What is the Best Sleeping Position?

You may have heard that the healthiest sleeping position is to lie on your back. The theory is that with the right mattress - one that is not too soft, yet not too firm - lying on your back helps to support and maintain the curves of your spine. This is true, but if you have you ever tried to lie motionless for that long, you know how difficult - and uncomfortable - it can be. And for good reason. 

Although we need support, the spine, joints and muscles also require motion to stay healthy, even at night. This is one reason why we naturally move around so much in bed at night. Without at least some tossing and turning, we would all wake up feeling stiff and sore (worse than you already do if you have back issues or if you’re of a certain age!)

Lying in only one position could also lead to other problems, such as pressure sores, especially in diabetics and the elderly. It can also aggravate back pain if you have an injury or if you are currently dealing with back problems. (Tip: Some back pain sufferers benefit from using a pillow under their knees when lying on their back.)

Fortunately, lying on your sides with your knees slightly bent is also recommended. Again, with the right mattress (I wonder if Christine Magee of Sleep Country needs a new spokesperson?!), lying on your sides also supports the curves of the spine, and offers two more positions to use throughout the night. (Tip: People with shoulder or hip pain may be limited to using only one side, but using a pillow between the knees may relieve pressure on the top-side hip.)

With the correct mattress, the shape of the spine is maintained in the side-lying position.

It’s about changing positions, not just one position

So, rather than any one position being the best, it’s better to regularly shift between your back and sides throughout the night, which often happens naturally anyway. 

Avoid Sleeping on your Stomach

One position that I cannot recommend, however, is sleeping face-down on your stomach. This position accentuates the lumbar curve, and pins the neck down in full rotation preventing any neck movement at all. If you often find yourself in this position, you can try using a “body pillow” to prevent you from rolling over (like this one: https://www.thecompanystore.com/pillows/tcs-down-free-medium-firmness-body-pillow/PO46-BODYPILLOW.html), and if you wake up at night lying on your stomach, change positions. You can also train yourself out of the habit, like I did years ago.

How I trained myself out of sleeping face-down:

To avoid sleeping on my front, I had to train myself to sleep on my back. Every night, I would lie down on my back and focus on relaxing each muscle from my head to my toes, essentially trying to convince myself that I was comfortable. At the beginning, I still felt that I had to roll over to actually fall asleep, but after several weeks, I was able to lie there longer, until I eventually started falling asleep in that position. Although I still occasionally wake-up lying face down, I am now very comfortable lying on my back, which means I spend less time sleeping face-down.

We all benefit from a good night’s sleep, and I hope these tips help you get the comfort and rest you need to start each day.

Dr. Shawn Toner, BSc, DC