As a mom with a demanding executive job, finding relief from neck pain while sitting can be a game-changer. Balancing the demands of work and family while dealing with discomfort is no easy feat. However, there are strategies you can employ to ease the strain on your neck and reclaim your comfort. Lets discuss some practical tips tailored specifically for moms of younger kids who work in executive roles, in this 2 part blog.
Ergonomic setup: Ergonomics is quite the buzzword nowadays but just buying an ergonomic chair or a standing desk does not ensure reduced neck or back pain. Position the top of your screen 5 to 10 degree below your horizontal gaze. This positions your cervical spine in a neutral, a position in which the joints and muscles of the neck are in an optimal position. This in turn minimises the stresses on the Cervical spine and thus prevents neck pain. This is known as a chin nod and can also be done a postural correction exercise to correct your neck posture throughout the day. To perform a chin nod, keep your gaze neutral and then nod your chin down by 5 to 10%.
Stress Management:
As a mom working in a high stress executive position, Mental stress or anxiety can be a constant part of your everyday work life. However chronic stress can be the contribute to muscle tension and exacerbate neck pain. When you are stressed or anxious, your posture changes. This is commonly seen as shrugged and rounded shoulders. In order to balance your head on these rounded shoulders you need to poke your head out, leading to a forward head posture. The muscles in the chest area are more contracted than normal and those on the upper back are lengthened. These poor postures change the length tension relationship between the muscles leading to pain. Adopt stress management techniques such as deep breathing exercises, meditation, or mindfulness practices to alleviate mental stress.
It is important to know that most of the issues leading to neck pain are caused by inflammation. If you want to learn more about how to reduce your inflammation and neck pain you can find the details HERE.
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Sleep is essential for overall health and well-being, but for those experiencing neck pain, a restful night can seem elusive. This is specially true for executive mums juggling the demands of a high-powered career and the responsibilities of raising young children. Neck pain can often disrupt this much-needed rest, making it challenging to perform at your best. In this blog, lets discuss we'll explore effective strategies for executive moms to manage neck pain and achieve restorative sleep amidst their busy lives.
When we sleep all our joints and muscles should be in a neutral position to prevent any stresses from building up on them during the night so we can wake up refreshed and pain free. A poor sleeping posture is one of the most common reasons for neck pain upon waking up. Some people sleep on their back or side but some sleep on their stomach. Sleeping on the stomach is a position that can cause neck pain or increase an existing neck pain. When one sleeps on the stomach the neck has be turned to either left or right because it is not possible to breathe with the neck in the midline. This creates a lot of stress around the neck muscles and the cervical spine, thereby causing neck pain. Try and avoid stomach sleeping, when possible. Exception to this is if you have been told by a doctor to sleep on the stomach due to any surgery or medical condition.
If you are a side sleeper the pillow thickness should be equal to the distance between the tip of your shoulder and your ear lobe. When you sleep on your side, there is a big gap between the tip of your shoulder and the side of our head. A pillow is needed to bridge this gap or else the head tilts excessively to one side. To avoid this you might put your hand under the head. This manages to put the neck in a neutral state but the arm muscles and muscles of the shoulder blade are activated throughout the night and cannot relax, putting an excessive strain on them. This gradually builds up as the nights go by and may lead to other problems such as upper to mid back pain, shoulder stiffness, nerve pain, arm pain, etc. If you are a back sleeper it is recommended that the height of your pillow be equal to the distance between your upper back and the back of your head.
It is also important to be mindful of your neck postures in the daytime as the stresses that build up on the cervical spine in the daytime can manifest as pain and stiffness at night or the next morning. Here is a video on How do you know if you have a good Sitting Posture?
It is important to know that most of the issues leading to neck pain are caused by inflammation. If you want to learn more about how to reduce your inflammation and neck pain you can find the details HERE.
If you like this blog and want to be notified about new blogs as soon as they are published, subscribe to my mailing list below.
I would love to see you around the internet! For other places you can explore more about me: https://withswati.com/page/link
Note: This page contains affiliate links which will bless me, at no additional cost to you and I will be able to help more people with spine and joint pain.
If you are tired of waking up with a stiff neck and back pain from sleeping on your stomach, it may be time to switch up your sleeping position for a more restful and rejuvenating night's sleep. Changing your sleeping position can be challenging, especially if you're used to sleeping on your stomach. However, making this transition is beneficial for your spinal health and overall well-being. In this blog lets discuss two easy tips to help you transition from tummy sleeping to side or back sleeping ....
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If you wake up with morning stiffness or pain in the neck or back, you may want to examine your sleeping posture. How you sleep will decide the amount of stress that is placed on your spine (back/neck) and joints. A poor sleeping posture can aggravate your existing pain or it can lead to pain and discomfort. When we sleep in a good posture all our joints and muscles should be in a neutral position to prevent any stresses from building up on them during the night so we can wake up refreshed and pain free. In this blog lets discuss the 3 Sleep Postures to avoid if you want to prevent Spinal (Back/Neck) Pain ...
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Working mum usually have long hours at work with back to back meetings and long work travels. You maybe very mindful about your sitting posture and yet suffer from back or neck pain and morning stiffness. This could be due to a poor sleeping posture. When we sleep in a good posture all our joints and muscles should be in a neutral position to prevent any stresses from building up on them during the night so we can wake up refreshed and pain free. In this blog lets discuss how to achieve and maintain a good posture when sleeping on your back ...
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