Sleeping Positions To Stay Healthy: Ten Best And Worst Ways To Sleep During The Night

By: Gwen

10 - Sleeping on your back

Sleeping on your back keeps your neck, head, and spine in a neutral position without exerting any pressure on the back. This is a good sleeping position as recommended by doctors. Not only does it have a positive effect on the person’s spiritual being, but many doctors also agree that sleeping in savasana pose is good for neck and spine health.

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This is because you have to keep your back straight and not force it into any contortions. In addition, back sleeping on an orthopaedic mattress gives your spine extra support. In fact, if you want to avoid waking up with a strained neck, you should sleep in this position every night, with or without a pillow. What’s more, spending all night with your face out will also lead to fewer wrinkles. Just make sure you don’t use too many pillows as your breathing may get affected.

9 - Sleeping on your side

Patients suffering from obstructive sleep apnea or those who are prone to snoring should consider sleeping on their side.. Lying on the bed on your side is helpful as it aligns the spine and prevents backache. The downside to side-sleeping is that it can cause unwanted facial wrinkles. Pressing half of body on the mattress will also lead to saggy breasts so it’s not recommended to stay in this position all night.

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Physicians encourage pregnant women to sleep on their left side for better blood flow to the heart, which is beneficial for both mother and baby. If you’re suffering from heartburn or indigestion, this side-sleeping will ease your conditions. At the same time, extra pressure can be put on the lungs and stomach and cause organ strain. Almost all side-sleepers wake up with numbness in their arms as this is one of the most common sleep positions. Only heavily pregnant women are also recommended to sleep in this position.

8 - Sleeping on your stomach

Sleeping on your stomach is to be avoided as it puts a lot of strain on your spine. The pressure it puts on your muscles and joints will lead to numbness as if you have pins and needles in your hands and legs.

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Further strain is placed on your neck as it’s forced to be in a tight position and therefore, restricts breathing. When you’re sleeping in this position, your organs’ movements slow down or totally stop due to the pressure that’s exerted on them. Stomach-sleeping is only beneficial for heavy snorers as it helps them keep their upper airways open.

7 - Foetal position

Foetal position is when you’re curled up into a ball hugging your drawn-up knees. This is probably one of the worst positions to sleep as it can cause a number of problems with your neck and back. Sleeping like a foetus restricts breathing, especially if you’re a snorer or pregnant. In fact, the quality of your sleep will be severely affected due to breathing restriction. According to psychologists, foetal sleepers are more likely to worry and stress about their lives

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During sleep, the back area has no compression, which leads to wear and tear in the discs. If you have to sleep in this position, take care not to misalign your neck and check that your pillow isn’t too high or low as it can further strain the muscles. The constant pressure on the base of the skull can radiate pain to the top of the head all the way down the back. You’ll only end up waking up with a sore neck and a tension headache in the morning.

6 - Pillow-supplemented position

To get a better rest with less spinal pain, consider the pillow-supplemented position. Even if you prefer sleeping on your back, you can easily place a pillow between your knees without straining your spine. Stomach sleepers should place the pillow under the hips for extra support to the joints. Whichever position you’re most comfortable with, you can easily use extra pillows for support.

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This will result in improved sleep and much less discomfort. Placing extra pillows at either of your sides will provide hip support, especially if you lie on your back. For complete and painless relaxation, consider placing a pillow under your feet whilst you’re in this position. The main thing is to be able to fall asleep comfortably for at least 6 hours. By maintaining a comfortable position, your body will gain numerous health benefits and your sleep quality will surely improve.

5 - On your back with your arms up

This position is better known as “starfish” and is considered to be good for the back. Sleeping on your back with your arms up prevents facial wrinkles, but when you’re in an arms-down position, you’ll end up snoring or experiencing acid reflux. The other downside to starfish position is that it can put pressure on your shoulders so it’s best to use extra pillows in order to prevent discomfort.

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Starfish sleepers who lie on their backs tend to be good listeners and always want to help people, but they’re uncomfortable with being the centre of attention. A recent clinical trial that involved 50 participants revealed that starfish sleepers are more likely to suffer from poor night’s sleep. However, the quality of these people’s sleep improved once a pillow was placed under each arm.

4 - Couples sleeping on the edge of the bed, facing in opposite directions

This is known as a pre-divorce position where estranged couples leave lots of space between themselves during sleep. Psychologists state that only 3 per cent of couples sleep over 40 inches apart, but this doesn’t mean the relationship is over. If there are only a couple of inches between you, it can simply mean that you need less body temperature and don’t wish to be touched, especially in the heat of the summer.

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The important thing is not so much about how far apart you’re both sleeping but how often you’re touching during the night. Up to 90 per cent of couples who sleep on the edge of the bed, facing away from each other are happy and content in their relationship, however, if this habit continues; you may need to re-think your relationship!

3 - Spooning

Spooning is perfect for reducing stress, but the downside is that it can cause aches and pains. A study conducted by psychologist James Hardwick revealed that physical touch, even while sleeping, minimises stress in both women and men. Spooning means you’re forcing your body into a position that increases aches and pains in the muscles.

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Lying on your side, facing away from your partner, can cause shoulder and back strain, while sleeping in your loved one’s arm may lead to misalignment of the neck and spine area. The next time you’re sharing your bed with your wife or husband, avoid spooning even if it means putting some distance between the two of you. Purchase two single-sized mattresses that are zipped together and make sure they’re not too firm or too soft.

2 - Couples facing each other

Sleeping next to your partner with your bodies facing each other allows for two of you to have some physical contact. You get full access to your partner’s chest, legs, and feet. This position also allows couples to keep an eye on one another or cuddle up and rest the chest or shoulder on each other.

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This particular position is obviously very intimate as it allows you to place your arms around your partner in a protective manner. It’s a healthy sleeping position due to its high level of intimacy. Sleeping face-to-face is a good opportunity to narrow the distance and connect with your loved one, so it’s comes highly recommended to try this position.

1 - You sleep back to back without touching

Sleeping back to back is the most popular position (55 per cent of couples prefer sleeping this way). Psychological studies state that it’s much more comfortable to sleep on your own than back to back with someone you love. Back to back sleepers are likely to be in good shape and affectionate but they can be afraid of intimacy. To lessen the distance between the two people, it’s best to keep less than an inch away from each other.

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A recent survey suggested that up to 80 per cent of couples who slept less than an inch away were content in their relationships. Those who have no physical contact whatsoever while sleeping may face problems. According to professor Richard Wiseman, 90 per cent of couples who maintained some sort of contact with one another led happy lives, compared to just 10 per cent of those that didn’t. People’s sleeping positions and habits allow psychologists to gain an insight into the state of their relationship and personality. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean that if you sleep in a back to back position your relationship is in trouble. Sometimes after a hard day’s work, couples just want to fall into a deep sleep without any distractions.

Article source: https://www.hithenews.com/sleeping-positions-to-stay-healthy-ten-best-and-worst-ways-to-sleep-during-the-night-116.html

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