Sleeping position and your health
Once again it’s bedtime — the most comfortable and relaxing time of the day. After completing your nighttime routine, you switch off the lights, snuggle into bed, and get ready for a good night sleep. Now here is the question, how do you get comfortable under your sheet?
It’s likely that your sleeping position has become fully automatic at this stage. If you've been in the same sleeping position since childhood, you may not consciously think about it each night.
If you automatically turn to another side after falling back onto your pillows or spend some time changing between different positions to get more comfortable, the sleeping position that you preferred may reveal important information about your health.
It is discovered that certain sleeping positions have been related to health issues or better health outcomes. We will explore the 3 main types of sleeping positions and their pros and cons toward your health.
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Back sleepers
Soldier position is a kind of back sleeping, where you sleep on your back with your arms at your sides. According to statistics from BSC’s survey, approximately 11% of respondents prefer soldier position. The respondents claim that they prefer this position for its health benefits and they rarely change their sleeping position during the night.
If you like to sleep on your back with your arms up and legs slightly apart, you prefer the starfish position. About 7% of respondents sleep with this position according to BSC’s survey. Another fun fact is the survey suggests that starfish sleeping position is linked to a higher chance of sleepwalking.
Back sleeping can help you to relieve different types of pain at the same time relieve pressure on your spine and encourage proper spinal alignment.
Sleeping on your back distributes your body weight evenly, ensuring that no part of your body is under more pressure than the others. For most people, this sleeping position can lead to more restful sleep.
Another advantage of back sleeping is that you won’t press your face into your pillow during the night, which may help you to prevent premature facial wrinkles.
A small tip for back sleepers, you can place a smaller pillow or even a rolled towel under your knees for better back sleep. This helps in maintaining your spine’s natural curve.
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Side Sleepers
The log position is where you sleep on your side with your arms down at your side. This sleeping position is not popular as according to the BSC survey, only 6% of respondents prefer this position. Like starfish position, this sleeping position is also associated with sleepwalking.
Here comes the most popular sleeping position, the fetal position, where you sleep on your side with legs curled up underneath you. According to the survey, 47% of respondents prefer the fetal position.
There are 13% of respondents prefer to sleep in the yearner position in the BSC survey. The yearner position is where you sleep with your arms and legs stretched out. If you often wake up with numb or tingling hands, this position will help relieve the pressure on your wrists and hands.
Side sleeping will help you to improve digestion, reduce snoring, prevent heartburn, and probably even enhance your brain health. Your brain needs to eliminate waste regularly in order to function properly. It normally brings out the garbage when you're sleeping. This process was found to be most effective during hand, or lateral, sleeping in an animal study.
Sleeping on your side can help in reducing back pain but it can also place pressure on your shoulder, leading to tightness, tension, or pain in your face and hand. You may consider buying a mattress with better pressure relief and a firmer pillow with enough loft to support your spine's natural curve for the best results. To improve hip and low back support, try to sleep with a pillow between your knees or lower legs.
For fetal position sleepers, you should avoid bending or curling your wrists tightly, or sleeping with one hand under the pillow to prevent numbness.
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Stomach Sleepers
The freefall position is preferred by 17% of respondents according to the BSC survey. These respondents prefer to sleep on their stomach with arms under the pillow, or wrapped around it, and head to one side.
Stomach sleeping is generally not recommended as it can cause pain on your neck and back. Also, if you always face your head in the same direction, you’ll soon find some stiffness during the day.
However, if you've tried and failed to sleep in some other way, stomach sleeping might be the best option for you. Instead of always facing left or right, try changing your head direction on a regular basis.
Neck discomfort can be prevented by using a flat, thin pillow (or not using one at all). Back stiffness and discomfort can also be reduced by placing a cushion under the pelvis.
Other than that, consider your mattress as well. A firm mattress can provide you a better sleeping quality by keeping your spine aligned and avoiding pain.
The best sleep position?
Sleeping is a big part of our lives, and sleeping position plays an important role in your sleep quality. If you are struggling with pain or other health issues, you might want to consider changing your sleeping position to improve it.
Well, if you ask what is the best sleeping position? The answer for every individual is different, after all, the best sleeping position is the one that always makes you comfortable and allows you to get the rest you need.
Reference
What Does Your Sleeping Position Say About You?
