If you wake up feeling tired, you should know that you’re not the only one. There are a lot of people who don’t have the proper posture while sleeping which can lead to problems with memory, decision making, and mood changes. Besides this, it can also cause bad circulation, muscle cramping, and insomnia. Considering all these it might be the time to change your sleeping posture.
Table of Contents
1. No More Painful Jaw
In case you wake up in the morning with a painful jaw, you should know that it is possible that you might be grinding your teeth during the night. In order to avoid this, you should try sleeping on your back.
Although it might feel strange at the beginning, you can be sure that you will get used to it. Place your arms to the sides of your head to stop your neck from turning to the sides. This way your jaw will have a natural position and the teeth will be open.
2. Avoiding Shoulder Pain
There are a lot of different reasons for shoulder pain, and one of them is sleeping on your side in an inappropriate position. However, if you do it right, side sleeping can also help with the pain.
A lot of people sleep with their bottom arm placed under their head which presses against the nerves. For a better result, try sleeping on your other side and hug a pillow in front of your chest bending the knees slightly.
3. Back Pain Fix
Back pain originates from bad spinal alignment. Don’t forget that if you sleep for eight hours, you back are in a bad position for all this time which really takes a toll on it. It is important to keep the spine naturally curved.
When sleeping on your side you should place a pillow between the knees to keep the hips stacked. Extend your arms in front of you in a relaxed position. Although it may feel strange at first, you shouldn’t give up. You will see that it is worth the trouble.
4. Handling Sinus Problems
In case you have allergies or a cold, you should avoid sleeping on your back. This is because during the night your mouth could fall open and so the mucus can get dried up in your nose.
It is better to sleep on your side propped up with an extra pillow. In this case, gravity will be on your side as well. If you’re propped up, there is a need for extra support for the arms, so you might want to hug a pillow in front of your chest. (1)
5. Preventing A Stiff Neck
It’s not good to have a flat pillow, but the extra-puffy ones aren’t doing your neck any favors either. It is important for the neck not to be on an upward or downward slope because it puts pressure on the cervical spine, resulting in soreness.
In this case, it is best to be sleeping on your back with your neck in a straight or neutral position. This means that you will have to find a pillow that has just the right height. Sleep with your arms at your sides.
[ Read: 20 Benefits of Yoga That are Supported by Science ]
6. Achy Hips Aid
A lot of people suffer from the inflammation of the hip joints. If this is the case you should forget about sleeping on your side. When sleeping on your side there is a lot of pressure on the hips.
You should give them a break by sleeping on your back. It might be a good idea to place a pillow under your knees for extra support.
7. Avoiding Chemicals That Influence Your Sleep
If you have problems with sleeping, maybe you shouldn’t have that sixth coffee before you go to sleep. Naturally, it’s not only caffeine that interferes with sleep because there is also alcohol and nicotine. Also, keep in mind that coffee isn’t the only food that comes with caffeine. Caffeine can also be found in tea, coke, chocolate, and some of the over-the-counter pain medication.
As you can see, there are a lot of factors that influence sleep and there is a lot you could do to make sure that you will wake up refreshed in the morning. The most important thing that you have to remember is to listen to your body. If you think there is something affecting your sleep quality, you should think about eliminating it from your life immediately.
