Lying down to sleep seems like a simple notion, but not all sleep positions are created equal.
Spinal alignment affects sleep,2 and due to variations in body types and sizes, finding the sweet spot for sleep can be tough. Your body position, weight distribution, and angle of your spine make a difference in both sleep quality1 and back pain. It’s so important that researchers have spent many years to determine the best position for sleeping.
Sleeping on your side with knees bent at a 135° angle and hip joints at a 45° angle lets the spinal column relax2 best. Finding those exact measurements while lying down is difficult, but you can get close. Your bed shouldn’t be too soft – letting body weight sag down – or too firm.1 The key is to find a mattress and base that fits your body, and never let a worn mattress interrupt an opportunity for your best sleep.
- 1 Haex, B. (2005). Back and bed: ergonomic aspects of sleeping. Boca Raton: CRC Press.
- 2 VERHAERT, V. (11, December 12). Ergonomic analysis of integrated bed measurements: towards smart sleep systems. Retrieved April 17, 2017, from https://lirias.kuleuven.be/handle/123456789/320726
