Everyone has a preferred sleeping position. Some of us like to sleep on our sides, while others like to sleep on their stomach, and some just toss and turn and might even find themselves sleeping on the floor in the morning.
Well, no matter what your favorite sleeping position is, you only need to be comfortable and cozy so that you can reap the advantages of a good night’s sleep. However, it was proven by research that sleeping on your back is the most beneficial sleeping position of them all.
Although back sleeping is the least favorite sleeping position by everyone, only 8 percent of people like to sleep on their back. Meaning that the other 92 percent of people prefer to sleep in all the other positions.
Sleeping on the back is very beneficial as it helps us get our beauty sleep, relieve our sinuses, and relieve back pain. But it could be difficult to change sleeping positions now especially if you spent years sleeping in a certain way.
Therefore, this piece will help you find out all the steps needed to properly sleep on your back and reap its benefits as well. Keep reading Sleep underground to find out more.
Benefits of Sleeping on Your Back
As mentioned, sleeping on your back could be the most beneficial form of sleep out there, here are some of the benefits of sleeping on your back.
Helps Align Your Spine
If you are one of the unlucky people who wake up in pain, it could be because of your sleeping position. Sleeping on your back can help keep your spine, neck, and head in the correct position which reduces pain in those areas and helps have better posture.
Reducing Acid Reflux
Back sleeping could help reduce your acid reflux if you suffer from this issue. To make sure this works, keep your head elevated so that your esophagus would be above your stomach.
Get Your Beauty Sleep
People who sleep on their sides or stomach often wake up with wrinkles on their skin due to their faces being smooched in their pillows. Sleeping on the back prevents these wrinkles as you do not toss and turn or smooch your face anywhere.
Get Rid of Puffy Eyes
The reason why people wake up with puffy eyes is that too much blood pools under their eyes while sleeping. This results in puffy eyes after waking up. Sleeping on your back prevents this issue and helps you wake up feeling fresh.
Relieving Sinus Problems
If you suffer from your sinus, try sleeping with your face up, this can help decrease the build-up of mucus as well as stopping the large blood flow amounts from piling up in your nose. Which will make your breathing easier while you sleep.
How to Sleep on Your Back Properly?
There are a few things that you can do to ensure that you are sleeping in the proper position so that you do not cause yourself any back or muscle pain after you wake up.
Get a Comfortable Mattress
You want to look for a mattress that is firm enough to keep your spine aligned during your sleep. Some mattresses such as the Casper Wave Hybrid offer the needed support under your lower back and waist, keeping your spine in the right position.
If you are not in a financial position to purchase a new mattress now, you can get a mattress topper that is firm enough to do the job instead.
Keep Your Neck and Head Supported
While sleeping on your back, you will need to keep your lower back, neck, and the area between your hip to your knee supported. As well as maintaining your head in a proper position so that it is not over elevated.
Maintaining the support under these areas will guarantee a more comfortable sleep as well as decreased pain after waking up.
Use Pillows to Support Your Lower Back and Knees
Some of us suffer from terrible lower back pain and neck pain and we are not even sure where it came from. Well, no matter what caused it, it can be fixed with proper support during sleep.
Placing a pillow under your lower back and knees to elevate your legs can reduce the pressure on your spine and keep its natural curve. Additionally, it prevents feeling stiff after waking up by maintaining the joints and muscles in their neutral position.
Stretch Before Sleeping
If you have been having trouble sleeping on your back, you can easily fix it by relaxing a little before bed. You can start with stretches for around 20 minutes before you go to bed and focus the stretches on your legs, neck, and back.
This also improves blood circulation as well as helping you sleep faster. You can try doing this the next time you decide to sleep on your back.
Relax… Breathe
If you lie in bed on your back trying to fall asleep but can’t because the sleeping position is unfamiliar, you can try some breathing exercises such as the 4-7-8 or the three-part breathing method. Both techniques are great to help you relax and doze off.
Can Pregnant Women Sleep on Their Backs?
As great as sleeping on our backs is, it is definitely not recommended for pregnant women past their 20th week of pregnancy. This is because while sleeping on their back that far into pregnancy, their uterus can be quite heavy on a major blood vessel named the vena cava.
Which could result in disrupting the blood flow to your baby as well as causing you trouble breathing, nausea, and dizziness.
So, in a nutshell, sleeping on your back is amazing and crazy beneficial to you. If you have trouble finding a comfortable sleeping position, try following the steps mentioned above, be persistent and patient, and in no time, you will find yourself reaping the reward!
