What is the best position when sleeping? Which way do you prefer to sleep on your stomach, on your side, or your back? You may have a preferred sleeping posture or you may feel the need to change it from time to time.
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Be that as it may, adopting a correct posture during the night can make a difference in how you feel when you wake up or, more generally, in your well-being and quality of life.
A good sleeping position allows you to have your neck, and by extension your entire spine, in a “neutral” position, that is, free of tension. In practice, it means being able to align the nose with the center of one’s body.
Are you sure you are adopting the best posture for your body?
How you sleep affects the quality of your life
Do not underestimate the value of adopting a correct posture in bed: it is the place where we spend around 40% of our lives.
Also, if you think about it, there is no other place where you spend so many hours consecutively, so having a bad posture there means seriously impacting your body’s health.
Your sleeping position, in fact, not only affects the quality of your rest but also your health in general. Improper sleeping posture can potentially be the cause of back pain or stiff neck, a general feeling of tiredness, sleep apnea, muscle cramps, poor circulation, headache, heartburn, tummy ache, or even premature wrinkles.
And that’s not all. Some studies have shown that a poor sleeping position can impair our body’s ability to eliminate toxins from the brain, that is, all those waste substances from neuronal activity that accumulate throughout the day, which increases chances of developing neurological problems ( Study by Stony Brook University ).
Also Read: Melatonin Properties Is The Natural Solution To All Sleep Problems
And you, what position do you prefer to sleep in?
Read on to find out how your sleeping position can affect your health, according to different points of view.
The 6 sleeping positions
Scientific publications have identified 6 positions that are normally adopted during the night’s rest. These are grouped into 3 main categories:
3 categories of the 6 sleeping positions: side, stomach, back
- Sideways
- Prone position (face down)
- Supine position (face up)
It is difficult to maintain the same position throughout the night. The normal thing is that you wake up in a different posture than the one you adopted when you fell asleep.
The downside is that these changes in position often turn into real sleep disorders, as they cause frequent interruptions in natural sleep cycles and negatively impact the quality of your rest.
This should not be overlooked, if you do you will be decreasing your quality of life. Oftentimes, the cause of much of your body’s discomfort lurks right in your bed.
Also Read: Sleep Apnea Types And Effects And Treatment By Experts
So let’s see what can help you improve the quality of your Sleeping posture.
sleeping on your side: the 3 positions
Fetal, trunk and semi-fetal position: the 3 positions to sleep on your side sleeping on your side is the most popular modality today since it is chosen by 69% of the population. It seems to be the best sleeping position, especially when choosing to sleep on the left side.
There is a scientific motivation behind this popularity. According to what the National Sleep Foundation affirms, the lateral position helps the circulation of the body, also having a positive effect in reducing snoring. It is also useful for pregnant women: positioning on the left side prevents the uterus from being compressed against the liver, which is on the right side.
It also seems that the lateral position is the best for brain activity. Some scientific studies have recently ensured that during the night our brain purges itself of the toxins accumulated during the day. Although it has not yet been scientifically proven, these studies suggest that there is a direct correlation between the lateral position when sleeping and an improvement in the ability to eliminate these toxins.
But beware! Although this position has recommends for snorers, there are some risks that you should be aware of, especially if you suffer from arthritis.
If we want to look at this question in more detail: Risks and Benefits of Different Sleeping Position by Experts
How to improve your sleeping posture
The bed, and more specifically the pillow, are an important factor in preventing problems related to the neck and back. More than half of the chronic problems in this area will cause or worsen by the position adopted in bed.
Now you have more information about the impact that sleep postures have on your health.
We have stressed the importance of keeping the entire spine in a neutral. Hence, stress-free position, and have found that the pillow plays a key role in this alignment process.
Make sure you have the right pillow for you:
if it’s too high, you risk your neck bending too far towards your chest; if it’s too low, your neck will bend up.
You probably now better understand why a standard pillow is not the best solution for everyone. Each of us has a different physical makeup, with specific measurements, and unique needs and habits.
Furthermore, what is relaxing for one person for perceiving an uncomfortable by another person. A tailor-made solution is what allows you to have the most suitable pillow for you. Thus, maximizing the relaxing experience in your bed.
Positioning your neck at the correct height is a key factor for your health. Don’t settle.
Choose the best pillow FOR YOU. Depending on your preferences, your needs, your sleeping style or, even better. Depending on what helps you change your bad sleeping habits.
