by Tony Garrow, D. C.

We spend about one third of our life in bed. Our sleep posture can have a great effect on our health. The position you sleep in is important for people of all ages. Gravity is one of the biggest stresses to our bodies even when we are sleeping. So if you sleep in an awkward position for approximately 8 hours per night, gravity can negatively put pressure on your back and spine. People who do not sleep in the proper position experience many of the following: low back pain, headaches, neck pain, shoulder pain, and more. Many abnormal postures are caused by poor sleeping postures like rotation of the head or the head leaning forward too much.

The optimal position to sleep in is on your back with your head straight with no pillow. The use of thick pillows behind the head causes stress on the spine and muscles in the neck and over time may cause a loss of the normal curvature in the neck. Forward head posture and loss of curve in the neck has been shown cause many symptoms including: headaches, TMJ problems, neck pain, and more. If low back pain is experience when lying on your back, you may want to try to put a pillow under your knees. Make sure you reduce the height of your pillows very slowly. Caution: if you are not used to this suggested optimal position, then you should first consult a Chiropractor who focuses on posture for a more personalized position.

The next best position for sleeping would be to sleep on your side with a pillow under your head so that it does not tilt to the side. A pillow between your knees may help prevent low back problems. This position may cause shoulder and arm problems due to the weight on them. Lying on the side is usually the best position for pregnant women.

The worst position for sleeping is on your stomach with the head turned to one side. Many low back and neck problems come from this position. Going from the face down position to the face up position during sleep has greatly helped many of my patients with their postural problems. Stomach sleeping is especially bad for infants. There have been studies that show a correlation between Sudden Infant Death and Stomach sleeping.

Changes to your normal sleep positions should be done very slowly and it may take a while to get used to them. If you sleep on your stomach, try the side position before you go to your back. A Chiropractor who specializes in posture can assist you in the changes. If any negative symptoms are experienced during your new sleep positions, call your Chiropractor right away. Good luck and get "Back to Sleep" in the right position.