Good Sleeping Posture: Singapore Chiropractors ULTIMATE Guide

Best Sleeping Posture: Should I Be Sleeping Without Pillows? | READ this article to learn the difference between good and bad sleeping posture, whether you should use a pillow and how your sleeping position can cause problems for your health! 

What is sleeping posture?

Sleeping posture, put simply, is the position or posture in which you sleep. This posture may typically be on your back, side or front, but each has its own variations.

This sleeping posture may be influenced by differences in our body shapes or underlying conditions, but it is most commonly due to our habits.

What are the most common sleeping positions? 

The most common sleeping positions are: front, back and side. Each has their advantages and disadvantages we will list below.

Front Sleeping posture

Research shows this is the sleeping posture for at least 7% of the population, but it is suggested the number is higher but people don’t tell honestly their sleeping position!

Front sleeping may feel comfortable because of the shape of someone’s body or because it shifts any fleshy obstructions in the airways. However, this is the least viable sleeping posture.

Sleeping on your front requires the head to be turned to one side or the other. This will put a twist in the neck and create tension in the spine, all the way down to the lower back. This will unevenly strain the nerves, ligaments, muscles and joints throughout the body.

The head and spine should remain neutral during sleep so the messaged between the brain and body can flow properly.

For example, the head turned to the right will stretch the left neck muscles, which pull up the shoulder, impinging the joint, changing the angle of the spine, rotating muscles in the mid back and stretching others further down in the lower back! All of these tense muscles will damage the nerves until eventually they produce pain (which may happen far later than the damage occurs).

This increased tension throughout the body injures the nerves, potentially causing nerve pain, headaches, shoulder pain, back pain, depression, digestive issues and poor posture. This can slow the rate of recovery for athletes.

Back Sleeping posture

Sleeping on your back is generally favourable, but it may not be for everyone.

Let’s start with the good stuff. Back sleep posture will help to keep the head and spine neutral, as long as the head isn’t rotated to one side. This prevents the nerves being pinched and damaged, which will affect function throughout the body. This also keeps the muscles even and prevents imbalanced tension.

Now for the bad stuff. For people who experience low back pain, back sleeping position (also known as supine) can make this worse. It can intensify heartburn (reflux) for some sufferers and may increase snoring. If you have a pre-existing condition, such as apnea, it would be advisable to check with a doctor first. People who are overweight may find back sleeping posture difficult on their breathing.

Side Sleeping posture

For many, side sleeping positions can be the most comfortable as they allow some variation and changing through the night, switching from side to side. This is the most common of the sleeping positions, with some potential health benefits.

Side sleepers are less likely to snore, as long as they don’t curl up too much into a fetal sleeping posture which may restrict diaphragmatic action.

Some studies suggest side sleeping in animals improves the brain function by allowing better clearing of waste products.

This can also be helpful for stomach and heart problems. For reflux sufferers, it can be relieving to sleep in the left side. Conversely, heart failure has been shown to be anecdotally relieved by sleeping on the back or right side.

What’s bad about side sleeping positions? Issues in the knees and hip can be worsened if there is no pillow or bolster between the legs. Side sleeping can also enforce a poor slumped posture, especially if the person sleeps in the foetal position.

What’s the best sleeping position?

Now for everyone’s favourite hack, the best sleep position! Each type of healthy sleep positions has its merits and we will go through each.

Disclaimer: the best sleeping position can be variable dependent on the person and their condition. If they are unsure they should test this out or consult their physician before committing to a particular sleep posture.

Front – bad posture to sleep

A good posture of sleeping on your front is simple, don’t! As mentioned above, sleeping on stomach will rotate the neck and spine, tensioning the joints, nerves and muscles. Prolonged sleeping on stomach posture will not just cause symptoms and pain, but also have a detrimental effect on overall health and wellness. Avoid at all costs. Save sleeping on stomach for massage beds.

Back – good posture to sleep

A good posture of sleeping on your back is to:

1. Keep the head in a neutral position, not rotating left or right
2. Have the head and neck in a neutral position in relation to your body; not leaning to the left, right, front or back
3. Have something under your legs if you need to. This will help to raise them and can reduce some of the pressure if you suffer from back pain

Side – good posture to sleep

A good posture of sleeping on your side will help to protect your neck and spine. Here is a checklist for sleeping on your side:

1. Keep the head looking straight in a neutral position, not rotating left or right
2. Don’t have too many or too thick a pillow, which would make the head lean up or down. Keep the head perpendicular to the shoulders and in alignment with your spine.
3. If possible use a contoured pillow with more support for your neck
4. Have a pillow between your knees, creating space and keeping the hips balanced