Sleep your way to better body alignment

Do you wake up tight and sore in the morning or do you wake up on the right side of the bed every day? Your favorite sleeping position has a greater affect on your body than you may think. In this post we are going to discuss the most common sleeping positions and how they are affecting your body. 

1. Back position

This is the position that allows your head, neck, and spine to maintain a neutral position all night long. Sleeping on your back has the reputation as being the best for your body, but maybe not the best for your partner if you snore. Back sleeping is especially recommended for those with acid reflux, preventing neck and back pain, minimizing wrinkles, and maintaining youthful looking breasts. Sleeping on the back is also essential for infants to prevent sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). The best pillow for this position is one that is full and supportive for your neck. Bottom line, sleeping on your back is best.

2. Side position

If back sleeping isn’t your thing, the next best position is side sleeping. This is a great alternative to back sleeping for those who snore or who have sleep apnea. Side sleeping reduces back pain because keeps your spine elongated and goes with the natural curve of the spine. Side sleeping is the next best position for those with acid reflux, and is the perfect sleep position for pregnancy, especially on the left side as it promotes better circulation. The only downsides to side sleeping are that is can cause wrinkles (blame your smashed pillow face) and can cause premature sagging breasts. The best pillow for this position is one that fills the space between your shoulder and head to maintain proper alignment.

3. Stomach position

This is the number one WORST sleeping position. Stomach sleeping causes back pain, neck pain, sagging breasts, and face wrinkles. This may make you want to reconsider your stomach sleeping right? Stomach sleeping forces your head to turn and twist to one side for hours at a time—your soreness in the morning isn’t such a mystery any more is it? The only case where stomach sleeping might be all right is if you’re prone to heavy snoring. The ideal pillow in this case is a thin one or no pillow at all.

4. Fetal position

This is another position that is not ideal for proper alignment, but it is a step up from stomach sleeping. This position is recommended for pregnancy or for those who snore however, side sleeping would be more ideal for both cases. Sleeping in the fetal position will leave you feeling sore and tight in the morning, because you are pulled in tight with your chin tucked in. In addition to the same problems with stomach sleeping, the fetal position makes it harder to take deep breaths as you sleep. To solve these problems, simply relax and try not to pull yourself into such a tight curl. The best pillow for this position is one that fully supports your head and fills the space in between your head and shoulders (same as side sleeping).

Changing the way you sleep will improve your overall health, so start retraining your body to favor positions that will make every morning a good one. At Structura, we are concerned with the overall alignment and function of your body, and we recommend back or side sleeping positions to give your body the rest that it truly needs.

Please contact us today for any information needed related to massage or structural integration. 801-897-8711