Since my work involves helping people find comfort
I often get asked questions. Some of the most
common questions involve the choice of beds and
pillows. I always point out that I have no expertise in
this area and am not qualified to advise them,
however I do share my own personal experience as
well as anecdotal information I pick up along the
way.
One key philosophy I've picked up along the way is
that where comfort is concerned life is not like a
baseball cap. "One Size Does Not Fit All". We are
all shaped different, we all have different needs,
and our needs can change over time. What worked
once won't necessarily work later.
For years I used a basic pillow. Nothing special. It was adequate for the comfort of my head and neck.
Then seemingly out of the blue I could not make my neck comfortable while I slept. I will never forget a
night in a hotel where I kept trying things. Stuffing my clothes in the pillow case, trying to find the right
size. Rolling up a towel and placing that under my neck.
I finally settled on a hand towel placed under
the curve in my neck, my head resting on the bed. I wondered why I was more comfortable with
something this small where I used to need something thicker.
I went through many expensive "special" pillows for sufferers of neck pain. It's interesting how we'll pay
anything when we are in pain. Most of these seemed to be based on sound principals, creating a
depression to cradle the head while giving support to the curved part of the neck. The only problem was
that none of these worked for me. "One Size Does Not Fit All".
I finally got busy and made my own pillow. It was small and filled halfway with feathers. Being partially
filled allowed me to scrunch it up to fit where I needed it when ever I shifted my head.
This pillow served me well for several years. Then it started feeling like I needed something a little
bigger. I built myself a larger pillow, still keeping it half full of feathers so I could shift it to support my
head and neck where it was needed.
Another major change occurred after sleeping on an adjustable air bed for 10 years. It could be set
anywhere from 20 lbs of pressure, very soft, up to 100, very firm. For 10 years I kept it at a very firm 80
lbs and my back loved this. Then, again seemingly out of the blue, I would wake up after a few hours
sleep with back pain that wouldn't allow me to go back to sleep. I would get out of bed and try to sleep in
a chair.
By this time I was getting Ortho-Bionomy sessions. This helped a lot but when I went to bed the problems
would repeat.
It finally occurred to me to try a different setting on the bed. Over a long period of time I kept lowering
the pressure on the bed until I finally found that my body wanted a soft 30 lbs. I found it hard to believe
that my needs would change that radically that I would need something that soft so I had been reluctant
to try it that low. This worked well for a couple of years when I sensed that my body wanted something
firmer. For the past 5 years I have the bed set at 50-55 lbs.
Over time our bodies can change and our needs change with it. I've found it best to try to support where
I am now rather than try to force my body where I think it should be.
I've found it best to focus my awareness on my bodies needs, asking my body what it wants and then
doing what I can to give it that.
I struggled for quite awhile, being caught up in what I thought my body should need, rather than letting
go of the reasons and just going with my bodies changing preferences.
One size doesn't fit all...
all people,
all times,
all situations.
We are all unique and changing. Be present with what is, support what is, and find comfort and balance.
One of statements often made about Ortho-Bionomy is that "Ortho-Bionomy is a conversation rather
than an argument". There are so many ways we can apply that to our life.
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Ric Chamberlin
Registered Practitioner of Ortho-Bionomy®
Licensed Massage Therapist
402 850 0752
info@omahahealingconnection.com
Ortho-Bionomy® and the Sand Dollar design are registered trademarks of the Society of Ortho-Bionomy International, Inc. and are
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