THE WORST SLEEPING POSITION REVEALED BY DOCTOR
How do you prefer to sleep? Do you curl up on your side in the fetal posture or lie on your back like a corpse? Knowing this is helpful, particularly as sleep is essential to both our immediate and long-term health. The next day, a bad night's sleep might make you irritable and impair your cognitive abilities. One of the worst sleeping positions you can have when you sleep was shared by Dr Tim Mercer, a general practitioner of the National Health Service (UK), in observance of World Sleep Day on March 14th.
Finding a sleeping posture that not only encourages sound sleep but also supports your body's general function and condition is essential, he says, since it can have a significant impact on both your health and the quality of your sleep. However, he believes that sleeping on your stomach with one leg up toward your chest is one posture you should avoid. "Given all the problems it might cause, this is arguably the worst sleeping posture," Dr Mercer says.
The pelvis shifts when one leg is raised while one is laying down, putting tension on the lower back and throwing off the alignment of the spine. This could eventually lead to stiffness or discomfort. The hip flexors may become tense and the pelvis may experience uneven pressure if one side of the hip is raised while the other side stays flat.
Dr Mercer claims that sleeping on your stomach is generally not a good idea. It necessitates sleeping with your head sideways, which can put stress on your lower back and neck. For people with cardiac issues, sleeping on one's left side can also be detrimental. "Sleeping on your left side can cause your heart to move, which can change its electrical activity and increase the pressure it experiences."
Although Dr Mercer offered his opinions on positions, experts may differ on the best and worst ways to sleep. Sleeping on your back is "the worst sleeping position, especially if you suffer sleep apnea," according to Mayo Clinic doctors. One of the specialists, Dr. Krahn, explains why. “Sleeping on the back means that your tongue and jaw can fall and crowd your airway. And many people snore more on their back.”
Experts at the Mayo Clinic advise sleeping on your side because it can lessen snoring and keep the airway from closing. "Therefore, sleeping on the side perhaps with their head slightly elevated as long as that's comfortable—is a good way to sleep," Dr. Krahn explains. If you experience neck or back pain, the Sleep Foundation, a group dedicated to improving sleep, suggests sleeping on your side, particularly if you put a pillow between your knees.
