6 Habits That Harm Your Neck

So that your neck does not suffer, it is good to identify these habits and to avoid them, as much as possible, so as not to suffer from unnecessary pain .

Pain behind the neck affects almost 67% of the population. Are you part of that percentage?

Do you know what are the habits that hurt your neck? What do you do to prevent the discomfort from continuing?

This pain is often caused by activities related to repeated movements or prolonged positions of the neck.

This can cause overload, ligament damage or muscle spasms in the neck.

You have habits that hurt your neck. Maybe you’ve never thought about it, or know what these negative health situations are, but you don’t necessarily make the connection with your neck.

In this article, we’ll tell you what these bad habits are. Change them to have a more comfortable and enjoyable life.

Physical inactivity

Lack of physical activity harms the whole body.

Sedentary lifestyle is one of the habits that harms your neck because it interferes with the metabolism of the intervertebral disc, which must be in motion to maintain the vital balance of the cells.

Just as the structure of the spine allows and facilitates movement, the absence of structure causes injury.

The result is pain throughout the spine that you will feel mostly in the neck.

The way to avoid this is to move. It is good to do any physical activity.

For example :

• Walk
• Run
• Swim
• Dance
• Practicing yoga

Having poor posture damages your neck

Neck pain torments many people, and the computer is part of the problem, but only partially.

Often, office chairs do not follow the natural curve of the spine.

Due to the lack of lumbar and arm support, people who work in front of a computer are forced to bend and recline in the seats.

This is one of the habits that damages your neck because it forms a “C” shaped curve on the spine.

The result is additional pressure on the neck and the lumbosacral discs.

The ideal is to have an ergonomically adapted workplace so that your posture is the best possible and does not affect your health.

In addition, it is good to set an alarm every 30 or 40 minutes to change position.

This will make it possible to:

• Fluidify the blood.
• Improve blood circulation.
• Rest the spine.

The position is also affected by other situations. Factors such as the use of unsuitable shoes, or the fact of carrying very heavy bags also lead to poor posture.

Remember that you should not be carrying more than 10% of your weight.

Even though it can be complicated at times, you should take precautions, especially with children who sometimes carry very heavy backpacks.

To smoke

One-third of the habits that hurt your neck are often ignored. Lung cancer and diabetes, for example, are linked to smoking, but be aware that chronic neck pain also.

Smoking causes dehydration of the back and neck discs and accelerates its degenerative process.

This can cause herniated discs or pressure, which can affect the proper functioning of the spine.

This bad habit also generates obstruction of the blood vessels. This is of concern because, over time, it becomes more difficult for oxygen to reach the spine and the discs.

Are you obsessed with your cell phone?

Writing messages doesn’t just hurt your thumbs. As soon as you look down to use your phone, you put a great deal of strain on your neck muscles.

Imagine a medical ball supported by a golf “T”. Your head weighs almost 5 kilos and must make a big effort to put this medicine ball back in its place.

Decreasing the time in front of the screen and bringing the phone to eye level are options that solve this problem.

Don’t drink too much alcohol to protect your neck

It comes as no surprise to anyone that sleeping in a strange position can lead to neck pain the next day.

This can happen from time to time, and the risk increases if you drink a lot.

Here’s the reason: People change position several times during the night, but people with alcohol tend to move less when sleeping.

This means that the body can remain trapped in an uncomfortable position for your neck, for a while.

To avoid this, drink the amount of alcohol that does not cause you to lose control.

If possible, avoid alcoholic beverages as much as possible.

Bed glass and your pillow are not suitable

Another habit that is bad for your neck is sleeping with too many pillows, or pillows that are too soft. This affects the alignment of the head with the back, and therefore the neck.

A mattress that is too soft is another mistake because it creates pressure points on the spine.

Likewise, a mattress that is too hard is not good, since the spine has its own curves that must blend into the mattress.

The correct choice is a firm mattress and a few ergonomically designed pillows to keep the head aligned with the spine. 

Avoid habits that hurt your neck

Have you identified these bad habits? It’s time to change them and bring real rest to your neck.