{"id":4893,"date":"2022-10-13T22:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-10-13T22:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/modernsciences.org\/staging\/4414\/?p=4893"},"modified":"2022-09-30T08:34:59","modified_gmt":"2022-09-30T08:34:59","slug":"what-position-should-i-sleep-in-and-is-there-a-right-way-to-sleep","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/modernsciences.org\/staging\/4414\/what-position-should-i-sleep-in-and-is-there-a-right-way-to-sleep\/","title":{"rendered":"What position should I sleep in, and is there a \u2018right\u2019 way to sleep?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\n \n
\n \n Photo by Andrea Piacquadio\/Pexels<\/a>, CC BY<\/a><\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n\nChristian Moro<\/a>, Bond University<\/a><\/em> and Charlotte Phelps<\/a>, Bond University<\/a><\/em><\/span>\n\n

After 50 years of research, eminent Stanford University sleep researcher William Dement reportedly said<\/a> the only solid explanation he knows for why we sleep is \u201cbecause we get sleepy\u201d. <\/p>\n\n

Even though sleep may be, as one researcher put<\/a> it, \u201cthe only major behaviour in search of a function\u201d, it clearly does matter<\/a> for our health and wellbeing.<\/p>\n\n

But are we doing it right? What does the research say about sleeping position?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Is there a correct position to sleep in?<\/h2>\n\n

Most people prefer<\/a> to sleep on their side<\/a>. This is good to hear, as those who lie on their backs are more likely to be poor sleepers<\/a> or have breathing difficulties<\/a> during the night.<\/p>\n\n

In most cases, we tend to move around quite a lot during the night. One study<\/a> of 664 sleepers found, on average, that participants spent about 54% of their time in bed sleeping on their side, about 37% on their back, and about 7% on their front.<\/p>\n\n

Males (especially those aged under 35) tend to be most restless, with more<\/a> position shifts, and arm, thigh, and upper-back movements during the night.<\/p>\n\n

This may not be a bad thing, as allowing your body to move during the night is generally a good idea. <\/p>\n\n

During sleep, your body will keep track of any pain or discomfort and adjust position accordingly. This is why we usually avoid developing bedsores<\/a> (or pressure ulcers) in everyday life.<\/p>\n\n

If you find you can\u2019t move because your partner (or dog) is taking up too much room in the bed, consider switching sides or getting a larger bed.<\/p>\n\n

And don\u2019t tuck yourself in too tightly; give yourself some room to move around on either side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Being comfortable is key. There is no quality research<\/a> providing clear evidence for an \u201coptimal sleep position\u201d. Your age, weight, environment, activities and whether you\u2019re pregnant, all play a role<\/a> in which sleep position is best for your body.<\/p>\n\n

Ideally, we can find a position that helps us get a good night\u2019s sleep, and one that avoids us waking up in any pain.<\/p>\n\n

Even with our chosen position, some layouts are better than others. In one study<\/a>, people who rested in a position where there is a rotation of the spine (such as the unsupported side position), woke up with more pain in the morning.<\/p>\n\n

\n \"\"\n
\n We all have a preference for a particular sleep position.<\/span>\n Christian Moro, Author provided<\/span><\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n\n

Nonetheless, although some forms of side-sleeping may cause a bit of load on the spine, it appears the side positions, in general, are still better than the other options<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What pillow should I choose?<\/h2>\n\n

Choosing the right pillow is vital for a good night\u2019s sleep.<\/p>\n\n

A lack of support for the head and neck during sleep has been found to severely impact spine<\/a> alignment, and cause muscle problems<\/a> such as neck pain, shoulder pain and muscle stiffness<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n

Promisingly, the pillow material<\/a> does not appear to affect the spine. Instead, the shape and the height is what matters. A U-shaped pillow may help you have a longer night\u2019s sleep<\/a>, and a roll-shaped pillow can reduce morning pain and bedtime pain in those suffering from chronic pain<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n

Unfortunately, science has not given us an answer on what is the optimal mattress<\/a>. With everyone sleeping differently, this would be hard to compare over the long term.<\/p>\n\n

However, there are bad mattresses. If your bed is sagging, has lost its firmness, develops noisy springs, or shows clear signs of wear and tear, consider changing your mattress.<\/p>\n\n

Rotating the mattress can help with its longevity and improve comfort. This should be done at least<\/a> one to two times per year.<\/p>\n\n

\n \"A<\/a>\n
\n Comfort is key.<\/span>\n Photo by Eren Li\/Pexels<\/a>, CC BY<\/a><\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n\n

Other tips for a restful night\u2019s sleep<\/h2>\n\n

Set a cooler room temperature. The ideal temperature for sleep is 18.3\u2103<\/a> (ranging between 15-19\u2103); higher temperatures<\/a> can affect sleep.<\/p>\n\n

Allow some airflow in the room. Besides bringing nice, fresh air, it also clears away any accumulated heat, keeping us nice and cool<\/a> during the night.<\/p>\n\n

Some medications, such as certain types of antihistamines<\/a>, may make it easier to get to sleep. On the other hand, stimulants such as caffeine can drastically affect the quality<\/a> of your sleep.<\/p>\n\n

Finally, be sure not to go to bed with a full bladder, as having to get up at night to wee<\/a> can impact sleep.\"The<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Christian Moro<\/a>, Associate Professor of Science & Medicine, Bond University<\/a><\/em> and Charlotte Phelps<\/a>, PhD Student, Bond University<\/a><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n\n

This article is republished from The Conversation<\/a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Photo by Andrea Piacquadio\/Pexels, CC BY Christian Moro, Bond University and Charlotte Phelps, Bond University After 50 years…\n","protected":false},"author":231,"featured_media":4880,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[12],"tags":[596,474],"class_list":{"0":"post-4893","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-health-and-body","8":"tag-sleep","9":"tag-the-conversation","10":"cs-entry","11":"cs-video-wrap"},"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/modernsciences.org\/staging\/4414\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4893","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/modernsciences.org\/staging\/4414\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/modernsciences.org\/staging\/4414\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/modernsciences.org\/staging\/4414\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/231"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/modernsciences.org\/staging\/4414\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4893"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/modernsciences.org\/staging\/4414\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4893\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4894,"href":"https:\/\/modernsciences.org\/staging\/4414\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4893\/revisions\/4894"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/modernsciences.org\/staging\/4414\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4880"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/modernsciences.org\/staging\/4414\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4893"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/modernsciences.org\/staging\/4414\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4893"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/modernsciences.org\/staging\/4414\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4893"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}