06-03-2025
What's the secret to a good night's sleep? It might have to do with your sleep position.
What's the secret to a good night's sleep? It might have to do with your sleep position.
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What does your sleeping position say about you?
A new study is revealing what your sleeping position may say about you. For example, people who sleep on their stomachs are reportedly fun, open-minded and direct.
Fox - 5 Atlanta
We're all chasing after a good night's sleep. Reaching seven hours of blissful, undisturbed sleep could very well involve placing limits on caffeine intake, drinking chamomile tea and averting our eyes from blue light before bedtime. But if you're still waking up with pain in your neck, shoulder or back, it's possible your sleep position could be throwing off your ability to start the day feeling refreshed.
It's not to say you're doing yourself a disservice by spending the night sleeping on your stomach. In fact, 'it's hard to say that there's truly one (sleep) position that supersedes them all. It really is dependent on a person's individual needs and comfort level,' says Miranda McPhillips, an Eastwood Family Endowed Assistant Professor in the M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing at Villanova University.
How does sleep position affect your health?
If you don't have any underlying conditions or musculoskeletal concerns, there's really nothing that should prevent you from sleeping in whatever position you find to be the most comfortable. However, while most sleep positions are generally healthy, you should still prioritize sleeping in a way that supports spinal alignment, says McPhillips.
For certain groups of people, 'there's research to show that sleep position certainly matters,' says McPhillips. People with obstructive sleep apnea, for example, should sleep on their side or stomach, rather than their back. When someone with sleep apnea sleeps on their back, there's a risk of their airways collapsing, which can impede their ability to breathe, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine.
During pregnancy, people should opt for sleeping on their left side, adds McPhillips. This encourages blood flow in the body, and alleviates pressure off the liver, per Mount Sinai. It's also known that newborns should sleep on their back, which helps to lower the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), says McPhillips.
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What's the best sleep position? What side should you sleep on?
Consider some pros and cons of some common sleep postures:
Side sleeping. Sleeping on your side is generally healthy, and preferred by most people. It's great for people who are pregnant and people with sleep apnea. It can also help reduce snoring, ease heartburn and relieve back pain. However, there's a fine line with side sleeping, because if your spine isn't supported, it could inadvertently contribute to back and neck pain. If you're going to sleep on your side, McPhillips recommends placing a pillow between your knees; this will help take some pressure off of the hips and maximize spinal alignment.
Sleeping on your side is generally healthy, and preferred by most people. It's great for people who are pregnant and people with sleep apnea. It can also help reduce snoring, ease heartburn and relieve back pain. However, there's a fine line with side sleeping, because if your spine isn't supported, it could inadvertently contribute to back and neck pain. If you're going to sleep on your side, McPhillips recommends placing a pillow between your knees; this will help take some pressure off of the hips and maximize spinal alignment. Sleeping on your back. Perhaps one of the greatest benefits of sleeping on your back is that it reduces pressure on various aspects of your spine. If you prop your pillow up, sleeping on your back can also help to reduce congestion (although if you're laying flat, it could actually contribute to nasal congestion and snoring). As mentioned, this position also isn't recommended if you have sleep apnea. If you're pregnant, you should avoid sleeping on your back, because the weight of the uterus can put pressure on the spine and reduce blood flow to the fetus.
Perhaps one of the greatest benefits of sleeping on your back is that it reduces pressure on various aspects of your spine. If you prop your pillow up, sleeping on your back can also help to reduce congestion (although if you're laying flat, it could actually contribute to nasal congestion and snoring). As mentioned, this position also isn't recommended if you have sleep apnea. If you're pregnant, you should avoid sleeping on your back, because the weight of the uterus can put pressure on the spine and reduce blood flow to the fetus. Sleeping on your stomach. This position could help with snoring, and if you're someone who has sleep apnea, it's better than sleeping on your back. But sleeping on your stomach isn't the most ideal sleep position; it can be particularly taxing on the spine, and could exacerbate back and neck pain. If you're someone who tends to sleep on your stomach, McPhillips recommends investing in a firmer mattress, which will help prevent you from sinking into the bed (and putting pressure on the spine).
Great graphics: What is the best way to sleep? How every sleeping positions can affect your health
How to find the best sleep position for you
Over the course of a few weeks, use a sleep diary to track what sleep position feels most comfortable for you, suggests McPhillips. For instance, if you're noticing shoulder pain after side sleeping for a week, sleep on your back for a few days to test if it feels better. As always, if you have any sleep-related concerns, it's always safe to visit your primary care provider, and if need be, they can refer you to a sleep medicine specialist.
Beyond sleep posture, getting a good night's sleep could also involve following a few essential sleep hygiene practices. Here's what McPhillips recommends:
