through proper spinal alignment, Mell states “I can’t tell you how good it feels to get a good night’s sleep. I’ve never felt better in my life.”
“You spend about a third of your life in bed so I tell my patients to make sure their slumber is comfortable,” says Dr. Schmidt.
The Tri-Core Fiber Support pillow also comes in Mid-Core and Petite-Core sizes for smaller adults, teens and children. They are available in many participating doctor’s offices throughout the country, or you can purchase one direct from the manufacturer at www.CoreProducts.com in the orthopedic pillow section.
In addition to using a pillow that properly cradles the neck and keeps the spine straight, here are some other tips from The National Sleep Foundation that will help you get a quality night’s sleep:
* Go to bed and wake up the same time each day. Having a sleep routine can help train your body to know when it is time for sleep.
* Don’t lie in bed awake for more than 20 minutes. Get up and go read, watch TV or listen to music, until you feel sleepy. The anxiety of being unable to fall asleep can actually contribute to insomnia.
* Exercise early in the day. Working out to close to bedtime causes wakefulness.
* Avoid caffeine, nicotine and alcohol before bed. Caffeine and nicotine are stimulants and can make falling asleep difficult. Alcohol affects REM and deep sleep.
* Create a sleep sanctuary. Your bedroom should be quiet, dark and cool and should not be used for working, eating or watching TV in bed.
* Start a relaxing bedtime routine. Do the same things each night to tell your body it's time to wind down. This may include taking a warm bath or shower, reading a book, or listening to soothing music. Relaxing activities done with lowered lights can help ease the transition between wakefulness and sleepiness.
If after taking all these steps, you continue to have trouble sleeping, the solution may be as simple as switching to a proper orthopedic pillow as Craig Mell did.
Dr. Schmidt says identifying and treating the cause of your sleep disturbance can help get you back on the road to a good night's sleep.
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