Sleep Posture 101

Did you know that you will spend an estimated 26 years of your life on a mattress? That is way long to spend it trying to sleep in uncomfortable positions or on ancient mattresses. There are three main sleeping positions according to sleep specialist: side, back, and stomach. Of these three positions, most sleep specialists and chiropractors recommend sleeping on your side to increase comfort and decrease the likelihood of interrupted sleep from back pain or insomnia. As it so happens, side sleeping is the most common amongst Americans followed by stomach sleeping.

Almost 47% of American’s sleep in a side-laying position called the “fetal position” in which the knees are slightly drawn up to the chest. In this position, individuals are less likely to experience sleep interruptions in the form of sleep apnea or sleep walking. Side sleeping is also considered the most beneficial in alleviating insomnia and chronic sleep deprivation. The down side to sleeping on your side is that it may place stress on the low back and hips in individuals who experience pain and discomfort. It is recommended that you place a small pillow between the knees to provide extra support to the low back and hips. The pillow acts to level out the hips and decrease any “twist or torsion” on the spine that could contribute to stress or discomfort.

Stomach sleepers or “freefallers” comprise about 17% of studied population which makes it the second most common sleep position. Weirdly, despite being the second most common position 26% of Americans consider it an unhealthy sleeping position, and for good reason. To sleep on your stomach requires the sleeper to turn their head to breathe normally which applies undue stress to the joints in the neck for extended periods of time. Because of the stress on the neck, the sleeper often wakes up multiple times throughout the night to find a comfortable position. Lying on your stomach also allows the hips to rock forward and increase stress on the low back leading to pain and discomfort. Because of this, sleep specialists and chiropractors to not recommend sleeping on your stomach. If you absolutely must sleep on your stomach, it is recommended to use a very thin and extremely soft pillow or no pillow at all underneath your head to avoid unnatural angles on the neck. You should also use a small flat pillow to support your hips as well. Ideally, sleeping on a table or bed with a “face hole”, like a massage table, with support under your hips and ankles can allow for stomach sleepers to enjoy a better, more restful sleep on their stomach.

Sleeping on your back tends to be the least common sleeping position studied. This may be due to the fact that sleeping on your back on a mattress that is too firm or too soft will not provide enough support to the low back and increase stress and discomfort and even pain in the morning. Back sleepers are also more commonly experience sleep apnea and snore, interrupting their own sleep or partners. If you have to sleep on your back, using a small pillow roll or rolled towel under the knees to facilitate the natural curve of the spine and eliminate unnecessary stress.

We hope you find this information useful, as it is often one of the more frequent questions our physicians answer at Cape Coral Family Chiropractic. If you are curious about sleep hygiene and how to better your sleep habits, please visit The Better Sleep Council at www.Bettersleep.org.