Reduce pain and stress in your own at-home sanctuary
Imagine a peaceful place you wish you could be right now—a sandy beach; a breezy mountaintop; a blue-green lakeside. Unfortunately, with pandemic stay-at-home needs combined with record vacation cancellations and related recreation-area closures, you may not be able to get to that peaceful place this summer. But with a hammock, you can enjoy your own homegrown slice of paradise while improving your holistic health.
According to the American Chiropractic Association, back pain is the single leading cause of disability worldwide, and half of all working Americans say they have back pain symptoms each year. However, one chiropractor is recommending a reconsideration of hammocks—simple outdoor or indoor beds made of canvas or rope mesh and suspended by cords—to help with her patients’ back pain and more.
“Because of the way your body is enclosed in [a hammock], it takes pressure off the spine, providing relief from inflammation and arthritis,” said New Jersey-licensed chiropractor Jossana Ghobryal in a recent Well+Good blog article.
She also emphasized the positive overall impact a hammock can have on mental and physical well-being.
“The rocking motion of the hammock also allows your vestibular [inner-ear area responsible for balance] system to kick in and has a soothing effect,” she said. “This isn’t only beneficial for better sleep patterns, but also improves your mental health by reducing stress and increasing mental focus and concentration.”
Ghobryal reminds her patients about some key safety considerations:
- The hammock should be strong enough to support your weight without getting twisted.
- You should always sit down on the hammock before lying down; then, after lying down, your body should be in a diagonal position for it to cradle you properly.
So consider a hammock and treat yourself to your own at-home sanctuary. For more assistance with back pain and other chiropractic services, visit the Department of Consumer Affairs’ Board of Chiropractic Examiners at www.chiro.ca.gov. For professional assistance on incorporating hammocks and other peaceful, recreational, and beautiful elements into your backyard, visit the Landscape Architects Technical Committee at www.latc.ca.gov.
