I saw a message in the other forum about pillows that got me wondering. Is there a “proper” sleeping postion? Sometimes when I sleep on my stomach, my back is really stiff in the morning. When I force myself to sleep on my side or back, I don’t notice any stiffness in the am but it’s not as comfortable and easy to fall asleep.
I read somewhere the average person swaps positions dozens of times per night, so I doubt there’s an “ideal” position.
The ideal position is on your side, in the fetal position. It takes pressure off your lower back.
I know your pain…I used to get so stiff sleeping after deads and squats, I’d have to roll onto the ground to grab my shoes so I could throw them at my laughing roommate.
I found that laying on my side and curling into a loose “fetal position” (you know how a baby kinda looks on a sonogram) with a pillow propped between knees and one under neck used to relieve pressure on my back when I slept.
There is definitely a wrong way to sleep (on your stomach). It causes all of the discs in your back to be compacted, which is why you have a “stiff back” if you wleep on your stomach. If you sleep on your back, you are better off, however for people who have any type of lower back injury, this position puts too much pressure on the lower back. The ideal position is to sleep on your side with a pillow between your knees. This position relieves the pressures from your spine. I have been doing this for about 2 years due to a bulging disk between my L4 and L5.
I have a degenerated disc in my lower back and always sleep on my stomach, one leg flexed to the side (think how frogs keeps their legs (: ). I just cannot get comfortable any other way, and this position seems to relax my lower back. I cannot lie on my back for longer than half an hour, because somehow my back cannot completely relax and I can feel lactic acid slowly building there… It’s got something to do with too tight hamstrings or hip flexors, even though I stretch them daily.
But anyway, you are suggesting that one should not sleep on his stomach? How difficult was it to learn to sleep on your side, and would you suggest some ergo-pillow to make transition easier?
according to TLC the proper sleep position that puts the least amount of stress on all positions of the body is side lying semi-fetal postion. IN other words laying on your side with your legs up at least to right angle to your foot of the bed. If you can go higher this will stretch the lower back. Very good expecially for those less flexible naturally. You can also do what I used to do in martial arts. Sleep in a full stretch. This is hell the first couple times you do it but after a while you can sleep in very uncomfortable postions.
I am a stomach sleeper, much like JF, but I end up “swimming” in my sleep (right leg crooked and up, right arm down, left leg straight, left arm extended, then switch). Occasionally, I’d wake up with a stiff back. Then, a couple years ago I had a severe sacro-illiac sprain and was told to sleep in the semi-fetal position. I just couldn’t do it. Eight weeks of massive doses of Vicoden and Orphenadrine (muscle relaxor) and 3-times-a-week physical therapy did nothing to help. Out of frustration, I found that by placing a firm pillow under my hips/stomach I could sleep in my favorite position(s) and not need the drugs or physical therapy. About a week after starting this, I had no pain. It feels strange at first to have a big, hard pillow under your hips/stomach but you get used to it and you sleep sooo well (without stiffness in the morning).
I’ve seen studies that show that there is a correlation between babies that sleep on their stomachs and gifted children.
There is also a positive correlation between babies who sleep on their stomachs and those who suffocate in their sleep.
I’ve heard that sleeping on your stomach is not all that bad… as long as you have a firm mattress. It’s a definite no-no with soft and pillow-tops mattresses, though.
I am a reformed back sleeper. I ground my teeth so much I had to have a bunch of crowns done. For some reason I don’t do it if I sleep on my stomach, and now I am so used to it I can’t sleep any other way. I end up similiar to karma, top leg bent up, and one arm up under the pillow. I have to have a really soft pillow, and sometimes I like to have a pillow under the top bent leg.
I can ONLY sleep on my back. I do not understand how any man can sleep on his side. I’ve tried doing that, but it squishes my boys.
Sleeping on one’s left side should be more comfortable overall because doing so aids venous return to the heart.