Best Sleeping Positions for Restful Sleep
Sleeping seems to be something fairly easy. Nonetheless, doing it right may turn out to be more difficult than you would have thought. When asking how to get better sleep, you should know that your sleeping positions have a word to say in this matter. These play a role in heartburn, snoring, and even wrinkles. In the same time a lot of people develop back problems throughout their life and this also has something to do with comfortable sleeping positions. Sleeping can do a lot for you (in some cases you can lose weight while sleeping), but it could have some negative effects as well.
How to Get Better Sleep through Different Sleeping Positions? Which Are the Best and Worst Sleeping Positions?
So, which are the best sleeping positions? In what position should you be sleeping to make the best of your Z's and wake up refreshed?
1. Sleeping on your back
If you happen to be sleeping in this position, congratulations - you adopted one of the best sleep positions of them all. You should keep your head straight up so that your weight is evenly distributed along your spine. Orthopedically speaking, this is the proper sleeping position. In this position gravity is pulling down on your chest and your face which is really beneficial for the people struggling with acid reflux. If your head is slightly more elevated, the esophagus will be slightly higher than the stomach, preventing gastric acid to come back up. However, this one of the best sleep positions also has a downside - for snorers. If you suffer from sleep apnea, it will be more difficult for you to breathe.
2. Sleeping on your left side
This is the second best position to sleep in. If you sleep on your right side, you add pressure to the blood vessels, making circulation more difficult. In case you fall asleep on your right side, you are more likely to toss and turn during the night to lessen the pressure on the vessels, which results in less restful sleep. When sleeping on your left side, it is easier for the heart to pump blood to the entire body. Regardless what sleeping position, specialists suggest placing a pillow between the knees for a better alignment between the joints and hips. This will also help with better weight distribution so that you won't feel creaky in the morning.
3. The right side
As it has been mentioned before, sleeping on your right side is one of the bad sleeping positions. This is because most of your circulatory system is located on your right side and sleeping on that side adds pressure to it. The people sleeping on this side are likely to suffer from acid reflux and also heart failure. Nonetheless, there is no reason for you to freak out. If you are in a good physical condition, nothing will happen to you. On the other hand, if you do have some medical conditions, you might want to make a switch from this one of the worst sleeping positions to one of the best sleeping position for lower back.
4. Having one leg up
In case you are looking for the best sleeping position for back, having one leg higher than the other is not a good option. If you slept with both legs stretched out, it would take the pressure off the pelvis that can help with lower back pain. Having one leg drawn towards the chest will do the opposite. The pressure on the limbs is uneven, which could have negative effects on the long run. If you find yourself in the middle of the night with one leg up, you should adopt one of the healthy sleep positions and place a pillow between the legs. This will take the pressure off the pelvis and it will stabilize the legs so you will be less likely to draw one leg to the chest.
5. Sleeping on your stomach
Regardless of how comfortable this may seem, sleeping on your stomach is the worst choice you could ever make. This is a sure way to get back pain from sleeping. When you sleep on your stomach, gravity pulls down on your back, making it curve. As a result, your back will hurt in the morning. Aside from this, you will have to pull your head up to breathe, what will leave you with neck pain in the morning. If there is no other way for you to sleep, ditch your fluffy pillow for a firmer one and place a pillow or two under your pelvis for better circulation. This way your spine will be in a neutral position and you won't have to arch your lower back.
6. Fetal position
This is a good position for snorers and pregnant women. However, if you have neck or back pain, you should avoid it. You should also stay away from it if you don't want wrinkles. In case you sleep with your legs pulled to your chest and your chin tucked into the chest, you will certainly feel it in the morning. When sleeping in this position, you prevent diaphragmatic breathing. If you keep sleeping in this position, you will get wrinkles sooner than expected, not to mention that your skin can also lose its elasticity and youthful look. All you have to do is to straighten out a bit.
7. No more moving for you during the night
If you find the best sleeping position for back pain, you might swear that you won't move during the night to maintain your position. Nonetheless, you should know that this is a promise you won't be able to keep. Even the people who barely need to make their bed in the morning move 2 to 4 times per night. Other people might change positions up to 20 times during sleep. This is something absolutely normal, especially during REM sleep. Nonetheless, the position you fall asleep in is still important because this is the position you will spend the most time in.
Even if you think there isn't, there is always something you can do about the position you sleep in. you just have to educate yourself.
