Beds Given that we spend about a third of our lifetimes in bed, this period undoubtedly has a significant impact on our bodies. What factors make a bed healthy? What’s the best sleep position? How can you adjust your sleep set up to encourage better whole-body health? Let’s explore these topics.     The History of Beds The earliest known beds consisted of grass mats piled on the ground. In the days when humans lived in the wild, the point of beds was to have a layer between y

The head is the origin place of so many important systems that this body region is the focus of its own session in the Soma series. In this article, we’ll examine how the head and neck are affected by sleep positions. In Part 2, we’ll continue the topic of sleep positions in context with the rest of the body.     Why Do We Use Pillows? Archeologists have found head rests from as long ago as 7000 BC. These early pillows were used primarily to raise the head off the ground, kee

Walking up and down hills and stairs can be challenging for multiple reasons, but it’s also a regular part of life. As we grow older, we might respond to creaky, aching joints by simply avoiding hills and stairs altogether and sticking to flat terrain at all times. While skipping the stairs may allow us to skip past the pain for now, it can create an even larger challenge of having a body that can’t handle ups and downs. Our joints are made for walking in a world that’s not f

The word core can be used to mean different things. Sometimes people are referring to the abdominal muscles. Sometimes it means the center of the body, which can be debatable. In structural integration, the core is referred to as a central axis around which the rest of the body organizes to balance within gravity’s pull. The structures of the core can be said to run from the soles of the feet to the crown of the head. The takeaway here is that the body has no lines drawn wit

Squatting is a foundational human movement. Anthropologists can tell that most humans have used squatting as a primary resting position because their bones have “squatting facets.” People who grow up squatting frequently enough will develop bones shaped to facilitate this position. Because our physiology is designed around certain movements that were once key to human life, it’s worth looking at how these movements can serve our bodies and health today. Not only is squatting