Sleeping on your side keeps your airways open, reducing-and sometimes even eliminating-snoring altogether.

Reduces Snoringĭoes snoring keep you (or your partner) awake at night? If the answer is yes, experts suggest you may want to consider side sleeping. If you often wake up to pinching nerve pain, or an achy lower back, you may want to consider sleeping on your side. Side sleeping aligns your neck, head and spine, keeping everything in a neutral position and relieving unnecessary pressure on your muscles and nerves. Take a look at the 9 benefits below, and keep in mind that some are specific to sleeping on your right side, instead. While the left side may be the “best” for your health in most cases, there are some caveats. According to researchers, left-side sleeping encourages better digestion and lymphatic drainage, boosts brainpower and reduces snoring. Research shows that there’s a correlation between pain and sleep, so it makes sense to incorporate simple changes in your sleep style that alleviate back pain - and less pain means better sleep.Long story short, the left side is the best side for sleeping when it comes to your health. “Sleeping on your stomach also forces you to turn your neck, which can cause neck and upper back pain.” “This position puts the most pressure on your spine’s muscles and joints because it flattens the natural curve of your spine,” he says. Hah, MD, a spine surgeon at Keck Medicine of USC and assistant professor of clinical orthopedic surgery at the Keck School of Medicine of USC. Sleeping on your stomach is the worst position for your spine, according to Raymond J. The worst sleep position: On your stomach If you’re pregnant, it’s a comfortable way to take the weight from your back. Try straightening your body into a relaxed position by untucking your chin and adjusting your knees. Known as the fetal position, it may be the most popular sleep style, but it promotes an uneven distribution of weight that can cause back pain and sore joints.

If you can, stretch your legs out straight and tuck a pillow between your knees to keep your spine in a neutral alignment.Īnother type of side sleeping - with your legs bent upwards - is less ideal for your back. It’s also a good position for snorers or anyone with sleep apnea because it keeps your airways open. Side sleeping with your legs straight is the second-best position for avoiding back and neck pain. If you’re pregnant, however, you should avoid this position because it decreases blood circulation to the heart and baby. For optimal spine alignment, place one pillow underneath your head or neck and another underneath your knees. Even so, many people find it the hardest way to enjoy deep sleep. The best position to avoid back pain is lying flat on your back. So which sleep positions should you embrace and which should you avoid? Here’s a rundown, from best to worst. It also helps to sleep on a firm surface. The key is alignment: When you sleep with your spine in a neutral position, it reduces the strain on your back and neck. If you’ve ever woken up with a tingling arm or achy neck, you’ve experienced the negative effects of sleeping in the wrong position. Do you have neck or back pain? Your sleep style may be contributing.

Which side should i sleep on