It is no secret that dehydration, stress or working in front of computers all day can cause recurring headaches and pain in your neck and shoulders. In these situations, drinking water, relaxation and reducing screen time may be ineffective for two reasons: 1) Jaw clenching and 2) poor sleep quality

Jaw clenching can result from stressful situations such as rushing to get multiple tasks done. This in turn leads to headaches, chronic pain in your neck and stiff shoulders. When this happens, take a deep breath to relax or massage your jaw area. If jaw clenching occurs while you are sleeping, we recommend wearing a mouth guard or consulting a dentist for other options to prevent it.

Poor quality sleep may arise when you sleep at sub-optimal levels. Sub-optimal sleeping can be caused by sleeping next to your smart phone, sleeping for less than 7 hours or not laying your head on a comfortable pillow. Smart phones emit electromagnetic fields which interrupt sleep patterns. Therefore, we recommend switching your device to flight mode or turning it off altogether. Make sure you sleep for a minimum of 7 hours per day. Finally, choosing the right pillow is very important for good night sleep.  A good pillow should support the skull and neck without applying undue pressure on your neck and shoulder.

Sae Tsuji