Resolve to Reduce Pain & Live a Happier, More Active Life in 2015

Posted on January 8, 2015January 8, 2015 by Joey Donovan-Guido

Have you been suffering from chronic pain in your neck, shoulders or back? There’s no better time than now to make a few simple New Year’s resolutions that can help reduce that pain, and put you in a position to lead a happier, more active life.

What is a New Year’s Resolution?
We’ve all heard of resolutions before, but what exactly to they mean? Many people treat their resolutions as a wish list, but then never do anything to follow up on making their New Year’s resolutions a reality. We’re going to be honest with you: if you want to reduce pain in your neck, shoulders or back, you’re going to have to take action on making things better. Sure, pain reliever can make your discomfort bearable, but it’s not a solution.

The good news is that there are plenty easy strategies you can add to your life that can provide a lot of help. That being said, let’s take a look at a handful of New Year’s resolutions that you can implement to reduce pain in 2015 and beyond …

Physical Activity
There are a broad variety of physical activities that can help reduce pain. Your interests and physical ability should drive the type of activities you choose. Yoga is an excellent, low-impact, activity that both strengthens and stretches the body, and there are specific yoga positions that help reduce neck pain. Running, walking and cycling are also excellent choices, but keep in mind that any of these may exacerbate pain. Of course, you can also go the gym, but be sure to avoid overworking a muscle group that’s already causing you discomfort.

One of the main ways physical activity helps with neck, shoulder and back pain is by bringing additional blood flow to these areas. Something as simple as a stretching regimen each day can help you loosen up those tight muscles.

Eat Better, Drink More Water
A common New Year’s resolution is to eat better. But you might be wondering how eating better can help reduce pain. For starters, without enough water, your muscles are more likely to become tight. You’re also more likely to get headaches. In addition to drinking water, eating foods that are water-rich — like fruits and veggies — can help. Plus you’ll get the benefits of the nutrients these foods provide. Including foods that contain omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, calcium, vitamin D and magnesium can also help reduce neck pain. In essence, we’re asking you to eat whole, fresh foods as opposed to junk food. If you are performing some form of exercise, it’s also important to make sure you’re eating enough protein to help your muscles recuperate.

Meditate
Meditating more is an excellent New Year’s resolution for many reasons. When it comes to reducing neck pain, meditation can help reduce your stress level. And since stress causes muscles to tense up — especially in the neck and shoulder region — reducing it with meditation is a good way to help keep muscles from tightening. Learn more about how to manage stress.

Get a Better Pillow
One of the main reasons we make the Natural Comfort Pillow is to help people reduce pain so they can lead happier, more active lives. Through the support of our pillow, muscles in the neck shoulders and back are more likely to relax during sleeping hours instead of tensing up because they’re out of alignment. Our pillow also helps align your spine, making it the easiest way to reduce neck, shoulder and back pain. All you have to do is get a good nights sleep!

Learn more about how our pillow can help reduce neck and shoulder pain.

Thank you for visiting Natural Comfort Pillow!

Yoga Can Help with Neck Pain Issues

Posted on December 10, 2014December 10, 2014 by Joey Donovan-Guido

Most people know that yoga is an excellent way to improve one’s health. It provides the body with low-impact exercise that can increase strength, flexibility and improve one’s state of mind (much like meditation).

But did you know there are specific yoga poses that can help with neck pain? Plus, there are certain yoga poses, like savasana, which require neck support to ensure your muscles can relax instead of tensing up. Let’s take a look at some neck-friendly yoga poses and some easy ways to support your neck while you do yoga — and while you sleep!

Yoga Exercises the Strengthen the Neck
We’ve put together some of our favorite yoga poses that strengthen and stretch the neck. If you frequent yoga classes, you can also speak with your instructor for additional poses and tips on your form. Please be advised, that although these yoga exercises can help with neck pain, they do not replace the care of a medical professional.

Breathing & Posture
Let’s start with an easy one, which isn’t really a yoga pose, but is extremely helpful all the same. Breathing deeply and mindfully is an effective way to relieve neck tension, which can be a cause of neck pain. Shallow breathing causes neck muscles to contract, while deep breathing moves the contractions into the diaphragm where it belongs. It can also help relax your body as a whole, and help bring composure to your mind.

While breathing deeply into your diaphragm, focus on your chest and collarbones. Be sure to broaden the collarbones, which in turn will raise your chest, helping your body align. Check shoulder blades and be sure to relax them if they’e raised towards your ears.

With posture, make sure your chair and desk at work are ergonomically correct. We’ve got some tips for this, as well as how to improve your posture while standing and walking in our article, Tips for Better Spine Alignment.

Savasana (Corpse Pose)
Another simple pose, all that savasana requires is for you place your body in a neutral, supine position. In other words, lie on the floor. Adjust your back and neck until they are straight, hands facing upward at your side, and your feet slightly apart. In order to accomplish the neutral position, you will need support for the head and neck. Our pillow does an excellent job of this, and is perfect for yoga.

Cat Pose & Cow Pose
With cat pose, the first think you’ll need to do is get on your hands and knees. Use a yoga mat if you have one. Then, exhale while rounding your spine towards the ceiling, gently bringing your head in toward the chest. Cow pose is a “continuation” of cat pose. Simply inhale as you drop your belly towards the mat. Lift your chin and chest, and gaze up toward the ceiling. Sequentially continue these two poses for a couple of minutes.

Downward Dog at the Wall
Face a wall, and place your hands on the wall at waist height. Take small steps backward into a “table top” position. Your feet should be directly under your hips. Lift your sitting bones towards the sky and press your hands towards the wall. If your hamstrings feel too much tension from the stretch, it’s a good idea to bend your knees slightly. Hold the position for six long, deep breaths, while putting your attention on opening the chest and lengthening your spine.

The Clock (Pec Stretch)
Another good yoga pose that can help with neck pain is the pectoral stretch. First, stand along side a wall with your right hand pointing in the 12 o’clock position (arm should be straight, touching the wall). In slow motion, move your hand from from the 12 to 3 o’clock position. Take your left hand and place it on the right side of your rib cage. Breathe in deeply, and as you exhale “pull” the rib cage forward without moving the right arm. Your front, right shoulder should feel the stretch, or possibly down your right arm. Hold for six deep breaths. Once done, repeat the pose on the other side of your body. If you experience any tingling in either arm, move away from the wall until the sensation goes away, or stop the pose immediately.

The more you do these poses, the better off your neck will be! Another way to easily reduce neck pain is to use a supportive pillow …

Support While You’re Sleeping
Just as in the savasana pose, The Natural Comfort Pillow supports the neck, as well as spine alignment, while you sleep. Even better, it works for back- and side-lying sleepers. Supporting the neck while you sleep can go a long way in loosening muscles instead of them tightening up. Learn more about how our pillow.

What is Insomnia?

Posted on November 24, 2014November 24, 2014 by Joey Donovan-Guido

If you suffer from insomnia, you know how frustrating and debilitating it can be. Of course, everyone experiences a restless night here and there, but when it’s constant the need for a solution becomes critical to one’s overall health and happiness. Let’s clearly define what insomnia is, and in doing so help you determine whether or not you might be suffering from it.

INSOMNIA DEFINED
According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), approximately 30 percent of adults experience sleep disruption of some kind, and insomnia is more common than you may think.

Insomnia sufferers fall into two main categories: those who have difficulty falling asleep, and those who have difficulty staying asleep. Adults who struggle with insomnia may also wake up several times each night, or wake up too early in the morning feeling tired.

In addition, insomnia may only occur occasionally, or can be an ongoing problem.

Acute Insomnia does not last long. It typically occurs in association with a stressful or big event, like a job change, job loss, final exam or getting married. And although many people experience this type of insomnia, it often resolves itself without any formal treatment.

Chronic insomnia typically occurs a minimum of three nights per week for a minimum of three months. There are many factors that can cause chronic insomnia, including unhealthy sleep habits, 2^nd or 3^rd shift work, certain types of medication, as well as neck and shoulder pain. Sufferers of chronic insomnia can often benefit from treatment that addresses the underlying causes of their sleep disorder.

Common Insomnia Symptoms

Fatigue
Low energy
Difficulty concentrating
Mood disturbances
Decreased performance in work or at school

Common Causes of Insomnia

Depression
Anxiety
Stress
Poor sleep habits like watching TV in bed
Stimulants like tobacco, caffeine and alcohol
Neck and shoulder pain

Let’s take a closer look at that last point — neck and shoulder pain. This can have many causes, including overexertion, stress, your pillow and your mattress.

Many people don’t realize that using a non-supportive pillow can be detrimental to spine alignment. In addition, a non-supportive pillow can also cause muscles in the neck and shoulders to tense up causing pain and stiffness, which can lead to insomnia.

The Natural Comfort Pillow can help with both of these issues. Whether you’re a back- or side-lying sleeper, our pillow supports your neck and aligns your spine, helping your body’s muscles relax instead of tense up — helping you sleep better and wake up more refreshed (and less stiff).

Learn more about how our pillow helps with insomnia, as well as how it can relieve neck pain and shoulder pain.

Thank you for visiting Natural Comfort Pillow!

Tips for Better Spine Alignment

Posted on September 30, 2014September 30, 2014 by Joey Donovan-Guido

At Natural Comfort Pillow, we’re obsessed with spine health and spine alignment. And although our Natural Comfort Pillow plays a major role in having a healthy spine, we’d like to share three additional healthy habits that can help keep your spine aligned. They all revolve around improving you posture — while sitting, standing and walking.

Please keep in mind, we’re not expecting you to incorporate all of these strategies into your life in one day. Pick a few at a time and master them. Then add additional healthy spine alignment techniques over time.

Sitting Posture

Elevate your computer monitor to eye level
Improve workspace ergonomics. Make sure chair height and keyboard height are promoting healthy posture, and that your back rests on the back of your office chair.
Knees should be even with the hips, or slightly higher when sitting in an office chair.
Keep both feet flat on the floor. Use a footrest if necessary.
Keep shoulders straight while sitting — no slouching or leaning to one side.
Check out this interactive Workspace Planner from Ergotron, which can help you set up your workspace components and furniture to support spine alignment.

Standing Posture

Stand with weight mostly on the balls of the feet, not on the heels.
Keep feet approximately shoulder width apart.
Allow arms to relax and hang naturally at the sides of your body.
Avoid locking the knees, instead keep them slightly bent.
Keep your chin slightly tucked in, it helps keep your head level.
Be sure your head is square on top of the spine, not jutting forward.
Stand up straight and tall, with shoulders upright.
Shift your weight when standing for long periods of time. Switch from one foot to the other, or rock from heels to toes.

Walking Posture

Keep your head up, and your eyes looking straight ahead. Avoid the temptation to look down (unless you need to), which puts unnecessary stress on the neck, head and spine.
Be mindful of holding your head squarely on your spine. If you notice that you’re leaning your head or neck forward, simply adjust it back to a place of balance.
Keep shoulders properly aligned with the rest of the body. Looking at yourself in a mirror may help with this. People often fall into the habit of leaning to a particular side, which can make the spine unaligned.

Bonus Tip
As long as you’re physically able, perform exercises that promote core muscle stabilization. Strengthening the core muscles of your back and abdomen make it easier for your spine to achieve “neutral posture.” These types of exercises include squats, push-ups, planks and lunges, to name a few. A physical therapist can also be a huge help with core muscle strengthening. They often incorporate proprioceptive training, balance exercises and stabilization techniques in their treatment plans — which are all highly effective in improving core muscle strength.

Thank you for visiting Natural Comfort Pillow. We hope these tips help you improve your spine alignment!

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