Sleep Right to Stay Healthy: Sleep Positions to Live For

When a person sleeps, it can literally mean the difference between life and death. How you sleep can affect your internal organs in a way many people do not realize, until it is almost too late. A person sleeps one of three ways; on his back, on his stomach and on his side. Each way has its benefits as well as drawbacks. Let's take a look into what each position can do to help as well as harm your body.

The Prone Position or the Stomach Sleeper

This is what stomach sleeping is called. This position was named as such because it was once believed in the olden days that a person who sleeps on his stomach makes himself prone to attack. However true this may be, there are other implications to stomach sleeping. For example, do you have acid reflux? If you do sleeping on your stomach can make your symptoms much worse, as doing so can smush your esophagus and force the fluid up and out. This can cause severe burns in your throat over time, which may result in unwanted but very necessary surgery to remove the damaged tissues or prevent blood vessels from rupturing. Studies have also shown that this acid can cause esophageal cancer over time if the reflux is left untreated for too long. Sleeping on your stomach can also lead to back and neck strain from sleeping too frequently with your bones out of alignment-with your head and neck turned to one side or another for too long.

Lateral Decubitus or the Side Sleeper

This is also known as the fetal position because the habit of one who sleeps on his side is to pull the knees into the chest the same way a fetus does when in the womb. This position is rated as second best when a person has certain health problems. For example, of those who sleep on their sides the ones sleeping on the left side are taking pressure off the heart helping it to beat stronger but without so much work. This is a great position for the lungs as well because side sleeping creates more room for the lungs to expand when sleeping. Pregnant women should sleep on their sides as well because it takes pressure off the umbilical cord, thus making it easier for more oxygen to pass through to the fetus.

Supine Position or the Back Sleeper

Those who sleep on their backs should do so as flat on the mattress as they can. If you choose a pillow, it should be one clinically proven to keep the head and neck in alignment with the rest of the spine. This eases pressure on the spine and ultimately makes the aches and pains go away.

This is also the preferred position because it gives all of the organs a chance to relax when sleeping. It makes it infinitely easier to breathe, and the kidneys and liver are not so crowded and the blood flows better as well. For those who have trouble sleeping on their backs, using a wedge or pillows to prop you up at a 45 degree angle will help relieve the tension on your lungs as well. This is especially useful for those with a cold and acid reflux.

The Free Medical Dictionary by Farlex: Prone Position
The Free Medical Dictionary by Farlex: Supine Position
The Free Medical Dictionary by Farlex: Lateral Decubitious Position
Ask Baby: Sleep Positions for Pregnancy