Forward Head Posture

Since sleep accounts for about one-third of the day, the neck posture during this time has a significant impact on cervical spine health. A high pillow fixes the cervical spine in a flexed (head-down) position for 6 to 8 hours, reinforcing the straight neck posture and causing the muscles and ligaments at the back of the neck to stiffen while stretched, leading to morning stiffness. Conversely, a pillow that is too low or non-existent causes cervical hyperextension. When lying on your back, a height of 6–8 cm that supports the space beneath the neck curve is appropriate; for those who sleep on their side, it must be higher by the width of the shoulder to keep the cervical spine in a straight line. From a Korean medicine perspective, increased stiffness in the morning is a significant signal. Since the circulation of Qi and blood slows down at night, individuals who already have Qi stagnation and blood stasis in the neck and neck experience further stagnation of blood during sleep, leading to more severe morning stiffness. Furthermore, sleeping exposed to cold wind or allowing sweat to cool can cause pathogenic wind, cold, and dampness to invade, sometimes resulting in stiff neck (a condition where the neck cannot be turned upon waking). Starting in their 50s, the liver and kidneys gradually weaken, often compounded by a condition called "muscle and vein excess yang," where the regenerative capacity of muscles and bones declines. The direction treatment should go alongside pillow replacement is to restore circulation by releasing hardened fascia and adhesions using acupuncture and moxibustion, aid in the regeneration of ligaments weakened by aging through thread embedding and fire acupuncture, and strengthen the liver and kidneys with herbal medicine tailored to one's constitution to create a body where Qi and blood circulate well even overnight.