What are the best sleeping positions for a more comfortable day

Medical Xpress / HealthDay / PLOS Medicine / Sensors ^ | March 14, 2023 | Kirstie Ganobsik / Séverine Sabia et al / Yuan Zhang et al

[ConservativeMind]

Here are the positions that the experts recommend.

Sleeping on your back

Advantages:

Reduces aches and pains in the lower back and neck Supports your spine so your muscles can relax and recover Helps relieve congestion, especially if you elevate your torso Helps reduce the risk of developing facial wrinkles

Disadvantages:

Increases the risk of airway collapse for those who snore or have sleep apnea Raises pressure levels for certain types of back pain Increases episodes of acid reflux Raises gravity pressure to make it more difficult to breathe, making it unsuitable for older or heavier people Causes a fetus to put more pressure on the heart in pregnant women, especially in the third trimester

Sleeping on your stomach

Advantages:

Opens the airway to help reduce snoring

Disadvantages:

Causes increased gravity on your ribs to make breathing less energy-efficient Provides the least back and neck support of the three positions Contributes to facial wrinkles Makes it difficult to get comfortable when pregnant Sleeping on your side

Advantages:

Advances spinal alignment, making it ideal for those with back pain, particularly when using support pillows Reduces snoring and heartburn, which means it's beneficial for those with acid reflux, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and sleep apnea Promotes comfort, ease of breathing, and reduced pressure on the spine and internal organs, making it a top choice for pregnant people and older adults

Disadvantages:

Increases pressure on the shoulders, which means it's not ideal for those with pain in this region Contributes to facial wrinkles

So which side is best? A recent study published in the journal Sensors found that sleeping on your right side, combined with lower rates of turning, promoted higher quality sleep. However, left-side sleeping is ideal for those with acid reflux and GERD because it decreases pressure on internal organs.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

I’m a side-sleeper. Either side. I can’t sleep any other way. And I have the wrinkles to prove it! ;)

[Kath]

Unlike most people, I have no trouble sleeping. I sleep through the night and wake up refreshed with no pain. I normally sleep on my left side, but do switch to the right sometimes. I never sleep on my back or stomach. I just can’t go to sleep in those positions.

[null and void]

I sleep in whatever position the sliver of the bed the 120 lb wrecking ball of a dog leaves me allows me. Sometimes I can even get enough blankets to cover myself.

The little knucklehead decided to sleep in his own bed last night.* I actually slept as well as I could with a needle jabbing sensation in my pinkie. Feel pretty well rested. Mom's bed alarm didn't go off until 6:30.

*I think the little twerp is reading my posts...

[Pocketdoor]

Thanks... I have Tinnitus real bad from flying and working on the flight line... I’ll request a sleep apnea test, I actually have a yearly Dr visit next week.

[Owen]

Look into VA healthcare. They specialize, of course, in vet problems.

If your income is too high, which it is for most people of working age, well, service connected Tinnitus is 10% disabled and that eliminates the income threshold for access. There is no longer a net worth threshold. You can own a house and they don’t screen you out. No healthcare premiums, for life. And all employers accept VA as qualified substitute for company plan.

[Myrddin]

I'm a left side sleeper. Airway collapse happens when I sleep on my back. Left side keeps the acid in my stomach and reduces post nasal drip/airway collapse that is common sleeping on my back.

My pups sleep on the bed, so there are some extra challenges. My wife is a T1 diabetic who has low blood sugar episodes that set off loud alarms on her insulin pump. That trashes my sleep often.

[Myrddin]

800 mg of ibuprofen, 50 mg diphenhydramine at bed time. The ibuprofen gets the rheumatoid arthritis pain below the point that it prevents getting to sleep. The diphenhydramine counters the itchy, watery eyes from the pet fur. Once I'm out, I sleep pretty well until something wakes me up. I loathe the transition from sleep paralysis to awake with all the nerves firing. I hurt head to toe. There is nothing to do but get up.

[wardaddy]

Many people subconsciously revert to back with neck back and arms thrown back for most open and direct mouth to trachea to lungs airway

And snore like the dickens

[vpintheak]

I would say the reason that could start happening is because people aren’t rotating it, like they should. We rotate it every couple of months, and haven’t had any trouble with it at all. You must make sure you have a good firm box spring or support under it as well, they are heavy. It is one of the firmer beds they sell, so that may impact it too. We have has this bed for 13 years now, and it is pretty much just as flat as it was when we bought it.

[minnesota_bound]

#50 My sister in Minnesota has this bed and she likes it. The queen size was about $900 Feb 2022 when she got it.
It also is 2 sided so you can flip the bed over. I am in California and was not able to test it. I really need to try out a mattress before buying. I tried buying online once and it was not as described.
Their locations: https://www.originalmattress.com/find-a-store

[Clutch Martin]

Footware...

When I told the physical therapist what happened she looked at her partner and they both shook their heads and went “Crocs” apparently quite a few people have spills with him slippery Little Devils.

[ConservativeMind]

Pycnogenol can help with tinnitus, at 150 mg a day.

“At 6 months 87.3% of the Pycnogenol subjects were asymptomatic compared with 34.6% of controls. Cochlear flow velocity was significantly better (higher flow, higher diastolic component) in the Pycnogenol group (P<0.05).”

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24988090/

It resolved tinnitus in over 87% of sufferers at the six month point.

[ConservativeMind]

See post #72.

[AppyPappy]

I found CBD allowed me to go back to sleep after waking.

[MayflowerMadam]

“Don’t make any difference if you do it on My Pillow,”

You’re probably joking, but I was going to post that my sleeping has improved greatly since I started using using MyPillow. And my mornings are better since I don’t wake up with headaches any more.

[MayflowerMadam]

Here in the Knoxville area we have Brothers Mattress which makes the traditional mattresses that you can flip and rotate. That will be next for us. The new fat mattresses that can’t flipped over are irritating.

Now we have Sleep Number. It’s OK, but not great. Our best mattress is on a guest bed and is about 25 years old — a Serta.

[GingisK]

I recently acquired an electronic piano with a full-sized keyboard and full velocity response. Nobody wants to teach piano to a 73 year old, so I'm teaching myself. I practice an hour or more each night before I go to bed. My sleep is deep and restful.

BTW, some of my playing has been recognized. Finally.

[ConservativeMind]

I recently acquired an electronic piano with a full-sized keyboard and full velocity response. Nobody wants to teach piano to a 73 year old, so I'm teaching myself. I practice an hour or more each night before I go to bed. My sleep is deep and restful.

BTW, some of my playing has been recognized. Finally.

Yeah, upstairs apartment neighbors do a good job of stomping on their floors.

[GingisK]

Headphones.

[GingisK]

Single family dwelling.