In the UK, 1 in 3 of us confess to having sleeping issues. For something so instinctive and unavoidable for all humans, there are so many questions around sleep and how to get the best of it. Because let’s face it, who doesn’t wake up feeling refreshed after a great night’s sleep! 

Whilst there are many potential causes of sleep issues, addressing the things that are in your immediate control is an easy place to start, and especially the position you sleep in.

Whether you are struggling with sleep because you are currently in pain or just a chronic ‘bad sleeper’, your sleeping positions could be affecting your body negatively, and having a knock-on impact on your sleep quality itself. 

It’s important to remember that there is no one right way to sleep and our number one piece of advice is to be comfortable when you sleep, because the more comfortable you are, the better quality sleep you will likely get. 

So how can we optimise our sleep positions? 

If You Sleep On Your Back: 

Sleeping on your back can be an easy position to keep your spine in a neutral position. However, make sure your pillow is not causing your neck to be at a steep angle. Your pillow should not be forcing your chin to your chest. 

Make sure your pillow also supports the curve of your neck, not just your head.

If You Sleep On Your Side: 

Sleeping on your side can also be a great way to keep your spine in a neutral position. For a lot of people, it can be the most comfortable way to sleep if you have neck or back pain. When you are on your side, make sure your pillow is allowing your head to stay in a straight line with your spine and that there is pillow support under your neck.

Put a pillow between your knees and/ or in front of you to stop your spine twisting forward.

If You Sleep On Your Front: 

Sleeping on your front can make it hard to keep your spine in a neutral position and can cause some strain on your neck. This is most common when people have only one side, they turn their head to when they sleep on their front. 

Make sure you are not forcing your head back due to a thick pillow. You can try to reduce the stress through your neck by resting only your forehead on the pillow. You can also try adding a thin pillow under your pelvis to take some of the stress off your lower back.

Sleeping With Lower Back Pain 

• Try sleeping on your back – this can help avoid pressure points and distribute the pain more 

• Take a warm bath before bed – this can help relax the muscles. If you’re not a fan of baths, things like hot water bottles can have similar benefits 

• Do some light stretching – getting some mobility into the area can help relieve some pressure. Make sure you stretch lightly and don’t create any additional pain 

• Elevate your knees – when sleeping on your back, help take some of the pressure off your lower back by putting a pillow under your knees or bending your knees up so the soles of your feet are on the bed 

• Avoid your painful side – if your lower back pain is one-sided, avoid putting more pressure and pain on that side, and sleep on the alternative side. You can put a tennis ball in the pocket of your pyjamas, so you avoid rolling over to the bad side!

Heal > Adapt > Evolve