Sleeping on your stomach puts pressure on your back and neck. Since the middle part of the body is the heaviest part, it causes the spine to arch. Believe it or not, knowing the best side to sleep can reduce symptoms of acid reflux.
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on the right side can cause more acid to leak through the esophagus.Sleeping on your stomach or on your back also worsens GERD symptoms. To reduce the risk of GERD problems, patients tend to sleep better on their left side. Do you sleep on your stomach? If so, do you have trouble sleeping? Your sleeping posture may not help you. You're more likely to be restless and turn around to feel comfortable when you sleep on your stomach.
It can also strain the neck and lower back. If this is how you like to sleep, you may want to use a very soft pillow or not use any pillows to keep your neck comfortable. However, Mayo Clinic experts say sleeping on your back is actually the worst sleeping position, especially if you have sleep apnea. That said, there are some positions that are considered healthier than others.
Specifically, sleeping on your side or on your back is considered more beneficial than sleeping on your stomach. In either of these sleeping positions, it is easier to keep the spine supported and balanced, which relieves pressure on the tissues of the spine and allows the muscles to relax and recover. Sleeping on your back offers the greatest health benefits. It protects the spine and can also help relieve hip and knee pain.
Lying on your stomach is the least common way to sleep. In this prone position, the face is usually turned to one side to make breathing easier. The arms and hands can be tucked underneath, placed on one side, or stretched out to the sides. Legs are usually kept straight.
Sleeping on your side with straight legs is the second best position to avoid back and neck pain. It's also a good position for snorers or anyone with sleep apnea because it keeps the airways open. If you can, stretch your legs straight and place a pillow between your knees to keep your spine in neutral alignment. Not only is it ideal for low back pain or pregnancy, but sleeping in a fetal position can also help reduce snoring.
Most people who sleep in this position avoid sleep problems in the supine position and their breathing may improve. It can also worsen existing back pain, so this is not the best sleeping position for lower back pain. If this is your favorite sleeping position, some research suggests that you are more likely to speak your mind and be sociable and outgoing. Taking the time to gradually train to sleep in a new position could be the secret to improving sleep quality.
Episodes of GERD become more frequent in this position and may begin as soon as one minute after switching to lying on your back. If you want to make the fetal position more comfortable, make sure your posture is loose and relaxed when you cuddle. Like everyone who sleeps on their backs, people who sleep in a starfish position may be prone to snoring and have trouble sleeping. A later study found that people who slept on their backs with their arms at their sides in the soldier position activated their shoulder muscles less and, therefore, could experience less pain in their shoulders.
You can't sleep very well sideways with your head raised at an angle during the night, and you can't sleep on your stomach. The side sleeping position relieves pressure from the growing belly, allowing the heart to pump and blood to flow easily throughout the body. When you curl up under the covers at night, you'll probably settle into your favorite position without thinking much about it. .
