Physiotherapist warns people to 'beware of two pillow syndrome' before turning in for the night
Everyone has certain preferences when it comes to sleeping at night. This could be the temperature of the room, what side of the bed you sleep on, or what kind of clothes you wear.
We may do these things subconsciously, but if it means being more comfortable before you rest then what is the harm? One item that people can be pernickety about is the amount of pillows they use.
Some people are happy with one, but others need to have at the very least two pillows supporting their heads in order to get a good night's sleep. However, one physiotherapist has issued a warning for those doubling up.
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Samantha Spiegel took to TikTok to explain to her followers that sleeping with more pillows than you truly need could result in spine related issues along with muscle discomfort, reports Surrey Live. One major issue is that too many pillows can lead to poor posture and other muscular issues.
In the video, she talks about a study that claims that the height of your pillows in bed has a direct effect on the alignment of your spine. Therefore, if the pillows are too high then your head is forced to sit forward, thus increasing the tension in your neck and cervical muscles.
On the flip side, if fewer pillows are used, the spine is able to maintain a more neutral alignment as there will be less strain on your neck muscles with the height lowered. Neck pain, back pain and muscle stiffness in the morning can also all be linked to long-term poor posture.
Samantha said: "I have so many patients that when they come in for therapy, I lie them down on their back on the mat, and they need at least two pillows. Sometimes I even have to lift the head of the mat up because they cannot lie flat without discomfort or their head kind of going like this.
"I don't want to sleep in this position [hunched over]. I want to sleep in the position that I want to be in and that I want to reflect in my posture. I'm already fighting bad posture enough as it is. I don't want to lie down in bed and have a pillow that puts me in bad posture, right?"
She added: "When you go to bed at night, use gravity to your advantage to stretch you straighter if you can tolerate it. You know those mattresses that conform to your body? Be careful not to give in to those, right? Because all of a sudden, you're conforming to your curves that are happening through the day.
"And then you're like, 'Oh, I can't reverse that'. Because eight hours of that position and not letting your spine stretch into a little bit straighter is going to build up over time until you're walking around with the dowager's hump and you're kind of slouchy, right?"
In the video Samantha goes on to explain a stretch to help with bad posture. She advises people to slightly step away from a wall while leaning on it with your lower back and slightly bend your knees. From there you should try to push your head back into the wall, all while not moving your lower back.
From here you can push your arms back into the wall and lift them above your head without arching your back too much. It is okay if your arms come off the wall the further up you reach, but don't let them come in front of your face. You can then bring your arms back down and repeat this movement.
She explained: "You should feel this in your thoracic spine. Your thoracic spine is just as important as your cervical spine. Wherever the thoracic spine goes, the cervical spine goes."
If you are experiencing constant neck pain, the NHS suggests taking paracetamol and heat or cold packs while using a firm, low pillow. You can also try doing some light neck flexibility exercises. However, it is not advised that you wear a neck collar unless told otherwise, and you should avoid any dangerous activities if you can't move your neck.
