The Best Sleep Positions for Your Posture

By Dr. Adam Meredith

An essential part of our daily routine is sleeping. It is a state wherein an individual has less awareness of environmental stimuli. Typically, a good amount of sleep should be between seven to nine hours. Some may still function well even if they only get six or lesser hours of sleep. Others may require more hours depending on what the body requires.

Sleep brings a lot of benefits to humans. It can even send someone a message in their dreams. But do you know that posture can be fixed through good sleeping positions? Let’s learn altogether how to fix posture while sleeping.

Importance of Sleep

Getting a good night’s rest contributes to our overall health and well-being. The importance of sleep has the same value as consuming a balanced diet and exercising regularly. Health professionals gathered a list of some of the benefits you can get from sleeping on time and an adequate amount of hours.

Stronger immune system

Researchers in Germany discovered that sound sleep enhances the body’s immune cells called “T cells”. T cells play a major role in the body’s immune system. They protect the body against flu, herpes, HIV, and cancer cells. Just get enough sleep and your T cells will work better.

Lower risk of heart disease

According to Sleep expert Phyllis Zee, M.D., Ph.D., our blood pressure and heart rate go down when we sleep. As a result, the work of our heart decreases. Meanwhile, those who sleep in a lesser period usually have an elevated heart rate instead of fluctuating normally. Shortened sleep can also increase C-reactive protein (CRP) which is a risk factor for heart diseases.

Less inflammation

The UCLA Cousins Center research team reports that loss of sleep can generate the main cellular pathway that promotes tissue-damaging inflammation. Sleeping well avoids pro-inflammatory activity that takes place when you have poor sleep. Additionally, getting enough sleep protects us against stress which is one of the major causes of inflammation.

Prevents migraines

You can get a migraine from lack of sleep. Moreover, not having enough sleep lowers your pain threshold. This causes you to be more sensitive to body aches, most especially migraines. The solution is to consistently get seven to eight hours of uninterrupted sleep. If you suffer from a migraine caused by a lack of sleep or any other reason, learn more about how to get rid of a migraine.

Improved productivity and focus

Sleep affects how our brain works. Sleep deprivation makes us react slower, have less energy, and face difficulty in making decisions or solving problems. Studies show that adults and kids who get good sleep acquire improved problem-solving skills and enhanced memory performance.

How Does Sleep Affect Posture?

Sleep positions serve a valuable role in our sleep quality. When we sleep, our muscles and ligaments relax and heal themselves. That is why it’s important to have a proper sleeping posture to protect your body from aching. Poor sleeping posture can result in muscle strain or back pain.

Improving Your Posture While Sleeping

The effectiveness of your sleep will enhance if you practice a good sleeping posture. One of the important components of how to fix posture while sleeping is to make sure that your sleep positions keep your spine in alignment. Check out these tips to help you sleep better, and at the same time, improve your posture.

Choosing a mattress

In general, mattresses should be replaced every 10 years or more frequently if you have the budget. However, if your mattress is causing aches and pains, then it’s time to get a new one. When looking for a mattress, choose a firm one as it can get a better hold of your skeleton. You should also consider the allotted space you can change sleeping position if you sleep beside someone.

Using the right pillow for you

One of the ways on how to improve posture is to use a pillow when you sleep. Pillows are made not just to make our sleep experience more comfortable but also to keep our spine in a neutral position. Recommendations as to how often we should change our pillows vary. But like mattresses, if our pillows make our head or neck ache, then replace them right away.

You can acquire a correct sleeping posture if you’re using the right kind of pillow. If you’re a side sleeper, choose a pillow wherein your neck can comfortably rest in a neutral position and keep your cervical, thoracic, and lumbar areas aligned correctly. If you sleep on your back, look for a firm pillow that can provide enough support to your neck. Lastly, if you’re a stomach sleeper, softer pillows are your best option.

Improving your posture during the day

We should work on our posture both day and night. Christopher Wolf, M.D. suggests positioning your head above your shoulders and the top of your shoulders above your hips when standing. This maintains a normal neck and back alignment. When sitting, the Cleveland Clinic advises us that our back should be straight, our shoulders should be back, and our butt should be able to touch the back of the chair.

Setting a proper sleeping environment

Keep your bedroom cool, dark, and quiet. These elements contribute to an ideal sleeping environment. Ditch all distractions, most especially your gadgets. It will also be helpful if you use aromatherapy and practice breathing techniques to improve sleep.

What Is the Best Overall Sleeping Position?

Some of the common sleeping positions are:

Fetal Position

Just like how a baby is positioned in the womb — the back is curved, the head is bowed, and the limbs are bent and curled up to the torso. Sleeping in this position can help minimize snoring. However, it may pressure our diaphragm and constrain our breathing.

Sleeping on Your Side

Sleeping on your side with the torso and legs extended keeps your spine elongated. This sleeping position is also beneficial to those who have sleep apnea. But if you keep your legs stacked while in this position, your spine can inadvertently rotate and this may hurt your hips. Furthermore, you may experience neck pain if there are no pillows to support your head.

Flat on Your Back

Perhaps the best sleep position, lying flat on your back balances your body weight and doesn’t require a lot of readjusting while sleeping. This position can also alleviate hip and knee pain. Most of all, you don’t need to worry about gravity-induced wrinkles as sleeping on your back protects you from having anything from rubbing on your face when you sleep.

Lying On Your Stomach

This sleeping position is good in treating snoring or sleep apnea. However, sleeping on your stomach can cause neck and back pain. Try placing a pillow under your belly to gradually minimize back pain.

Getting enough time to sleep is beneficial to everyone. This affects our overall well-being. But to achieve a good night’s rest, you should first know how to fix posture while sleeping. Factors like choosing the right kind of pillows and mattresses contribute to an appropriate sleeping posture. On top of that, you should adjust your bedroom to a suitable setting to make it conducive for sleeping.

Are you having trouble sleeping and can’t seem to find the reason why? The Holistic Life Hub can dig into the core of what’s bothering you. We offer a unique combination of neuroscience, psychology, and spirituality therapies. Click here to learn more about how we can help you!

How should I sleep to improve my posture?