The time comes to sleep, you lie in bed, close your eyes and start the dance from one side to another. But what really is the best posture? First one side, but it does not end how to fit; Up it seems that it is a bit strange, and then you return to the other side until, in the end, by tiredness, one ends up sleeping. Although the posture – which we usually ignore – can make a difference in a repairing and a poor rest.
It’s not just closing your eyes. According to a study published in Handbook of Clinical Neurology (2011), we spend a third of our life sleeping or trying to do it. According to Mayo Clinic, during that time the body “repairs and recharges.” However, more and more studies show that not all sleeping positions are the same, since the position can condition our short and long term health.
A common problem, but little visible. Sleeping badly does not show when you wake up. Sometimes it crawls during the day: fatigue, lack of concentration, physical discomfort. A recent report by the National Geographic pointed out that a bad posture when sleeping can aggravate common ailments such as back pain or reflux, and complicate more serious ones, such as sleep apnea. Dr. Meir Kryger, a specialist in sleep medicine and professor emeritus at Yale, warned that, when it is not, this apnea can affect mood, memory, blood pressure and even increase the risk of death.
What is the ideal position? Most of the sources consulted agree: sideways, and if possible, on the left. This position is associated with less lumbar pain, less snoring and better digestion. According to Heathline, he stressed that he can also facilitate breathing and contribute to the proper functioning of the brain.
Dr. W. Christopher Winter, in statements collected by the BBC, explained that this position prevents the aorta from being compressed and facilitates venous return, which improves circulation.
In addition, this position can be of great help to pregnant women. As Mayic has detailed, sleeping on that side in the last trimester of pregnancy prevents the compression of the vein cava and favors blood flow to the placenta and the fetus.
The most common error. It usually appears on hot nights, when the body seeks freshness and ends up lying on my back, without knowing that it is choosing the worst posture. Dr. Lois Krahn, consulted by Mayo Clinic, has detailed that sleeping mouth can get the apnea of sleep by allowing the tongue and jaw to fall back and obstruct the airway.
However, the other option: sleeping face down, is not recommended. According to Healthline, this position can generate pain in the neck and back, since it forces to twist the head and compress the thorax, hindering breathing. This can lead to chronic pain.
Forgotten allies. Not everything is reduced to posture. As Dr. Cherney explained in Heathline, the type of mattress imports and the pillow also imports. On the one hand, a mattress too soft makes the joints sink, while a very hard one can be uncomfortable and not adapt to body shape.
On the other hand, it recommends using an ergonomic pillow between the knees for those who sleep from side, since it favors vertebral alignment and avoids tension in the hip and lower back. In addition, he warned that when sleeping on his side the head should be aligned with his shoulders and never tilted towards the chest, since that causes cervical pain.
A health act. Sleeping well does not depend only on the number of hours. It also influences, and much, the way we place the body every night. The medical evidence clearly points out that sleeping sideways – and especially on the left – can make a real difference in sleep quality. It is not a fashion or a soft recommendation: it is a matter of health that affects breathing, digestion and deep rest. And even if it costs more in summer, with heat or with more, it is worth trying. Sometimes, the body only needs a good side.
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