Did you know that how you sleep affects your health? There are some common sleep positions that could be good or bad for you. See which one applies to you below:
1. On Your Back, Arms at Sides
Sleeping on your back with your arms at your side is generally considered to be the best sleeping position for spine health and it’s good for your neck, too, as long as you don’t use too many pillows.
That said, back sleepers tend to snore more than those in any other position and sleep apnea is strongly associated with sleeping on the back.
2. Fetal Position
Sleeping all curled up into a ball with your knees drawn up and your chin tilted down might be comfortable but it’s probably one of the worst sleeping positions to consider as it can do a number on your back and neck.
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The extreme curl of the fetal position can also restrict deep breathing. That considered, sleeping like a fetus can have you sleeping like a baby if you typically have problems with snoring or if you’re pregnant.
There’s a reason why this is the most popular sleep position. The fetal position has loads of benefits. Not only is it great for lower back pain or pregnancy, sleeping in the fetal position can help reduce snoring.
Unfortunately, sleeping in a fetal position does have a few downsides. Make sure your posture is relatively loose, otherwise your comfy position could limit deep breathing while you snooze.
Also, if you have any issues with joint pain or stiffness, sleeping in a tight fetal position might leave you sore in the morning.
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3. On Side, Arms at Sides
When you’re sleeping on your side with both arms down, the spine is best supported in its natural curve. This can definitely help reduce back and neck pain while also reducing sleep apnea.
The downside? Sleeping on the side can contribute to skin aging due to gravity, meaning facial wrinkles and sagging breasts.
One thing to consider is if you suffer from heartburn, sleeping on your right side can make symptoms worse. That’s true for people who have gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and for people who have heartburn for other reasons, such as pregnant women. Flip to your left side to cool the burn.
4. On Side, Arms Out
This position has many of the same benefits of sleeping on your side with your arms straight down. However,
