Best Sleeping Positions for Pain-free and Healthier Sleep

If we are honest, there is no single best sleeping position for everyone. We are all different, and some of us have conditions like snoring and sleep apnea that require us to adapt to specific sleeping positions for better sleep. For others, we simply go for what is most comfortable.

That said, your best sleeping position is the one that ensures you the best sleep quality, supports your overall health, and helps you arise in the morning without stiffness and body aches.

When we sleep, we usually take one of three common sleeping positions: 

• On your side. 
• On your back. 
• On your stomach. 

Sleeping on your side is by far the most common. In fact, researchers targeting sleep positions and shifts found that over half of the adult population prefers sleeping on the side. We prefer stomach sleeping the least.

Regardless of individual sleeping position preferences, each position has its benefits and downsides.

Let’s break them down.

Side sleeping, or the lateral sleeping position, is the go-to sleeping position for most adults, and with good reasons.

Here’s what sleeping on your side does for you:

• It promotes healthy airflow, which is why doctors often recommend it for people with health conditions that affect breathing, including snoring and Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). 
• It has a soothing effect on your spine, explaining why experts recommend it for people with neck and lower back pain. 

But not every side sleeping works great for everyone. You’ll experience different side sleeping benefits if you choose the right or left side.

• Sleeping on the right side: Supports better breathing for people with heart conditions. Sleep researchers have found that right side sleeping reduces the number of obstructive respiratory events in those with severe or moderate Obstructive Sleep Apnea.

Sleeping on the left side: Alleviates discomfort and improves sleep quality for people with acid reflux and GERD. Researchers who used wearable devices to increase left-sided sleeping among patients observed that it minimizes the occurrence of nocturnal reflux symptoms.

But side sleeping isn’t all rosy; it has some downsides:

• It can make your shoulders and hips feel sore and numb.
• There’s evidence that it promotes facial aging, causing wrinkles and skin expansion on the side you sleep on.

Pro tips for side sleeping:

• Keep your spine straight from your neck down to your hips 
• Use a pillow that fills the space between your head and the mattress to prevent craning your neck.
• Consider placing a thin pillow between your knees to keep your hips aligned and prevent lower back pain.

Sleeping on your back, or in the supine position, isn’t as popular as sleeping on the side. However, we do it more often than stomach sleeping.

So, why sleep on your back? Here are its benefits:

• It distributes your body weight evenly, so your back, neck, and shoulders don’t strain and ache.
• It maintains an aligned and neutral spine.
• No pressure is exerted on facial skin, which is great news if you are worried about wrinkles.

So, who should consider back sleeping? It works well for you if:

• You have lower back pain.
• You are an aging person who wants to reduce wrinkle-causing pillow stress on facial skin.

But back sleeping also has its downsides. It is not recommended for you if:

• You have GERD or acid reflux, as it causes the stomach acid to flow back into the esophagus. 
• You snore or suffer from obstructive sleep apnea. Evidence shows that sleeping on your back blocks the airways and reduces your control of breathing, making it harder and increasing OSA events. 

Pro tips for back sleeping:

• Use a thin pillow under the curve of your spine and under the knees to provide support for your lower back and the lumbar area.
• Ensure your pillow supports the neck curve and your shoulders lie flat on the mattress. Keep arms in the same position. It will reduce the pressure on your neck muscles.
• Prop up your upper body with a pillow or lift the head side of your bed with blocks to reduce symptoms for conditions like acid reflux, snoring, and OSA.

Have you seen babies conked on their bellies, or what’s known as the prone position? 

Adults may crash this way sometimes when exhausted, but a study we mentioned earlier says we adults lie on our stomachs only 10% of our sleeping time. And it’s great that they do so.

Here’s why.

Sleeping on your stomach forces your spine into a U-shape, with almost zero support for your back. 

This could cause you all sorts of risks:

• It strains your spinal column and causes spinal misalignment, setting you up for neck and back pain.
• It compresses the chest area, making breathing harder and increasing the energy you need to exhale and inhale.
• It forces you to turn your head to one or the other side, misaligning your neck from the spine, a quick recipe for morning neck pain and muscle stiffness.
• Your face gets buried into the pillow, and you can expect those pillow lines associated with facial skin strain and wrinkles.

But on the bright side, sleeping on your stomach can prevent some issues that come with back sleeping, like snoring. So, you might want to save it as your last resort when nothing else works.

Pro tips for sleeping on the stomach:

• Abandon your pillow and sleep directly on the mattress, or use a super-thin pillow. Your neck and lumbar area won’t be tilted or feel too much pressure.
• Slide a pillow under your hips to even out the curve and reduce the pressure on your back.
• Opt for a firm mattress to enhance spinal alignment.

You now know the benefits and drawbacks of each sleeping position.  So, let’s get into the best sleeping position for health and for certain medical conditions.

Low back pain is everywhere, and the worst part is, it is potentially disabling.

In fact, around 619 million people suffered from lower back pain globally by 2020, with the situation predicted to get worse by 2050 because those numbers are climbing fast. 

What’s more, low back pain is the leading cause of Years Lived with Disability (YLD) among the global population.

Those facts alone should make you want to take good care of your back when you sleep. So, what’s the best sleeping position for low back pain? 

Experts say, if you want to protect your back while you sleep, take the fetal position.

Just curl up on your side with your knees slightly pulled up toward your chest. You can also tuck a pillow between your knees for better results. 

This is the best sleeping position for back pain because it opens up the spine joints and eases the pressure on the spinal column. 

There’s also a second option. Although there is no consensus, some specialists recommend back sleeping for low back pain, especially as one ages. If you opt for this position, place a pillow under your knees to better support your back.

There are different types of sleep apnea. Obstructive sleep apnea is the most common. It is when your airway gets blocked, and your breathing takes a consistent start-stop rhythm.

Instead, snoring indicates that the soft tissues in your throat relax and then vibrate as air passes through. And although different, snoring is often a symptom of sleep apnea. Sleep doctors usually treat them together.

As we mentioned earlier, side sleeping is the best sleep position for breathing. That means it should be your top choice if you are dealing with snoring and sleep apnea.

Instead, back sleeping just makes the two conditions worse. Regardless, if you must sleep on your back, consider elevating the upper side of your body with a wedge pillow.

We should also tell you that snoring and OSA can adversely compromise your sleep quality. Leaving them untreated is risky and can lead to other health conditions, including high blood pressure and heart disease. 

Treatment options include CPAP therapy, wearing oral appliances during sleep, lifestyle changes like losing weight, and, for serious cases, surgery.

If you want a quick explanation of sleep apnea and how to manage it, Mayo Clinic has this quick video:

If the muscle at the bottom of your esophagus is weak and relaxes abnormally, stomach acid can flow back up. That’s called acid reflux. 

Chronic acid reflux turns into Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD). It worsens at night and messes with your sleep.

The good news is that you can prevent regular acid reflux events.  Don’t eat 2-3 hours before bed and skip sleeping on your back.

Considering why it happens, the best sleeping position for acid reflux and GERD is the lateral position. In fact, experts say lying on your left side is the ideal sleeping position for digestion, helping control acid reflux symptoms.

If you have acid reflux or GERD and must sleep on your back, elevate your upper body to keep stomach acid where it belongs.

Comfortable sleeping during pregnancy can be elusive, especially in the third trimester. Sometimes, pains and aches tag along.

For sleep comfort during pregnancy, experts advise sleeping on your left side. 

In this position, blood flows easily from your lungs to the heart, and to the uterus and the growing fetus.

Skip back sleeping, as it will concentrate all the weight of your body and the pregnancy on your spine, causing back pain. 

What about stomach sleeping? 

That’s definitely off the list! 

So, if you get tired lying on your left side, switch to your right side. Also, consider slipping a pillow between your knees and behind your back for that extra support and greater sleep comfort.

If you have one of the conditions that are risks for heart failure, your best sleeping position matters. These conditions include high blood pressure, ischemic heart disease, and obesity. 

Heart failure means your heart muscles stiffen or become too weak to pump enough blood to other body parts. 

You can tell heart failure from symptoms such as shortness of breath and swelling at the ankles, a clear sign of retained fluid in the lungs and other organs.

Do not sleep on your stomach or back if you are at risk for heart failure. Those positions can pull blood and other fluids into your lungs and increase the danger of heart failure.

Instead, specialists advise that the best position for heart failure is right side sleeping. Some doctors also recommend propping yourself up with your upper body raised to almost a sitting position.

There is no single sleeping position that’s perfect for everyone. Your best sleeping position depends on what feels right for your body and any health issues you might be managing. 

That said, sleeping on the side takes the day. It supports better spine alignment, makes breathing easy, and aids digestion.

Keep in mind that your sleep posture can make or break your sleep quality and determine how you feel in the morning. 

So, if you’ve tried several sleeping positions but still wake up with those annoying pains, it’s definitely time to see a sleep doctor or specialist. 

Sources:

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3. Jeroen M. & Schuitenmaker, J.M. (2022). Sleep Positional Therapy for Nocturnal Gastroesophageal Reflux: A Double-Blind, Randomized, Sham-Controlled Trial,
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8. National Council on Aging: Best Sleeping Positions for Back Pain: A Guide for Adults Over 50.