Ted & Stacey's Mattress Guides & Reviews

Ted & Stacey's Mattress Guides & Reviews

Solid information for enthusiastic homeowners

  • Mattress Reviews
        • Most Popular
          • Amerisleep AS3
          • Puffy Lux
          • Nectar
          • Lull
          • DreamCloud
          • Purple
          • Avocado Green
          • Casper Original
          • Saatva
        • Most Recent
          • Vaya Mattress Review
          • Leesa Legend Mattress Review
          • Molecule Microban Mattress Review
          • Bear Pro Mattress Review
          • Nest Bedding Certified Organic
          • Zoma
          • Green Thyme
          • Tempur-Pedic LuxeAdapt
        • Top Budget
          • Sleep Innovations Shiloh
          • Perfect Cloud Atlas
          • Sleep Innovations Series
          • Zinus Pressure Relief
        • Top Premium
          • Molecule Mattress Review
          • WRIGHT W1.27
          • Savvy Rest Mattress Review
          • ReST Bed Review
          • Zenhaven
  • Best Mattresses
        • Most Popular
          • Best Mattress of 2020
          • Best Mattresses For Back Pain
          • Best Mattresses for Sex
          • Best Cooling Mattresses
          • The Best High-End Mattresses and Luxury Mattresses
        • Price
          • Best Cheap Mattress: Top Choices & Buyers Guide
          • Best Mattress For Every Price Point and Budget
        • People
          • Mattress for Every Kind of Sleeper
          • Best Mattress for Stomach Sleepers
          • Best Mattress for Side Sleepers
          • Best Mattresses for Children
          • Best Mattresses for Heavy People
  • Pillow Reviews
        • Independent Pillow Reviews
          • Amerisleep Comfort Classic Pillow Review
          • Saatva Dreams Pillow Review
          • Purple Plush Pillow Review
          • Purple Pillow Review
          • IDLE Sleep Pillow Review
          • Casper Pillow Review
  • Adjustable Bed Reviews
        • Best Adjustable Beds of 2020
          • Nectar Adjustable Bed Review
          • Casper Adjustable Pro Bed Frame Review
          • IDLE Sleep Adjustable Base Review
          • Purple PowerBase Review
  • Accessories
        • Adjustable Beds
          • Nectar Adjustable Bed
          • Amerisleep Adjustable Bed+
          • Casper Adjustable Pro Bed
          • Casper Adjustable Bed
          • IDLE Sleep Adjustable Base
          • Purple PowerBase
          • Saatva Lineal Adjustable Base
        • Pillows
          • Saatva Dreams Pillow
          • Purple Pillow
          • Casper Pillow
          • Purple Plush Pillow
          • The Top 5 Most Comfortable Memory Foam Pillows
          • The Top 5 Travel Pillows out There Today
        • Protectors and Toppers
          • Purple Mattress Protector
          • All About Mattress Toppers
        • Others
          • The Top 5 White Noise Machines
  • Blog
  • Coupons

What Is the Best Sleeping Position?

Updated: November 9, 2020 by Ted Wilson

November 9, 2020 by Ted Wilson Leave a Comment

Contents

  • 1 Side Sleeping Position
  • 2 The Freefall Sleeping Position
  • 3 Back Sleeping Position
  • 4 Couples Sleep Positions
  • 5 Conclusion About the Best Sleep Positions

A lot of people are pretty consistent about sleeping in just one or two positions every night.

We’re creatures of habit—we find something that’s comfortable for us, and we stick with it.

The problem is, though, not all sleep positions are created equal.

Sometimes, the position we’re the most familiar with can actually be causing some of our worst health problems.

And while there isn’t any one sleep position that’s right for every kind of sleeper, every sleep position does come with its own set of pros and cons for your health.

If you’re having pain while trying to fall asleep at night or upon waking up in the morning, you might want to take a look at what your sleep position might be doing to your body.

Read on to find out more about the position that will work best for you!

Side Sleeping Position

Side sleeping is by far the most popular position, and there’s good reason for this.

Although there are a couple potential issues, as a whole, sleeping on your side can eliminate a number of problems other sleep positions tend to bring. 

The Fetal Position

a girl sleeping on the sideThe fetal position is the more popular of the two side sleeping options.

According to one study of 1,000 people, approximately 41% of all people sleep curled up on the side with their knees bent toward their chest.

It’s more than twice as popular among women than men.

While it does have its drawbacks, this is overall a pretty solid way to spend your night.

It lets your spine rest in its natural alignment, and according to WebMD, it might actually help you ward off certain diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, since some studies suggest that sleeping on your side can help your brain better clear out waste that may lead to these diseases.

Side sleeping can also help with people who snore, but can be painful for people with arthritis.

It’s especial

ly good for pregnant women, since it allows for better circulation between the mother and her fetus.

Sleeping on your left side can help with this even more, since it will increase the amount of nutrients that can flow through the placenta to your baby.

Curling Too Tight?

Although the fetal positions avoids a lot of the problems that come with sleeping on either your back or your stomach, you do run a couple risks if you tend to pull your knees in too close to your chest while you sleep, or if your upper body tends to lean forwards.

Too tight a ball, and you risk restricting your diaphragm—meaning you won’t be able to breathe as deeply.

Remember to always keep your fetal position nice and relaxed, allowing your spine to fall into its natural “S” shape.

The Log Sleeping Position

The other side sleeping posture is referred to as the “log position.”

About 15% of all people sleep this way, with both arms pressed up right against their body.

Like the fetal position, the log is good for preventing things like sleep apnea and neck and back pain.

If they’re comfortable with it, all side sleepers might want to consider sleeping with a pillow, blanket, or folded towel in between their legs.

This will ease some of the pressure off your hips, helping to prevent pain.

Of course, t

hat all depends on the sleeper and their mattress.

If you’ve settled on the right kind of mattress, you might not even have to worry about that sort of thing!

Which Side Should You Lie On?

Believe it or not, the side you lie on when going to bed can actually have a major impact on the quality of your sleep.

Sleeping on your left side is definitely the way to go, here.

There are a couple different theories as to why this is, but the bottom line is that sleeping on the left side can reduce acid reflux and heartburn, while sleeping on the right side can aggravate these symptoms.

Left side sleeping may also aid in digestion and improve circulation.

Unfortunately, though, it can also put extra pressure on the stomach and lungs—so it might be best to switch it up every now and then.

Additionally, if you’re experiencing shoulder pain while sleeping on your side, it’s definitely time to change something up.

Consider trying another sleep position, or invest in a more comfortable topper, pillow, or mattress.

The Freefall Sleeping Position

If you don’t find yourself sleeping in either or the two side positions, you might be one for the freefall position—something you share with about 7% of all people.

A girl sleeping on the belly

In this position, the sleeper lies on their stomach with both arms either tucked under their pillow or on either side of their head.

Comfortable as this might be while falling asleep, though, it can unfortunately lead

to a few problems on waking up in the morning.

So freefallers, it might be time to rethink the way you sleep.

On many mattresses, stomach sleeping will flatten the spine and lead to lower back pain.

Additionally, you might also find yourself waking up with a stiff neck that comes from sleeping all night with your head cocked to one side.

It might also take you longer to find a comfortable position on your belly than in some of the other positions.

Better Freefalling

Now, don’t freak out too much—you’re not outright doomed if you happen to like sleeping in the freefall position.

First of all, try avoiding hard pillows, since these can leave your neck stuck in an awkward, uncomfortable position.

Instead, trying putting a soft pillow under your forehead, and sleep with your face towards the mattress, rather than tilted to one side.

This can improve airflow.

Pregnant women, on the other hand… you might be out of luck on this one.

Especially as you get further along in your pregnancy, changes in your body are going to make it uncomfortable or impossible to lie flat on your belly.

Back Sleeping Position

Finally, back sleeping positions can avoid some of the problems associated with both side sleeping and stomach sleeping.

If you’re comfortable with it and you’re having some issues with your current sleep habits, there are some good reasons to seriously consider trying out back sleeping.

That said, there are a couple medical conditions that could make these positions entirely out of the question.

The Soldier Sleeping Position

If you tend to sleep on your back with your arms at your sides, you’re one of the 8% of people who sleep in the “soldier” position.

This is a really good way to evenly distribute pressure across all areas of your body.

You don’t risk numbing your arm the way you do when you sleep on your side, or hurting you back the way you do sleeping on your stomach.

You’re also less likely to experience acid reflux.

However, sleeping on your back can worsen preexisting conditions.

It’s more likely to increase snoring than the other positions, and it can exacerbate problems with sleep apnea.

Gravity pushes your tongue backwards toward your esophagus when you sleep on your back, which can obstruct breathing and lead to snoring.

You may also experience lower back pain while sleeping in the soldier position, especially if you’re sleeping on a mattress that’s past its prime.

Luckily, there is a solution to this.

Just place a pillow or blanket in between your knees, and you’ll reassert the natural curve of your spine.

This will reduce aches and pains upon waking.

The Starfish Sleep Position

A guy sleeping on the backThe starfish position is similar to the soldier position, only instead of pressing your arms against your sides, you’re lying spread eagle, with your arms and legs out at odd angles.

The starfish has pretty much the same advantages and disadvantages as the soldier.

It just takes up more space, which might annoy your partner a little!

Speaking of which…

Couples Sleep Positions

In addition to your personal health, the way you sleep correlates with your intimate relationships, as well.

Sleeping gets more complicated with a partner than when you’re just sleeping by yourself.

There’s a lot more geometry to navigate, and new considerations like intimacy and mutual comfort come into play.

It also turns out that the way you sleep with your partner might say a lot about your relationship.

Contact Matters

In a study carried out at the Edinburgh International Science Festival, 94% of couples who spent the night in physical contact with one another were happy with their relationship, compared to just 68% of couples who didn’t touch.

a couple sleeping in the same bedHow close you sleep to your partner matters, as well.

If you’re sleeping more than 30 inches apart from your partner, you and your partner only about three-quarters as likely to be happy with your relationship compared to couples who sleep less than an inch apart.

To be clear, this is just correlation—nobody is saying that sleeping a few extra inches away from your partner is going to ruin your relationship.

But also, studies have shown that cuddling and physical contact release the chemical oxytocin, which has been linked to intimacy and overall good vibes.

So the way you sleep with you partner might really make a difference!

Conclusion About the Best Sleep Positions

In reality, changing up your sleeping position probably isn’t going to make or break either your love life or your health.

However, it’s still an important part of your life, and you really do want to be sure to get it right.

The typical person spends decades of their life asleep, so working out a comfortable position to sleep in is a pretty big deal.

And always remember: you shouldn’t have to wake up with pain. 

If you’ve tried playing around with sleep positions and you’re still getting aches in your back, neck, or shoulders, it might be time to consider trading in your mattress.

After all, a bad mattress is a bad mattress, no matter what position you try out.

Above all, remember to take the time to get your sleep right.

It’s your body.

Take care of yourself.

Filed Under: Blog

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

best mattress for back pain guide
Review of the best mattresses of 2020
RECENT REVIEWS
Amerisleep AS3 logo Amerisleep AS3 Review
4.8
02-24-2021
Layla Sleep logo Layla Sleep Review
4.8
02-24-2021
Helix Plus logo Helix Plus Review
4.6
02-12-2021
DreamCloud Premier logo DreamCloud Premier Review
4.2
01-30-2021
Casper Adjustable Pro Bed Frame logo Casper Adjustable Pro Bed Frame Review
4.3
10-09-2020
DreamFoam Ultimate Dreams Latex logo DreamFoam Ultimate Dreams Latex Review
4.6
10-09-2020
Purple Hybrid Premier logo Purple Hybrid Premier Review
3.9
10-09-2020
Nolah Signature logo Nolah Signature Review
4.7
10-07-2020
Nectar logo Nectar Review
4.7
10-07-2020
Zoma logo Zoma Review
4.5
10-06-2020
Tuft & Needle Mint  logo Tuft & Needle Mint Review
4.6
09-17-2020
Brooklyn Bedding Spartan logo Brooklyn Bedding Spartan Review
4.6
09-17-2020
Brooklyn Bedding Rubix logo Brooklyn Bedding Rubix Review
4.5
09-17-2020
Puffy Royal logo Puffy Royal Review
4.3
09-17-2020
Nectar UK logo Nectar UK Review
4.8
09-17-2020
CLICK FOR MORE...
  • About Us
  • Privacy Policy

Copyright ©2020 · mattress-guides.net · All Rights Reserved. Cookie Settings