How should you sleep to avoid sleep-related problems?
Make healthy sleep a priority
Sleep is essential for you to function and for your body to recover and heal. If you tend to get body aches when you wake up, including your neck, back, lower back or hips, it's important that you get a good night's sleep. But it's a problem if the way you sleep is contributing to the pain. It is therefore widely agreed that you should not lie on your stomach and that it is actually best to sleep on your side or back.
Do you know how you lie when you sleep?
As mentioned above, sleeping on your stomach is not a good sleeping position, as it can cause pain when you wake up. In fact, it is recommended that you get used to it, although it can be very difficult to change your sleeping habits. Lying on your stomach is generally not good for your bowels or intestines, as it puts a lot of pressure on themand you may find that your ribs hurt after sleep. In addition, it is bad for your neck because you twist it into a crooked position when you need to accommodate your head. And it also bends your neck backwards, which can cause tension and pain. Lying on your stomach is also bad for your back. This position creates a lot of swaying, which puts strain on the back and can cause pain.
We spend a third of our lives sleeping or resting, so it is important to choose a sleeping position that helps your body with physical recovery. A proper sleeping position can relieve pressure on your spine, while an unhealthy position can increase pain or stiffness in your back, arms or shoulders, all while contributing to a lower quality of sleep.
What is the best sleeping position?
The best sleeping position is one that promotes a natural line from your hips all the way to your head. What that looks like for you depends on your personal health and what you find comfortable.
That said, some positions are considered to be healthier than others. Specifically, sleeping on your side or back is considered more beneficial than sleeping on your stomach. In either of these sleeping positions, it is easier to keep your spine supported and balanced, which relieves pressure on spinal tissues and allows your muscles to relax and recover.
But if sleeping on your stomach feels good to you, don't feel compelled to change it. You can minimize your risk of pain and improve spinal alignment with the right mattress and pillow.
Different sleeping positions offer different benefits that may be useful for you if you are dealing with back pain, pregnancy, allergies, acid reflux or another health condition. In these cases, it may be worth trying a new sleeping position to allow for more restful sleep. In one study, a group of adults with back pain were trained to sleep on their back or side. They experienced significant pain relief in just four weeks.
Adjusting to a new sleeping position takes time, but it is possible. Be patient with yourself and use pillows to help train your body to the new position.
Sleep on your side
More than 60% of people sleep on their side, with men spending more time on their side each night than women. As children, we share our nights by sleeping in all positions equally, but in adulthood a clear preference for side sleeping emerges. The flexibility of our spine decreases as we age, which can make the side sleeping position more comfortable for older adults.
Sleeping on your side offers several benefits. It promotes healthy spinal alignment and is the sleep position least likely to result in back pain, especially when supported with pillows. Side sleeping can also reduce heartburn and snoring, making it a better sleeping position for people with sleep apnea or acid reflux.
Side sleeping can be particularly beneficial for:
- Pregnant women
- People with acid reflux
- People with back pain
- People who snore or have sleep apnoea
- Older people
Best sleeping position for pregnancy
Experts recommend that pregnant women sleep on their side with their knees bent. The sleeping position relieves the pressure of a growing belly. The left side is particularly recommended because it prevents pressure on the liver and facilitates healthy blood flow to the fetus, uterus, kidneys and heart.
If you feel uncomfortable sleeping on your left side during pregnancy, you can shift to your right side occasionally to relieve pressure on your left hip. You can also relieve tension by placing pillows under your stomach, between your legs and on your lower back.
Best sleeping position for back pain
Does your back hurt at night? The best sleeping position for lower back pain is also on your side with a pillow or blanket between your knees. Also, for those with neck or other back pain, sleeping on their side can relieve their symptoms.
Choose a pillow with a thickness that suits the distance between your neck and your shoulder. With a thicker pillow, your neck will remain aligned with your spine while you sleep on your side, preventing pain and soreness while maintaining proper alignment.
Are there any disadvantages to sleeping on your side?
The sleeping position is not recommended for:
- People with shoulder pain
- People who worry about wrinkles
Sleeping on your side can lead to soreness or tightness in your shoulders, so it's good to change positions occasionally and use the most appropriate pillow and mattress. Make sure your mattress has enough "give" to allow your hips and shoulders to sink deeper than your mid-spine.
Some research also indicates that you may get slightly more facial wrinkles if you sleep on your side, as your face is pressed against the pillow, stretching and compressing the skin.
Sleep on your back
Sleeping on your back is the second most popular sleeping position. And the benefits are many. When you lie flat on your back, it's easy to keep your spine aligned and to distribute your body weight evenly, preventing potential neck or back pain. Sleeping on your back can also relieve nasal congestion or allergies.
Your skin also benefits from the supine sleeping position. Since you are facing upwards, there is no pillow or mattress pressing against your face and contributing to wrinkles.
Sleeping on your back can be particularly beneficial for:
- If you have low back pain or neck pain
- If you worry about wrinkles
- If you have allergies or nasal congestion
Are there any disadvantages to sleeping on your back?
Sleeping on your back is not recommended:
Pregnant women
If you snore or have sleep apnoea
- If you have low back pain or neck pain
- If you have reflux or heartburn
- Severely obese
- Older people
For people with snoring or sleep apnoea, the supine sleeping position is the worst. More than half of people have positional sleep apnoea, which means their symptoms worsen when they lie on their back. So if your partner snores, it's a good idea to nudge them to change their sleeping position.
While some people feel relief in the supine sleeping position, others find that it increases their back pain. Depending on how firm your mattress is, a small gap can form between your lower back and the mattress surface, which can lead to uncomfortable tension in the lower back and pain when waking up. You can solve this by putting a thin pillow in that area, or putting a pillow under your knees instead. Either way, you will relieve pressure while supporting the natural curvature of your spine.
Pregnant women are advised not to sleep on their backs because a growing baby can put pressure on the heart and thus worsen the heart's pumping capacity.
People with reflux or heartburn should also avoid sleeping on their back, as their condition worsens in this sleeping position and can start as early as one minute after switching from side to supine.
Finally, as we get older or heavier, it becomes harder to breathe while lying on our back due to the pressure of gravity on the body. Switching to a side lying position may be a better option for heavier and older people.
Sleep on your stomach
Sleeping on your stomach is the least popular sleeping position. Research suggests that we spend less than 10% of our night sleeping in this position. However, sleeping on your stomach does have some benefits. The stomach sleeping position can help relieve snoring by opening up your airways. However, your ribs have to work against gravity to breathe in this position, which can force you to use more
energy and thus make your sleep less restful.
What's wrong with stomach sleep?
The stomach position has several disadvantages and is not recommended for most people. In particular, the following people should avoid sleeping on their stomach:
- Pregnant woman
- People with neck or back pain
- People worried about wrinkles
Sleeping on your stomach provides the least back support of all sleeping positions and increases pressure on the spine, sometimes causing pain on waking. To sleep on your stomach, sleep with your head turned to one side, which will inevitably twist your neck and head out of alignment with the rest of your spine. If your mattress is not firm enough, your stomach and hips will sink into the mattress, which can stretch your spine out of alignment. This kind of asymmetrical sleeping position can negatively affect your spine over time.
In addition, sleeping on your stomach can contribute to facial wrinkles as your face is pressed against the surface of the pillow or mattress.
The best sleeping position is the one you choose most often
The best sleeping position is the one that allows you to enjoy a restful night of uninterrupted sleep and wake up in the morning feeling refreshed, without aches and pains. If this roughly describes your current sleeping position, you shouldn't change anything. If, on the other hand, you think a new sleeping position might improve your sleep, try a different position. Be patient and use the above strategies to help yourself adapt to a new sleeping position, to minimize body aches and pains when you wake up.
Although your sleeping position can significantly improve your sleep, you still need to prioritize getting enough sleep. Sleep quality is one thing, but sleep quantity is also crucial for your health. Sleep improves the immune system, boosts memory and creativity, and helps prevent stress, anxiety and depression. A good night's sleep contributes to a good life. In other words, good sleep is just as crucial to our well-being and well-being as a healthy diet and exercise.
Need more tips for a better night's sleep? Then read this post on 10 tips for a better night's sleep.
Literature
- https://www.sleepfoundation.org/sleeping-positions
- Cary, D., Briffa, K., & McKenna, L. (2019). Identifying relationships between sleep posture and non-specific spinal symptoms in adults: A scoping review. BMJ Open, 9(6), e027633. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31256029/
- Desouzart, G., Matos, R., Melo, F., & Filgueiras, E. (2015). Effects of sleeping position on back pain in physically active seniors: A controlled pilot study. Work, 53(2), 235-240. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26835867/
- Lee, W. H., & Ko, M. S. (2017). Effect of sleep posture on neck muscle activity. Journal of Physical Therapy Science, 29(6), 1021-024. https://pubmed. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28626314/
- https://psykiatrifonden.dk/hjaelp-raadgivning/mentale-motionscenter/soevn
- A.D.A.M. Medical Encyclopedia (2020, June 2). Problems sleeping during pregnancy. MedlinePlus. Retrieved April 12, 2021, from https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000559.htm
- Zenian J. (2010). Sleep position and shoulder pain. Medical Hypotheses, 74(4), 639-643. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20036076/
- Anson, G., Kane, M. A., & Lambros, V. (2016). Sleep wrinkles: Facial aging and facial distortion during sleep. Aesthetic Surgery Journal, 36(8), 931-940. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27329660/
- Berson, S. R., Klimczak, J., Prezio, E. A., Hu, S., & Abraham, M. (2018). Clinical associations between allergies and rapid eye movement sleep disturbances. International Forum of Allergy & Rhinology, 8(7), 817-824. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29461689/
- O'Brien, L. M., & Warland, J. (2014). Typical sleep positions in pregnant women. Early Human Development, 90(6), 315-317. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24661447/
