Been sleeping on your stomach or side since, you know, forever? Well, you may want to change it up because those are not the top positions for your health it turns out. Sleeping on your back is “by far the healthiest option for most people,” according to new research from Sleep.org.
See when you sleep on your back it allows your head, neck, and spine to all be in a neutral position which will reduce the possibility of back pain. You aren’t putting any extra pressure on those areas like you would in the other positions which is really going to benefit you later.
Interestingly though sleeping on your back is not too popular! Only 8% of adults sleep this way. So what is the most preferred but not necessarily healthiest way of sleeping? Apparently, we all slept best in the womb because the fetal position came in at number one with 41%.
However, it should be noted that if you are pregnant, snore or suffer from sleep apnea then your back is not the healthiest option. Fetal is great for pregnant women because it improves circulation in your body and to the fetus. It also prevents the uterus from putting pressure on your liver. This position is also good if you snore.
For snorers, catching zzz’s on your stomach is a good option however it really doesn’t do anything for anyone else. For the 7% of adults that sleep this way it puts extra pressure on your neck, back, joints and can give way to numbness, tingling, aches, and irritated nerves. You may prefer a nightmare over that.
Originally published on Ladders.
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