Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Sleep streach

This has saved me from many painful days.

In essence, you are stretching out your back and hips during your sleep. It is described in the book I recommend "8 steps to a pain-free back" if you want more detail.

You lay down on your back with a pillow under your knees. Then you use your elbows on the bed and drag your body towards the pillow, without actually moving your body. You should feel a stretch, like traction.

Then as you continue to "drag" slowly lay down, vertebrae by vertebrae, until your whole back is on the bed, and you remain in a stretched position.

I also pull on the the back of my head, slowly placing my head on the pillow while pulling towards the wall behind. Once my head is on the pillow, I feel a nice stretch throughout my neck.

The first couple of weeks I did this, I noted that I felt "vulnerable". I don't know how else to describe it. Perhaps on the verge of a muscle spasm.

This is likely a sign that I did to much to soon. So try not to do that. Work up to it slowly, and I assure you - that this will provide you with tremendous relief - as long as you do it nightly.

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