Healthy Sleeping Positions With TEMPUR®

Your sleeping position determines the way your spinal blood flows throughout your body and even impacts your digestion. Sleeping properly is critical; otherwise, you risk long-term health problems. Sleep positions and the ways we move around during sleep differ in many ways. So, is it best to sleep on your back, side, or front? Read on to find out with TEMPUR®.

Back, Side Or Front?

There are three main sleeping positions, and these are lying on your back, on your side or on your stomach.

Sleeping On Your Back

According to Hopkins Medicine, the best position to sleep in for maintaining the integrity of your spine is sleeping on your back. For many people, it is also a great position to be in to help with digestive issues like acid reflux.

However, sleeping on your back can exacerbate snoring and sleep apnoea. When you are lying on your back, your tongue relaxes and can actually block your airway, which is why Mayo Clinic experts take a different stance when sleeping on your back, stating that it is actually the worst sleeping position, especially if you have sleep apnoea.

Another common mistake when sleeping on your back is using an overly large pillow or too many pillows, which prevents blood from circulating and reaching your brain. So, if you are a back sleeper, maybe it’s worth changing it up. We have programmed ourselves to sleep in certain ways, but we can change this programming with practice.

Sleeping On Your Side

According to a cardiologist at Mayo Clinic’s Centre, sleeping on your side is better than sleeping on your back. This position can reduce snoring and is great for individuals who struggle with digestive issues if lying on their left side. Lying on your right side can exacerbate the condition due to the stomach juices flowing the wrong way.

Pregnant women are also advised to sleep on their side as it helps keep pressure off their internal organs and promotes healthy blood flow.

According to the Sleep Foundation, sleeping on your side is the best position for those suffering from neck pain, hip pain and back pain, especially if you place a small pillow between your knees. “If you don't have a pillow between your knees, that stress of sleeping on the side pulls on your hip and can cause some issues," says Dr. Somers of the Mayo Clinic Centre.

One of the main issues with sleeping on your side, however, can be the dreaded dead arm, which happens because you are basically cutting off circulation to your arm. To relieve pressure from your arm, try not to sleep on top of it and instead let it rest freely.

Sleeping On Your Stomach

Unlike sleeping on your stomach which, helps keep the airway open and can be a quick fix for snoring or sleep apnoea, it can put a strain on your spine and neck, which is why it has been in and out of favour with experts for many years.

For a lot of people, sleeping on their stomach can really put their spine out of alignment. By lying flat on your belly with your head squashed into the pillow, chances are you are going to end up with some neck problems. This can also be an issue for your skin, as sleeping with your face squashed into the pillow for hours can lead to early onset wrinkling and acne – especially if your pillows aren’t clean.

Although it is very common for people to be comfortable sleeping on their stomach, it is the most stressful position for your body and particularly so for your neck. But why? Just think about it: what would happen if you walked around with your head turned one way for eight hours a day? This position would cause constant stretching on one side and compression on the other side. This amount of pressure is also very stressful for your jaw.

Sleeping curled up is also not recommended, according to the journal of neuroscience, as this position limits the potential of your lungs and diaphragm.

Importance Of Pillow Thickness

Pillow thickness is something to really pay attention to when it comes to sleeping positions, to ensure you do not use a pillow that is too thick. If your head is in an upward position and you sleep like that all night, you are putting a lot of stress on the base of your neck and causing pressure at the back of your head, which can lead to a lot of unwanted headaches, according to Spine Health.

For many people, strain and abnormal tension in their neck also comes from spending too much time sat at computers with their heads too far forward, so try not to do that while you sleep too and reduce the height of your pillow.

One of the best ways to sleep is by having no flexion in your head. Your ear should be in line with your body and should follow all the way down to your hips. This would be considered a nice neutral position in which you can easily relax in.

TEMPUR® The Solution

TEMPUR® pillows are guaranteed to give your head and neck the support so essential for a great night’s sleep. They are so certain it will aid your sleep they even offer a 30-night pillow trial during which you can decide whether the pillow is right for you.

The pillows are available in either a classic or ergonomic design and there are nine different models to choose from: three ergonomics produced in different heights to meet the needs of different-sized sleepers; three traditional rectangular options with different feels and two shaped supportive pillows, the Symphony and the Ombracio, a favourite with abdominal sleepers.

In addition to the above, TEMPUR® also offer the best in both natural and modern fillings - the TEMPUR® Down Luxe, a pillow where the luxurious softness of premium down feathers meets the comforting support of TEMPUR® Material.

Here are the steps you take to get the pillow of your dreams:

Buy a standard sized TEMPUR® pillow direct via their website.

They will deliver to your nominated address.

Sleep on your new pillow for 30 nights to get used to the amazing comfort and support it offers. (In taking part in a home trial you agreed to keep your pillow for a minimum of 14 nights to adapt to the unique feel of TEMPUR®.)

If you are not happy, contact TEMPUR®! Their customer service team will work with you to answer your questions and resolve your concerns.

Are you tempted to get a TEMPUR® pillow? What is your preferred sleeping position?