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Best Sleeping Positions to Improve Sleep

Posted By: Layla

From the “log” to the “starfish” to the “soldier,” there are all sorts of clever names to describe sleeping positions. But how do you find the best position to sleep?

Best Sleeping Positions to Improve Sleep

Cute names aside, different sleeping positions will affect your body in varying ways and influence your ability to reach deep sleep. Some positions can limit snoring or lower back pain, while others could leave you with a crick in your neck. Your body’s needs are unique, and your sleeping position should accommodate them.

Let’s talk about the most common ways to sleep, what’s so great (and not great) about each one, and how you can find the best sleep position for your body’s needs.

Key Takeaways
What Is the Best Sleeping Position?
Back Sleeping
Side Sleeping
Stomach Sleeping
Best Sleeping Positions: FAQs
Conclusion

Key Takeaways

Back sleeping is often touted as one of the best sleeping positions, as it promotes optimal spinal alignment to prevent aches and pains.
Side sleeping is another one of the best sleeping positions, with several variations, from the log to the fetal position. No matter the side position you choose, it’s recommended to place a pillow between your knees and select an appropriate pillow height for your head to maintain proper alignment and reduce joint pressure.
While stomach sleeping is less optimal for spinal health, it can reduce snoring and sleep apnea symptoms. Those who prefer this position should use a thin pillow and consider placing a support pillow under the hips to maximize strain on the lower back.
Proper support with the appropriate pillow selection is essential regardless of sleep position. Ultimately, you want to maintain neutral spine alignment while addressing individual comfort and health considerations.

What Is the Best Sleeping Position?

The ideal sleeping position maintains proper spinal alignment while accommodating individual health needs and comfort preferences. While there isn’t a universal “best” position that suits everyone, research indicates that both back and side sleeping generally offer more health benefits than stomach sleeping.

Back sleeping naturally supports neutral spinal alignment by evenly distributing body weight across the mattress. This position allows your head, neck, and spine to remain neutral without unnecessary twisting or bending, which can cause you to wake up with a headache, back pain, or a sore neck.

When properly supported, side sleeping can also maintain good spinal alignment and offer additional benefits for specific health conditions. For instance, it may be the best sleeping position for sleep apnea, acid reflux, or pregnancy-related discomfort.

Stomach sleeping typically creates more stress on the spine due to the neck rotation required and the potential for lower back arching. With that in mind, it’s often recommended to switch to side or back sleeping, if possible.

Your optimal sleep position may depend on several factors, including:

Existing health conditions
Chronic pain or injuries
Breathing issues or sleep disorders
Pregnancy
Age and mobility
Personal comfort preferences

The most important consideration when choosing the best sleeping position is maintaining proper spinal alignment while addressing your specific health needs. If you regularly wake up in pain, consulting with a healthcare provider can help determine which position might work best for your situation.

Back Sleeping

Research consistently shows that sleeping on your back provides optimal spinal alignment and support, which is why medical professionals often recommend this position.^[1] Back sleeping allows your body to maintain a neutral position, promoting proper body weight distribution and reducing pressure points.

The primary two back sleeping positions are the soldier and starfish positions. In the soldier position, you lie flat on your back with your arms positioned close to your sides, similar to standing at attention. This classic position promotes neutral spine alignment and even weight distribution.

The starfish position involves sleeping on your back with your arms raised near your head and legs spread slightly apart. This position allows for optimal breathing and can help reduce pressure on your shoulders and lower back. However, raising your arms above your head for extended periods may lead to shoulder tension in some individuals.

Both positions can be enhanced with proper pillow placement and support, though the specific arrangement should be tailored to your individual needs and any existing health conditions.

Benefits of back sleeping

Back sleeping provides numerous health advantages due to its natural support of proper spinal alignment. When you sleep on your back, your body weight is evenly distributed across your mattress’s surface, which helps maintain the neutral position of your spine and reduces pressure on key areas of your body.^[2]

Spinal alignment and neck support: Back sleeping helps maintain the natural curve of your spine and keeps your neck in a neutral position. This alignment can reduce chronic neck and back pain.
Reduced facial wrinkles: Unlike side or stomach sleeping, back sleeping prevents your face from being compressed against your pillow throughout the night. This position can help minimize the formation of sleep-induced wrinkles and maintain skin elasticity over time.
Acid reflux relief: Sleeping on your back with your head slightly elevated keeps your stomach below your esophagus, which can help prevent acid reflux symptoms.
Better sinus drainage: When properly elevated, back sleeping can facilitate natural sinus drainage and reduce congestion. This is beneficial if you suffer from allergies or sinus conditions.

How to sleep on your back

Back sleepers are on the right track, but they can still tweak their strategy. What’s most important is choosing the right number of pillows to sleep with. Putting a pillow under your knees can be great for back sleepers. This aids the natural curve of your spine and could help you eliminate that pesky lower back pain you’ve learned to deal with.

Sleeping on your back can also be great for your skin, helping reduce wrinkles by preventing your face from pushing against your pillow. People with acid reflux may also benefit from this sleeping position, which has been shown to stop acid from flowing back up toward your esophagus.

Sleeping on your back could also improve circulation in your arms and legs. When you sleep on your side or stomach, your arms can become trapped beneath your body, causing them to go numb.

Finding the best mattress for back sleepers can also make a huge difference. Typically, you want something that will support your weight without being too soft or too firm.

Drawbacks of sleeping on your back

While back sleeping offers many benefits, certain individuals may need to consider alternative sleep positions due to specific health concerns or sleep-related issues. The most significant drawbacks primarily relate to breathing and sleep quality.

Back sleeping increases the likelihood of snoring because of the effect of gravity on the throat. When lying on your back, these tissues can relax and partially block your airway, leading to the vibration that causes snoring.

Similarly, people with untreated sleep apnea may have a harder time breathing when they’re on their back. Your pillow can force your chin down, narrowing your breathing passageway.

Bottom line

Most people sleep best on their backs. However, you can improve this position with additional support under your knees and a single puffy pillow that keeps your head propped up without elevating it too high.

Side Sleeping

Side sleeping is the most common sleep position. This sleeping position offers several variations, each with potential benefits for different sleepers.

Roughly 40% of people adopt the fetal position^[3], which involves lying on their side with their knees bent and drawn toward their chest. The degree of curl can vary, though sleep specialists recommend a relaxed bend rather than a tight curl to maintain optimal spinal alignment.

In the log position, sleepers lie on their sides with their legs extended straight and arms positioned down along their bodies.

Meanwhile, the sprinter position is a less common variation that involves sleeping with one leg bent and the other extended. This position can help alleviate hip pressure but may require additional pillow support to maintain proper alignment.

Benefits of side sleeping

Sleeping on your side can improve several bodily functions while maintaining proper spinal alignment when proper support is used. The benefits of sleeping on your side include:^[4]

Improved digestive function: Side sleeping, especially on the left side, uses gravity to support the digestive system’s natural processes. Because the stomach is kept below the esophagus, this position can help reduce heartburn and acid reflux.
Enhanced brain waste clearance: Research suggests that side sleeping may help your brain’s glymphatic system remove waste products more efficiently during sleep, potentially reducing the risk of neurological diseases.
Reduced snoring and sleep apnea symptoms: Side sleeping helps keep your airway open and can significantly decrease snoring and sleep apnea episodes compared to back sleeping.
Better circulation during pregnancy: Left-side sleeping is particularly beneficial during pregnancy, as it prevents the uterus from compressing major blood vessels, ensuring optimal blood flow to both mother and fetus.
Spinal alignment support: With correct pillow placement between the knees and proper head support, side sleeping can help maintain neutral spine alignment and reduce pressure on the lower back.
Relief from shoulder pain: Switching sides can help prevent excessive pressure on one shoulder. When done with proper support, this is particularly beneficial for those with rotator cuff injuries or chronic shoulder pain.

How to sleep on your side

Side sleepers, listen up! The best position to sleep on your side is on your left. Sleeping on your right may lead to an increase in acid reflux. Sleeping on your left side also improves your blood flow. While this advice is especially pertinent to pregnant sleepers, it’s also good food for thought for the rest of us.

The absolute best way to sleep on your side, according to Johns Hopkins^[5], is on your left with a pillow between your legs.

Sleeping with a pillow between your knees, such as a memory foam pillow, pulls excess pressure off your hips and helps keep your spine straight. You should also pay attention to your head pillow. The pillow should be just high enough to lift your head sufficiently while your neck remains straight. This can relieve some of the rotator cuff and neck pain we were talking about earlier.

Drawbacks of sleeping on your side

In general, side sleeping is popular because it can feel cozy when you’re falling asleep. But that doesn’t mean it’s not without its potential pitfalls. A lot of side sleepers may wake up with shoulder and arm pain.

Because you’re putting so much pressure on your rotator cuff throughout the night, you may find that your shoulder is stiff in the morning. That’s not to say that side sleeping isn’t the best position to sleep, but there are some modifications that may be required for you to wake up with a bounce in your step instead of a slow-moving shuffle toward the ibuprofen.

Bottom line

If side sleeping is the best position to sleep for your comfort and/or health needs, just be sure to enlist some pillow support. A flat pillow will exacerbate the common pitfalls of side sleeping. If you do it right, side sleeping can also ease sleep apnea because it keeps your airway open.

Stomach Sleeping

While stomach sleeping is one of the less common sleep positions, approximately 7% of adults prefer this sleeping style.^[6] The most common variation is the “freefall” position, where you lie down with your head turned to one side with your arms wrapped around or under the pillow. Some stomach sleepers also adopt the “skydiver” position, with one leg bent and arms positioned asymmetrically.

Although stomach sleeping is generally considered less optimal for spinal alignment, some sleepers find it provides them with the most comfortable night’s rest. If you’re a committed stomach sleeper, transitioning to side sleeping may be worth considering, as it tends to place less strain on your neck and back.

Benefits of stomach sleeping

While stomach sleeping isn’t typically recommended by sleep specialists, this position does offer some specific advantages for certain sleepers, such as:

Reduced snoring and sleep apnea: Sleeping on your stomach helps keep your airway open and can significantly decrease snoring by preventing the soft tissues in your throat from collapsing. This makes it potentially beneficial for people with mild sleep apnea who haven’t found success with side sleeping.[5]
Improved digestion: For some people, stomach sleeping can aid digestion by applying gentle pressure to the abdomen. However, this benefit is highly individual and depends on factors like when you eat your last meal before bed.

How to sleep on your stomach

If stomach sleeping is your preferred position, maintaining proper spinal alignment can increase your comfort and minimize potential discomfort and strain. To minimize neck strain, select a thin, supportive pillow for your head. You may even choose to sleep without a pillow.

For proper spinal alignment, place a thin pillow under your hips and lower abdomen. This slight elevation helps maintain your spine’s natural curve and reduces pressure on your lower back. The goal is to keep your back in as neutral a position as possible throughout the night.

One of the hardest parts about sleeping on your stomach is choosing the best mattress. A medium-firm to firm mattress typically works best, as it prevents your midsection from sinking too deeply while still providing adequate support for your spine.

Drawbacks of sleeping on your stomach

People who spend their night on their stomachs often wake up with back and neck pain. Your back may be unnaturally arched in this position, and it certainly doesn’t have the support of your mattress.

It’s also not the best position for sleep because it requires you to lie with your head to the side for so many hours. Having your head craned this way often leads to sore muscles, even when you’re asleep.

Bottom line

Lying on your stomach can be the best position to sleep if you struggle with snoring, but it doesn’t do too much else to treat your body right. If you’re a stomach sleeper and proud of it, the pillow you choose is more important than ever. Likewise, your mattress should be uniquely qualified to give you support from any angle – even when you snooze facedown.

Best Sleeping Positions: FAQs

What is the best sleeping position for a stuffy nose?

The best sleeping position for a stuffy nose is lying on your back with a 20 to 30-degree angle to promote sinus drainage. Side sleeping can also help reduce congestion by preventing postnasal drip. Using a second pillow or sleeping on an adjustable bed with an incline can provide the necessary elevation.

What is the best sleeping position for neck pain?

Back sleeping with proper pillow support is optimal for neck pain. Your pillow should support the natural curve of your neck while keeping your head in neutral alignment with your spine. If you prefer side sleeping, ensure your pillow fills the space between your ear and shoulder completely.

Is it better to sleep on your left side or right side?

Left-side sleeping is generally recommended. This position can improve digestion, reduce acid reflux, and enhance blood circulation. It may be especially beneficial during pregnancy, as it prevents pressure on major blood vessels.

What is the best sleeping position for pregnancy?

Side sleeping is recommended during pregnancy. This position optimizes blood flow and prevents pressure on major blood vessels. For additional support, use pillows between your knees and under your belly.

What is the best sleeping position for back pain?

Sleeping on your back with a supportive mattress and a pillow under your knees is considered the best sleep position for back pain, as it helps maintain proper spinal alignment and reduce lower back pressure. Side sleeping with a pillow between the knees can also be effective, as it keeps the spine neutral and reduces stress on the lower back. However, if you’re living with back pain, it’s recommended to avoid sleeping on your stomach, which can worsen symptoms.

Conclusion

The best position to sleep is one with the right support on your side, and our memory foam mattress and pillow can tackle all sleeping positions. Our high-resilience memory foam with copper-gel microbeads draws heat away from your body like a magnet, so you sleep cool. It also has antimicrobial properties, keeping you and your bed germ–free. Most importantly, it conforms to every curve, so your pain points are always treated correctly. It’s a great side sleeper mattress, but back and stomach sleepers also sing its praises.

If you’re not ready for a new mattress, check out our Memory Foam Mattress Topper to give your current mattress a makeover.

The Layla Pillow is another great addition to your bed. You can take out the filling as needed until it’s comfortable. If you’re a side sleeper, keep that baby full. Sleep on your stomach? Just take some of the foam out to make the pillow thinner. Adjusting your comfortable Kapok pillow is as simple as dozing off to the sound of your favorite late-night reruns.

Are you ready to explore better sleep? Layla Mattress and Layla Pillows support you all the time, whether you’re in the best position to sleep or going against the experts.

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