Most everyone knows that good posture is important, but good posture doesn’t apply just to sitting and standing. The muscles and ligaments of your back relax and heal themselves while you sleep. In order to protect your back, good posture is important while sleeping.
The mattress that’s right for you lets you wake up feeling rested and free of pain or soreness. Unless you have a condition that may require a certain type of mattress, you should choose a mattress that provides support for the natural curves of your spine and is comfortable.
Pillows are not just for your head and neck. Depending on your sleeping position, additional pillows can help keep your spine in proper alignment. The pillow for your head should support the natural curve of your neck and be comfortable.
Regardless of your sleeping position, try to keep your ears, shoulders, and hips aligned.
I – Word Understanding
soreness – pain or distress
alignment – proper positioning (of parts in relation to each other)
II – Have Your Say
Which sleep position is the best?
1. Best: Sleeping on your back makes it easy for your head, neck, and spine to maintain a neutral position. It prevents neck and back pain, reduces acid reflux and minimizes wrinkles. It is however, bad for snoring.
2. 2nd Best: Side-sleeping is great for overall health — it reduces snoring and keeps your spine elongated. HOwever, it can cause you to get wrinkles.
3. Not Ideal: Fetal Position – Outside of your mother’s uterus, resting in a tight fetal pose isn’t a great idea. It reduces snoring and advisable for sleeping during pregnancy but it is not good for neck/back pain and wrinkles.
4. Worst: “Stomach-sleeping makes it difficult to maintain a neutral position with your spine,” Shannon explains. What’s more, the pose puts pressure on joints and muscles, which can irritate nerves and lead to pain, numbness, and tingling.
