Because proper sleep is so vital to your mental and physical health, here are some tips for a full night's rest.

Proper Sleeping Positions

The best ways to sleep with your spine in mind are on your back and on your side. When sleeping in these positions, it's important to be mindful of the position of your neck.

The diagrams below demonstrate the proper angle and support your neck needs in both positions to avoid neck strain and pain in the morning. If possible, avoid sleeping on your stomach at all times.

Sleeping this way will force your neck and spine into an unnatural position that can cause major issues down the road.

What to Look For in a Mattress

If you're tossing and turning at night, this is a sign that you may be sleeping on the wrong mattress.

If you're sleeping on a foam mattress, make sure it's dense enough to support your body. One way to test this is by checking the weight. If you can lift the mattress yourself with little effort, it's likely not dense enough.

Another sign that it's time for a change is if your body sinks into the mattress. Please refer to the diagram below for an ideal example of how the mattress should fit around the body.

Look for a mattress that is designed to:

• Conform to the spine's natural curves and keep the spine in alignment when you lay down.
• Distribute pressure evenly across the body to help circulation, decrease body movement and enhance sleep quality.
• Minimize the transfer of movement from one sleeping partner to the other.

Pre-Sleep Protocols

Before bed, we suggest that you minimize stress to prepare you for a full night's rest. When we have a lot on our minds, it's almost impossible to fall asleep at a decent hour and stay asleep through the night.

Try stretching for 30 minutes before bed while drinking a cup of relaxing herbal tea, or reading a book to calm your mind before you turn the light out. This will help you to rid yourself of any stress you had that day and set you up for a great morning when you wake up.

If you experience tight muscles when you first wake up, we suggest that you apply MuscleCare, the all-natural topical pain reliever, to your neck and back both at night and in the morning as needed to help your muscles relax and avoid pesky morning tightness.