How The Way You Sleep Affects You

Sleeping is an important part of one’s routine. Research shows that a person will sleep for almost 50% of their time on planet Earth. If it’s such an integral part of one’s life, why do people not focus on it as much as they should?

One of the most important questions to look into is, “What is the ideal position to sleep in?” It is surprising most people never ask this question! We will show you the pros and cons of all three sleeping positions. You will get a closer look into what each sleeping position entails and the impact it has on your body.

Back Sleepers

This position involves lying down on one’s back while staring up at the ceiling. It is the second most common sleeping position and has many advantages over resting on one’s side. It’s simple to maintain your spine in alignment and equally distribute your body weight when you’re flat on your back. Remember to use a pillow that supports your neck and allow the head to sink deeper  to avoid any potential neck or back issues. If you sleep on your back and maintain an upright posture, you can also get relief from allergies or stuffy nasal congestion.

Here is a look at the pros and cons of lying down on your back for 8-10 hours.

Pros

Ideal for Spine and Neck 

According to studies, this is the recommended position for those dealing with any form of back and neck pain.

The spine’s alignment is in its ideal state when a person rests on their back. As soon as the position is shifted, this diverts the pressure and pushes against the spine. Sleeping on the back puts your body into a balanced, neutral state without exerting pressure on the spine.

This is important for those who are starting to notice a change in their back and neck and want to alleviate discomfort as soon as possible. In this situation lying down on one’s back is a beautiful option.

Lets Facial Skin Breathe and Remain Fresh 

The second advantage is being able to let your face breathe. Yes, the skin can’t breathe, if it is stuffed under covers or into a soft pillow. The pores won’t open, and this can start to give rise to acne for those who are prone to breakouts. It’s best to lie down on one’s back in such cases to avoid such a breakout.

Oils on the pillow start to rub against the skin and make it hard to keep clean even if one were to wash their face early on in the morning.

Cons

Exacerbates Snoring or Sleep Apnea

According to sleep experts, sleeping on one’s back makes your snoring worse. The airways tend to close down, and that’s when air pushes against the sides. When this occurs, the snoring starts to increase in intensity. This is why it’s recommended to push a snoring man or woman to his or her side.

This opens up the passageway and makes it easier for them to sleep quietly. For those who are resting on their back, it’s easier to start to worsen your snoring and make it impossible to fix. The same applies to those who are dealing with sleep apnea.

Side Sleepers

The next type of sleeping position is resting on one’s side. This could be on the left or right side depending on preference. In general, the person will place all of the weight on one side of the body

There are various advantages to side sleeping. It is the least probable sleeping position to cause back pain since it encourages proper spinal alignment, especially when pillows are used for support.

Select a pillow whose thickness, or loft, corresponds to the space between your shoulder and neck. When you sleep on your side, a thicker pillow will help keep your neck and spine in optimal alignment, reducing stiffness and soreness.

Here are the pros and cons of sleeping on one’s side.

Pros

Ideal For Overcoming Heartburn or Acid Reflux

Are you dealing with ongoing heartburn/acid reflux?

If that is the case, you need to start sleeping on your side. This is the recommended way to reduce the chances of the heartburn occurring. Remember, it is acid that comes up from one’s digestive system and into the esophagus. This isn’t a nice feeling especially when it happens all the time.

For those who are in this situation, lying down on your side is the way to go. You are also asked to play around with which side you sleep on to see if this makes a noticeable difference.

Supports Digestion

If you are starting to notice a severe bout of constipation or other digestion-related issues, it’s best to adopt this sleeping position. Being on your side is a great way to avoid putting pressure on the digestive system. When you lie down on your back or stomach, the digestive system takes the brunt of the weight.

To relieve some of the ongoing symptoms, it’s best to look at lying down on your side.

It is going to make it easier to digest food and feel right about your metabolic rate throughout the day. This is one of the reasons bodybuilders prefer to rest on their side to maximize digestion.

Stimulates Toxin Reduction in the Body

Toxins are a real concern in the human body, and it’s best to make changes as soon as possible.

Side sleepers are well-built to get rid of these toxins. This occurs by exerting pressure in the right areas and not pressing down on the lymph nodes. This helps flush out the toxins and get rid of them as soon as possible. The lymph nodes stay healthy, and that makes it easier to maximize your health.

This is a common advantage of sleeping on your side and not putting pressure on the lymph nodes every night.

Cons

Puts Pressure on Lungs and Stomach

One of the issues with side sleeping has to do with the pressure put on your lungs and stomach.

Of course, you are sleeping while pressing against something, so it is the lungs and stomach that take the brunt of the force. This isn’t ideal, but it’s something you are going to have to deal with as a consequence of side sleeping. It’s one of the first cons mentioned by experts when it comes to the position. It has a lot to do with the body’s anatomy and where the lungs or stomach are positioned.

Can Cause Numbness in Arm

Since you are leaning against one arm, it is going to be under the body.

This can lead to pain or numbness in the limb. If you’re not careful, you might be waking up in the morning with a numb arm that takes a while to feel normal again. This is why you want to pay attention to how you’re sleeping at night.

Places Stress on Shoulders

The last con of side sleeping is the stress you are putting on the shoulders.

A lot of weight is pressed against the shoulder making it harder for you to avoid pain in the joint or nearby area. Pay attention to this and make sure to switch sides, so the weight is well distributed.

Stomach Sleepers

The final sleeping position is lying down face-first on one’s stomach. This is the least common sleeping posture, however it is true that there are some advantages to stomach sleeping. In particular, lying on your stomach can help reduce snoring since it widens your airway. Also try using a very thin pillow or none at all if you like to sleep on your stomach. By doing this, you can prevent further spinal misalignment and discomfort caused by tilting your neck back and up

Here are the pros and cons of this option.

Pros

Reduces Snoring

By lying down on your stomach, it’s easier for the airways to remain clear and for the air to get out. Your nasal passages will open up, and it’s better for those who don’t want to snore throughout the night. The same applies to those who are dealing with ongoing sleep apnea.

It’s easier to reduce snoring by rolling over and lying down on the stomach with your head on the pillow.

Adjustments can be made based on pillows under one’s leg to provide further relief while on your stomach.

Cons

Bad for Facial Skin

There is nothing worse than rubbing your clean face against a dirty pillow. The oils are going to rub against the skin, settle in, and clog the pores. This is highly damaging and not the route you want to take. It’s better to eliminate the issue and sleep in another position.

Your facial skin is going to take a beating in this position.

For anyone prone to acne or other related skin conditions, this position doesn’t help 

Increases Back and Neck Pain

Another con has to do with back and neck pain. Those who are sleeping on their stomach will be putting their body in the worst possible position. This is when the spine is going to have a curve to it according to sleep experts. The body tends to put the most pressure on the spine in this position.

Over a longer period, this is going to have an impact on how the spine looks and the amount of pain one feels.

It’s better to avoid lying down on one’s stomach if possible.

Concluding Thoughts

Sleeping on your stomach can do a lot of damage and is not recommended. However, you are always advised to make adjustments based on your medical history. For example, a person with snoring issues might like the idea of resting on his or her stomach.