Mistakes when using pillows can also increase the risk of stroke

Using a pillow that is too high can be harmful

A recent study published in the European Stroke Journal has revealed the health risks of using pillows that are too high. The study said that using pillows that are too high can increase the risk of spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) - one of the causes of stroke.

Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) is a rare cardiovascular emergency. It occurs when a tear forms in a coronary artery. This tear can cause blood to pool in the artery wall, forming an aneurysm, which can cause stroke or death.

Researchers analyzed 53 patients with spontaneous coronary artery dissection treated at a medical facility in Japan between 2018 and 2023 and selected 53 patients with other diseases during the same period. control group to investigate the height of the pillows used by these people.

Researchers have found that pillow height is closely related to the rate of spontaneous vertebral artery dissection. Too high a pillow can increase the rate of spontaneous vertebral artery dissection by 10%.

Specifically, the results showed that patients using pillows with a height of more than 12 cm had a 2.89 times higher risk of SCAD than those using pillows with a height of less than 12 cm. And patients using pillows with a height of more than 15 cm had a 10.6 times higher risk of SCAD.

The reason is that a pillow that is too high can cause the neck to bend too much, compressing the vertebral artery, thereby increasing the risk of spontaneous coronary artery dissection. From here, researchers give advice when choosing a pillow:

- The height of the pillow must be appropriate to support the natural curve of the neck. In general, the height of the pillow should be as high as the shoulder when lying on the back, preferably no more than 12 cm.

- The pillow should be moderately soft. A pillow that is too soft or too hard can have a negative impact on the neck.

- Pillows should be cleaned regularly to avoid bacterial growth.

Habits before going to bed are harmful to your health

In addition to paying attention to pillow usage, the following pre-bedtime habits can also be harmful to your health:

1. Staying up late often

People who regularly stay up late may increase their risk of getting cancer. Many young people often have this habit without knowing that it not only makes the body tired, reduces the efficiency of work and study in the present but can also increase the risk of cancer in the long term.

This is mainly because internal organs enter the process of self-healing, regenerating damage, resting after continuous activity during the day... when people sleep. Staying up late for a long time and lacking sleep not only reduces immunity but also increases the work load of internal organs.

In the long term, when internal organs are damaged to a certain degree, the likelihood of getting sick will increase. Regularly staying up late can lead to cancer.

2. Drink alcohol before bed

Many people have the habit of drinking alcohol before going to bed because they think this will help them sleep better.

However, this habit is really harmful to the liver because ethanol in alcohol is very difficult to metabolize, drinking before going to bed will increase the burden on the liver, forcing the liver to work harder and not being able to rest and heal. In the long term, alcohol abuse will cause serious damage to the liver and increase the risk of liver disease and even lead to cancer.

Not only that, although sleep onset times are often shorter for those who drink alcohol and some people fall into deep sleep quite quickly, after a few hours of sleep, the effects of alcohol cause a series of disruptions throughout the second half of the night.

3. Snacking before bed

According to clinical studies, many people with cancer like to snack late at night before going to bed. This is mainly because late-night snacks are mostly unhealthy foods, containing a lot of fat, salt as well as many harmful additives. In the long run, it is easy to cause cancer cells to develop.

Along with that, regularly eating a full meal before going to bed will increase the workload of the digestive tract during sleep, which can lead to symptoms such as indigestion, fatigue and in the long term can cause cancer.

Not only that, eating before going to bed will force the digestive system to work, blood will concentrate in the digestive tract, the speed of food digestion will decrease and increase blood viscosity. From there, blood clots can easily form and lead to cerebral infarction as well as other cardiovascular diseases.