There’s few things we love more than a good sleep. Soft jammies, hot water bottles strapped to our chest and fluffy socks to hug our toes. Experts are always telling us we need eight full hours to reap the health benefits of our nightly slumber, but what if your position is actually working against your good intentions?
While everyone has the style that suits their slumber best, we break down how your midnight flex could be breaking your back:
The foetal ball: Sleeping all tucked in, with your knees drawn up and your chin titled down might be your comfort of choice, but it’s also one of the worst sleeping positions for your neck and back. The extreme curve of the foetal position can also restrict your breathing. To ease your body into this position, try lower your legs from your tummy to create less of an arch on your back and reduce the number of pillows you sleep on to prevent the neck from curving at an angle.
The ‘starfish’ sprawl: We all know the ‘starfish’ sleepers a mile away. Arms and legs stretched to the corners of the beds, usually leaving their partner clutching to the side of the mattress for fear of being tossed aside. Well next time you hear them grumble, feel free to inform them this is one of the best sleeping positions your body can adopt. As well as being touted the best for spine health, it’s good for your neck too as long as you don’t use too many pillows. It’s also believed that sleeping on your back can help prevent facial wrinkles and skin breakouts. The downside? ‘Starfish’ sleepers, or anyone who sleeps on their back, snore more than those in any other position and sleep apnea is strongly associated with this snooze style.
Face down: Sleeping face down can improve your digestion, but with the obvious barriers of pillows in their airways, these sleepers will need to tilt their heads for breathing. This can lead to continued neck strain and tense shoulders. Face down sleepers can also find themselves suffering twinges of back pain, as their spines are unsupported.
Sideways snoozer: Sleeping on your side is recognised as the best style for supporting the spine in its natural curve, with the technique proven to reduce neck and back pain in sleepers. Another benefit to the side sleep? For pregnant sleepers, doctors typically advise sleeping on the left side, since this can improve circulation to the fetus. Unfortunately for us ladies, the sideways stance can cause sagging breasts over prolonged periods of time and any side sleepers are at a higher risk of shoulder or arm pain due to restricted blood flow to these parts of the body. For best results, try switch between the sides you fall asleep on to reduce pressure on shoulders and arms.
Pillow hoarders: Give up the pillow fight to improve your overall sleeping benefits. From cushion displays to doubling up on your puffy pillows, what you think is the perfect combination for a full, deep sleep could really be straining your muscles. Try sleep with one good pillow, pulled in with your head resting on the cushion and tucked underneath the neck itself. Avoid a ‘space’ under the neck as this is where your strain will come from.
