fit tips

I have had so many clients who have had nasty tightness, and ache in their shoulders. Most of the time it shows up as pain underneath their shoulder blades or deep inside the back of the shoulder (rear deltoid). So there goes the push ups! And push ups are one of the most efficient excerises—when done in the correct form of course. They are easily modified and can be done anywhere….opps, I have gone off on the push up tangent.

After trips to the massage therapists, physical therapists, chiropractors and various other healers. It always comes down to the position my client sleeps in. You spend 1/3 of your life sleeping, it’s when your body does it’s healing.

The ideal position? On your back with no pillow, says Jonathan FitzGordon, an alignment specialist in private practice in Brooklyn, New York. "It's optimal because it allows your spine to rest with its natural curves in place." (Read more at Wholeliving.com: Sleep On It)

Indeed, my clients with aches in the shoulders were sleeping on their sides with their head resting on an arm. That’s about 10 pounds on the arm which, from what I’ve read, usually makes you hike up your shoulder. This can definitely create tightness even numbness if nerves are effected.

Animals stretch when they wake up and even babies stretch when they wake. Somewhere between bunk beds, college dorms, over sleeping the alarm, stress and well just not enough time in the day, we took out the waking stretch. If we try and sleep on our back in a healthier way, we will probably curl up in our safety position sometime in the night. So add the morning stretch!

Shoulder Stretch: Extend an arm straight out to your side at shoulder height, palm facing down and then reach that arm across your chest and use opposite hand to draw it closer in towards body.

PS - For all you stomach sleepers! It's the worst. So if you have chronic lower back pain or headaches....Stretch in the morning. (easy bridge is good) And try, try, try to train yourself to sleep in another position.

This is the best article I've found. It is full of tons of stretches.
http://www.wholeliving.com/article/sleep-on-it