Good quality sleep is critical to our overall well-being.
Does your Sleeping Position Matter?
What position you sleep in can affect many aspects of health, including Sleep Disordered Breathing, Gastroesophageal reflux (GORD), some musculoskeletal pain, our neurological health and even cosmetic wrinkling of facial skin, according to research in Methodist Hospital, Houston Texas.
Sleeping on your stomach, on your side, or fully supine (on your back) has different effects on each of these conditions. While there isn’t a worst or best sleep position for general health, there are general benefits and downsides to sleeping in certain positions.
Side Sleeping
Side sleeping is the most common sleeping position. Many surveys and studies show that side sleeping is by far the most popular sleep position. Side Sleeping appears to have the least negative impact on health.
Side sleeping is associated with several potential health benefits. Interestingly, the side of the body a person sleeps on can affect what benefits they may receive. There is reasonably good evidence that sleeping on the side or with the head slightly elevated is associated with a lower incidence of neurodegenerative disease, than sleeping fully supine (lying on your back, with your face upwards).
It’s thought that the central nervous system collects waste throughout the day while we’re awake. During sleep, cerebrospinal fluid will flush out this waste, including beta amyloid, a protein that clumps together and creates the plaque associated with Alzheimer’s disease. Side sleeping, specifically on the right side, may help people clear this waste easier and better than other sleeping positions. For people with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), sleeping on the side may help ease the issue.
Sleeping on the side is known as positional therapy for Obstructive Sleep Apnoea and can lower the tendency to obstruct the oropharynx (area commonly partially or completely obstructed in Sleep Apnoea, when lying on our back, causing soft tissue, including the tongue to fall backwards, crowding the airway)
Back Sleeping
Sleeping on your back, also called supine sleeping or back sleeping, has some benefits, but the downsides may outweigh them.
Sleeping on your back can worsen gastric reflux and can also be worse for people with obstructive Sleep Apnoea, due to Oropharyngeal crowding, whereby on our backs, the airway can become narrower with crowding, especially when we are overweight.
Back sleeping is associated with higher rates of Snoring, especially in people with untreated Obstructive Sleep Apnoea. Sleeping on our backs, the position of the tongue and jaw relax backwards and downward due to gravity, crowding the airway
Stomach Sleeping
Stomach sleeping is rare. Called the prone position, sleeping on your chest and stomach is one of the least popular sleep positions. Various surveys and studies show that only 10% to 20% of people prefer sleeping on their stomach. Stomach sleeping may help people keep their airway open, which may help decrease snoring and mild breathing issues while sleeping. Stomach sleeping may also be the worst position for the spine. While on the stomach, we have to turn our head to one side to breathe easily. This can cause stress on the neck and flatten the natural S-shaped curve of our spine, while we sleep. This can be worse for people with neck and back pain.
Should I change my Sleep Position to be healthier?
Sleep position can have an impact on several aspects of health, maintaining a restful, organized sleep schedule is likely the most important in terms of overall health benefits. When sleep is restful, and you do not have Sleep Disordered Breathing or Gastric Reflux, changing your sleep position is not necessarily beneficial, especially if it disrupts your established sleep pattern.
Good Sleep Hygiene
Poor Sleep either in the short term or long term can have many repercussions for health. An evaluation of what is disrupting your sleep, and treatment if you (or someone you are concerned about) think that you may have Sleep Disordered Breathing, it is important to seek help www.beacondentalsleep.ie . Being irritable and having no energy during the day, especially in the afternoon is one thing, but the impact of untreated Sleep Disordered Breathing can be very severe.
Paying attention to overall Sleep Hygiene is important to getting good quality sleep. Limiting screens before bed, making sure the bedroom is as quiet as possible and without distraction (removing a TV from the bedroom is very helpful).
The room should be dark or have minimal light, with blackout blinds, and well-lined curtains help. Planning and allowing adequate time to wind down from the day, is very helpful. These steps all contribute to restful, restorative Sleep. Regular, scheduled bed linen changes and mattress vacuuming, can help keep allergens to a minimum, commonly seen in the Spring and Summer months, also leading to disrupted sleep.
The most important aspect to Sleep Hygiene is to maintain a regular, restful schedule of sleep with adequate sleep time. Sleep Positioning, creating a restful, quiet environment in the bedroom, with regularly changed bed linen, avoiding all screens and avoiding stimulating drinks at least 6-8 hours before bed, can all be part of maintaining that regular, restful sleep schedule.
The importance of overnight Restorative Sleep cannot be underestimated.
Good quality sleep contributes to an enhanced ability to move through a lot of the challenges of everyday life, energised and empowered.
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