Your sleeping position affects your health

AFTER what seems like a perfect night of undisturbed sleep, you can sometimes wake up feeling slightly off kilter.

According to research, the position you sleep in could affect a lot more than just your slumber.

From neck pain and sleep apnoea, to impaired circulation and nightmares, your preferred sleeptime pose could be causing new, or contributing to existing, health problems.

Since we spend one-third of our lives taking 40 winks, we should probably pay attention to our snoozing positions.

Sleeping on your back makes it easy for your head, neck and spine to maintain a neutral position so this is great for anyone suffering from pain in those areas.

However, it can also make snoring and sleep apnoea far more likely. If you’re prone to acid reflux, lying in this position is a no-no.

Invest in a puffy pillow that will slightly raise your head and neck while providing support.

But while this position is great for preventing neck and back pain, snoring less and sleeping during pregnancy, you could end up with compressed nerves in your arms and legs instead.

If you’re one of those people that like to have their arms overhead holding on to a cosy pillow, this is especially likely.

As an alternative, experts suggest sleeping with a pillow between your legs, as this will keep them from putting any extra strain on your back.

Sleeping on your stomach is considered the worst position, as it makes it difficult to maintain the natural curvature of your skin.

This can put pressure on joints and muscles, which can irritate nerves.

It also means your neck is turned for hours on end, potentially causing neck strain which can lead to chronic pain problems. – The Independent