5 Reasons Why You Should Get a Hammock

While there are obvious reasons to get a hammock, there are a few less known potential health benefits that may surprise you.

According to historical and archaeological sources, hammocks have been used going back to at least 450 B.C. and probably long before. They have most commonly been used in and around tropical areas but their usage have been versatile.

Aside from the historical use, hammocks also are sometimes recommended by doctors, chiropractors and orthopedists to their patients and the general public.

Hammocks have that special feel to them, that is wherever you put them, that place starts to radiate a sense of relaxation and serenity. Whether you see people posting pictures of themselves chilling on an hammock or when you’re at a friends porch with an hammock, they just radiate that lovely relaxed feeling.

After all, they’re lightweight and incredibly comfortable. But what just makes them so comfy? Most likely the exquisite ergonomic design and the potential physiological and mental benefits.

Let’s have a closer look on what we mean:

Better sleep

We can’t stress enough how important sleep is and how much it does for the body. Sleep provides us rest and stores energy. It helps us think clearly and be alert. Sleep is necessary for our survival and well-being, both mentally and physiologically.

Hammocks usually make you fall asleep faster, the gentle swaying and unique support of the body looses bodily tensions and calms the mind down. The body also sleeps best when laying on it’s back and it’s head at a slight angle. Hammocks naturally position you in that formation. It the netting and fabric also adjusts to your physical form and provides exact pressure where it’s needed.

Simply put, hammocks are the ultimate customizable agent for inducing better sleep. You also sleep deeper. Having shallow sleep or lower levels of REM sleep is simply bad for you, and can be potentially harmful. If you don’t have enough REM sleep, over time it can cause serious consequences on your health. I’d say that if anything is a good enough reason to get a full night’s rest.

For insomnia

Insomnia, someone who can’t sleep through the night, or sleep in general.

One of the weird things about sleep is that we like to feel like we’re infants again. Rocking back and forth reminds us of being held. Wrapping up in blankets feels like we’re being swaddled and hugged. And weirdest of all, we especially like the feeling of being in the womb again.

For a newborn, the womb was all it’d known and was a safe, warm place. Hammocks provide that same “structure, feel, atmosphere and many people with insomnia report sleeping more and better after getting a hammock. For those who have trouble sleeping on a daily basis a hammock just be an answer to their prayers.

Better posture

Hammocks can prove beneficial when wanting to positively influence the body’s posture when sleeping. According to a study done in 2015 who analyzed different body alignments and positions, ranging from the vertical alignment of the body, head, trunk to the angle of the knees, hips and ankle and also the horizontal alignment of the pelvis could. Their conclusion was that hammocks could improve the up-right posture of people, or in their own words:

Sleeping in the hammock influenced the orthostatic posture, especially in horizontal alignment of the head, hip angle, the vertical alignment of the body and horizontal alignment of the pelvis in the side views.

Pain relief

In today’s world many people suffer back and neck pain. This comes from overworking, stressing out, sitting down too long, and generally bad posture.

Hammocks can help with back and neck pain. It’s already been shown that mattresses are not the greatest for sleeping on with sore backs and aching necks. They don’t get us into the necessary position to relieve that pain. Pressure points along the back and neck are lessened, and only where the body really needs them to be. Not putting pressure where it’d be potentially harmful is a wonderful attribute to hammocks.

Brain power

Sleeping in hammocks overall improve concentration and focus throughout the day. This in turn leads to better reading, and learning. This is because particular brain waves focused on memory are stimulated during this type of sleep.

Michel Muhlethaler, professor of neuroscience in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Geneva, Switzerland explained it like this;

“..the type of waves that you see, which are reinforced here, have also been associated with an increase in memory for recent events. So it’s true that from that point of view, this type of ameliorated sleep could be beneficial also for cognitive purposes.” ^{[1] NPR.org}

In the end, sleeping in a hammock can improve learning, memory, concentration and general focus during the day.

Relaxation

Hammocks are naturally relaxing. The gentle swaying movement is calming for our minds and thinking through things or reading while resting in a hammock can come easier.

With pressure being relieved and stress drifting away it’s easy to see why many people choose hammocks as their relaxation destination. And in the modern world, where stress abounds, hammocks are sorely needed.

Feel free to read our review of the best hammocks on the market!

Conclusion

With many benefits ranging from better, deeper sleep, to pain-relief, correct posture and boost in brain power, hammocks are a clear choice for everyday use.

At least, you should give it a try if you’re curious about the benefits for yourself. Sleeping in a hammock for a few nights can improve your pain, stress, posture and focus almost immediately. After all, it’s been scientifically proven that hammocks can be beneficial for some.

Hammocks have been for thousands of years, and since they’ve lasted this long, maybe its an indication that hammocks have something good to offer us.

Last but not least, hammocks are just a great way to relax, and that is reason enough for us.

References

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