Do you get a sore back after sleeping? Wake up feeling achy, rather than refreshed? It turns out there’s one sleep position that can really do a number on your spine – but there are lots of ways to avoid it happening! Read on for the advice from the sleep experts!
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Considering we spend a third of our lives asleep, it’s important that we do it right.
But many of us are making a simple sleep mistake that is causing damage to their spine, potentially worsening over time.
Paying attention to sleep posture and making small changes now can help prevent bigger problems in the future, says chiropractor Dr Nathan Bridge.
Dr Bridge, who is mattress brand Sleepy’s resident chiropractor and has over 20 years of experience, says that many people are choosing to sleep on their stomachs – which is the worst possible position for spine health and the one thing you should really avoid doing.
“When your head is twisted to one side, and your midsection sinks into the mattress, muscles have to work overtime to keep the spine aligned. Over time, this can lead to stiffness, soreness, and even morning headaches,” he said.
It also puts a lot of pressure on your lower back, leaving you sore when you wake up.
But it is definitely difficult to change positions immediately, and so he suggests a few small changes you can make to reduce the negative effects of the sleep position.
The first is using a low-profile pillow.
“A pillow that’s too high twists the neck unnaturally,” he says. Using a lower pillow can keep the head in a more neutral position, thus reducing neck strain.
Another tip is to use a firmer mattress that can support the midsection throughout the night and prevent the spine from sagging. “Without proper support, your lower back can bear extra weight, which leads to discomfort over time,” he adds.
Although you may not be able to get rid of your stomach sleeping habit immediately, Dr Bridge suggests switching it up once in a while to a night on your side or back tp ease “pressure on the spine” and “improve sleep quality.”
Another position that may be easier to adjust to – and happens to be one of the most spine-friendly ones – is the foetal postion.
By curling slightly on your side, your spine remains neutral while the neck remains supported, and it can even improve circulation and oxygen flow to the brain.
“Use a pillow that keeps your neck neutral, a lower profile for softer mattresses, a slightly higher one for firmer mattresses, and remember that broader shoulders may need extra height. Placing a small pillow between your knees prevents your lower back from twisting and rolling onto your stomach,” the chiropractor added.
There are also a few exercises that anyone can do to improve spine health.
Before sleeping and after waking up, Dr Bridge recommends gently rotating your neck side to side and performing five lower back cat-cow stretches. “Doing these movements regularly eases tension and protects your spine, even if you stick to your preferred sleep position,” he says.
“Even small adjustments like these can dramatically improve comfort, posture, and overall sleep quality.”
Of course, the best position to sleep in is on your back, facing up.
Sleep expert Kiera Pritchard from Eachnight Mattresses said this position can help with back pain, and has multiple other health benefits.
“Back pain and sleep can exist in an ongoing cycle. If you have existing back pain, you might be getting less sleep because you are being woken by the pain, and the lack of sleep can also contribute to back pain because your body does not have enough time to restore its tissues while you sleep,” she says.
A recent study found living with chronic pain can cost a person 42 minutes of sleep and acute pain episodes can cost 14 minutes of sleep.
“Everyone’s body is different, and some positions may be better for you based on your height, weight, or previous injuries, but back sleeping is the most recommended position for those with back pain,” she added.
Aside from helping reduce back pain, other benefits include:
- Back sleeping can help prevent heartburn and acid reflux.
- Dermatologists recommend back sleeping for wrinkle reduction. Back sleeping does not put any unnecessary pressure on the face while you sleep, so it will not cause creases which lead to wrinkles.
- Back sleeping is a good choice for people with colds and allergies because it promotes drainage of the fluids in the sinuses.
While sleep positions are important, one expert says the most important part of sleeping is consistency.
Professor Simon Smith from Queensland University’s Child Health Research Centre previously told nine.com.au that going to bed and waking up at a regular time every single day is crucial.
Smith explained that quality sleep is tightly linked to our body clock, also known as the circadian rhythm, and jumping around between different bed times can push it off kilter.
“The duration of sleep is really important, how many hours you get, sure,” Smith said.
“But the time of day you get that [sleep], the regularity of your sleep and the predictability of that sleep are also really important.”
Smith added the key is to set your alarm at the same time every day – yes, even on the weekends.
“We don’t want people sort of burning the candle during the week and then catching up on [sleep] on the weekend as a habit,” he explained, adding that it is much more beneficial to get consistent sleep throughout the week rather than squeezing it in with a Sunday sleep in.
Sticking to a consistent wakeup time every day can help your body naturally fall into a rhythm where you feel tired at the same time every day and in turn have better, more regular sleep.
This article was reproduced with permission from 9Honey. To read the original article, click here.
