Everyone wants one good night sleepbut your preferred sleeping position can affect the quality of your night’s sleep and how your body feels the next day.
So which position is best: sleeping on your side, back or stomach?
Ellen Wermter, a Better Sleep Council representative, family nurse practitioner and behavioral sleep medicine specialist, told CBS News that it’s more about what works for you, not what’s considered the “best” position overall — though each has pros and cons.
“As far as pros and cons, it all depends on how you feel most comfortable and pain-free,” she said. “In general, we try to maximize two things: spinal alignment and breathing.”
Here’s what you need to know about each position:
Sleeping on your back
Certain sleep conditions such as sleep apnea “are very positional,” Wermter said, which can make some positions – like sleeping on your back – worse than others.
“When you’re on your back, gravity works against you,” she explains. “Your tongue tends to fall back, things tend to relax, and your airway gets more obstructed.”
So if you are prone to airway obstruction, this may not be the best option.
According to the National Sleep Foundation, sleeping on your back can also cause snoring because it can narrow your airway due to gravity.
The benefit of sleeping on your back? It’s great for spinal alignment.
“It keeps everything in a nice, neutral position. And your weight is distributed very evenly when you’re on your back — those are really big benefits,” she said.
Sleeping on your side
Sleeping on your side, on the other hand, is “pretty good for breathing,” Wermter said.
“The left side in particular is considered excellent for the cardiovascular system (circulation), the return of blood flow — that’s why (it is often) recommended for pregnancy “so,” she added.
Sleeping on your right side can also worsen symptoms of heartburn and GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease), according to Johns Hopkins Medicine.
Sleeping on your side can also be beneficial for spinal alignment, Wermter said, especially when you use pillows to keep things as neutral as possible.
“When you’re on your side, it’s really about filling that little gap that your neck creates,” she said. “The other piece is aligning the hips: putting a pillow between your legs is often comfortable, or propping up a shoulder or arm to maintain that neutral alignment with your spine.”
Sleeping on your stomach
“Sleeping on your stomach is considered the most problematic because it’s difficult to achieve a neutral spine (and neck) position,” Wermter says. “Your face is kind of pressed against the mattress or pillow, so you have to turn your neck from side to side.”
On the surface, you may also get more wrinkles sleeping on your stomach because of the pressure of your face on your bed.
“So if that’s something you’re worried about, then that’s a negative for sleeping on your stomach,” she said.
If you don’t wash your pillowcases regularly enough, sleeping on your stomach can also lead to escapesaccording to Johns Hopkins.
If you sleep on your stomach, Wermter suggests choosing a flatter pillow (or no pillow at all) to prevent your neck from arching further back.
What sleeping position should I use?
Listening to your body is essential to finding the sleeping position that works best for you.
“If you wake up gasping for air and you’re on your back, that’s probably not the best position for breathing, or if you’re on your stomach and you have neck pain, it’s probably not working for you,” Wermter said.
Position preferences can also change with age or when you have surgeries, so be open to adjustments as necessary.
“You have to adapt to what’s going on in your life or the recovery you’re currently facing,” Wermter said, adding that she has personally changed positions from lying on her stomach to lying on her side as she’s gotten older. “It changes over time depending on your flexibility and your stiffness.”
Although it can be very difficult to get used to a different sleeping position, it is possible.
“Because our brains get so used to their comfort position, it can take time and persistence,” she said.
Wermter also suggests using pillows to your advantage. In addition to testing out what height and size works best for your preferred position, you can also use them to prop yourself up or stabilize yourself in a particular position.
Still having trouble sleeping?
If there is no position that allows you to rest, think about what you sleep on.
“All of these positions will be optimal on a good sleeping surface. So if you start with a mattress that is no longer supportive or sags, then even your best efforts will not be optimized,” Wermter said.
Constantly tossing and turning despite your best efforts could also mean you have a sleep disorder, which can affect your energy levels, mood, productivity and cognitive function, according to the National Sleep Foundation.
“It can also lead to more serious long-term problems, including high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and stroke,” the foundation’s website says. “If you regularly have trouble sleeping or experience daytime fatigue when you thought you slept well all night, it may be time to talk to a doctor about your concerns.”
