On the side
This is the most common position: about 41% of people fall asleep on their side. Some people are used to sleeping only on the left or only on the right, while for others it makes no fundamental difference which side to lie on. Both positions are equally safe for the spine, however, research shows that lying on the left or right side can have different effects on the quality of sleep. It turns out that people who sleep on the left side are more likely to have nightmares in which they find themselves in dangerous situations. Dreams on the right side are usually much more pleasant: people see beautiful landscapes and feel safe.
Many doctors call sleeping on your side the most beneficial for the spine, however, the wrong mattress or a bad pillow can turn a night's rest into torture. On a pillow that is too flat or deformed, the head usually falls back. In this position, the muscles and ligaments of the neck become very tense and the nose becomes stuffy. A mattress that is too hard can lead to numbness in your arms and legs at night, and tension in your knees and hip joints. To prevent possible problems when sleeping on your side, you should get the right mattress and pillow. The mattress should not be too hard, but provide good support for the lower back, shoulders, hips and knees, and the pillow should support the head in a natural position.
Sleeping on your side with your legs straight is considered beneficial for the muscles of the spine and gastrointestinal tract. In addition, this position has a good effect on the circulatory system. By the way, this pose is considered the most beneficial for pregnant women. Doctors say that when the expectant mother lies on her side, the baby inside feels much better than when a woman sleeps on her back (besides, in this position the load on the lumbar spine increases).
Speaking about the side position, it is worth focusing on several important points. When taking this position, you should not pull your legs towards you too much and take the so-called baby or fetal position. This position creates stress on the knee joints and spine. In addition, it is more difficult to breathe in the infant position because the lungs are compressed and cannot fully expand during inhalation. This ultimately leads to mild hypoxia.
Another danger of sleeping on your side is wrinkles. Lying on one side all night puts pressure on your face and makes your skin more prone to wrinkles.
Correct sleeping position for women
The fair half of humanity is also recommended to sleep on their side. In this position, the female body functions best.
If you don't want to sleep on your side, sleep on your back. This pose is also physiological for sleep and helps you fall asleep quickly. For a more comfortable sleep on your back, you can place a pillow under your feet, which will reduce the load on the lumbar region.
The prone position is not suitable for sleeping because it interferes with the blood flow in the chest. And, according to some information, if you often sleep on your stomach, your breasts become less firm and elastic.
Pregnant women are not allowed to sleep or even just lie on their stomachs , especially after 12 weeks. In a prone position, the mammary glands experience greater stress, which can lead to lactation problems.
On the back
If you are wondering which position, from a physiological point of view, is the safest for the spine, then it is lying on your back. However, only 8% of people find this position comfortable for sleeping. By the way, according to one theory, authoritative people who value order and discipline are accustomed to sleeping in this position.
Sleeping on your back is best for restoring and relaxing your entire body. People who sleep this way say that they usually feel rested and energized in the morning. Resting in this position has a beneficial effect on the internal organs, since nothing puts pressure on them. Sleeping on your back is especially beneficial for the proper functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, joints, and for optimal blood circulation throughout the body. Back sleepers are less likely to suffer from gastric reflux, but this position is most likely to snore. In the supine position, the skeletal muscles and vertebrae maintain the most correct distance from each other, which allows the body to rest.
But if you sleep on your back on a mattress that is too soft, your lumbar spine may be subject to excessive stress. Back resting also cannot be healthy and safe without the right pillow. If your head falls back during sleep, you will most likely have to face the morning with severe pain in your head and neck. Sleeping on a pillow that is too high makes breathing difficult, which leads to hypoxia, problems with the throat and heart. The right pillow should be both dense and moderately soft to support the neck and head in an optimal position.
Selecting a mattress
There is little scientific research on which mattress will help you support your back in a horizontal position that allows your body and spine to rest. The right mattress will allow you to get a good night's sleep and wake up refreshed and refreshed, without pain or fatigue. If you do not have a medical reason for choosing a mattress, then choose a mattress that will support the natural curve of your back. And don’t forget about the comfort of your posture while sleeping.
If you sleep with a partner, you should have enough space to get into a natural, comfortable position. You need to change your mattress every 9-10 years. If you are concerned about back problems, ask your doctor for help choosing a mattress.
On the stomach
It is believed that the stomach position is the least suitable for sleeping. About 7% of the world's population prefers to sleep in this position. There is an opinion that mostly sociable and open people sleep in this position, but they do not know how to control their own lives. In addition, it is believed that in this position one most often dreams of an erotic nature.
The danger of sleeping on your stomach is that this position reduces the supply of oxygen to the brain. That is, those sleeping on their stomachs are in a state of mild hypoxia for about 8 hours, which is not the most beneficial for health. In the position on the living, a load is created on the neck, shoulder joints, and the lower part of the spine bends unnaturally. Also, sleeping on your stomach contributes to faster aging of facial skin and the formation of fine wrinkles. Perhaps the only advantage of this position is complete relaxation of the legs and arms.
If you are used to sleeping on your stomach, then the mattress in your case cannot be too soft, otherwise breathing problems may occur. However, a bed that is too hard is even more dangerous because it puts a lot of pressure on the internal organs. A pillow for stomach sleepers should ideally be made of breathable granular material so that air can circulate freely through it.
What is the best sleeping position for a child?
Pediatricians recommend the following sleeping positions for a child.
- Pose on your back . A good option for newborns under 1 year of age. In this position, the baby feels as comfortable as possible, which promotes sound sleep. When your baby begins to sleep, make sure his head is pointing to the side. This will prevent vomit from entering the respiratory tract if something happens. Note that it is not recommended for a child to sleep in this position if there is intestinal colic.
- Side sleeping position . Comfortable for babies as it helps fight stress caused by external factors.
- Sleeping on your stomach . Thanks to the position on the stomach, the child learns to independently raise his head after waking up. In addition, in this position the baby’s digestive tract functions improve and the likelihood of intestinal colic decreases. Before putting your baby to sleep on his tummy, observe the position in which your baby's head lies. If in the first 30 minutes of sleep he turns his head and buries himself in the pillow, it is better not for the baby to sleep in a position on his stomach, since in this position the child’s breathing will be impaired.
In addition to the correct sleeping position, a child also needs a comfortable bed or crib, hypoallergenic bedding and a comfortable temperature in the children's bedroom.
Restless sleep
We should talk separately about the category of people whose sleep can hardly be called restful. Some people, going to sleep on their side, wake up on their stomach or back, change their body position several times during the night, and in the morning they may find themselves across the bed or with their feet on the pillow. Researchers say that such a restless night's sleep is a characteristic feature of undisciplined and nervous people.
People who constantly change their body position while sleeping may wake up many times during the night. As a rule, just for a few seconds - just to change the position. But the sleep cycle is already disrupted. They do this semi-consciously, looking for a more comfortable position. Often the cause of restless sleep can be an uncomfortable bed, which causes numbness in the joints or puts pressure on the bones.
Best sleeping position
The correct position is the one in which you feel comfortable falling asleep. Everyone has their own: some people like to fall asleep on their side, while others like to fall asleep on their back or stomach.
Scientifically, the best sleeping position is the one that induces deep sleep . During deep sleep, the body recovers, and the brain transfers information from short-term memory to long-term memory. Thus, this phase is very important for good memory. And, as it turned out, you can achieve complete relaxation in the deep phase if you sleep in a position that is comfortable for you.
The most suitable postures for various diseases
If you suffer from heartburn
In this case, it is best to sleep on your left side, with your knees slightly tucked and your arms in a comfortable position in front of you. The fact is that lying on your left side can reduce the pressure on the lower esophageal sphincter and thereby prevent the release of hydrochloric acid. If the heartburn is very severe, then it is better to sleep on your back, placing several large pillows under it (so that you are in a half-lying, half-sitting position).
If your back hurts
According to research from Arizona specialists, about 40% of adults have back problems. If you choose the wrong sleeping position when you have a spinal disease, your rest may end in pain that is difficult to relieve. For such people, it is best to choose a sleeping position in which the spine takes a natural position. One of these is on your side with a pillow between your knees. This trick will prevent your knees from falling forward and will help keep your hips in a static position, thereby relieving tension from the spine.
If your nose is stuffy
Regardless of what caused your stuffy nose - allergies, sinusitis or a common cold - try not to sleep on your back. In this position, it is impossible for nasal secretions to drain, and when you breathe through your mouth, you risk drying out the oral cavity. When you have a runny nose, it is better to sleep on your side with your legs slightly bent. To elevate your head a little and make breathing easier at night, it is better to take two pillows.
If your shoulders hurt
Shoulder pain can occur for various reasons: due to slouching, carrying a heavy bag or incorrect posture during night sleep. It is believed that in this case the most suitable position would be lying on one's side, although sometimes it is this position that provokes pain. The fact is that some people like to sleep on their side, with their arm bent at the elbow under their head. However, in this position, an almost 5-kilogram load is created on the shoulders, and the head puts pressure on the nerve plexuses, causing pain.
If you have pain in the shoulder joint, you should lie on your healthy side. The best position: legs slightly bent at the knees, the lower arm extended forward, on top of it is a light pillow on which the second arm should be placed. If not only your shoulders, but also your back hurts, a pillow should also be placed between your thighs - this prevents you from falling forward. For pain in both shoulders, the optimal sleeping position is on your back with your arms extended along your body.
For PMS
If you experience bloating, pain in the chest or lower abdomen during PMS, you should not sleep curled up or on your stomach. Lying on your side will further increase the pain in the chest, and lying on your stomach under the weight of your body creates pressure on the uterus and this will also make the pain even worse. During PMS, experts advise women to sleep on their backs with a small pillow under their knees. This pose allows you to relieve tension in the lower back and relieve discomfort in the stomach.
When grinding teeth
Teeth grinding doesn't just happen to children. Researchers estimate that about 8% of the world's adult population suffers from this disorder. The danger of bruxism (this is the name of this condition) lies not only in the unpleasant sounds a person makes at night. Over time, this can cause toothache, jaw disease, and even lead to changes in facial shape. By the way, bruxism is a genetic disorder; doctors associate its occurrence with stress and anxiety.
People suffering from bruxism benefit from sleeping on their back. In this position, all facial muscles relax, including those responsible for jaw movement. In this case, it is important to keep your hands straight along the body, since a person instinctively turns his head towards the bent limb, and in this position, teeth grinding can resume.
If your neck hurts
Neither pillows that are too high nor too flat are good for your body. In any of them, the head takes an unnatural position, which creates pressure on the cervical vertebrae, causing tension in the muscles of the neck and head.
High or flat pillows are most dangerous when sleeping on your stomach or side.
For neck pain, it is best to sleep on your back. But in this case, it is very important to find exactly “your” pillow - the most suitable height and density. If neck pain is caused by a prolapsed disc, then sometimes doctors advise sleeping for a while without a pillow at all - this helps to straighten the neck.
If your hip joints hurt
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Approximately 15% of the adult population suffers from bursitis, an inflammation of the joint capsule. This disease is more common in men than women and is usually caused by excessive stress on the joints. If we talk about women, the symptoms of this disease often appear in lovers of high heels. The main symptom of the disease is severe pain in the affected joint. If the inflammation begins in the hip area, then sleeping on your side is the least suitable position. In this position, the painful joint is pressed against the mattress under the weight of the body, which only intensifies the pain. The best option is to sleep on your back. Some people find relief from placing a pillow under their knees.
Stretching the arm sharply upward or impingement syndrome
The training materials of the Association of Fitness Professionals also pay special attention to shoulder impingement syndrome.
Impingement syndrome is a condition in which, when the shoulder is extended upward, the rotator cuff and biceps tendons become pinched between the head of the humerus and the acromion (the long process at the top of the shoulder blade).
Each time the arm is raised as high as possible, the head of the humerus collides with the acromion, pinching the tendons between them.
When the shoulder is raised upward, the subacromial bursa and tendons are pinched between the humerus and the acromion of the scapula, which can cause inflammation and subsequently result in impingement syndrome.
The most common symptom of shoulder impingement is shoulder pain. Usually this pain is constant and intensifies when raising the arm above the head, and later with any movements in the shoulder joint. It often occurs in swimmers (they have to constantly stretch their arm vertically upward) and when playing tennis.
Therefore, we hypothesize that sleeping with your arm extended as far as possible could potentially be dangerous for those who already overload their shoulder ligaments when swimming or playing tennis.
Therefore, if you experience shoulder pain, avoid raising your shoulder as high as possible, including during sleep (as, for example, in the pose in this picture):
Holidays for two
The positions in which couples are during sleep can indicate their relationship, spiritual and sexual intimacy. Such arrangements relative to each other are considered common.
- Spoon pose. One partner hugs the other from behind. There are two options for such a vacation.
- "Back to back". It also has several varieties, when sleepers come close together in their sleep, touch one part of the body, or are at some distance.
- "Embrace". The couple falls asleep facing each other.
- "Romantic." One of the partners lies on his back, the other sideways, and is turned to face his “half.”
Sleep is the best cure for all diseases
A person needs sleep like food or water, but if without the last two components he is able to survive for several weeks, then without rest he quickly dies. A person spends almost a third of his life sleeping, and this is an important period of time for him. A full night's sleep allows you to accumulate the energy wasted during the day and gain strength, creating a feeling of vigor, freshness and readiness for new activities. According to I.P. Popov, it is considered protective inhibition, since it allows the brain to rest and restore its performance.
But situations often arise when a person slept for the allotted time, but did not get rest, but became irritable or lethargic, overwhelmed. There can be many reasons for this, but incorrect posture is of great importance. It has been proven that body position during night rest is directly related to the emotional factor. Sleep, by scientific definition, is a psychophysical state of the body when all reactions to external stimuli slow down, and only the brain remains active. Chronic lack of sleep negatively affects an individual’s well-being, causes dangerous disruptions in the functioning of organs and systems, and leads to various disorders and serious diseases.
