What is the best position to sleep?

Each position presents some upsides but also some backsides.

Brilio.net/en - Everyone hits the hay a little differently: some like to sleep on the side (on average 74% of people), on the back (approximately 16%) or on the stomach (approximately 10%). No matter the position, there is quite a high probability that you wont change your sleeping habits. Unless, you decide to prioritize the advantages offered by some positions or need to modify some of the inconveniences of another.!

According to scientific studies, each position presents some upsides but also some backsides:

1. Sleeping on the back

Image via juicing-for-health

Advantages:

• Reduces the apparition of wrinkles and prevent lowering of the breasts
• Minimizes the acidic reflux (gastric reflux?)
• Best sleeping position for spine health and neck

Inconveniences:

• Worst for snoring
• The wrong choice of pillow can lead to back, neck and overall body pain due to a wrong tension put on the spine

2. Sleeping on the side

Image via life advancer

Advantages:

• Improves blood circulation, position highly recommended to pregnant woman
• Helps to reduce back and neck pain, the spine being supported in its natural curve
• Decreases the snoring

Inconveniences:

• Can provoke pains at the shoulder and hips level
• Accelerates the apparition of wrinkles and the lowering of the breasts

3. Sleeping on the stomach

Image via loohealth

Advantages:

• Decreases the snoring
• Improves digestion

Inconveniences:

• Can provoke pains in the neck and in the back as the curve of the spine is not properly supported
• Accelerates the apparition of wrinkles and the lowering of the breasts
• General body pain due to the pressure put on the muscles and articulations

The others positions are in many ways similar to the three main ones enumerated here above. According to the medical community, the most important thing to bear in mind while sleeping is to find the position that wont force you to wake up to catch up your breath. Therefore, sleeping on the side or on the stomach often forces us to change the side and interrupt the sleep. Sleeping on the back is thus considered as the healthiest position to sleep.

(brl/red)