What the best sleeping position is for you depends on your personal circumstances. In this article, we explain the different aspects and provide 6 practical tips:
- Prevent complaints caused by a wrong posture.
- Use an adjustable mattress or bed base.
- Choose a height-adjustable pillow.
- Sleep with a body pillow for extra support.
- Avoid sleeping on your stomach to prevent neck and back pain.
- Give yourself time to get used to a new sleeping position.
Tip 1. Prevent exchanging one complaint for another due to a wrong sleeping position
Finding a comfortable sleeping position is one thing, staying in it is another story. As soon as irritation or even pain arises somewhere, you change position during sleep. If you prefer sleeping on your side but experience shoulder pain, you will have to adjust your position. But then you are no longer in your preferred sleeping position.
This often happens: the weakest spot in your body determines how you can lie without pain. For your neck, you prefer one position, for your shoulder, back, or hips another. Changing position can cause tension and pain elsewhere. For example, your shoulder may no longer hurt, but you might get pain in your neck or back instead.
Tip 2. Choose an adjustable mattress/bed base
With a non-adjustable mattress or bed base, there is not much you can adjust. Sometimes placing a topper on your mattress helps, but if not, you will usually quickly change your sleeping position yourself.
With an adjustable mattress or bed base, you can make local adjustments. For example, if you have too much pressure on your shoulder, you can fix this by replacing the shoulder zone with a softer version. The same applies to hip pain by adjusting the hip zone.
Tip 3. Choose a height-adjustable pillow
A pillow should also be individually adjustable in height. People differ in shoulder width, and when lying on your side, one person needs a higher pillow than another.
This is also true when lying on your back: with a curved back, you need a higher pillow than with a straight back. In both cases, you should be able to adjust the pillow to your specific circumstances.
Whether you lie on your back or side: the neck must be well supported without too much counterpressure. This can be quite precise. Especially on the side, the support under your neck is often insufficient.
Note! Choose a pillow that also provides good support under the neck! The Hi4 Deluxe pillow is designed to fit well both on the side and on the back, supporting the neck and head properly.
Note: choose the pillow height that lets you sleep best and have the fewest complaints
Do this mainly by feel and try different heights. If in doubt, you can have a photo taken to see if your neck is properly aligned. Draw an imaginary line through both eyes when lying on your side. That line can be a bit tilted but not too much. If it is, you are lying too high. Most people lie too high rather than too low with their head. So if in doubt between two settings, preferably choose the lower one.
Tip 4. Sleep with a body pillow
A body pillow, also known as a full-body pillow, ensures you don’t twist while sleeping on your side. This is important because it prevents twisting in your neck and back. This also helps prevent back pain, neck pain, and headaches.
The body pillow also creates space between both arms and both legs, preventing pressure points there. You can also sleep longer in the best position: you lie comfortably, move less, and sleep better.
Tip 5. Never sleep on your stomach, even if you find it most comfortable
Some people sleep best on their stomach, others on their side or back. However, it’s not just about ‘comfortable lying’; it’s mainly about sleeping well and waking up without complaints.
Even if your personal preference is sleeping on your stomach, don’t do it. When sleeping on your stomach, your neck is severely twisted. This can cause serious neck and headache problems. Force yourself to unlearn this! A body pillow helps here: it lets you lie comfortably in a good position and keeps you in that position longer due to the support.
Movement scientist and physiotherapist Jan Willem Elkhuizen also gives the following tips:
- If you lie on your back, check if your head is not turned too far to the side. Then your head ‘hangs’ on your neck, which can cause neck complaints.
- If your head is not turned too far to the side, back sleeping is fine.
- If your head is turned very far to the side, don’t lie in this position for too long. It’s fine for a short period as a variation, but not for hours. Try to get used to sleeping on your side.
Tip 6. Take time to get used to a different sleeping position
For most people, the best sleeping position is on the side with a body pillow. But when you start sleeping like this for the first time, your body is loaded differently than you are used to. This often takes some getting used to, like new shoes. Take your time and if necessary, temporarily go back to your ‘old’ sleeping position. This way, your body adjusts naturally.
If you need a higher pillow on your side than on your back, contact Ligwijzer.nl. Thanks to the different height plates, we can adjust the Hi4 pillow accordingly.
