Sleep Position’s Many Impacts

When you climb into bed each night, it’s likely that you don’t give much thought to the position that you assume as you close your eyes and prepare to sleep. But the truth is that whether you lie on your back, your side or your stomach can have an enormous impact on your health, how you feel, and even the way that you look.

According to chiropractor Dr. Greg Vanvakaris, sleep position is a big determinant in many aspects of your physical well-being. The way that you sleep, “absolutely matters,” he says. “It dramatically effects the way you feel, the energy you have, the wrinkles on your face, and even your weight.”

Being cheated of the sleep you need, whether as a result of not being able to fall asleep in the first place or constantly being disrupted has an impact on your hormones, your appetite and how your metabolism operates. Though each sleep position has its advantages and its disadvantages, most experts agree that the overall best sleep position is sleeping on your back. It is the most neural position for your spine, thus eliminating most back and neck pain. It has the lowest impact on your face because skin is hanging in its most advantageous position, thus minimizing wrinkles. The disadvantage of sleeping on your back? It is the absolute worst position to sleep in if you snore. The best way to make sleeping on your back even healthier is to put a pillow directly underneath your knees. This not only reduces any remaining stress on your lower back, but also helps eliminate stress on the pelvis and hips. Back sleepers are also advised to keep their arms at their sides rather than up by their heads. This reduces any pain and stress that may come to the shoulders, and keeps you from putting your hands near your face, which can cause skin problems and make wrinkles worse.

For those who prefer sleeping on their side, the pluses and minuses are worth consideration. Side sleeping is almost as good for your back and neck, plus had the advantage of being less conducive to snoring than back sleeping. Unfortunately, it can add to pain in the shoulders and it is very likely to make wrinkles more pronounced as the weight of the tissue in the face drags the skin down.  To make side sleeping less damaging, experts suggest switching between sleeping on your left side and your right side in order to keep the impact on the face and the shoulders less damaging. Experts also advise keeping a pillow beneath the head and neck and another between the knees to minimize the impact on the hips and keep the spine properly aligned.

Finally, stomach sleeping is considered to be the worst position overall, though it does minimize snoring. Sleeping on the stomach puts improper pressure on the spin and joints and compresses the face, a clear cause of wrinkles. For those who can’t sleep in any other position, experts suggest a flat pillow under the head and a normal one placed under the hips to minimize stress on the lower back.