Neck pain is no joke. When your neck isn’t feeling 100%, it’s impossible for the rest of your body and mind to feel off, as well. Unfortunately, many of us are more susceptible to neck pain than ever thanks to how much of our day we spend sitting. Fortunately, there are some simple measures you can take to help your neck feel much better.
Move around Often
It’s easy for those of us with desk jobs to claim there’s nothing we can do about it. The truth, however, is that there’s plenty you can do to help your neck out by getting up and moving throughout the day. It doesn’t have to be anything excessive. Remind yourself to stand up every half hour, stretch and rotate your head to make sure your neck is included. If you have your own office or work from home, place necessary items out of reach. This will force you to get up regularly to use them. While this may seem inconvenient at first, you’ll feel much better over time–and not just in your neck.
Adjust Your Chair
Another thing you can do is adjust your desk chair so your neck has an easier time throughout the day. Adjust your chair so that your hips are just a little higher up than your knees. By doing this, your head and neck naturally fall into the correct position.
Just because you don’t work at a desk doesn’t mean you’re off the hook. Just about everyone has a commute that forces them to sit for a good portion of their day. Use a small pillow between your headrest and neck to give it the support it needs. You can also roll up a towel. Most headrests just don’t cut it when it comes to neck support.
Change Your Pillow
Nothing feels better at the end of a long day than when your head finally hits that pillow. Sadly, that pillow may be causing your neck unnecessary problems. Don’t sleep on one that’s too thick or it will be throwing your neck and spine out of alignment the entire time you’re asleep. You shouldn’t sleep with too many pillows either for the same reason.
Switch to a Headset
Spend a lot of time on the phone? If you’re at a desk job, you probably cradle it between your ear and shoulder so you can continue typing. This isn’t fair to your neck, though. Many of you may even know the pain that comes from finally straightening out after a long conversation. A headset will take care of this problem immediately. Bluetooth earpieces are also a great way to avoid the issue with your cell phone.
Read at Eye Level
Whether it’s with your computer or a book, always bring the page up to eye level. Adjusting your chair and computer should be simple enough. With a book, you may want to invest in the Kindle app so you can read on a screen or a number of products that hold your book up for you.
Your neck has a hard enough job as it is. Use the above tips to ensure you’re not making things worse. At Advanced Chiropractic and Holistic Wellness Center, we can also help get your neck back to feeling great. Call us today at 702-596-1181. It would be our pleasure to help.