Reasons for pursuing good sleeping posture and the need for the right pillow

"Attitude Revolution"

A small revolution in your body

Since its release, our "Orthopedic Pillow" has received great praise from people suffering from stiff shoulders and other issues.

However, we are by no means a ``custom-made pillow'' manufacturer.

Based on the research on the spine by physician and CEO Akori Yamada, we will provide various products that change the concept of "posture" in the world. "Attitude Revolution." We believe that this is our company's mission.

The world's first sleep posture theory is

A miracle created by clinical research by two generations of parents and children

Forty years ago, there was no sleep position theory anywhere in the world.

That's why we have continued to take on challenges and build

To save the patient in front of us.

The most important condition for an optimal sleeping position was ``smooth turning over'' as told by our patients and customers.

Our research will continue to develop into the future.

Reasons to focus on turning over in bed

It is said that it is best to turn over 20 to 30 times during bedtime.

Turning over in bed is generally said to have the meaning of ``circulating body fluids (blood, lymph, joint fluid)'', ``regulating body temperature'', and ``distributing body pressure''. He suggests that it may also have a role in "repairing (aligning the spine)".

We believe that there is a strong correlation between this tossing and turning during the night and the tossing and turning during the pillow measurement (in an awake state), and we are focusing on this as a measurement method.

Being able to turn over easily even when awake means that you can turn over without putting any effort into it, and as a result of not putting in any effort when going to bed, you can turn over without getting up. If you can turn over without waking up, you will be able to have a deep sleep.

Yamada Shuori Makura Research Institute continues to research spinal alignment,

I work every day to improve my own theories and techniques.

Static sleep positions = back and side

In image analysis using X-rays, MRI, and CT, the horizontal line C7 Horizontal Line (C7HL), which passes through the 7th cervical vertebra and connects to the decubitus plane, is used as the reference line for supine and lateral positions, and the head and neck, spine, and pelvic alignment are measured. , we have set a standard value for the optimal sleeping position.

Dynamic sleeping position = turning over

We performed a four-dimensional analysis of rolling over using motion capture, visualizing and quantifying the smoothest rolling over, and determined the virtual body axis, which is the center of rotation during rolling over.

When classified into the virtual cranio-cervical body axis cranial to the 7th cervical vertebra and the thoraco-lumbar pelvis virtual body axis caudal to the 7th cervical vertebra, the cranio-cervical and thoraco-lumbar pelvic virtual body axes are parallel to the recumbent plane when lying on the side, while when lying on the supine It was found that the hypothetical body axis approximates the cervical inclination angle, and the thoracolumbar pelvis virtual body axis coincides with or parallels the static posture reference line C7HL.

How to measure optimal sleeping posture

Setup for Spinal Sleep-Total method (SSS-T method)

Measuring optimal sleeping posture through original research

We have completed the Setup for Spinal Sleep-Total method (SSS-T method).

[Patent]

Patent No. 4024152 Method for adjusting the height of the pillow

Patent No. 6535229 Bed for supine position

The need for the right pillow

Do you know why you need a pillow when you sleep? Some people reading this article may be thinking things like, ``Can't I do without a pillow?'' or ``Aren't all pillows the same?''

However, you need a pillow to maintain proper posture while sleeping and to prevent strain on your neck.

Why you need the right pillow

Not just any pillow is fine; you need to use the ``correct pillow'' that suits your body. On the other hand, using a pillow that doesn't fit your body can lead to physical problems such as stiff shoulders, headaches, and numb hands when you wake up in the morning. You may also have trouble sleeping, such as waking up in the middle of the night with pain in your shoulder that is stuck under your body, taking off your pillow because it is uncomfortable, or sleeping on your stomach or with your hands on your back. It may also be caused by the wrong pillow. So, what makes a good pillow? We will share our conclusions with you.

Three important conditions for the right pillow

The right pillow is one that mainly meets the following three conditions.

1. It must be the right height

When you lie down, you can rest your neck, but the height of the pillow is important.

Through experience and research, we have found that there is an optimal pillow height for each person. You need to choose the right size pillow carefully and accurately.

The suitable height will vary depending on the individual's physique.

If you sleep on your side or face up, measure the height of your pillow in a position that allows your neck bones and muscles to relax and allows you to breathe deeply while sleeping.

If you sleep on your side, a straight line from your forehead to your nose, chin, and mid-chest should be parallel to the bedding surface.

If you sleep facing up, the appropriate height will be when you are leaning forward at about 15 degrees. An upward forward tilt of around 15 degrees widens the cervical intervertebral foramen (nerve exit) and at the same time secures the airway. There are some people who have a difference of about 5 mm between the measurement results when facing sideways and when facing upward. The height condition is especially important among the three conditions, so please use a pillow that is just the right size and height that fits within that 5 mm range.

2. The material must have a flat shape and maintain its height.

Natural rolling over and stability of the neck (cervical vertebrae) are determined by the shape and material of the pillow.

The best shape is one with no unevenness (flat) so that it does not interfere with turning over in bed. Materials that cause your head to sink when you sleep, or shapes that raise your chin when you lie on your back, can put strain on your neck when you sleep.

Also, the key to the right pillow is that it is made of material that maintains the height of the correct size.

By the way, the "orthopedic pillow" we sell uses urethane as the material.

3. Thorough maintenance

Even if you get a pillow that is just the right size and has a flat structure, the body shape of the person using the pillow and the condition of the pillow are not constant. It is necessary to review it as appropriate, depending on changes in the sleeper's physique and the shape of the pillow.

Regular maintenance is essential to keep up with such changes.

Disadvantages of using a pillow that doesn't fit your body

What are the harms of using a pillow that is too high or too low for your body?

Perhaps the headache you get when you wake up in the morning or stiff shoulders that don't improve may be due to a pillow that doesn't fit your body.

The diagram above explains how continued sleeping with a pillow that doesn't fit your body can affect the nerves in your neck.

If the pillow is too high or low, the cervical nerve, which is a nerve that passes between the bones of the neck, will be compressed at the exit point. As a result, this can lead to headaches, stiff shoulders, stiff necks, and numbness in the hands when you wake up in the morning.

In addition, you may wake up in the middle of the night with pain in your shoulder that is trapped under your body, or you may take off your pillow because it is uncomfortable to sleep, or you may lie on your stomach or sleep with your hands on your back... This puts stress on your body while you sleep. Your pillow may also be the cause of your tendency to overdo it.

Types of commonly sold pillows and their effects

Various types of pillows are sold, such as ``pillows that maintain an S-curve'' and ``pillows with uneven surfaces.'' Medically, what kind of effects do these pillows have?

However, according to research conducted at the pillow outpatient clinic of No. 16 Orthopedic Surgery Clinic, when examining X-ray images of the patient lying at the height of the pillow whose symptoms have improved, it can be seen that the bones of the neck have become straight.

By straightening the neck bones, you can create more space between the bones. I think this may be similar to neck traction, which is one of the orthopedic treatments.

It is thought that the S-shaped curve of the neck acts as a cushion to support the weight of the head when standing or sitting, but when sleeping, the cushion function is unnecessary and the Being able to rest is important.

Therefore, the concept of maintaining an S-curve in the neck is incorrect.

By the way, since your neck is straight when you are sleeping, is it okay to have a straight neck? I am sometimes asked.

In the first place, it is not medically clear whether there is a relationship between a straight neck and symptoms such as stiff shoulders. There are many people with straight necks who have no symptoms.

Orthopedic surgeon Shuori Yamada's conclusion is that the cervical vertebrae should be straight, at least while sleeping.

If the pillow is uneven or the pillow has uneven contents, it will be difficult to turn over.

There are many pillows on sale in the world, such as pillows with vertical unevenness that follow the shape of your neck, and pillows with horizontal unevenness that are said to be perfect for sleeping on your side or side.

However, when considering pillows, it is of course important to consider the resting state, but at the same time you should also think about the moving state (= turning over in bed).
Tossing and turning should be done unconsciously, and by the time you are conscious of turning over, you are already awake. Only when you can turn over easily will you be able to turn over unconsciously.

Turning over unconsciously can only be achieved with a flat structure. In terms of tossing and turning, unevenness only hinders the ability to roll over.

Also, it's not enough just to have a flat appearance; it's also important to have a firmness that remains flat when you rest your head on it. Furthermore, even if the pillow looks flat and has a certain degree of firmness, it is no different from a pillow that has unevenness in its contents.

Therefore, we believe that the only way to realize comfortable tossing and turning is with a flat sheet-like structure.

How to measure a pillow The correct pillow measurement method must be medically verified and have a proven track record of improving symptoms not only for healthy people but also for people with symptoms.

If you take an X-ray as shown in this image, you can see that the bones are in a comfortable state depending on the height of the pillow.

Some people are at the same height when facing upwards and sideways, while others are not. There are ordinary people who have a difference of about 5 mm, and there can be a big difference between an old woman with a curved back and a man with broad shoulders.

In that case, consider the ease of turning over when deciding on the height of the pillow.

Being able to turn over easily even when awake means that you can turn over without putting any effort into it. Therefore, if you can turn over without straining while sleeping, you can turn over without waking up. This is very important for maintaining deep sleep.

It is said that it is best to turn over 20 to 30 times during bedtime.
Turning over in bed is generally said to have the meaning of ``circulating body fluids (blood, lymph, joint fluid),'' ``regulating body temperature,'' and ``distributing body pressure,'' but orthopedic surgeon Shuori Yamada further explains, He suggests that it may also have a role in spinal repair (aligning the spine).

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