Best sleep positions?

Most experts say that sleeping on your back with your head slightly elevated is generally the best sleeping position. This position stresses the body to the minimum and doesn’t force it into unnatural bends, and can also help minimize acid reflux, since the stomach is lower than the head. Side sleeping is also fine, but sleeping in the fetal position or on your stomach is not recommended.

Four main types: pros and cons:
Sleeping on your back

Sleeping on your back is generally considered the best position for most people. Back sleepers should ensure that the head is slightly elevated, but only so the head is in line with the natural curve of the neck. Having your head resting directly on the mattress can be uncomfortable, and having a pillow that is too high can push your head and neck forward too far and inhibit your breathing. Back sleepers could also try placing a pillow under their knees to relax their lower back.

Pros: This position is best for the way it allows the spine to rest in its natural curved shape. It can also help prevent acid reflux and help promote circulation. Sleeping on your back can also have aesthetic benefits, especially for women: since the weight of the breasts is supported in this position, the breasts can better maintain their shape over time. People who sleep on their backs may also have fewer wrinkles, since their faces aren’t pressed against anything while they sleep.

Cons: This position is not good for people who snore or people with certain back problems like degenerative disc disease. It’s also not good for people with sleep apnea unless the head is elevated at least 30°. Sleeping on your back is also not ideal for pregnant women, although it is recommended for babies.

Side sleeping
Sleeping on your side, but not curled up in a fetal position, is also considered a good enough position to sleep. Both the left and right sides are fine for sleeping, but anyone who sleeps on their side should make sure they use a pillow large enough to keep their neck from slouching up or down. Having your neck in a neutral position can help prevent stiffness and pain in your back and neck. It’s also important not to sleep resting on a hand or arm, as this means that the hand or arm is being compressed by an 8 to 10 kg (3.62 to 4.5 lb) head for hours at a time. The side sleeping position is recommended for pregnant women.

Pros: This pose is good for your back, as it’s quite stretched out, and it can also help with acid reflux since your head is still elevated above the rest of your body. Those with severe acid reflux may want to try sleeping on their left side, as this helps keep the ring of muscle between the stomach and throat closed. Side sleeping can also help prevent snoring and is good for sleep apnea sufferers.

Cons: Side sleepers are at risk of neck and shoulder pain if they choose the wrong type of pillow, and may eventually get wrinkles and sagging breasts due to facial pressure on the pillow and the effect of gravity on the breasts . Side sleeping is also not good for those with bursitis, as it can cause pain in the hip and shoulder, or for those with rotator cuff issues, as they can be aggravated by pressure on the shoulder. One study even found that sleeping on the left side can help reduce heart pressure and output in people who already have heart problems.

Fetal position
The fetal position is actually the most popular position, particularly among women, but it’s not great for the body. Side sleepers should use a pillow like the side sleeper and make sure their head and neck are aligned with the mattress as parallel as possible.
Pros: Sleeping in the fetal position is associated with some of the benefits of sleeping on both your back and side, including being helpful for acid reflux, snoring, and sleep apnea. It can also help relax the back and is useful for warming up at night. Sleeping on the left side in the fetal position is one of the recommended sleeping positions for pregnant women.

Cons: Like the side position, sleeping in the fetal position can cause back and shoulder pain if a person uses the wrong type of pillow. This position can also put strain on the knee joints if the knees are too tight to the body and can squeeze internal organs together. The hunched over position is also not very good for breathing, as it makes it difficult to breathe deeply from the diaphragm. It can also lead to wrinkles and sagging breasts.
Sleeping on the stomach
This is generally considered the worst sleeping position because it puts a lot of pressure on the body, especially the back. Stomach sleepers should consider using a full-length body pillow to support one side of their stomach and take some of the pressure off the body. The pillow that supports the head or neck should be thin to keep the neck in as natural alignment as possible.
Pro: Snorers may benefit from sleeping on their stomachs, as it opens up the upper airways. Sleeping on your stomach from time to time can also help loosen up your lower back.
Cons: The stomach sleeping position puts a lot of pressure on your back, neck, and shoulders. When people sleep on their stomachs, the natural curve of the back is disrupted, which can lead to soreness. Stomach sleepers also have to keep their neck turned to one side for extended periods of time, which can bring the neck out of alignment with the spine and can also lead to nerve irritation.

This position also presses the breasts against the body, which isn’t great for her long-term shape, and puts pressure on the abdomen and sometimes the internal organs. Like all positions except sleeping on your back, sleeping on your stomach can also lead to wrinkles.
Special cases:
Pregnant women
Obstetricians recommend that pregnant women sleep on their left side, particularly after the first trimester. This position is said to deliver more blood to the placenta, the part of the uterus that facilitates nutrition for a fetus. Sleeping on the left side can also reduce the risk of stillbirth. A New Zealand study found that about twice as many women stillborn after sleeping on their right side as women who slept on their left side, although the overall number of stillbirths was still very low. Pregnant women shouldn’t sleep on their backs, as this can lead to a variety of health problems, including back pain, hemorrhoids, and decreased circulation to the uterus.
The left side sleeping position is also known as the Sleep On Side (SOS) position. For best results with this position, pregnant women should sleep with a pillow between their knees and one supporting their stomach, if needed. The knees can be bent or pulled towards the belly in the fetal position.
Pregnant women also have a number of sleep-related problems that can sometimes be addressed with a change in sleeping position, including back pain, heartburn during the night and shortness of breath. To help with these issues, pregnant women should try sleeping in the SOS position with a pillow to support their tummy. This pillow and the one between your knees can help take the pressure off your back while you sleep. For heartburn, pregnant women can try sleeping in the SOS position, but supporting the upper body with pillows. This position can also help with the shortness of breath that many pregnant women experience late in their pregnancies.
Babies
The best sleeping position for most newborns and infants is on their backs. While sleeping on your stomach was once the recommended position, it has been found to be linked to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). This is because babies on their tummies are more likely to breathe in the carbon dioxide they exhale and are often unable to move enough to change position to a position that gives them fresh air. Some babies have health issues that mean they need to sleep in another position than on their back, so parents should always consult their pediatrician.
Others
Some people have medical conditions that benefit from sleeping in certain positions. For example, those with sciatica or may not be able to sleep comfortably on their backs and sides, but are fine on their stomachs. Those who are paraplegics or quadriplegics may find sleeping in certain positions uncomfortable or may need sleeping accessories to get into a comfortable position. It’s also important to consider sleeping positions for those who can’t move easily to prevent pressure sores from occurring.
There are many bed and pillow designs that cater for a wide variety of conditions, so anyone who is uncomfortable in their current sleeping position, regardless of health, should consider asking a doctor about a change in sleeping positions or for help with sleep.

How to change your sleeping position:
It can be difficult to go from a less than ideal sleeping position to a good one, but it’s certainly not impossible. Much depends on the type of equipment used for sleeping. For many people, a change in the type of pillow they use can help improve sleep or change their sleeping position if needed. For example, stomach sleepers may find it easier to change positions if they use a neck pillow, which is shaped to fit the neck of someone who sleeps on their back or side. Someone who wants to transition from back to side sleeping might try using a pillow that is designed to fit between the knees, which makes the position more comfortable.

There are also many different types of mattresses and accessories that provide support for specific types of sleeping positions and can be used to help train the body into a new position. While sleeping position is important, it’s also worth remembering that people tend to change their sleeping position several times during the night and that there is no one position that is always best for everyone.
Additional Resources:
Siti internet:
www.americanpregnancy.org — Learn about the best sleeping positions during pregnancy.

www.nicdh.nih.gov — Information for parents on sleeping positions for babies.

Video:
Video 1 — Learn more about sleep positions and sleeping posture.

Video 2 — Information from a doctor on sleeping positions and pillows.
Video 3 — Learn about sleep positions and back pain from a chiropractor.

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