There are lots of different sleeping positions, but the most common one by far is on your side. When you do sleep on your side, there are some considerations that you have to take into account. For instance, you might need to upgrade your old, flat pillow to the best pillow for side sleepers instead. While side sleeping may be super popular, you may be wondering if it’s actually any good for you or if it’s better than other positions. If so, keep reading and find out if there are any benefits to sleeping on your side.
Pain Relief
A lot of people suffer from back pain, but this can actually be caused by sleeping in the wrong position. When you sleep on your front or back, you’re actually putting pressure on your lower back which can lead to pain. These positions can also cause pain in the neck, as you’re not supporting your spine as you should be. However, if you sleep on your back, you actually decrease the chances of this happening. This is because side sleeping allows your spine to be properly aligned during the night, which then prevents pain or aches form occurring. So, if you experience any sort of pain when sleeping on your front or back, you might want to switch to your side.
Stop Snoring
Snoring is a big problem for a lot of people, and how you sleep can be exasperating it further. Back sleepers are some of the biggest snoring culprits, and this is because your tongue falls into the back of your throat. This then makes it harder for you to breathe, causing the snoring sound that we all know so well. So, if you want to combat your nightly snoring, try swapping to sleeping on your side. When you sleep in this position, you keep your airways clear and open, allowing you to breathe with ease all night long.
Improved Digestion
If you struggle with acid at night when you sleep, you can actually help soothe it just be changing your sleeping position. Sleeping on your side can work wonders as it prevents the acid from rising back up into your oesophagus. But did you know that the side you choose to sleep on can make a difference too. Sleeping on your left side is said to help with acid reflux even better than the right side. This is because of the position of your stomach. When you sleep on your left, the stomach is closes to the mattress, keeping the acid in place. But if you sleep on your right, you force the stomach upwards and can cause the acid to rise. So, be sure to sleep on your left side if you want to reduce the effects of acid reflux at night.
As you can see, sleeping on your side does actually have benefits. And a lot of these benefits can make a huge difference to your quality of life and sleep too. It seems that sleeping on your side can solve a lot of night time issues, so if you don’t already do it, you should probably start! You’ll be surprised at how much better you sleep each night when sleeping in this position.
