Written by: Vincent Chou
On average people spend up to a third of their day sleeping, therefore it is important that we are also looking after our spine whilst getting our rest. Poor sleeping positions can trigger spinal pain and aggravate some spinal conditions. Sleep is not only important for body recovery but also for overall health.
The three sleeping positions from best to worst
Back sleeping
Sleeping on your back is the best position for sleep. It allows for your head, neck and back to remain in a neutral position which means less stress on muscles and joints throughout the spine. It is also important to have a suitable pillow that supports the curves of your neck.
For extra support you can place a pillow behind the knees to help with maintaining the natural curves of the lower back.
Side sleeper
Side sleeping is not as good a position as on your back, but is the most popular sleeping position. Having the legs straight can help to maintain the curves of the spine. For more support, try placing a pillow between the knees to help with the alignment of the spine.
Stomach sleeping
Sleeping on your stomach is the worst position to sleep. In this position it is hard to maintain the natural curves of the spine and puts unnecessary stress on the neck as the head is turned to one side. To minimise the stress, try sleeping with the head face down with a pillow propping the forehead to allow breathing space.
Finally be sure to replace old mattresses and pillows as they tend to lose their supporting structures as they age so be sure to update them to ensure they are supporting you properly as you sleep.
If your sleeping position is causing you discomfort, book an appointment with Osmosis Chiro today and we can help you relieve your muscle and joint pains.