Everyone has a favourite sleeping position, even if they do choose to change it up every now and then. Dependent on your situation, getting your sleeping posture right can make a big difference in the way you feel when you wake up so for those who are pregnant or have certain health problems, the way they sleep is important.
Even with the best Brooklyn bedding mattress or the comfiest pillows, sleeping in the wrong way can cause or aggravate neck or back pain and can even obstruct the airways to your lungs.
Keep reading to learn how the way you sleep could be impacting your health:
Sleeping on your stomach
Sometimes referred to as the prone position, sleeping on the stomach is not overly common but is still favoured by millions. It is said to help ease snoring by shifting obstructions from your airway but sleeping in this position may also aggravate other medical conditions since your neck and spine are not in a neutral position when you sleep on your stomach.
If you are a stomach sleeper, it is worth changing up your habits as it can cause neck and back pain as well as putting pressure on nerves which may cause numbness, tingling, and nerve pain. Alternatively, propping your forehead on a pillow so your head and spine remain in a neutral position can help since you have room to breathe, improving your posture if you do choose to lie on your stomach.
Sleeping on your back
Sometimes referred to as the supine position, sleeping on the back can lead to lower back pain or can make existing back issues worse. It is recommended that you avoid this position if you are in late pregnancy or if you suffer from snoring or sleep apnea since it may aggravate these conditions. However, sleeping on your back with your head slightly elevated using a small pillow is considered the best sleeping position for heartburn and there are further health benefits to sleeping on your back, since your head, neck, and spine are in a neutral position so you’re less likely to experience neck pain.
Sleeping on your side
Sometimes referred to as the lateral sleeping position, sleeping on the side is the most popular choice which many of us choose on a daily basis. This position can be good for those who snore and is also beneficial if you have some forms of arthritis. Curling up too much may prevent you from breathing deeply as doing so may restrict your diaphragm and sleeping in the side position can also make you sore.
It is also suggested that sleeping on your side could be good for your brain as when we sleep, this is the time when our brains clear out waste more quickly. Whether the position you sleep in influences this waste removal is unclear, but a professional study performed suggests that sleeping in this position might clear brain waste more efficiently than other postures we sleep in.
