How to sleep – the sleep position you should AVOID or risk ‘tossing and turning’ all night

Sleep is crucial for your health. Everyone needs to get enough sleep to help the body to function properly, according to the NHS. Without enough good quality rest, it can make you feel grumpy and irritable, and you may not be working at your best. The way you sleep could be influencing your quality of rest, and choosing the right sleep position is crucial. You could be at risk of a bad night’s sleep if you regularly sleep on your belly, it’s been revealed.

Belly sleepers are more likely to have a bad night’s sleep, according to medical website WebMD.

It increases the risk of developing back or neck pain, which may leave you tossing and turning in the night, struggling to fall asleep.

But, using a soft, thin pillow may be enough to help you get a better night’s sleep, if you regularly sleep on your front, it said.

“You turn off the lights and get yourself ready to snooze. Are you on your back, side, or stomach?” said WebMD.

“Your sleep position can be linked to things like back pain, snoring, and how often you wake up during the night.

“Are you a tummy sleeper? If so, do you have problems sleeping? Your slumber pose may not be helping.

“You’re more likely to be restless and toss and turn to get comfortable when you sleep on your belly.

“It can strain your neck and your lower back, too. If this is how you like to sleep, you may want to use a very soft pillow or none at all to keep your neck comfortable.”

For a better night’s sleep, consider swapping your sleep position to your back, said the Alaska Sleep Clinic.

Sleeping on your back helps to keep the head, neck and spine in a neutral position, while also reducing the risk of acid reflux.

But, despite being one of the healthiest ways to fall asleep, it’s also one of the least popular, it said.

While your sleep position has a large impact on how well-rested you feel the next day, another important aspect to your bedtime routine is how long you’re asleep for.

Most people need between six and nine hours of sleep every night, but every person is different.

It’s important to keep to regular sleep hours, as this programmes the brain and internal body clock to get used to a set routine, said the NHS.

You can fall asleep faster by regularly winding down before bed, it said. That can include any way of relaxing the body.

Some people find a warm bath helps them to rest better, while others prefer to write a to-do list for the next day.

source: express.co.uk