Sleep: What Are the Best Sleeping Positions?

What’s the position of your body when you sleep at night? Do you
sleep only on one side, are you crunched up like a fetus in a womb or do
you sleep on your back, straight like a soldier?

Although
it’s difficult to remember your sleeping posture, there are 2 ways to
sleep: good and bad. Bad placement of your back, arms, head and legs
might be the cause of your aches or your insomnia.

“It is
clinically accepted that a change in sleep position may benefit the
systematic health of individuals,” was written in a 2007 study published
in “The Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice”.

Cynthia
Vaughn, professional chiropractor, explains that the best sleeping
position is either on the side or on the back. It’s not important
whether you sleep on your right or left side, unless you’re pregnant.
These two sleeping positions support your neck and spine and can help
you prevent injuries.

An Australian telephone survey shows that
most people love sleeping on the side and they’re less likely to report
waking up and complaining about shoulder, neck or arm pain compared with
people who slept in another position.

If you sleep on your back,
Vaughn suggests you to put a pillow under your knees just so your legs
get in a more direct line with your lower back spine. Also, try not to
sprawl your arms over your head, but rather keep them down your side.
Sleeping on your back intensifies the snoring. If you’re suffering from
sleep apnea, avoid sleeping on your back.

If you sleep on your
side, slightly bend the upside leg and put a pillow between your knees.
This will prevent unnatural twisting and will keep your pelvis in a
straight line. Vaughn advises you to avoid sleeping in the fetal
position, especially when you are sleeping with another person in the
same position, because it can irritate your skin, since your knees are
constantly touching.

The worst position of all is sleeping on your
stomach. When you’re sleeping with your face pressed into your pillow,
you might crane your neck in order to catch a breath.

“It’s a
natural tendency, too, for the person to then bend the knee and hip of
the same side to which the head is turned, and bring that leg up. This
causes an unnatural lateral, or outward, rotation of that leg that,
overtime, leads to a chronic lateral hip rotation on that side,”
explains Vaughn.

Bedding also affects your quality of sleep.
“Memory foam” mattresses give you the best body support. Choose a
mattress that breaks a bit so that can mold to the natural curve of your
spine.

Also, don’t use pillows that are too hard because they
won’t support the “C” curve of your neck. Too hard pillows can cause
neck pain. To get rid of neck pain, you should choose a pillow for neck
pain side sleeper that helps provide relief and offer you a great
night’s sleep.