What's the healthiest sleeping position?

Author: Lewis Lakin  |  Last update: Sunday, August 3, 2025

What is the healthiest sleeping position? According to experts, side sleeping offers the most health benefits. It's often the most comfortable way to sleep for many people, including pregnant women, and was the most popular position in multiple surveys.

What positions should you not sleep in?

HIGHLIGHTS: Sleeping in the wrong position, such as in the fetal position, on your front, half sitting up and half laying down, and lying with your head resting on your upper arm, can cause bone, muscle, or nerve injuries.

What is the most natural human sleeping position?

Sleeping on the side is the most common sleep position among adults. About 54% of adults sleep in this position. Its popularity might be because of the inflexibility of the spine as we age. Side sleeping is considered healthy for several reasons because it keeps the spine aligned and relatively neutral.

Why should I not sleep on my right side?

Reflux and heartburn: If you suffer from heartburn, sleeping on your right side can make symptoms worse, Salas says. That's true for people who have gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and for people who have heartburn for other reasons, such as pregnant women. Flip to your left side to cool the burn.

How should I sleep to avoid a stroke?

How can we lower our stroke risk?
  1. Sleep in a dark room that is quiet and comfortable.
  2. Lower the thermostat. Warmer temperatures prevent you from resting adequately.
  3. Avoid caffeine late in the day—no soda, tea or coffee late at night.
  4. Kick the late-night snacking habit.

Best Sleeping Position - Ask Doctor Jo

What is the most unhealthy way to sleep?

But Mayo Clinic experts say sleeping on your back is actually the worst sleeping position, especially if you have sleep apnea. "Sleeping on the back means that your tongue and jaw can fall down and crowd your airway. And many people snore more on their back," says Dr. Krahn.

Where should your arms be when sleeping?

First, make sure that your arms are down by your side. Sleeping with your arms overhead, perhaps around your pillow, can pinch your lower shoulder. Instead, sleep with your arms down by your side. You can also try sleeping with a pillow between your legs.

What is the best sleeping position for high blood pressure?

According to Connor, you should sleep on your left side if you have high blood pressure. “This puts less strain on blood vessels, and in turn, less strain on our heart.” It also helps to keep your airway from being obstructed, which can decrease snoring and help you breathe more deeply through the night.

What is the best position to sleep in to heal your body?

Specifically, sleeping on the side or back is considered more beneficial than sleeping on the stomach. In either of these sleep positions, it's easier to keep your spine supported and balanced, which relieves pressure on the spine and enables your muscles to relax and recover.

In which direction should we not sleep?

Because your head functions like a north pole, sleeping with your body in a north-facing position is considered a worst-case scenario, according to Vastu Shastra. It creates tension that may lead to headaches and other health problems.

How to sleep for blood circulation?

Keeping your legs elevated while sleeping can help improve blood circulation, reducing symptoms like leg pain and swelling. It is also helpful to sleep on your back with supported legs. However, avoid sleeping on your right side as it can put additional pressure on your organs and blood vessels.

What is the forbidden sleeping position?

According to the hadith's, Prophet Mohammad emphasized sleeping on the right side as the best way to sleep, whereas, sleeping on the stomach was forbidden as it resembled people in hell.

What sleeping position is best for anxiety?

Try the best position to sleep with anxiety: The best sleeping position for anxiety is on your back with your limbs splayed out, otherwise known as the 'shooting star' position or supine position. While you may feel tempted to curl on your side, this position causes muscle tension rather than relaxation.

Should your shoulders be on your pillow?

Support your shoulders – During back sleep, neck support is at least as important as head support, so the tops of your shoulders should reach your pillow. Be wary, however, of sleeping too elevated on the pillow, as any gap between your shoulders and the bed can cause back and shoulder pain.

What side is best to sleep for the heart?

What's the best sleeping position for your heart? There is limited evidence linking a person's sleeping position with their overall heart health. While studies have found that people with heart failure often avoid sleeping on their left side, it does not show that this sleeping position causes heart problems.

What is the best position for a woman to sleep?

Sleep Better on Your Back

A side position might be the most popular, but sleeping on your back is by consensus the most beneficial. Your back remains straight and your pelvis untwisted. Lying with your arms and legs extended out can be good for your spine and neck - some say it could even lead to fewer wrinkles!

What happens if you sleep with your head lower than your feet?

Head down tilt (HDT) reduces intracranial perfusion and leads to jugular vein congestion (Marshall-Goebel et al., 2016; Kramer et al., 2017). Moreover, an increased intracranial pressure is a consequence of HDT (Lawley et al., 2017).

Why should you never sleep on your right side?

Sleep on your left side for better digestion

“It takes some pressure off your stomach.” In fact, research shows that not only do GERD sufferers who sleep on the right side experience more instances of heartburn than when on their left side, but these episodes also last longer.

What is the healthiest sleep pattern?

Ideally, you need four to six cycles of sleep every 24 hours to feel fresh and rested. Each cycle contains four individual stages: three that form non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep and one rapid eye movement (REM) sleep.

Why do females sleep with one leg up?

You May Feel Unstable in Bed

For those of us that move around a lot in our sleep, have to sleep on a slight incline, or share the bed with a heavier partner, having one leg bent up can act as an anchor to help with weight distribution and stop us from migrating around the bed.

Does drinking water before bed prevent stroke?

Many folks refrain from drinking at bedtime to avoid needing to get up during the night. But cardiologists advise differently. A glass of water before sleeping can help to reduce the risk of a heart attack or stroke.

What happens a month before a stroke?

Some early warning signs of stroke may be numbness or weakness in your arms, legs, or face, confusion, or difficulty walking. A TIA can also be an indicator of a future stroke that may occur within three months.

Which sleeping position increases blood flow to the brain?

Best Sleeping Positions for Enhanced Blood Circulation. What sleep position is best for circulation? Generally, you should sleep on whatever side makes you feel more comfortable. Sleeping on the right or left side can be beneficial, depending on your unique health conditions.

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