How to prevent neck & shoulder pain

Hi Mawong! I agree, sleeping position is something that people often neglect! We spend so much of our lives in bed, and most people do not realize the importance of investing in a proper bed and pillow system that will provide support. Unfortunately, most of the "good" products out there tend to cost a fortune! I don't have a very expensive pillow (mid-range, about $50), but I buy a new one once every 9-12 months - otherwise it starts to lose it's firmness. How the pillow maintains its shape and supports my neck is the most important trait, I feel. If it flattens out, it's no good. I don't have a very expensive mattress either, but I do have a body pillow! For me this makes all the difference in the world! I sleep on my side and I position the pillow in between my knees. Not only does it keep my knees from hitting each other, but it has done wonders for my hips and lower back. Keeping the spine aligned, all the way down to your pelvis is very important. I have found that if my lower back hurts, I start to compensate with my shoulders and it inevitably leads to upper back pain as well. If you sleep on your side with no additional support, chances are you're putting unnecessary pressure on your hips and spine. The body pillow that I got wasn't expensive at all; only about $10 at Target I think. I've had the same one for 2 years, as it has a washable pillowcase. I love it and highly recommend it!

The only thing that has really helped me to avoid neck and shoulder pain is to usually NOT use a pillow at all, or use a very flat one. I find that whenever I fall asleep while laying on a lot of pillows, I ALWAYS suffer the next morning, probably because of the unreal angle that I'm putting my neck through during the night. I would definitely invest in a memory foam pillow, like my sister has, because they don't seem to put much strain at all on your neck or any part of your body, really. It's really weird. All of the times I've slept over her house, I've never experienced the pain that I sometimes do when I sleep at my own. It's really weird. Otherwise I would say stretching, and yoga can help reduce the pain of ANY of your joins. And popping an aspirin never hurt anyone.