Everybody has their favorite way of sleeping. Some sleep on their backs, others sleep on their stomach. Some sleep with one leg under the covers and one leg out. And even others prefer sleeping with a pillow in between their legs. Many say that the pillow adds a little extra comfort, but little do they know it provides even more help than that.
The most common sleeping position for quality sleep is side sleeping. 74% of people sleep on the side. If you sleep on your side, be sure you have the correct mattress and keep your knees aligned in an ergonomic shape and in a neutral position.
Side sleepers want a softer mattress since their position can cause their hips and shoulders to accumulate pressure points. A quality knee pillow helps with pressure relief for better sleep quality, and so much more. Although it’s still important to have the right mattress for side sleeping to experience true comfort, your pillow and where you use it plays an important part.
Why Sleeping with a Pillow Between Your Legs is Healthier
Reduces Muscle Cramps or Tension
It’s estimated that up to 23 percent of the world’s adult population lives with chronic back pain. Correcting your sleeping position is one easy way to reduce back pain caused by poor posture.
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Awkward sleeping positions can strain muscles or worsen existing cramps. Sleeping on your side with a pillow between your legs keeps your knees aligned and supported for a more comfortable sleep.
Why does spinal alignment matter? Keeping your body properly aligned as you sleep can alleviate pressure and prevent injury.
May reduce herniated disc pain
If you’re dealing with a herniated disc, any excessive rotation of your spine may cause pain from pressure on your spinal nerves. Choosing a sleeping position that minimizes rotation of your spine, like sleeping with a pillow between your legs, may help relieve your discomfort.
Can Help You Breathe Easier
If you have a breathing condition like sleep apnea, sleeping with a pillow between your legs can help. The knee pillow helps to align the spine, which helps open your airways.
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If you sleep on your back, try placing the pillow under your knees instead of between them. Ensure you sleep with the right pillow under your head, too, for optimal comfort.
Helps Improves Blood Circulation
Have you ever slept on your arm or with your leg in a weird position and woken up with a numb or tingling sensation? It can be scary to wake up feeling like your arm is no longer attached to your body. It’s a sign of poor blood circulation.
Adding a pillow under your knees or between your legs can resolve this issue. By raising and separating your knees, the pillow helps keep blood flowing properly through your lower body.
Back sleepers can also add a pillow under their feet to raise their legs. The elevation naturally helps circulation, as gravity pulls the blood back towards your heart.
Can Prevent Varicose Veins
Varicose veins are swollen or twisted veins that often occur in the legs. Placing a pillow under your knees can help your blood circulate better and prevent visible varicose veins.
May Improve Your Posture
If you’ve been reading anything on BlackDoctor.org, you’ll know that posture is so important in just about every aspect of your health. Research has found that sleeping in nonsymmetrical postures can cause negative structural changes to your spine. Improving your sleep posture by putting a pillow between your legs may help you maintain your spinal health and overall posture.
How to Properly Position the Pillow for it to Work
Position:
Lie on your side with your knees bent. Place a pillow between your knees, ensuring your hips and knees are stacked nicely on top of each other.
Pillow Type:
Choose a pillow that is firm enough to provide adequate support, but not too bulky or uncomfortable.
Adjustments:
If you feel a gap between your hips and the bed, you can add a pillow under your torso for extra support.
How to Choose the Right Pillow for your legs
The best pillow for you comes down to preference, body type, level of activity on any given day, and other factors. You can:
– Choose a contoured pillow specifically designed to be placed between the legs as they tend to stay in place better. Typically, one-size-fits-all with contoured cutouts.
– Choose a firm enough pillow so the knees don’t ever touch.
– Choose a pillow with down or down alternative filling so you can rearrange the contents to match exactly what you want that night.
– Choose a body pillow for full-body side-sleeping support.
