Switch Sleep Positions to Improve Your Health and Reduce Pain

You know how important sleep is. Don't get enough sleep and someone will ask if you woke on the wrong side of the bed. Did you know that how you sleep can either help or exacerbate physical ailments?

See if any of these questions resonate:

1. Do you feel rested in the morning or tired and sore?
2. Does your lower back hurt?
3. Does your neck hurt?
4. Do you have sleep apnea?
5. Do you have acid reflux?
6. Do you snore?

The goal of a proper sleep position is to keep your head, neck, and spine aligned while you sleep. With proper alignment, many aches and pains will disappear or lessen. Your mattress and your pillow also work together to provide a comfortable sleep experience.

Two more considerations:

How do you sleep - on your side, back, stomach, or fetal position? If you aren't sure then remember the position you are in when you wake. I start on my side, but end up on my back so I spend the majority of my sleep time on my back.
Do you sleep with or without a pillow? Is your pillow soft, firm, fluffy, flat? Consider a neck pillow.

Matching ailments with the corrective sleep position

1. Best all around sleep position
Women know this one from pregnancy. Sleep in the fetal position with your arms wrapped around a pillow. You'll eliminate many pressure points that can cause pain.

2. The worst sleep position
Do not sleep on your back - it will flatten your spin, which is supposed to be slightly curved and you will hurt when you wake. If you snore or have sleep apnea, sleeping on your back will make both conditions worse. If you must sleep on your back, place a pillow in the curve between your upper and lower back. Add a small rolled up towel under your neck and evaluate your pillow. Does it help? Does it hurt? Should it be firmer, softer, tossed altogether?

3. Best sleep position to help spinal osteoarthritis, spinal narrowing, or hip pain:
Sleep on your side with your legs pulled slightly up toward your chest and a pillow between your knees.

4. Best sleep position to reduce snoring and help with sleep apnea:
Sleep in any position other than your back. If you keep rolling onto your back, turn on your side and wedge pillows against your back so you won't roll onto it during the night. Your spouse will thank you and your throat will thank you.

A word about sleeping on your stomach

If you are a stomach sleeper, you are putting undue stress on your back and neck. Stomach sleeping is not a good sleep position. To stop sleeping on your stomach, change to a different position as you drift of and each time you wake in the night. Turn on your side and push a body length pillow next to your back to keep yourself from rolling onto your stomach. If you cannot train yourself to sleep in another position, place a pillow under you pelvis to reduce strain on your back. You might also want a pillow under your knees. If a pillow under your head causes strain, sleep without a pillow. How to quickly change your sleep position You sleep in your normal sleep position because it is comfortable. Make it uncomfortable. Sew a tennis ball on the back of your pajama top to stop sleeping on your back. Sew a tennis ball into the front to stop sleeping on your stomach. It won't be fun, but you will quickly train your body to a better sleep position.

If you have tried changing your sleep position and still don't feel well, it may be time for a visit to the doctor.

You might need a doctor

To be safe, schedule an appointment with your doctor if you:

a. have sleep problems for more than three weeks;
b. snore very loudly, and wake up several times a night (possible sleep apnea);
c. are unable to function;
d. are dependent on sleep aids; or
e. experience numbness or tingling anywhere on your body.

If you get the all-clear from your doctor, you may need a new bed or a different pillow, like a neck pillow.

You might need a new bed

Remember that the goal of a proper sleep position is to keep your head, neck, and spine aligned while you sleep. When a mattress is too firm, this natural curve gets flattened; too soft and you exaggerate the curve. Either way, you are feeling back pain. Goldilocks was right - just right is what you want for your mattress.

We bought a Sleep to Live bed at The Mattress Firm because my husband is comfortable on a firmer mattress than I am. Rather than compromise, his half of our king bed is firmer than my half. Unlike a Sleep Number bed, it's not noisy and we can meet in the middle since our bed's divider is undetectable.

I'm not trying to persuade you to buy a particular bed. I do want you to use the free sleep analyzer to determine which type of mattress works best for your body.

With the Sleep to Live sleep analyzer, you input a few details, lie on the bed for less than one minute, and receive a printed report telling you how firm or soft a mattress you need. Ask your salesperson if the store carries a comparable mattress with the correct firmness. Sure, the salesperson will want you to buy a Sleep to Live bed, but he or she should be pleased to show you comparable beds. Armed with your data, you can purchase a less expensive bed from any mattress store if you don't want to spend the money on a Sleep to Live bed.

Remember to give any new bed you buy at least a month - your body will need time to adjust. Make sure your store has an excellent return policy so you aren't stuck with restocking fees or other expenses.

There is really no wrong or right sleep position. It's all subjective. Certain positions can help ease pain. As in life, the best solution for you will be what is most comfortable for you after you have experimented for a while.

Sources:

http://www.edubook.com/best-sleeping-positions/2407/
http://www.aaoms.org/sleep_apnea.php