You're overcompensating in the bedroom and you don't even know it.
Whether you revert to a fetal position or just throw your arm over your head, the position you find most comfortable might also be the position your body is begging to be in. According to fascial (connecting tissue fibre) expert Melissa Putt, your nighttime positions are sending you a sign about your daily aches and pains.
Sports therapists agree that releasing fascial tension is key to restoring the body to a fully functional status. The connective tissues run through the entire body supporting muscles, blood vessels, nerves and bones, so when they are wrought with tension, you feel it. To target the fascia, you must keep your body in tension pressing hard into the floor or wall until you feel a release.
If you typically lie on your back with an arm stretched out cupping a pillow or cradling your head, you might notice issues with your neck, says Putt. Alternatively, if sleeping on your back with your toes and feet falling outward feels most comfortable, you could be experiencing tissue tension in your hip rotators, glutes and lower back.
Standing all day can be tiresome and shortens back muscles, Putt says. As she explains, the body becomes used to leading with the ribs and hips in the day and tries to continue the pattern at night. And besides, we also know sitting all day isn't doing us a favour either.
Below, Putt shares a series of simple stretches that ease the tension and ultimately lead to a better night's sleep.
