Do you wake up in the morning with back pain? If so, you're not alone. Millions of people suffer from back pain every day. The good news is that there are some things you can do to help alleviate the pain and improve your quality of sleep. In this blog post, we will discuss the best sleeping position for your back. We will also provide tips for preventing back pain while you sleep.
Why is sleep important?
Most people know that getting a good night’s sleep is important, but many don’t realize just how essential it is for our overall health and well-being. Sleep gives our bodies the time they need to repair damage from the day and prepare for the next one. It also helps to improve our mood, memory, and concentration.
What are the different sleeping positions?
There are three different sleeping positions: back, side and stomach. Each position has its own benefits and drawbacks.
- Side sleeping is the most popular sleep position, preferred by 60% of adults. It is considered to be the best sleep position because it helps reduce back pain and keeps your spine in alignment.
- The back sleeping position is considered to be the best for your spine. It keeps your head, neck, and back in alignment. However, this position can cause snoring and sleep apnea.
- Stomach sleeping is the least recommended position because it can cause back pain. It also puts pressure on your neck.
Side sleeping position
Side sleepers account for 60% of adults. It is considered to be one of the best sleeping positions because it helps reduce back pain and keeps your spine in alignment.
Main benefits of sleeping on your side?
Side sleeping may be beneficial for:
- People with back and neck pain
- Pregnant women - using a small pillow between your knees can provide more support or using a body pillow can stop women from rolling onto their backs in their sleep.
- People with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
- People who snore or have obstructive sleep apnea.
Is it best to sleep on your right side or left side?
If you're a side sleeper, aim to sleep on your left side instead of your right if want the best results. Sleeping on the right may put pressure on some internal organs, which is why experts recommend that pregnant women and those with acid reflux or GERD sleep on their left sides. Additionally, sleeping on the right can make heartburn worse.
The other consideration to make when sleeping on your side, is to ensure you have a supportive pillow. Pick a pillow that is thick enough to fit the distance between your neck and shoulder. You may find a contour pillow will compliment the natural curve of your neck and shoulders. It is best to avoid feather pillows because they don't offer much support.
Negative aspects for side sleepers?
People with shoulder pain may prefer sleeping on their back, as the direct pressure on the arm can make their pain worse and equally they may be unable to find a comfy position in the other arm, due to lack of support or having the shoulder in an uncomfortable angle. In either scenarios, ensuring you have a supportive mattress (some have reported feeling more comfortable on a pillow top or memory foam bed) is the key to helping you improve sleep quality.
Side sleeping can also potentially cause wrinkles on your face and neck.
The back sleep position
Back sleepers are the second favourite sleeping position. While this may not offer all of the benefits that side sleeping does, it certainly has its own advantages. For example, when you’re flat on your back, it becomes easier to keep your spine in a natural alignment and evenly distribute your body weight, thus preventing any neck or lower back pains/aches.
Main benefits of sleeping on your back?
- Neutral position of your spine which can reduce the chance of:
- low back pain (if you use a supportive pillow underneath your knees, this can relieve pressure on your lower back)
- shoulder pain and
- neck pain.
- May reduce facial wrinkles (but not putting pressure directly onto the face)
- By having the head slightly elevated you may help reduce nasal congestion
What are the negative effects of sleeping on your back?
Not every sleep position is perfect and has some drawbacks. Sleeping on your back is not recommended for:
- people suffering from gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
- GERD is often worse at night because gravity is no longer allowing the stomach acid to stay down, there is a reduced swallowing at night, which would help push the stomach acid downwards and there is reduced saliva which helps neutralise stomach acid. Side sleeping is recommended for this condition to help reduce interrupted sleep.
- Pregnancy (particularly in the third trimester should lie on their left side).
- People who snore or have obstructive sleep apnea - this sleeping position leaves you susceptible to airway collapse.
- People with some types of back pain (using pillows underneath knees can help you rest comfortably).
- Elderly may find it difficult to get in and out of bed in this sleep position.
Stomach sleep positions
This sleep position is the least popular with research suggesting we only 10% of the population are stomach sleepers.
Benefit of sleeping your stomach
One of the only benefits of tummy sleep positions is it may help relieve snoring. The position opens up the airway slightly but your ribs have to work against gravity, potentially leaving you to use more energy and reducing your sleep quality.
Why sleeping on stomach is not recommended
The stomach position is the least supportive of all sleeping positions for your back and can increase pressure on the spine, particularly your neck. The position forces you to sleep with your head turned to one side which creates a twisting force on your head and neck.
Also, sleeping on the stomach can contribute to facial wrinkles, since your face is pressed against the pillow or the surface of the mattress.
Pregnant women for obvious reasons should avoid this sleeping position. Using pillow supports can help prevent you from rolling over and accidentally sleeping on your tummy.
Enjoy the health benefits of a good night sleep with the support of Brunswick Chiro Myo Osteo
Whatever sleep posture you choose we can help you optimise your sleeping position with great mattress and pillow to support your head and neck. At Brunswick Chiropractic we can we can advise you on the best pillow to suit our all our stomach, back and side sleepers. One of our most popular pillows is our customisable contour pillow. Come in today and talk to one of our therapist and see what sort of pillow will suit you.
Our aim is to help you get a good night's sleep through assessment, diagnosis, manual therapy, exercise and advice.