Sleep has a direct impact on your performance during the day. How well you slept the night before is directly linked with how well you will perform today. Because a good night's sleep is all you need to start your day on a healthy and positive note!
Lack of sleep not only impacts your mood but also puts you at risk for a variety of health problems. It is advised to sleep at least 7-8 at night for adults.
During sleep, your body restores and repairs itself. Your sleeping position can either help or disturb this process, depending on how well it maintains your spine's natural curvature. People frequently wake up with new aches and pains in the morning, which can be caused by their sleeping posture.
We spend one-third of our lives sleeping or resting, thus it is important to choose a sleeping position that is not only comfortable but also helps in the physical recovery of the body during the night. A good sleeping position can relieve stress on your spine while sleeping, on the other hand a bad sleeping position can increase pain and stiffness in the back, arms and shoulders.
Best Sleeping Position
Sleeping on Your Side
Sleeping on your side, particularly with a pillow between your knees, helps to adjust the hips and relieves pressure on the lower back. This position helps to retain the spine's natural curvature, preventing misalignment, which can cause discomfort. To ensure proper alignment and provide best support for your lower back, choose a pillow of the suitable thickness.
Side sleeping can also cause facial wrinkles since your face is forced against the pillow, stretching and compressing the skin. It is recommended to use a bamboo pillow since it is soft, reduces friction, and keeps the skin hydrated and glowing.
Sleeping on your left side
A person who sleeps with their head and body on the left side, which is also known as the lateral posture, finds it more comfortable to sleep at night. The arm can be under the body, slightly forward, or stretched out, with the left shoulder touching the bed.
The legs can be stacked, with the left leg underneath. The curled-up fetal position has the legs bowed and the knees brought toward the upper torso.
Most people who sleep in this position avoid the issues associated with supine sleep with better breathing. It's an excellent position for reducing the effects of sleep apnea, and also helps in reducing snoring.
If you are experiencing pain in your right shoulder or hip, this position may be more comfortable for you. Sleeping on your side can also make "spooning" with your partner easier.
This is the most comfortable and recommended position for pregnant women. Sleeping in the position can relieve any pressure on the bladder, also helps with the back pain. It is also advised for pregnant women to place a pillow under their stomach or between their knees.
Sleeping on your right side
It is recommended to sleep on the left side since gravity shifts internal organs to the right, causing the right lung to feel pressure. This will reduce the lung's ability to fill with air, and this lower volume may cause problems. The lower oxygen levels and the strain on the cardiovascular system can affect people with related health issues.
Although it is not bad to sleep on your right side. In this lateral posture, a person sleeps with their head and torso on the right side. As before, the arm may be under the body, slightly forward, or extended with pressure on the right shoulder.
Sleeping on the right side, like sleeping on the left, avoids the issues associated with supine sleep. If you're experiencing discomfort in your hip or another left-sided joint, it could get better.
Sleeping on Your Back
If you can breathe well while sleeping, this could be the best sleep position for you. The mattress provides considerable support for the body. A supporting pillow or cushion put at the knees may help to relieve back pressure and muscular or joint pain.
The supine position for sleeping refers to resting flat on one's back. The legs are normally spread out in a neutral position.
Arms can lie flat against the sides of the body. They may be leaned over, hands across the chest or stomach. Arms can also be elevated over the shoulders, with hands near the face, above or behind the head, or out to the sides.
Worst Sleeping Position
Sleeping on Your Stomach
Sleeping on your stomach is considered as one of the worst sleeping positions because it disrupts your spine's natural curve. This is because the position causes the spine to extend. It also has an effect on the neck since sleeping on the stomach forces the neck to shift to one side.
Sleeping in this position for a long time can be harmful to the neck and spine muscles. It's recommended to sleep on your back. Sleep with a pillow under your tummy to relieve back discomfort while you adjust to a new sleeping position.
Sleeping in the Fetal Position
It is a sleeping position in which a person's knees curl up against their stomach or chest. This is one of the most common sleep positions.
However, we are unaware that this is not a good position to sleep in as it causes the spine to flex, resulting in an abnormal C-shape rather than the usual S-shape of the spine. It can also impact the spinal discs.
Spinal discs are jelly-like structures that can swell out on one side when pressure is applied from the opposite side. When you sleep in this posture, these discs are forced back, causing the disc to bulge and putting you at risk of spinal disorders such as slipped disc.
It is advised to avoid sleeping in this position.
Conclusion
Getting a good night's sleep is very important for your health and well-being, but the position you choose to sleep in can have a major impact on your quality of sleep and therefore health.
Bad sleeping position can worsen breathing problems (such as sleep apnea) or aggravate back and neck pain.
When deciding on the best sleeping posture for yourself, take into account joint pain, sleep apnea, and any other issues you may have. Take as much care of your head and neck as you do the rest of your body. A slightly stretched neck can improve breathing.
You can consider using a bed pillow to support your neck and spine during sleeping. You can also place the pillow between your legs to relieve pressure.
It is normal to wake from sleep to change position, even if you don't remember it. For the best sleep, allow some flexibility in your sleep positions.