What Is The Best Sleep Position For Your Health?
Many people do not give much thought to the way they sleep because sleeping seems pretty straightforward, right? However, becoming more intentional with how you sleep can make all the difference in the world when it comes to your health, including how you feel the next morning.
Not only can understanding different sleeping positions help you make a more educated buying decision when shopping for your next mattress, but it can also help identify and resolve common sleep challenges, including neck and back pain.
Integrating healthier sleep habits is a must when trying to get adequate rest, and the way you sleep is just as important! So, to help you gain more awareness around how you sleep and what changes you may want to make, we will be looking at the pros and cons of each sleep position so that you can make adjustments for a better night’s sleep.
The Pros & Cons Of Different Sleep Positions
Back Sleepers
Pros
Sleeping on your back offers the most health benefits. Though it’s not the most popular position, it is the best way to relieve any hip or knee pain while protecting your spine. Studies show that sleeping on your back uses gravity to keep your body in an even alignment, therefore reducing stress and pressure on both your joints and back.
Cons
The downside of sleeping flat on your back is that it makes it much more difficult for your partners, or anyone laying beside you to sleep if you struggle with snoring. This is because your airways become blocked by your tongue falling back into your throat. Also, if you already suffer from severe back pain, you may find yourself moving around a lot at night due to discomfort while laying on your back.
Side Sleepers
Pros
There is an ongoing debate about whether or not sleeping on your side is actually good for you. Research suggests that if you're a side sleeper, that you should practice sleeping on your left side, and not your right. Sleeping on your right side will most likely increase heartburn and acid reflux due to the way your stomach and liver is positioned.
Cons
There are also a few reasons why you may not want to consider sleeping on your side. One is that it can cause stiffness in your shoulders due to consistent pressure caused by all your body weight. Sleeping on your side can also cut off blood circulation in areas such as your arms, and may cause difficulty breathing because your organs are more compressed throughout the night.
Stomach Sleepers
Pros
Sleeping on your stomach can help reduce or even in some cases, eliminate snoring. This is primarily due to the tongue not being able to fall back into the throat, therefore eliminating air blockage. The benefits do not extend any further than that.
Cons
The downsides of sleeping on your stomach can include both back and neck pain because it flattens out the spine's natural curve, therefore straining it to a certain degree. When you sleep on your stomach, your head will also be forced sideways, which often strains the neck, resulting in pain the next morning.
In addition, sleeping on your stomach can put a lot of pressure on both your stomach and lungs, which can also make it more difficult to breathe at night. Your lungs will often work a lot harder, causing your body to lose energy throughout the night. This can result in a poor quality of sleep and cause you to become more tired throughout the day.
Combination Sleepers
Pros
The majority of people tend to sleep in a variety of positions throughout the night without even realizing it. Combination sleepers will reap the pros and cons of all positions, and will often experience less pain than stomach sleepers since there aren’t consistent amounts of pressure being applied to certain areas of the body.
Cons
On the flip side, just like reaping all the pros from all positions, you may also experience the cons from each of those positions. For example, you may experience shoulder pain from sleeping on your side, neck pain from being on your stomach, acid reflux, or heartburn from laying on your right side.
Combination sleepers can also be very restless due to constantly turning and moving at night. This can often disrupt their deep sleep cycle and can result in a poor quality of sleep.
Other Factors Concerning The Way You Sleep
The bedroom environment can have a significant influence on sleep quality and how long you can sleep without being disturbed by discomfort. Numerous factors combine to make up the sleep environment, including light, noise, and room temperature. By being attuned to what puts you at ease in your room while eliminating those that may cause stress or distraction for you, there are many ways someone can set themselves up for the best possible night's rest by simply adjusting their bedroom environment.
So, What Is The Best Sleep Position?
The majority of experts agree that sleeping on your back is the best position for reducing pressure on areas such as your neck, shoulders, hips, and knees. It also allows for better air circulation because it helps open up the airways and allows for complete lung expansion when breathing at night.
Conclusively, sleeping on your back is the best sleeping position if your primary focus is your health. However, there are drawbacks for those who struggle with snoring, or who already suffer from severe back pain.
Though it may be difficult to change sleeping positions overnight, it is encouraged that you try sleeping on your back in order to maintain a healthier sleep quality. If you tried changing sleep positions and achieved no desired result, then this may be a sign that you need to change your mattress or get a better quality pillow.