If You Want a Good Night’s Sleep, Do This

Stop and take a moment to think about your sleeping position. Do you sleep on your side, possibly in the fetal position? Do you lay on your stomach with your head cranked to one side? Or are you continually changing positions throughout the night? Well, the position in which you sleep can play a significant role not only in how well you sleep, but how healthy you are too.

Sleep is an integral part of health as it is a restorative state for the body, so how we sleep and how much sleep we get can have a tremendous impact on our health.

Before we get into the best sleeping position for sleep and health, it’s important to discuss the worst.

The worst position you can sleep in is on your stomach, and for many reasons. Although sleeping on your stomach may reduce snoring, it is highly linked with back and neck problems. This is because sleeping on your stomach doesn’t keep your spine neutral. Upon awakening, you can find yourself in pain. Sleeping on your stomach also put added stress on your muscles and joints, which can lead to numbness, tingling, aches, and irritated nerves.

The best sleeping position? On your back.

Although sleeping on your back increases the risk of snoring, it keeps your spine and neck in a neutral position, reducing the risk of aches and pains. Sleeping on your back also reduces the risk of acid reflux.

Along with the right sleeping position, having an excellent nighttime routine can aid in improving sleep. This means ensuring your room is of the right temperature – not too warm or cold. You should have a supportive pillow and mattress, and wind down before bed either with some meditation, a warm beverage, or bath.

Also read:

• Your sleeping position affects your brain and overall health
• Your sleep position and your personality
• Yoga and sleeping positions to relieve gas and bloating
• How sleeping on the floor can be healthy