Sleeping positions can affect the pressure on your body and quality of rest. And if you are already suffering from pain, chronic or acute, poor sleeping posture may lead to not enough rest and possibly make the pain worse.
Switching your sleeping position might not be something you can do in one night, but altering your default sleep position can definitely be worth trying out. Different sleeping positions have different benefits. Although everyone is different, here are some general guidelines.
Sleeping Flat on your Back
Sleeping face up allows the shoulders to relax the most. However it increases the pressure on the lower back and can irritate lower back problems. Also, sleeping face up reduces acid reflux but it does increase chance of snoring.
Sleeping on your Side
Side-sleeping is one of the most common sleeping positions. Sleeping on the right has less pressure on organs and sleeping on the left relieves acid reflux and increases circulation to foetus if pregnant. It does put pressure in the shoulders and ribs which can lead shoulder and arm stiffness and stressed breathing. Putting a pillow between your lower legs will help better align your hips to avoid lower back pain.
Sleeping Flat on your Stomach
Sleeping on your stomach helps with snoring. However, such position puts pressure on joints and muscles, which can irritate nerves and lead to pain, numbness, and tingling. Sleeping on stomach also means over stretching your neck muscles and ligaments because your head is turned very far for long hours. The benefits are far less than harm; should avoid sleeping face down.
Finding the Best Sleeping Position
Your sleeping position matters more than you might think. Try paying more attention to your sleeping posture for a week or two to help you figure out the best sleep scenario for your needs and to get better quality of rest.
If you have any questions about what sleep positions may be attributing to your back pain, you can always check with our Chiropractors. We can provide tips and adjust some of your sleeping habits to alleviate back pain so that you can start getting the restorative, uninterrupted sleep and wake up feeling recharged. Remember, you don’t have to change your sleeping position if you aren’t having any issues. Do what feels best for you.
If you are experiencing any type of tingling, numbness or shooting pain at night or when you wake up in the morning, do schedule an appointment with Live Well Chiropractic to get it assessed.