Healthiest Sleep Position
In order to maximize good health, you may want to select the healthiest sleep position. This is just a small aspect that can affect illness and injury. The ways in which sleep position can help are mostly preventative. Proactively seeking the healthiest position is one of many tasks on the journey to a healthy lifestyle. To maximize the benefits, maintain a proper diet and exercise regularly. Also capitalize on good sleep practices, which means getting adequate sleep on a regular schedule. Sleep positioning can help with many health-related issues. There are positions beneficial for digestion, sleep apnea with snoring, asthma, lymph health, spine health, and acid reflux.
Right Side, Left Side, Back or Stomach?
The healthiest position for you may not be the healthiest for someone else. Although we generally have the same basic body structure, we differ in body types and sizes. Most of the information you will find is generic and applies to average circumstances. If you already have a specific medical condition, the healthiest sleep position may be one that addresses it. For example, the benefits of a certain sleeping position may be significantly more important for someone with sleep apnea or other breathing-related issues. Similarly, pregnancy can influence which sleep positions are healthiest. Another thing to consider is that you might not want to sleep in the same position every night. Moderation can help you sleep better when it comes to choosing the healthiest sleep position. Research performed by the University of California linked sleeping in the same position nightly to recurrent kidney stones.
Healthiest Position for Back Pain and Sleep Posture
Provided there are no current illnesses or injuries to consider, choose the healthiest position for spinal alignment. Consider the origin of your back pain, as well as factors like body weight and type. Generally, those who suffer from back pain will want to sleep on their back or side. The key is to place your body in a neutral position, which evenly distributes your body weight. Finding the position that best achieves this for you will help eliminate any pressure points you encounter. A flat mattress will likely require the use of pillows to accomplish this goal. To achieve the healthiest sleep posture, you also need to maintain a neutral spinal position. Neck and back pain are often worsened by straining muscles or joints along the spine during sleep. For correct sleep posture, sleeping on your back is usually best, provided you use a pillow beneath your neck and lower limbs
Sleeping Position for Heartburn and Digestion
If you struggle with heartburn that worsens at night, the healthiest sleep position for you is sleeping on your left side. In the absence of an adjustable bed incline, this position may help the most. That’s because sleeping on the right side prolongs acid clearance, whereas gravity works to your advantage when sleeping on the left side. This reduces both the average reflux time and acid exposure, according to an analysis of multiple trials. Additionally, the lymphatic system functions best when sleeping on your left side, likely due to gravity assisting lymph drainage, which helps remove toxins from the body. Regarding digestion, side sleepers have a lower chance of intestinal disorders.
Sleeping Position in Pregnancy
With the obvious comfort issues of being pregnant, the healthiest sleep position for pregnant women is on the side. Any other position could put pressure on the mother’s organs, causing breathing difficulties and other problems. The preferred side to sleep on is the left side because sleeping on the right may restrict blood flow through the vena cava. This blood flow is essential to deliver nutrients to the baby. The vena cava runs alongside the right of the spine, so left-sided sleeping prevents any pressure that could block this supply. However, in the early stages of pregnancy, this might not be the ideal position. It is important to assess any other medical concerns and consult your OBGYN. Other medical conditions requiring a different sleep position may take priority.
Other Suggestions
- Sniffles got you down? Try sleeping with head pillow support. This position may give you relief from a stuffy nose by allowing for drainage.
- Do not sleep on your stomach. Many medical professionals in several health fields discourage sleeping on the stomach. It can restrict breathing, put pressure on organs and even cause facial wrinkles.
- The healthiest sleep position for sleep apnea is on the side since it is the least restrictive of airways. Also, inclining an adjustable base can help you with this issue as well.
