The human body wasn’t made to sit in one position all the time, but if you’re a wheelchair user, that’s kind of hard to avoid. Unfortunately, a common side effect to sitting all the time is lower back pain. For today’s blog, we are going to talk about some modified yoga positions you can use to mitigate it:

Place your head between your knees

Lean forward as far as you can in your wheelchair and place your head between your knees. This is often a pose people will do when they feel dizzy, but it’s also a great way to take some pressure off the lower back. If you feel like you’re going to fall out of your chair, find something to hook your arms on. This will allow you to lean even further.

Leg crossing

While this position is associated with modest ladies in skirts, it’s actually very effectual for those who use a wheelchair. Crossing the legs can help relieve some of the pressure that’s being put on the lower back.

Do the twist!

No, we’re not talking about the dance. For this position, you want to grab your right knee with your left hand and put your right hand behind as far as you can. Then, switch it up and do the same for the left side. Hold the positions for at least 10 seconds each time you do it.

Ankle Pull

For this, you want to lay on your back on a bed or sofa, with your legs dangling off the end. Brace your upper body. Then, have a helper pulls your ankles downward. The goal with this is to lengthen your back. This should help you feel quite a bit of relief.

No one should have to suffer through excessive back pain. If even some basic stretches just aren’t cutting it, it might be time to visit your physician. We also carry a number of wheelchair accessories in our online catalog that can help you be more comfortable, including seat cushions.

Forget counting sheep—if you’re not following a good nighttime regiment, then you’re not going to wake up feeling rested. Sleep experts call this sleep hygiene. While the name may conjure up images of going to bed after getting a good scrub in the shower, it actually refers to a series of recommended habits to ensure you’re getting the most out of your nightly rest. Below are some of the top practices to follow for good sleep hygiene:

Turn off the screens

We know, there’s the last minute text to send, the email you need to check, the online shopping to do, the show to catch up on… but what all these screens are doing is telling your subconscious brain that there’s still light out, and therefore it is still daytime. And since it’s still daytime, your subconscious brain thinks you should still be awake, so your body releases the chemicals it needs to stave off sleep. Stop looking at screens an hour before you go to bed.

Watch what you consume

While you might enjoy the sleepy feeling that a glass of wine gives you before you drift off, it might actually be keeping you up! Alcohol prevents your body from going into a deep sleep, therefore it prevents you from feeling restful when you wake up. It can also cause you to wake up in the middle of the night and be unable to go back to sleep. Caffeine is just as bad, if not worse. For optimal sleep, stop drinking caffeine around 7 hours before you go to bed and stop drinking alcohol 2 hours before bed.

Go to bed at the same time every night

With some work schedules this can be almost impossible, but this really is the ideal way to get the most amount of sleep. Your body will naturally default to getting sleepy and waking at the same time and has to adjust every time you change this. Even staying up late on a Friday night can throw off your rhythms.

Create the ideal environment

This means having a completely dark room. Heavy, light-blocking curtains can help with this. If you have a digital clock, make sure you turn it so that it doesn’t face you. Keep the room temperature to about 65 degrees. Studies have shown people sleep better in a cooler environment.

If you are still having trouble sleeping after following these steps, it may be time to have a sleep study performed—chances are, you may even have a medical condition that keeps you from getting enough rest at night, such as sleep apnea. We carry a wide variety of items to help mitigate sleep apnea, including CPAP machines.