Why is it worth sleeping on your back? Here are eight health benefits

Most of us sleep on our side most often, in a fetal position or on our stomach. Back sleeping is not particularly popular. However, it is worth considering the supine position. Not only our spine will thank you for that.

1. Sleeping on the back can bring many health benefits related to the head, spine and facial hygiene
2. When someone finds this position uncomfortable, they can help themselves with a pillow under the knee or lower spine
3. Before falling asleep, regardless of the sleeping position, it is also worth taking care of the proper sleeping comfort
4. This includes a well-ventilated bedroom, reducing blue light, an appropriate time interval from the last meal or alcohol restriction
5. More information can be found on the Onet homepage

Sleep positions and health

Most adults like to sleep on their side or stomach, and less often choose a supine position. However, lying on your back can have many health benefits. Anyway, from an early age, back sleeping is recommended for various reasons. For example, in the case of babies. Pediatricians recommend this position to reduce the risk of SIDS. When your baby sleeps on his stomach, his nose is more bacterially loaded, and it has a negative effect on the respiratory system.

In adults, sleeping on the back is associated primarily with less stress on the spine. Why is it still worth sleeping in this position? Healthline.com writes about the benefits, in several cases using specific scientific research. To get the most out of sleeping on your back, you can put a pillow or a rolled up towel under your knees and lower back, it will support your body in places with natural curves and reduce pressure. It is also worth thinking about a special pillow that will raise our head.

Back sleeping can reduce back and neck pain

Sleeping on your back helps to relieve pressure on your spine. This position is similar to standing upright, and it is a natural position for our body.

Sleeping on your stomach with your head tilted to the side is similar to turning your head in one direction for many hours while sitting. It can be painful. The prone position also puts pressure on the spine, as the neck is tilted back.

A 2017 Korean study found that sleeping on your back with both hands at your sides or on your chest is the best way to avoid pain.

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Sleeping on your back improves breathing

If you sleep on your stomach or side, you may limit your breathing space. The diaphragm is a muscle responsible for breathing, and squeezing it makes breathing shallow.

When you wake up, deep diaphragmatic breathing can have benefits such as reducing stress, improving your mood and concentration.

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A 2019 study published in the journal Frontiers in Psychiatry showed that deep breathing increases the production of melatonin, a hormone that promotes relaxation, improves sleep quality and increases the activity of the parasympathetic nervous system.

Sleeping on your back can reduce breakouts

Washing your face, keeping your hands away from your face and limiting sugar intake are the simplest solutions to clean our face. What happens while you sleep?

Pillowcases when you sleep on your stomach absorb sebum from the skin and hair as well as product residues, and then it is transferred to the face. This can lead to blackheads and irritate the skin of the face.

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You can reduce the risk of this phenomenon by using appropriate materials for pillowcases, but it can also be completely eliminated. Sleeping on your back prevents your face from coming into contact with the pillow and the dirt accumulated on it.

Sleeping on your back and preventing wrinkles

Sleeping with your face pressed against a pillow can stretch and irritate the skin, causing wrinkles to form. The resulting friction causes the formation of both deeper and mimic wrinkles. The same applies to the skin on the neck, which is squashed and twisted when you sleep on your stomach.

Sleeping on your back not only reduces the risk of wrinkles (the neck is then straightened), but also allows skin care products to stay on your face rather than on the pillow.

Sleeping on your back can reduce facial swelling

When we lie on the face, various fluids accumulate in the lower parts of the face. And the build-up of fluid can cause swelling around the eyes and the face itself. Lying on our backs, we do not allow liquids to accumulate, thus reducing swelling.

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The head while sleeping (on the back) should be slightly raised. Thanks to this, we can control where the fluids accumulate and we wake up much more refreshed.

Sleeping on the back and the sinuses

Sleeping with your head above the heart helps to open the canals and prevents nasal obstruction. When the head is lowered, mucus builds up in the sinuses.

If you prop your head up, gravity helps to drain the mucus and keep the airways open.

According to a study conducted by Chinese scientists and published in PubMed in 2016, the supine position also helps people struggling with acid reflux.

Sleeping on your back for a tension headache

Sleeping on your back, as with your neck and spine, also helps to relieve your head.

Headaches of cervical origin or those originating in the cervical spine are often confused with migraines. Symptoms may include throbbing pain on one side of the head, stiff neck, pain around the eyes, pain when coughing or sneezing, sensitivity to light and noise, and blurred vision.

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You can avoid these ailments by keeping your head, neck, and spine in a neutral position to relieve the pressure.

Sleeping on your back – the sun is the best alarm clock

Sleeping on your back, that is, facing up, has another benefit. You can therefore observe the changes related to the light. When sunlight shines into the bedroom, it could be a signal that it’s time to wake up.

This way of waking up may be more pleasant than the sound of an alarm clock. In addition, light helps to regulate your circadian rhythm, so you can sleep and wake up at optimal times.

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