If you’re like me, you toss and turn while falling asleep and tend to settle into a pretty standard position that you repeat night after night. But what if this position is causing you to suffer back pains and general achiness in the morning? Believe it or not, but there are sleep positions recommended by physicians to help you sleep better and feel more refreshed in the morning.
See below some great sleep position tips from Scott D. Boden, M.D., director of the Emory Spine Center in Atlanta:
- Tip 1: Try sleeping by lying on your side in the fetal position and a pillow tucked between your legs. This will take the most stress off your back.
- Tip 2: If you happen to prefer sleeping on your back, prop a large pillow under your knees to reduce the pressure on the sciatic nerve in your lower back.
- Tip 3: Try using a small pillow or a rolled-up towel under your neck to help support your spinal posture; just be sure it doesn’t push your chin too far forward.
- Tip 4: Do not sleep on your stomach! Sleeping facedown can exaggerate the arch at the base of your spine and cause strain.