Sleeping Positions and How Well You Sleep

Sleeping Positions and Habits

How do you sleep? Curled up in a ball? On your back or on your stomach? The
position in which you sleep is sometimes a major factor in how well you sleep. Take snoring for example; usually snoring occurs when you sleep in your back. It happens because the soft tissues and structures in the back of your throat rub against each other and reverberate. So when your partner elbows you to roll over, this is good advice because you usually don’t snore when you’re lying on your side. A proper ergonomically designed pillow, like the Chiroflow Water Pillow, can help reduce the occurrence of snoring.  Ideally sleeping on your side and back are exceptable positions; however sleeping on your stomach is always concidered a no-no.  

Recent studies indicate that sleeping positions may also affect blood pressure. Researchers found that a shift in sleep position from back to stomach actually lowered systolic blood pressure. This could be significant in preventing cardiovascular episodes while sleeping.

Every new mother is cautioned about her newborn’s sleeping position, with good reason. Babies who fall asleep on their stomachs seem to be at greater risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDs). The American Academy of Pediatrics affirmed this in a statement released in 1992, recommending that all healthy infants be placed on their
backs to sleep.

- Dr. Andrew Erjavec

For more information on how chiropractic care can help your sleeping problems please call Benefit Chiropractic & Wellness Clinic at 604-534-7451