Your sleep quality is everything. When we don’t sleep well, we face the consequences in our daily lives. If you find that you haven’t been sleeping well recently, it could be your sleep position. Here are a few tips to help you find the right sleeping position for you:
When you’re congested, consider this position
If you have some type of congestion, a cough, or respiratory irritation or illness, it can be helpful to avoid sleeping on your back, as this can cause difficulty with your breathing. Instead, sleep on an incline with high pillows that will help to keep your airways clear.
While sleeping on your stomach is safer than sleeping on your back, you may feel more pressure in your sinuses, so you may want to avoid that position as well.
If you have back pain, avoid this position
Sleeping on your stomach isn’t the best idea if you happen to feel a lot of back pain or neck pain. Some people find they like to sleep on their stomach when they’re dealing with congestion, but it’s actually not the best position for that either.
Plus, sleeping on your stomach can be bad for your skin and give you wrinkles, so this may be reason enough to avoid this position. On the other hand, one pro that stomach sleeping can provide to your life is if you snore and have a partner. In this case, sleeping on your stomach can help to decrease snoring.
If you’re pregnant, consider this option
For pregnant women, sleep can be a challenge, as the growing belly can make it difficult to sleep in the normal positions you once did. Some medical providers suggest that pregnant women should sleep on their left side, as this can be easier on their liver. But the reality is that whether you sleep on your left side or right side, sleeping on your side can definitely be one of the most comfortable positions for you.
You can probably sleep on your belly in the first few months but once it starts growing, you’ll find it to be a bit impossible. Sleeping on your back may also be quite uncomfortable in the later months.
To avoid heartburn, don’t sleep like this
If you tend to get heartburn at bedtime, try to avoid sleeping on your right side as this can exacerbate it. Instead, try your best to sleep on your left side at an incline, if possible. This allows you to relieve the acid reflux you’re experiencing so that you can have a better night of sleep.
While you’re considering changing your sleep position to relieve acid reflux, consider taking heartburn medicine before bed as well, so you can decrease the pain or irritation.
Consider sleep aids that make it easier
Sleep aids can make life easier for you. This may look like a body pillow for when you’re pregnant and trying to get some support for your large, growing belly. You may need to consider a mattress that inclines or check out pillows that offer some kind of elevation.
Depending on your personal needs, whether you have sleep apnea or deal with acid reflux, sleep aids could be necessary to ensure you get the type of quality sleep that will make a difference in your overall quality of life. Additionally, consider using sound machines or blackout curtains if you find that you still need some help to get to sleep after changing your sleep position.
In Conclusion
In some cases, you may need to take some sleep supplements if the above tips don’t help you get to sleep. However, for the most part, a simple change of sleep position can be very helpful in allowing you to sleep better at night.
