This post has been updated since it was originally published on October 31, 2017.
Everyone wants to rest their mind when it comes time to fall asleep at night. However, you should actually think about the position you’re about to fall asleep in before you get some shut eye. It turns out, there are many health benefits to sleeping in certain positions, and other positions actually have a negative impact on your health. If you sleep on your side, you’re not alone. In fact, almost half of Americans do so. According to The Better Sleep Council, 47 percent of Americans sleep on their side in a fetal position. And as far as best sleeping positions go, experts say you should be sleeping on your left side. Read on to find out why.
Side Posture Fetal Pose
According to Dr. Josh Axe, the best sleep position for most people is a side posture fetal pose, with legs curled and pillow between knees. He says that this position helps comfort and prevent any back pain, and it also prevents loud snoring too. He notes that sleeping on your left side is extra beneficial since it tends to help acid reflux.
Dr. Michael Breus, clinical psychologist and author of The Sleep Doctor’s Diet Plan: Lose Weight Through Better Sleep, further explains why you should sleep in this left position to Shape. “Sleeping on your right pushes on blood vessels, preventing maximum circulation,” Breus said. When this happens, you move around more in your sleep to make up for the lack of circulation, which disrupts your quality of sleep. That’s yet another reason why you should pick your left side to sleep on instead of your right.
While it may be difficult to adapt your sleeping habits to fit this new position, you should at least avoid the sleeping positions that can actually be detrimental to your health. WebMD reveals the worst sleep positions for your health:
1. Freefall: sleeping on your stomach with your hands tucked under your pillow on either side of you can cause lower back and neck pain.
2. Soldier: sleeping flat on your back with your arms stiff at your sides can lead to snoring.
3. Starfish: sleeping flat on your back with your legs and arms spread apart in what looks like a starfish position can lead to snoring and aggravate sleep apnea.
Luckily, we’ve got you covered on all of the sleeping and wellness tips that you need to know so you can get a better night’s sleep ASAP. Believe it or not, following just a few points can make a huge difference in the quality of your sleep.
For more sleeping tips, make sure to check out why you should never sleep without socks on, the one reason why you shouldn’t sleep with an iPhone, and the one cheap sleeping product you need to help you fall asleep at night.
