Your habit puts your neck at risk!
One of the sweetest moments at the end of a long day is crawling into bed with a book. This wonderful moment can turn out to be a true source of pain in your neck because when you slump down with a book propped on your chest, your neck is pressed flat back against the pillow. Soft as a pillow may seem, this position doesn’t respect the natural curve of your neck. (For more info about the natural curve of the neck: click here for my Finding Neutral Blog). When your chin is tucked down towards your chest, the back of the neck is elongated. Hold this position for a while and the muscles at the back of your neck that are stretched might stiffen up and maybe even spasm. Imagine how soft, pulled taffy would harden if held in a lengthened position. That is what happens to your neck muscles if they are overstretched for a long time.
Solution:
There IS an alternate position for reading in bed without extra pressure on your neck! Put your pillow/s up a bit higher; shift your pelvis back so that you are sitting on your buttocks. Hold the book up with your strong arms and keep your chin away from your chest. It might not seem quite as cozy and it will take a little more effort at first. But I promise that it will be worth the relief to your neck.
Read more about:
Morning Stiff Neck Pain?
If this is helpful to you, let me know by leaving a comment below.
Thanks,
Jennifer
Jennifer, THANK YOU for this. The simple adjustments we can make in day-today life go a long way… beautifully written, btw.