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Best Sleeping Positions For Undisturbed Sleep
What is the secret to sleeping better? For starters, a high-quality and durable mattress like the Spindle Organic Hybrid Latex Mattress will do wonders to improve your sleep. However, sleeping on a genuine natural latex mattress is only half of the recipe that is needed for getting undisturbed, restful and rejuvenating sleep. The sleeping position that you choose to sleep in is just as important. Finding the optimal sleeping position on a 3rd-party certified natural latex mattress is the starting point for getting the best sleep of your life.
What is a correct sleeping position? Side sleeper, back sleeper, stomach sleeper, all-around sleeper? Of those, which position is best for sleeping? In this article, we will not only go over the best sleeping positions for undisturbed sleep but also the pros and cons of each of the most popular sleeping positions.
The Most Popular Sleeping Position
Out of all the instinctive sleeping positions that we go through in our lifetime, guess what the most popular sleeping position is? If you said side sleeping, then you are right! According to WebMD, the most popular sleeping position is the fetal position.
How To Sleep In A Fetal Position?
Although it is rather instinctive to sleep in the fetal position, as it is the most popular sleeping position, you may be doing it wrong. This can impair the overall quality of your sleep. The best way to sleep in the fetal position is by not over-curling your back. Over-curling your back seems like a more comforting and natural thing to do, however it puts more stress on your lower back and neck. Doing so can leave you waking up with unwanted neck and/or back pains.
To avoid this, the best way to sleep in the fetal position is to lay down on your side and bring your legs slightly up, but not to the point that your elbows touch your knees. Don’t rest your head on your hands or arms. Leave your arms curled up in such a way that your head isn’t putting any pressure on them. Some people may want to put an arm under their pillow, but beware that this might cause your arm to “fall asleep”.
Why Sleep In The Fetal Position?
The fetal position is the most popular sleeping position because It’s the most instinctive, and comforting position there is. The fetal position, if done right, and without over-curling your back, can reduce pressure on the spine so that you can get the most optimized sleep. Sleeping in the fetal position with a slightly curved back, and a slight bend in the knees is a for helping to alleviate back pain during and after sleep.
What is the best sleeping position to keep your body aligned?
Regardless of your preferred sleeping position, there are a few conditions that need to be met in order to keep your body aligned.
- Choose your sleeping position.
- Always try to keep your hips, ears, and shoulders aligned.
- It helps to have a mattress that is both comfortable and supportive and for this, we recommend a 3rd party certified natural latex mattress.
In order to keep your body properly aligned when you’re sleeping, it is important to be in a sleeping position that puts the least amount of strain on your spine. The optimal sleeping position, in this case, would be to sleep directly on your back. While sleeping on your back, the weight of your body is more spread out than while sleeping on your side. When sleeping on your back with a proper pillow height, your neck will be in its natural position.
Oddly enough, the worst sleeping position for body alignment is on your stomach. Sleeping on your stomach does not promote proper body alignment. In the stomach position, your head is turned to either the right or left side and your neck is in an unnatural position. You could end up waking up with a sore neck by sleeping on your stomach.
What Causes Poor Body Alignment While Sleeping?
Most of us move around quite a bit while sleeping. Whether we realize it or not, we end up in awkward positions that can lead to a sore lower back, arm, and or neck. Changing sleep positions during sleep is something we don’t have any control over.
There are a few other factors that may cause poor body alignment while trying to get a good night’s rest. The most common factor is stress. Stress may be the root cause of poor body posture while sleeping.
How Stress Affects Your Sleep
Stress is a form of psychological pain that presents itself in many different forms and comes from many different sources. Stress may be caused by an upcoming exam or the fast-approaching deadline for a work assignment. It is the number one factor that leads to poor sleep quality and poor body alignment during sleep.
You may find yourself tossing and turning more than usual while trying to fall asleep in a stressed state of mind. You might even find yourself moving into positions that have an awkward body alignment. This may continue until you either get tired enough to sleep or find a proper sleeping position to soothe your stress.
In most cases, people experiencing psychological stress find themselves in an awkward position with poor body alignment.
As a stress remedy, try these while suggestions to attain a calm state of mind and prepare yourself for restful sleep:
- Read a paperback book with a calming subject matter before bed.
- Lightbulbs: you should have warm colour temperature bulbs for your pre-sleep activities. Your evening lightbulbs should be around 2700K.
- Listen to a guided meditation in bed.
- Listen to a calming podcast in bed.
- Listen to calming music as you go to sleep. You can set your phone’s timer to stop the music when the timer ends. I recommend 30 minutes or less.
Other Factors That Cause Poor Body Alignment While Sleeping
Several factors in addition to stress can cause poor body alignment during sleep:
- Anxiety
- Muscle pains, or tight muscles
- Pregnancy
- Insomnia and other sleeping disorders
- Lack of sleep
Tips For Proper Body Alignment While Sleeping
- Keep your ears, shoulders, and hips aligned
- When turning, move your entire body along, instead of certain parts
- When sleeping on your side, add a pillow between your knees to prevent stress on your spine from your upper leg
- If you have to sleep on your stomach, place a flat pillow under the stomach and pelvis area to improve your spine’s alignment. If you have a pillow under your head and neck, ensure that it is not too lofty. Try sleeping without a pillow as an alternative.
- While sleeping on your back, you can place a pillow underneath your knees in order to support the natural curvature of your lower back.
Best Sleeping Positions:
The best sleeping position is both comforting to fall asleep in and offers the highest quality of sleep. Getting restful sleep will allow your body and muscles to recover from strenuous daily activities.
If you have a physical impairment or injury, the best sleeping position would be the one that offers the best pain relief while keeping your body aligned.
There are three major positions one can sleep in: back, side and stomach.
Sleeping On Your Back
When it comes to having a good night’s rest, you can never go wrong with sleeping on your back. Sleeping on your back is good for numerous reasons, the main reason being that it keeps your neck aligned
Sleeping on your back keeps your neck in its natural position, meaning it’s much harder for it to end up in an awkward position that could lead to neck pains upon waking.
Sleeping on your back is the ideal sleeping position for lower back pain sufferers. Your lower back pain may worsen while sleeping on your side and stomach because of the higher pressure. When sleeping on your stomach, your body weight is concentrated over a smaller area.
If you sleep on your stomach with a lower back injury, you’ll have a hard time trying to get out of bed because your lower back will be under greater strain. The benefits of sleeping on your back include keeping your spine aligned and helping to relieve sinus buildup.
Cons Of Sleeping On Your Back
Heartburn
Sleeping on your back can help relieve neck and lower back pain. However, sleeping in the back position may worsen the health problems that you already have. sleeping on your back can worsen gastroesophageal disease (GERD), also known as acid reflux or heartburn. When you sleep on your back, the acid from your stomach can flow up to your esophagus and stay there.
Snoring
Sleeping on your back can cause you to snore more than usual. While sleeping on your back, your tongue naturally falls back towards your throat. When this happens, it will cause a vibrating snoring sound every time you inhale.
Sleeping On Your Side
Sleeping on your left or right side is one of the most common ways to sleep. Most people sleep in the fetal position. Unlike sleeping on your back, sleeping on your left side has been shown to prevent heartburn. More importantly, sleeping on your left side has been proven to be beneficial for pregnant women. Side sleeping doesn’t put pressure on the fetus, and also improves blood flow to the fetus and other vital organs in the body. In addition, sleeping on your side gives your spinal cord a rest, which can help prevent back injuries.
Cons Of Sleeping On Your Side
Shoulder Pain
One of the major drawbacks of sleeping on your side is shoulder pain. The shoulder pain can come from several factors such as the position of your arms in relation to the position of your head. When lying down on the side, most people put one arm under a pillow. The weight and pressure from the head may eventually cause your arm to fall asleep, leading to shoulder pain. When sleeping on your side, your shoulder presses against the mattress which in turn pushes the shoulder towards the neck.
Sleeping on your stomach
The greatest advantage of sleeping on your stomach is that it can help to reduce snoring. Sleeping on your stomach is the optimal sleeping position if you are a heavy snorer. Stomach sleeping may help open up your airways which facilitates breathing while you sleep. Sleeping on your stomach can also help with sleep apnea.
What Are The Drawbacks Of Sleeping On Your Stomach?
Neck Pain
Sleeping on your stomach can cause neck pain. Your neck is in an unnatural position when sleeping on your side. Moreover, it’s rare to wake up in the exact same position you fall asleep in. Most people move around a great deal during sleep, and while doing so, end up in awkward positions which can lead to neck pain.
Stress On Your Spine
While lying down on your stomach, it is difficult to maintain proper spinal alignment because your neck is being pushed back. When this happens, your spine becomes compressed. This may cause your arm or hands to fall asleep.
FAQS:
What Are the Best Sleeping Positions?
The side or back.
What Is the Best Sleeping Position During Pregnancy?
The left side.
What Is the Best Sleeping Position For Lower Back Pain?
Lying down on your side in a fetal position without over-curving your back.
What Is The Best Sleeping Position For Neck Pain?
On your back.
The two most optimal sleeping positions
Most people toss and turn until they get tired enough to fall asleep. The most optimal sleeping position is either on your side or on your back. The most optimal sleeping position may differ from person to person because of health conditions, mattress and pillow quality and personal preference.
Feel free to comment down below on what your favourite sleeping position is!
Resources:
https://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/what-to-know-about-your-sleeping-posture
https://health.clevelandclinic.org/sleep-position-causing-back-pain/
https://www.webmd.com/heartburn-gerd/guide/understanding-gerd-symptoms https://health.clevelandclinic.org/sleep-position-causing-back-pain
https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?ContentTypeID=1&ContentID=4460
https://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/ss/slideshow-sleep-positions
https://www.webmd.com/heartburn-gerd/features/nighttime-heartburn-sleep-tips
https://health.clevelandclinic.org/back-side-stomach-sleep-position-best/
https://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/best-sleep-positions
https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?ContentTypeID=1&ContentID=4460
