Best Sleeping Positions For Your Health

Once you turn off the lights, you are ready to sleep! When you curl up in your bed at night, you will probably settle into your favorite sleep position. What is your position for sleep? How to sleep well at night?

Sleeping is one of the biggest parts of our lives. There are days when you will probably not get eight hours of sleep. But there is more about your ideal sleeping position as that plays a big role in your sleep quantity and quality.

Different sleep positions have different benefits. So if you are struggling with pain or other health issues, you must know your correct sleeping position to manage this condition. This is nothing that can be solved overnight; rather it is something that you need to try out with time. Are you ready? This might be time for you to switch up your habit.

But before you get to know more about healthy sleeping positions, do remember that every individual is unique. Something that works for another person might not work for you, so do not stress over it. 

Best sleeping position for your health:

1. Sleeping on your side- Among many healthy sleeping positions, it turns out that sleeping on your side (especially left) is actually very helpful for your body. It can not only help in reducing snoring, but it can also be very helpful for the digestion of your food. It is often said that it can also reduce heartburn. 

In fact, some researchers conducted a very small experiment on 10 people over the course of 2 days. It has been seen that participants who have slept on their right side after having a high fat dinner, has experienced heartburn and acid reflux. Whereas, people who had the same dinner and slept on their left side, did not experience any such issue. So, this makes it clear how a correct sleeping posture can help you. 

However, sleeping on one side constantly may not end up being best sleeping position for all. It may result in causing stiffness in your shoulders, jaw tightness, one-sided headache, and even wrinkles. So, the researchers suggested that it could be the best reason to switch sides at night when sleeping.  

Additionally, it would be best if you add a pillow between your lower legs as that will help to attain a better alignment and a correct sleeping posture. This can help to reduce any lower back pain. 

1. Lying down flat on your back- Another most popular and best sleeping position for most of the people. This position offers maximum health benefits by protecting your spine and relieving hip and knee pain. 

According to many doctors, lying down flat on your back actually utilizes the gravitational force and keeps your body in a straight alignment. This is considered as the best posture to sleep as it keeps your spine protected and also helps in reducing unnecessary pressure on your back or joints. A pillow behind your knees may actually help in maintaining the natural curve of the body. Additionally, you may be surprised to know that sleeping on your back can also make you look fresh and you can be free from unwanted wrinkles.

But people who are already suffering from backache must consult with their doctor about their ideal sleeping position and get guidance about it. People who are struggling with snoring or sleep Apnea might not try sleeping on their backs as that may even worsen the case. 

1. Lying on your stomach- Researches have ranked this particular sleeping position right at the bottom of the list. But this is the best sleeping position to avoid snoring, sleep Apnea and a lot of other issues. 

However, sleeping on your stomach might not be a correct sleeping position as it can be utterly harmful to your health. It may cause back pain or neck pain and can also add a lot of unnecessary strain to the muscles and joints of your body which may lead to a painful and tiring morning after you wake up. Even though, placing a pillow under the lower belly might help to reduce such pain for few.

1. Fetal Sleeping position- It has been estimated that 5 out of 10 people choose the fetal position as the best posture of sleep. In this position, you are basically lying on your side and your torso and knees are bent giving it a “G” like shape. This can be the best position for pregnant women because it can stimulate blood circulation and make sure that the baby receives sufficient nutrients. This position also prevents uterus from pressing against the liver. However, people with arthritis must not choose this position as that may even worsen their pain. 

1. Freefall sleeping position- This is yet another comfortable and good sleeping position where arms lie down on your stomach with your arms tucked under your pillow or either side of your head. This can turn out to be a great position for people with back and neck pain. You can even make your position comfortable by stuffing a pillow or blanket under your forehead. 

What’s important?

• Maintain optimum bedroom hygiene- Apart from maintaining the right position to sleep, remember bedroom hygiene is very important for quality sleep. You must keep washing your sheets often and keep the bed free from dust. You must use clean curtains that can dim the light at night and can lighten up the morning sunshine in the morning. This can help you to reset the natural clock in your body. You must also try to maintain an optimum room temperature that you are comfortable with. 
• The mattress you choose- You might not even feel comfortable even after switching up to healthy sleeping positions. Then it’s time that you must have a look at the mattress and pillows you are using. Mattresses and pillows are equally responsible for your sleeping position and sleep quality. In fact, choosing the right mattress can be even more difficult. 

A mattress is called an ideal one if it is firm enough to support your body and soft enough to feel comfortable. So you may buy mattress online or go to some store to replace old mattresses and pillows. Get the one that works for you!