When we sleep is when we recover. As a Seattle, WA Chiropractor, I see many patients who get their first adjustment at Seattle Chiropractic Center and the next day they come back and tell me how much better they slept that night. It is a common theme.

Sleeping well seems to be one of those forgotten healthy habits that when I mention it, most people have an “ah-hah” moment. They knew they should be, but weren’t. I hope you enjoy this article about sleeping and let me know if you have any questions!

How to sleep better

There’s no doubt sleep is vital for proper body function, especially if you consider that we spend almost 30% of our lives sleeping. However, not all sleeping positions allow you to wake up fully refreshed. Some sleeping positions actually leave you in pain and cramps, which may affect not just your health, but your mind and mood as well. That’s why it’s important to take full advantage of the benefits and prevent the damage that certain positions can cause. Read on to find out which sleeping positions are most health-beneficial.

1# Sleeping on your back

Many health experts agree that this position is the best because it doesn’t put an extra pressure on your spine or neck. In fact, your spine stays in natural alignment all night long thus preventing backache and a strained neck.

2# Starfish

The starfish position refers to sleeping on your back with your arms up. According to health experts, this position is good for back health, but also to prevent facial wrinkles and even acid reflux. However, sleeping in this position can trigger snoring and lead to pain in your shoulders because your arms put extra pressure on the nerves of your shoulders.

3# Sleeping on your side

This sleeping position is most beneficial for people dealing with sleep apnea, back and neck pain, those prone to snoring and pregnant women. However, there’s a downside to this sleeping position as it can lead to formation of facial wrinkles, and possibly saggy breasts. Also, people who sleep on the side are more likely to feel numbness in their arm as a result of the pressure on one side of their body.

4# Fetal Position

Although this is the primal sleeping position we’ve all had in our mother’s wombs, fetal position is far from being beneficial for adults. Some of the reasons for this include the various neck and back problems, as well as restricted breathing, which seriously affects your sleep quality. In fact, sleeping in fetal position can put a lot of strain on your back and joints, especially when your knees and chin are tucked into your chest. This position can also lead to wrinkles and saggy breasts. According to psychologists, people who sleep in this position tend to be more anxious and stressed-out than others.

5# Sleeping on your stomach

This is probably the worst sleeping position as it can lead to a number of health implications due to the large amount of pressure that you put on your back, especially the lumbar spine. This position doesn’t support the natural alignment of your spine, which leads to spine curving. And when your spine is not aligned with your neck, there’s extra pressure on your joints and muscles, which leads to pain, numbness, and tingling. As with fetal position, sleeping on your stomach also restricts your breathing because your neck is strained.

This article was originally posted here.

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