Is there an ideal sleeping position?
It is perfectly legitimate to worry about this, considering that we spend 1/3 of our lives is spent sleeping or resting! There are several reasons why you might ask yourself what the ideal sleeping position is.
First of all, one might wish for better quality of sleep and feel more refreshed in the morning and experience fewer sleep disturbances . You might also want to prevent back or neck pain from occurring or getting worse. Or you might want to stop snoring, improve digestion, bother your partner less , or find a more comfortable sleeping position .
One thing that will put your mind at ease and make your life easier is that there isn't just "THE" one sleeping position—there is "THE" right one for you, unless you have a specific health issue. These positions are unique to each person. You have everything you need within yourself to figure them out on your own.
How can you do that? Here are three tips that are easy to put into practice:
1. Feel free to assume any position you like, even if it
seems strange;
2. Change your position if you feel pain anywhere, if you
If you feel tension or if you wake up in the morning with pain that
didn't have the day before;
3. Use pillows or neck rolls to get more comfortable.
As you've probably already noticed, there's no such thing as a bad position.
Let's now take a look, one by one, at the items you might have questions about.
What should we make of the different sleeping positions?
We'll take a look at the sleeping positions that most people use or that raise the most questions.
Sleeping on Your Stomach
Some people find it uncomfortable to lie on their stomachs: Only 7% of people sleep on their stomachs. In this case, you can bend one leg, lie on your side at a ¾ angle, or place a pillow or neck roll under your stomach and between your legs. This makes sleeping on your stomach more comfortable.
Sleeping on Your Side
This is the most commonly preferred position: 54% of people sleep this way! The older you get or the more weight you gain, the more popular this position becomes.
There is a variation of the side-lying position: the fetal position, also known as the "lap dog" position. This position is often very comfortable. Like all the others, it’s fine as long as it doesn’t cause pain when you try it!
Sleeping in a semi-seated position
This condition is often adopted when one is sick or has a cold when you have trouble breathing properly. It is also used for lumbago, sciatica, lower back pain, or digestive problems.
It's not a problem to sleep in a semi-seated position if it only takes a few days to get through a crisis. In the long run, however, it can lead to pain, especially in the back. You may also lose the ability to lie flat.
It is therefore one of the few positions you should use only in moderation. It is better to sleep with your head slightly elevated by one or more pillows.
Sleeping on Your Back
Some people sleep better on their backs if they use a pillow or a neck roll under their legs. Others prefer to hold a pillow between their arms—that’s fine, too! Ultimately, it’s up to you whether you cross your legs or arms or not. This has no negative effects on your spine. Plus, you’ll naturally have the reflex to change your position throughout the night.
The Right Positions for a Specific Health Condition
Even if you have health issues, there is no single position that you should avoid at all costs. It may simply be that some positions are more comfortable or less problematic than others. We describe them below.
Lumbago, Back Pain
When you have back pain, it can be very difficult to find a comfortable position to find.
In this context, it is better to side-lying position. You can also use all kinds of pillows (especially nursing pillows) or neck rolls to make it more comfortable. Finally, it’s a good idea to bend your legs or place a pillow between them.
Neck Pain, Stiff Neck (Torticollis)
When you have neck pain, you often have trouble finding a comfortable position. In this case, you can try different pillows. Avoid lying on your stomach, as this can cause pain. Finally, place a heating pad around your neck to relieve your pain.
Pregnant women
The further along you are in your pregnancy, the harder it will be for you to sleep on your stomach. If you sleep on your back, you'll probably need to place pillows under your legs to relieve pressure on your back.
The ideal position for pregnant women is still the lateral position. For example, with a nursing pillow between the legs.
Sometimes you may be advised to spend some time lying on your left side. This reduces pressure on the liver and improves blood flow to the fetus, the uterus, the kidneys, and the heart.
Sleep Apnea
For sleep apnea, whether or not you wear a hearing aid, sleeping on your side is recommended. It can reduce the severity of the apnea.
What are some good sleeping positions for couples?
If we sleep together regularly as a couple, our sleep is sometimes of poorer quality. We disturb each other and can’t find a comfortable position together.
The same applies here: There is no ideal sleeping positionthat works for everyone and every body type.
To sleep well as a couple, you should pay attention not only to your sleeping position but also to other factors. For example, you can use a get a bigger bed, put two single beds together or even use .
There's just one important thing you should keep in mind: the (low) risk of “love paralysis” (also known as “honeymoon paralysis”). It can occur when a person (usually a woman) rests her head on her sleeping partner’s shoulder for too long. The partner then wakes up with a sore, and sometimes even paralyzed, arm.
Don't worry: This only happens if you remain in this position . Usually, the person begins to feel a numbness and the urge to change position before paralysis sets in.[1]
