Sleeping is so much more than nodding off in-front of a movie. The position you sleep in can majorly affect how your body feels and works in the morning when you wake up. Often times when you’re suffering from run of the mill aches and pains, an adjustment to your sleeping position can help you feel much better. Basically, all we’re saying is to not neglect the position you sleep in!
Just like everything else in life, different strokes work for different folks. If you’re struggling with pain or other health issues, you might need to switch your sleep position, but what position and mattress will work depends on the person. And even if you sleep in the worst position, small tweaks can help your body and mind work better in the morning.
Issues that Can Exacerbated by a Bad Sleep Position
Muscle & joint pain sucks. There’s nary a question about it, but unfortunately there’s no one cause for either of these. However, one of the ways you can make these issues much worse is by sleeping in a way that isn’t property allowing your muscles and joints to recover as they are meant to. Poor positioning of the legs will compound issues, as well as twisting of the spin or pelvis can cause muscle issues.
Overall, every ailment can become worse if slept on wrong.
Shoulder Sleeping = Wake Up Feeling Great
Shoulder sleeping is great and good for you. To make this position even better for your body, try not to tuck your head and angle your spine. Try to keep your body and legs straight, as this will allow the best possible blood flow.
Fetal Position = Weird, but You’ll Wake Up Refreshed
The fetal position is likely the most popular way to sleep, as in most people do it this way. It’s okay for everyday people, but for pregnant women, it’s great. Plus, many people in the yoga world believe that sleeping in the fetal position calms the sympathetic nervous system. To make this position even better, tuck a pillow in-between your knees and try not to drop your head.
Back Sleeping = Sleeping like a Boss
Although great for you, no, amazing for you, nobody likes to sleep on their backs. On top of that, those of us who snore, and there’s a lot of us, may not if they slept on their backs.
If you’re very committed to sleeping on your back, do it like a corpse or try to keep your legs relatively straight and your hips neutral by putting a pillow between your knees so they are about standing distance apart versus touching. DO NOT rest your head or neck on your arm, especially if you feel numbness, tingling or nerve pain.
Stomach Sleeping = Yikes, Watch Out
This style of sleeping will reduce snoring and sleep apnea issues, but will cause pain in just about every other part of your body. Your muscles, joints, spine, and a few other things will often be in pain after a night of sleeping on your stomach.
To make this style of sleeping better for body, make sure you’re using a pillow and try not to crank your neck super hard. Slowly try to transition into a more fetal or shoulder sleeping style. Your body will thank you!
Understanding
This information is just that, information. We don’t have a doctor on staff, but we do have people who understand the ins and outs of sleep. If you have an in-depth question, consult a physician or specialist.
For more information, reach out to us at aidanm@restwell.com. We look forward to hearing from you!
Pure Energy Sleep System™ mattresses are manufactured in Canada by Restwell Sleep Products. Founded in 1990, Restwell Sleep Products is a manufacturer of mattresses and box springs with two factories in Canada. The Restwell brand is known for quality, value, and comfort, and we take pride in the fact that our mattresses are Canadian made, with high quality standards and attention to detail.
