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Good and healthy sleep is essential for our health. According to statistics, we spend about 25 years of our life on sleep. Healthy sleep has many benefits for our emotional and physical health: it revitalizes the body and helps our brain work optimally.
What about you? How many hours on average do you spend on sleeping? Just answer honestly this question, because your health and general condition depend on it. It is also worth noting that the position in which you sleep has a direct effect on your sleep. Below you will find a list of sleeping positions that affect your sleep. Try to choose the right option for you!
#1. Soldier Position
When you sleep with your back with your hands at your sides - you choose the right option, because this position is considered to be the best sleeping posture. And of course, this sleeping position has a number of benefits for your health: it helps rest the spine, neck, and arms; it improves the overall posture; it reduces acid reflux; it helps maintain perky breasts; it cures insomnia; it helps get rid of headaches; it prevents facial wrinkles.
However, there are also disadvantages of this sleeping position. As gravity pulls down the tongue, this position can aggravate snoring in people suffering from sleep apnea. Soldier position can also adversely affect a fetus. It can cause lower back pain.
In order to avoid all these side effects, you can try sleeping on your back without a pillow. You can also use a large pillow under the back of your knees to maintain the natural curve of your lower back.
#2. Starfish Position
Sleeping in this position, a person lies on his back but with his arms up on both sides of his head. This position is very similar to the soldier position. Sleeping in starfish position helps rest the spine and the neck, as well as cure insomnia. In addition, it helps reduce the chances of headaches.
It is worth noting that, as well as soldier position, it can aggravate snoring in people suffering from sleep apnea. What’s more, the awkward position of the arms can exert pressure on the nerves in the shoulder, causing pain. Starfish position can also cause lower back pain.
However, you can avoid all these side effects: use a pillow while sleeping in starfish posture to allow your head, neck, and spine to rest in a natural position.
#3. Log Position
Sleeping in this position, a person lies on his side with both arms positioned downward in a straight line. Doctors recommend sleeping on the left side to better rest the vital organs. As for the pros of the log position, it is the best sleeping position for the spine as it receives complete support in its natural curve. Log position also prevents back and neck pain, reduces sleep apnea and snoring, and is the best solution for pregnant women.
However, when sleeping in this position, you may suffer from back or hip pain. Side sleeping can lead to skin aging, facial wrinkles, and sagging breasts. Sometimes it can cause neck pain.
In order to avoid side effects it is recommended to use a big pillow to support the neck. Place a pillow between your thighs to support your top leg.
#4. Yearner Position
Yearner position is known as sleeping on your side with your legs slightly bent, arms outstretched, and head slightly off-center. Doctors recommend sleeping on the left side to better rest the vital organs.
Yearner position helps prevent neck and back pains, reduce acid reflux and sleep apnea, ease heartburn. This position is a real find, because it allows the body to clear waste from the brain more efficiently and reduces the risk of developing disorders like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
However, yearner position restricts the proper flow of blood and puts pressure on the nerves, which can lead to pain in the shoulders and arms. Nerve compression may place a strain on internal organs like the stomach, liver, and lungs. Moreover, it can cause saggy breasts and premature skin aging.
In order to avoid side effects, it is recommended to sleep on a satin pillowcase. Place a pillow between your knees to support your upper leg.
#5. Fetal Position
Sleeping in this position, you lie on your side with your knees drawn toward your chest and your chin tilted down. According to statistics, more than 41% of women prefer this sleeping position. Doctors recommend sleeping on the left side to better rest the vital organs.
As for benefits of fetal position, it reduces snoring considerably, it is perfect for pregnant women, and it also helps reduce acid reflux.
However, there are also some cons of fetal position, such as: the extreme curl can put a strain on the neck and back, thereby causing pain; this position can cause skin wrinkles and saggy breasts.
In order to avoid side effects, it is recommended to use a firm pillow to support your head. Also do not forget to alternate sides during the night.
#6. Freefall Position
Sleeping in this position, a person lies flat on his stomach. However, it should be noted that this position is not one of the best, and many doctors categorically do not recommend it.
Sometimes freefall position helps reduce snoring.
However, despite this only plus, there are many cons of this sleeping position: it puts a strain on the spine and causes pain in the neck and lower spine, sleeping in freefall position leads to the development of wrinkles, it puts unnatural stress on the internal organs.