Your Common Sleep Positions

Intro

Your sleep position is just one of many attributes that describe your sleep experience. You may have an ideal sleep environment, or practice good sleep hygiene, but if you struggle to stay asleep, it could be your sleep position.

In this article, we'll discuss common sleep positions and what they do for the body. Afterwards, we'll discuss different health reasons and lifestyles that impact a person's sleep position.

The different sleep positions

Rachel Salas MD, a doctor and professor at John Hopkins Medicine, says “We could argue that some [positions] are better than others”. Why? Because people have different reasons to sleep the way they do. This could be medical reasons (i.e. sleep apnea), lifestyles, or simply because its comfortable to them.

When discussing sleep positions, there are three factors to keep in mind.

1. Does your current sleep position keep your back straight (neutral alignment)?
2. Does it induce snoring when you sleep? If so, does it go away when you switch positions?
3. Does it give you back and/or neck pain?

Also keep in mind that your mattress will help accommodate your sleep position if selected properly. The same thing can be said for selecting a pillow.

Side sleeper

Side sleeping is the most popular sleeping position out there. In the scientific community, this is known as the lateral sleeping position. If you snore at night, then switching to this position will help alleviate that by keeping your airway open. Side sleeping will promote neutral alignment, however you need to be mindful of your mattress and pillow. If either one is too firm or too soft, then your spine will be misaligned.

Fetal

This is admittedly the most comfortable position out there. This involves curling your legs up towards your chest and your arms folded close to you. The fetal position is comfortable for pregnant woman, which shifts the fetus's weight away from the mother's body.

Log

This position involves sleeping with your arms straight at your side. Although your body is not completely lateral to your mattress, it is about 45 degrees instead.

Spooning

A side sleeping position for sleep partners. Although it is popular among couples, it can get uncomfortable over time. Another problem is one person could be woken up when the other moves. The advantages outweigh the disadvantages, however, because spooning promotes bonding and relieves stress.

Stomach Sleeper

About 7% of people sleep prone, or on their stomach. Stomach sleeping may aggravate back pain, but it also doesn't promote neutral alignment. Other reasons include the potential of sleeping with your face downward, which will inhibit breathing.

Freefall

Sleeping with your head turned to the side with a pillow tucked underneath you (or your arms) is called the "freefall" position. The pillow lifts the body, therefore giving room for your chest to expand and letting you breathe comfortably.

Back Sleeper

This is the opposite of stomach sleeping, also known as the supine position. Sleeping on your back isn't all that popular either, with only 8% of people choosing to do so. Just like stomach sleeping, back sleeping can aggravate back pain. Sleeping on your back does promote neutral alignment, however, so the chances of neck pain is slim.

Soldier

Imagine a soldier at attention, his or her arms down at their side with their body straight. This is the description of the "soldier" position. If anything, this will induce snoring for the sleeper.

Starfish

This position is more free-like, with the sleeper's arms and legs spread out like a starfish. Like the soldier position, this sleeping position will promote snoring.

Health and lifestyles

The information presented is intended to be informational, and not meant for diagnosis. Please consult your doctor for further questions.

Sometimes life will determine the way we sleep, so below we'll briefly discuss some health and lifestyle changes that may occur. Heed our disclaimer and be sure to consult professional advice before making changes to your sleep experience.

Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea is a serious sleep disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts throughout the night. One of the most common symptoms for sleep apnea is loud snoring and difficulty staying asleep. Because a person is not getting enough sleep, they will feel tired and irritable the following morning. Those suffering from sleep apnea find it helpful to sleep on their sides because it reduces snoring, which allows them to sleep better at night.

Pregnancy

A pregnant woman will find it much easier to sleep when she sleeps on her side. The late stages of her pregnancy is especially important to sleep on her side because the unborn child will compress her internal organs and major blood vessels if she were to sleep on her back. The result may cause supine hypotension, which is low blood pressure due to the compression of those major blood vessels.

Back pain

We discussed in one of our articles that poor sleeping posture is the biggest contributor to back aches, next to your mattress. The lower back specifically, which is your lumbar region, is the most common area for back aches and injuries. Avoid sleeping on your back or stomach to prevent lower back pain. Sleep on your side with appropriate pillow support to keep your back aligned with your neck, which will prevent neck pain too. For more information about sleeping with lower back pain, you can read an article here.

Heartburn

Heartburn happens when stomach acid climbs into your esophagus (lower throat). Sleeping on your stomach will agitate it further by allowing more stomach acid to flow into your esophagus. Sleeping on your left side will help prevent heartburn. Heartburn is a symptom of acid reflux, so please consult your doctor if it persists more than a few times a week.

Summary

Are you more knowledgeable about sleep positions now? Remember, sleeping on one's side is the most common and popular sleep position out there. Less popular is back and stomach sleeping. However, certain health and lifestyle changes may occur in which we have to change our sleep positions with it. We hope our discussion on this topic can help you better understand on how we choose to sleep and what works best for our individual needs.