Neck pain?

Neck pain comes up again & again, often with regard to sleeping in a funny position & I’m asked about the ‘right’ pillows for sleeping. My answer has always been this – there are no ‘right’ pillows for sleeping! Please don’t spend a ton on some fancy pillow – there’s really no need.

Each one of us has a different build – length of neck, width of shoulders etc – & we work at a variety of jobs & take tension into our neck (or not), partly to do with how we ALLOW our head to balance on our spine when upright. Do we relax easily? Do we take the day’s tension into our sleep?

My suggestion is to explore exactly what pillows give you the opportunity to totally let go of the weight of your head when in bed – a mixture of fat, flat, bouncy, memory foam & tiny. And, have some choice nearby your head/neck when sleeping so you can tweak through the night if needs be. But, before you invest in something new, try out what you have… including cushions… be creative!

And, practice ‘letting go’ in the neck, if that’s a struggle for you. Backwards flops on the bed can be great – ROLL onto your front to get up, & do it gently. This can be pretty powerful even if you only do it for 5 mins, & it doesn’t suit everyone.

My final thought is to explore Feldenkrais because it encourages you to ALLOW your body to be softer, where so much, these days, is about strength solving everything… it emphatically does not!! Take my word for it – 40 years in bodywork has shown me strength is only a part of it…

Like the idea of having a massage with me & discussions about what other elements could benefit you? Get in touch…