How your favourite sleep position could be HARMING your health – and how to snooze instead
DO you hog the bed? Or are you only able to drift off when curled up on your side?
We often discuss how to get great kip, from turning in at a reasonable time and banning phones from the bedroom to aiming for eight hours’ shut-eye – but rarely do we talk about what our bodies do once they hit the sheets.
According to a YouGov poll, one in five of us has fewer than five hours’ sleep a night, while 68 per cent wake up feeling knackered.
It’s worrying given that lack of sleep has been linked to heart disease, diabetes, stroke, high blood pressure, obesity and depression.
But what if you could improve your health simply by sleeping in a certain position?
Dr Lindsay Browning, sleep expert at Trouble Sleeping and author of Navigating Sleeplessness, says: “Choosing the correct position, depending on needs, is important.
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“Sleeping positions have been linked to sleep apnoea, a breathing disorder during the night that can affect heart health and cause chronic sleep deprivation.
“Also, if we don’t choose the right position, with a supportive mattress and correct pillows, we may wake up in pain and need to move to get comfortable again, causing disrupted sleep.”
Here, Dr Browning tells reporter Clare O’Reilly what your sleep position is doing to your health . . .
ON YOUR BACK
BEST FOR: People with lower back pain, those with nasal congestion and babies.
WORST FOR: Women in their third trimester, after 28 weeks’ pregnancy.
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HEALTH IMPACT: Sleeping on your back can help with lumbar pain as the spine can maintain a natural alignment.
It can also alleviate nasal congestion, as lifting your head on a pillow drains mucus and reduces acid reflux, and reduces sinus pain by taking pressure off the area.
Back sleeping could keep your face looking younger too. Small-scale studies have found kipping on your side can cause wrinkles over time as your eye and face are squashed by the pillow.
But sleeping on your back can make snoring worse, especially if you have sleep apnoea (when breathing stops and starts).
It is not recommended for women in the third trimester of pregnancy.
After 28 weeks of pregnancy, studies have found that falling asleep on your back can double the risk of stillbirth.
ON YOUR LEFT
BEST FOR: Heartburn, acid reflux and pregnancy from 28 weeks.
WORST FOR: Heart rhythm problems.
HEALTH IMPACT: Reduces snoring and is better for digestion.
Lying on your left-hand side can cause heart rhythm changes.
Studies have found the heart moves and may be compressed when lying on the left, which could lead to cardiac issues over time.
Lying in this position isn’t all bad, though, it does reduce the risk of gastroesophageal reflux – better known as indigestion, heartburn and acid reflux.
Research has found those with gastroesophageal reflux who slept on their right had more episodes and the symptoms lasted longer too.
So make sure you fall asleep on your left if you suffer with anything heartburn-related.
Sleeping on your side can improve snoring, which can significantly help sleep apnoea.
Plus, pregnant women in the last trimester are advised to sleep on their side.
ON YOUR RIGHT
BEST FOR: Heart health and potentially reducing Alzheimer’s risk.
WORST FOR: Acid reflux and heartburn.
HEALTH IMPACT: While sleeping on the left side can affect the heart’s natural rhythm, the same issues don’t occur when people sleep on their right.
People with heart failure have been found to naturally avoid kipping on their left side.
Right-side sleeping may also reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
During the day, toxic by-products accumulate in our bodies, including beta amyloid – a substance found in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s.
Spinal fluid helps to flush these toxins away during our sleep.
Scientists at the University of Rochester Medical Center in the US, who studied rodents, found that the flushing action worked most effectively when the subjects slept on their right.
ON YOUR STOMACH
BEST FOR: People who tend to snore noisily.
WORST FOR: Those suffering with back or neck pain, and not suitable for pregnant women.
HEALTH IMPACT: Sleeping on your stomach is the least common night-time position and generally has fewer health benefits compared to side or back-sleeping.
But it can help people suffering from sleep apnoea, by helping them to keep their airway open throughout the night.
It has also been found to reduce the risk of snoring.
But the risks of this sleep position do tend to outweigh the benefits for a lot of people.
Stomach-sleeping can put strain on your spine, so it is not recommended for people who have been experiencing back pain.
Also, it should be avoided for pregnant women, for obvious reasons.
If you are a stomach-sleeper and want to switch positions for the sake of your health, try using a pillow to train your body to sleep on your side.
STARFISH STYLE
BEST FOR: Undisrupted sleep, menopause, people with sleep disorders.
WORST FOR: Co-sleepers.
HEALTH IMPACT: If you sleep alone, it’s easier to move during the night without disturbing a partner.
Having this option during menopause can be really helpful.
If you’re experiencing hot flushes you may move more frequently to help regulate your temperature.
We all move around in our sleep, but excessive moving could mean you have REM sleep behaviour disorder (sleepwalking/talking) or obstructive sleep apnoea or periodic limb movement disorder.
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Sleeping starfish-style can be easier if you struggle with one of these conditions, but you should also get checked out by the GP.
Moving a lot could also mean your sleep is not as restorative, so assess your sleep hygiene and see if you can improve it – for example, by getting a more comfortable mattress and pillow, adjusting the room temperature and winding down properly before bed.