How to fall asleep? Nothing better than being in the right position, at home in your cozy bedroom. No more tossing and turning: we will tell you which way to lie down for maximum well-being. First, know that there is no "ultimate" position that will allow you to sleep as well as possible - each position has advantages and disadvantages.
Positions for sleeping well alone
- On the stomach
On the stomach, your spine arches because it is not in its natural position. Your muscles and joints end up bearing most of your weight, and you have to turn your head on the pillow to breathe. This can give you neck pain, cause a vertebrae rotation, or even headaches or jaw pain. If you sleep too often on your stomach, you can even develop bruxism (teeth grinding during sleep)… not to mention that the pressure on your rib cage prevents you from breathing.
Osteopaths and physiotherapists generally agree that this is the worst position, which can cause cervical and lumbar pain. If you still sleep on your stomach, prefer a flat pillow to avoid putting pressure on your neck and shoulders and a firm mattress… and turn over often!
- In the fetal position
Curled up under your duvet, you look more like a hibernating pajama ball than a human being. But are you comfortable?
First, you prevent your rib cage from expanding and you breathe less well. Your spine and neck are curved, your knees bent for hours, and all this can cause arthritis, pain, and numbness.
If you sleep in this position, consider placing a pillow between your legs and bending one leg while stretching the other to relieve the tension you put on your joints and pelvis. For your head, prefer a thick pillow, it will support your spine and fill the empty space between your shoulder and neck.
- On the side
In this position, you avoid acid reflux, reduce snoring, and promote blood circulation. However, since you know you can sleep on your side, we know an existential question haunts you: "Which side?!"
In reality, just as you should alternate positions during the night (which happens automatically if all goes well), you should alternate between both sides to distribute pressure on your body as much as possible. According to a study from the University of California, San Francisco, men who sleep on the same side suffer more from kidney stones. 75% of individuals in the study had recurrent stone problems exclusively on the side they slept on.
Avoid sleeping with your arms higher than your shoulders (for example, by putting them under the pillow). This is constraining for your nerves and veins. Your arms can become numb, and the weight presses on your shoulders, making getting up more difficult.
- On the back
Finally, sleeping on your back is technically the best position for sleeping. It is not recommended if you tend to snore or have sleep apnea problems, but it does not stress your skin by crushing it on the pillow or pulling it down, reduces neck and back pain by conforming to the shape of your spine, and reduces acid reflux.
Conclusion: the more you manage to sleep like a Playmobil figure, the better!
Positions for sleeping well as a couple
Women's magazines and American series will sell you spooning positions, delicate and languorous embraces where one nestles in the other's neck and where no one ever has arm pain.
But the numbers show, you are not fooled. For half of French couples, the best position to sleep is back to back. According to a survey by BVA Healthcare, seniors in particular swear by this, with 59% enthusiastic (after a lifetime together, it seems we like to have space). Young couples (i.e., under 34 years old) prefer just under half to sleep in each other's arms, face to face.
No mystery, the best positions for sleeping as a couple are the same as those for sleeping alone – except you are accompanied! ;)
That said, sleeping positions do not have a very serious impact on your body. If you have a preexisting condition or if you are pregnant, there are precautions to take - but you are unlikely to suffer from the plethora of ailments described on this page simultaneously.
Simply know how to alternate positions and have bedding appropriate to your body shape!
On the same subject:
Discover the effects of sleep deprivation
Sleep cycles, how do they work?
Sleep and children, a functioning very different from adults
