Are you a side sleeper, or a back sleeper? Perhaps you prefer to sleep on your stomach, or maybe your move around a night and don’t sleep in one single position.
We’re all unique, and we like to sleep in different ways. But, can your sleep position actually affect the quality of your rest. What’s the best position to sleep in for deep sleep? Keep reading to find out!
Does Changing My Sleep Position Help With Insomnia?
Do you have trouble getting to sleep or staying asleep? You’re not alone. Over 70 million Americans deal with some kind of chronic sleep problem. Poor sleep health can quickly spiral out of control and lead to more serious health conditions like heart disease, anxiety, diabetes, and high blood pressure.
Fortunately, there are steps those of us with sleep disorders can take to try and get a healthier night’s rest. For some, it could be as simple as switching their sleep position.
Sleeping Positions To Help With Sleeping Disorders
There are three main types of sleep positions — side sleeping, back sleeping, and stomach sleeping.
Ultimately, the best sleeping position is the one where you feel most comfortable and able to rest. However, there are certain sleep positions that are considered better for your overall health than others.
Let’s dive in and discover the pros and cons of each sleep position.
How To Properly Sleep On Your Side
According to the sleep foundation, over 60% of people spend the night sleeping on their side. It turns out, that side sleepers enjoy some serious health benefits.
Firstly, it promotes healthy spine alignment and is the position least likely to leave you waking up with back pain — which is partially why doctors recommend pregnant women sleep on their side. Side sleeping can also reduce a person’s chance of snoring and experiencing heartburn.
However, those dealing with chronic shoulder pain may want to avoid sleeping on their sides to prevent agitating their injury.
The best way to sleep on your side is to bend your knees slightly towards your chest, with a pillow pressed between the legs to reduce the pressure placed on the hips.
What About Sleeping On Your Back?
If you’re not a side sleeper, chances are you sleep on your back, as it’s the second most popular sleep position out there.
Sleeping on your back in an upright position with your legs slightly elevated can help alleviate sinus congestion. Additionally, this position helps maintain spinal alignment and also helps to reduce wrinkles.
However, back sleeping increases your chance of snoring or experiencing sleep apnea. Also, while sleeping on your back may help some people deal with back pain, it could actually exacerbate pain for others. Pregnant women, and heavier adults, should avoid sleeping on their backs.
Is Sleeping Stomach Down Bad For You?
Stomach sleeping is the rarest of all the sleep positions, and also the least healthy. According to research, only 10% of people sleep stomach-side down.
Stomach sleeping offers the least back support compared to other sleep positions and is the one most likely to leave you waking up feeling pain. Also, when you sleep on your stomach, you have to twist your neck to one side, which can alter the alignment of your spine and result in more pain.
That being said, sleeping on your stomach is helpful to alleviate snoring, as it opens up your airways effectively. However, since your ribs have to work against gravity to breathe, stomach sleeping can result in less overall rest throughout the night.
Using Sleep Aides And New Sleeping Positions To Get Better Rest.
Changing your sleep position can be a great way to try and get a better night's sleep, and improve your quality of life. But sometimes, just moving from your stomach to your side isn’t enough.
The Vitaldiol Rest capsule combines two powerful plant-based sleep remedies — CBD and melatonin. Taking one capsule 1-2 hours before bedtime in conjunction with finding your ideal sleep position can help you get better sleep and live your healthiest life!