Ever wondered what sleeping position is good for your health? When you switch off the light and pull the sheets over you, there are a lot of sleeping positions, you could take from sleeping on your back or side to lying on your belly. You will likely assume your favorite and most comfortable position. Certain physical changes may change the way you sleep-Pregnancy or orthopedic needs in cases of broken bones or even certain health problems, may change the way you sleep. Your sleeping posture may determine if you have a good night’s rest and how you feel when you wake. Although other factors may help improve health and wellness, it is important to pay attention to your sleeping position.
It is important to choose the best sleeping posture for you based on your situation. Assuming a wrong sleeping position for your situation can cause pains in your back or neck, obstruct your lung’s airways, and lead to obstructive sleep apnea, or in worst cases, toxins will filter out the brain slower than they should. How do you know what sleeping position is good for you? We have compiled a list of sleeping positions, who it is best for, and possible health issues they may cause.
1. Lying on the Stomach
Although this may seem like the coziest sleeping position, tummy sleepers may have difficulty sleeping, experience restlessness, and experience pain or back pains. About 7% of people sleep on their stomachs. This is called the Prone position. The neck and spine are not neutral in this position aggravating or causing neck and back pain. You may experience numbness, nerve pain, and tingling because of the pressure put on nerves while sleeping in this position.
Sleeping in this position can ease snoring, it can also aggravate other health problems. If you are a habitual stomach sleeper, use a soft pillow to support your forehead leaving your spine and head in a neutral position. This gives you room to breathe and keeps your neck comfortable. Stomach sleepers are advised to choose another sleep position.
2. Back Sleeping
This is called the supine position synonymous with the surgical position. This sleeping posture offers the most health benefits although it has been associated with sleep apnea, snoring, and lower back pain. It may also make existing back pain worse and not advisable for women during late pregnancy.
Sleeping on your back keeps the neck and spine in a neutral position with the help of gravity. Elevating your head with a pillow while sleeping in this position may be considered the best sleeping position. The spine is protected, with fewer chances of neck pain, relieving hip and knee pain also. If you experience back pain, prop your knees with a pillow, this releases pressure from your spine and supports the natural curve of the back. Make sure you are properly supported, and use extra pillows if needed to evenly align your spine and for easier breathing. Skincare professionals also recommend this sleeping posture because it protects your face from wrinkling.
3. The Soldier Position
This is another back sleeping position but sleepers lie flat on their back with their arms by the side and very close to the body. This is a poor sleeping posture and can be uncomfortable. It encourages snoring. About 2% of people sleep in this position. Snoring is not only uncomfortable if you share your room or bed, but It can also prevent you from getting a restful night’s sleep or lead to an increased risk of carotid atherosclerosis, which is caused by a buildup of plaques in arteries that deliver blood to your face, brain, and neck. This position can aggravate sleep apnea and lower back pain. However, It can help acid reflux. Use a pillow to support your spine and your knees if you need to sleep like this.
4. The Starfish Position
Sleeping with your bent arms over your head on either side and your back is called sleeping in a starfish position. Just about 5% sleep in this position and are prone to sleep problems like sleep apnea or snoring. Like other back sleeping positions he’ll with acid reflux.
Keep your spine aligned by placing a soft pillow under your knee and under your back to relieve spine pressure and avoid back pain.
5. Sleeping on your side
Studies has shown this sleeping posture as the most popular sleeping position. Sleep scientists call it the lateral sleeping position. It has good and bad sides
Let’s start with the bad news. Sleeping on your side may cause facial wrinkles as you press the sides of your face while sleeping. Aging can be faster as your skin cells expand if you enjoy the sleeping position. There is no scientific backing relating this sleep posture and breast sagging but it is a major concern to many. But this position may cause the breast ligament to stretch inducing sagging. If you are worried about breast sagging or have larger breasts support them with a pillow when sleeping on your side. This posture also aggravates arthritic pain and makes your sores. When you curl up when sleeping eping on your side, your diaphragm movement may be constricted and prevent you from breathing deeply.
On the other hand, this posture is best suited for those who snore. Scientists have also established that this position helps to clear out brain waste faster than other sleep postures from a concluded study on rats proved true
6. The Fetal Position
Another side sleep posture of about 41% of people involves using a preferred side and curling up, with their knees close to the chest. Their legs are bent and their sides curled up in the fetal position. This position may lead to hip pains but is prevented by placing a soft pillow between the knees. Pregnant women may find this position comfortable with positive health benefits because it improves blood circulation for the fetus and mother.
7. The yearner Position
About 13% of sleepers have their arms outstretched in front of their body while lying on their sides. This position may aggravate arthritis but it can be good for people with breathing problems.
Best Sleeping Positions depending on your condition.
- Snoring
Sleeping on your side will help keep the noise level down at night. In cases of aggressive snoring, you may want to visit a doctor. It can be an underlying indicator of sleep apnea and carotid atherosclerosis.
- Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea causes a person to stop and start breathing while sleeping due to the obstruction of the airways. Severe and very loud snoring are key indicators of sleep apnea. It may also lead to other health issues like heart diseases, stroke, and high blood pressure. Sleep on the side helps to prevent obstruction of the airways
- Lower Back, Shoulder, and Neck Pain
Sleeping on the side has been seen to reduce pressure on your hip and spine while sleeping. Use a pillow between your knees for extra support and hip alignment. If you prefer to sleep on your back do not forget to support your knees for hip and back with extra pillows for support.
- Shoulder, Neck, and Upper Back Pain
Health conditions like arthritis and health conditions affecting the spine may worsen or improve depending on your sleep posture. Starfish position has been proven to prevent shoulder pains. People who sleep on their backs in the soldier posture may also experience lesser chances of shoulder pain.
Lying on your stomach may cause neck pains, use an extra pillow to prop your forehead while sleeping facing the mattress and not on the side of your face.
- Reflux and heartburn:
An ideal sleeping posture for acid reflux is sleeping on your left side particularly. Sleeping on your right side may aggravate the symptoms worse for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) patients and people who experience heartburn.
- Appearance and pregnancy
Depending on the pregnancy stage, women assume different sleep positions which are healthy for both mother and fetus. At later stages of pregnancy, sleeping on your back is not advised, instead try the fetal position.
Sleeping on your side can cause changes to the skin and induce wrinkling also.
Conclusion
A lot of factors can affect whether you have a restful night or not, but your sleeping posture is the most important. Sleeping positions that are good for your health must be taken into consideration depending on your condition.
If you do not have any health condition, there may be no need to change your current sleep posture. However, if you wake up feeling cranky, restless, having a less productive day, or feeling blue, you may want to review your sleep postures. Knowing what sleep position is suitable for you is strongly recommended and can improve or worsen health conditions.
Related
How to improve health and wellness