It happens at least once a month like clockwork: I wake up from a solid eight-hour sleep, only to realize Iโve pulled my back and I canโt lift my arm beyond shoulder height. Sure, itโs frustrating because the pain shoots through my body like a knife, but even more so because I know the issues are a result of me sleeping on my stomach โ the onlyย position Iโm able to fall asleep in.
My sleep posture is far from ideal, since a large body of science concludes thatย sleeping on your stomachย puts pressure on the respiratory system, nerves, ribcage, and spine, all while increasing heart rate โ none of which are conducive to a good nightโs sleep. Ourย sleep positions also affect our healthย and mood in more ways than many of us realize, and there’s actually an ideal sleep posture to aim for each night: sleeping on your side.
This position keeps your spine straight and aligned, since โit will help prevent stress points that may aggravate joints and connective tissue,โ says Dr. Robert Hayden, Georgia-based chiropractor and American Chiropractic Association spokesperson. Additionally, side sleeping is crucial for those who snore or suffer fromย sleep apneaย since itโs an effective way to keep your airways open, says Dr. Natalie Dautovich, assistant professor of counseling psychology at Virginia Commonwealth University and environmental scholar at the National Sleep Foundation. If youโre pregnant, side-sleeping isnโt only a great way to relieve pressure off your belly. A 2012 study fromย BMC Pregnancy & Childbirthย found thatย sleeping on your left sideย specifically can help promote oxygen flow to both the mother and fetus.
To facilitate โ and maintain โ the side sleeping position, Dr. Hayden recommends placing a body pillow under your torso to support your upper arm and knee. Dr. Dautovichย also recommends placing another pillow in between your knees to relieve any pain and help keep your pelvis aligned. Also, your head on the pillow should remain level with the mattress (read: No funky double or triple stacks of pillows that can strain your neck and spine). It might feel more comfortable to rest your head on an incline when youโre reading a book or scrolling through Twitter before bed, but itโs not a great idea to fall asleep with your head on top of multiple pillows, says Dr. Kristina Petrocco-Napuli, Florida-based chiropractor, and president of the ACA Council on Womenโs Health.
When youโre asleep, your muscle tone, which protects your joints when youโre not alert, becomes lax. According to Dr. Hayden, if your head, which weighs between 13 and 15 pounds, isnโt level with the mattress and youโre sleeping on your side, stress points develop along the joints in your neck. Your muscles would normally protect those joints from shifting too far in either direction, but while youโre asleep, your brain wonโt send messages to your muscles to perform those protective functions. โJoints that are stressed will be eventually injured, and arthritic changes in the joint may manifest at some point,โ Dr. Hayden explains.
OK, so youโre probably thinking,ย If Iโm asleep, how can I force myself to stay put in a specific position? Beyond the use of a body pillow to stabilize your position, take stock of your mattress, because a bad mattress can make it more likely that you’ll toss and turn. A 2011 study from the journalย Ergonomicsย found that participants who slept on sagging, too-soft mattressesย experienced poor sleep quality. Dr. Hayden recommends a mattress that is firm enough to support the weight of your body, providing only a subtle amount of give.
There is, however, a โwrongโ way to sleep on your side. If you have a habit of sleeping curled up in the fetal position, Dr. Dautovich says it can hinder breathing by restricting movement of your diaphragm. It can also place unnecessary stress on your joints and leave you feeling sore the next day. โYou can reduce the strain on joints by straightening your body as much as possible,โ says Dr. Dautovich. In addition, avoid putting your weight on your arms while you sleep, since this can lead to circulatory issues like a feeling of numbness or pins and needles. If possible, try sleeping with your arms folded into your chest.
If youโre not a current side-sleeper, you may be at risk for developing soreness the next day. But beyond immediate physical consequences, improper sleep posture can impact your emotional, psychological, and cardiovascular health in the long run. โCertain hormones are designed to ebb and flow during the sleep cycle,โ explains Dr. Hayden. โGrowth hormones regulate the production of hormones that we use to repair tissues and heal, [which are] secreted during stage IV of the sleep cycle.โ
Ultimately, if you donโt achieve stage IV of your sleep cycle (or rapid eye movement, which occurs 90 minutes after you fall asleep) or it gets interrupted, โyou may find yourself gaining weight, getting sick and staying sick more often, and eventually having changes in your cardiovascular system such as hypertension,โ he says.
Whatโs more is that if youโre tossing and turning all night, youโre likely to wake up feeling like you only slept four hours, even if you were under the covers for eight. โFatigue itself will make you not feel your best,โ Dr. Hayden says. โThe physical aspects of your health will spill into the emotional and mental aspects. When you feel your best physically, youโre more likely to have a positive self-image.โ
Even if you position yourself correctly, you might still move around in your sleep, ultimately shifting your body out of your desired side-sleeping position. Itโs important to look at your stress levels and find a way toย manage thembefore bed, says Dr. Hayden, since they might be causing you to be restless at night,ย and ultimately shift your body out of your desired side-sleeping position.
โIf youโre one of these [people who tosses and turns], do something before you go to bed to offload your stress,โ he says. Eliminating your stress entirely is easier said than done, but there are small steps you can take to ease yourself into a more restful state. Instead of scrolling through a screen emanating blue light that mightย compromise your circadian rhythmsย and ultimately suppress sleep-inducing melatonin, Dr. Hayden recommends reading a book. โLet your mind go blank, or to a time or place that is relaxing and comfortable. Try a warm bath or shower to relax,โ he says.
Look: Youโre not doomed for a life of pinched nerves and sore muscles if youโre unable to sleep on your side, and only on your side. At the end of the day, all our experts agree thatย comfort is most important. Other postures like sleeping on your back can also be beneficial if executed properly. If youโre going to sleep on your back, Petrocco-Napuli recommends placing a pillow under your head and under both of your knees in order to support and level the spine. Feel free to experiment with exact pillow placement so as to support the natural curvature of your unique spine.
This might all seem like a lot to think about and remember before youโre supposed to relax and ultimately fall asleep, but rest assured: with a proper pillow, a firm mattress, and an aligned spine, youโll be well on your way to sleeping soundly โ and waking up relatively pain-free. If pain does persist, speak to your doctor about any underlying issues.
