The Notable Drawbacks of Sleeping on Your Side

Your sleeping position affects your sleep quality; and if you have been sleeping on your side all this time, you might want to consider changing your sleeping condition after this.

 

There are a lot of benefits of sleeping on your side. It helps people with persistent snoring and or sleep apnea by reducing the obstruction of the airway. Also, it helps reduce lower back pain and neck pain. Additionally, sleeping on your side can help reduce acid reflux, boosts digestion, aids in the drainage of toxins found in the lymph nodes, and helps the brain filter out the metabolic waste.

 

Several physicians would recommend the left side-sleeping position because it promotes good blood circulation, especially in pregnant women. However, it should be noted that fetal position, while sleeping on your side, does not provide health benefits, but it puts your head, spine, and lumbar out of alignment.

 

While there are a lot of notable advantages of sleeping on your side, there are drawbacks too. It is essential to note the disadvantages of being a side sleeper and how it can affect your health.

 

Drawbacks of Side-Sleeping

• Paresthesia

Paresthesia is the numbness, burning, or a prickling sensation felt in the hands, arms, feet, and legs. This condition occurs due to poor blood flow or there is too much pressure on the nerve. Sleeping on your side too often may cause paresthesia; however, this condition develops when there is significant pressure placed on either side of the arm, hand, and hip during sleep because of weight and the resistance from the mattress you sleep on.

If you are experiencing symptoms similar to paresthesia and wouldn’t go away, you should consult a physician. Also, you may want to consider changing your hard mattress with the best mattress for side sleepers.

• Shoulder, neck, arm, and back pain

There is additional pressure placed on either side of the shoulder, neck, arm, and part of the back when you sleep on your side. The pressure can cause soreness, pain, and injury, especially when there is a significant resistance from the mattress. So, to avoid acquiring such pain, either you try to get used to other sleeping positions or consider getting more details about a mattress that is ideal for a side sleeper.

• Facial Wrinkles

Believe it or not, sleeping on your side too often can cause facial wrinkles – these are known as sleep wrinkles. Since a normal person would spend a third of their time sleeping, sleep lines would often form at either side of the face as a result of constant pressure on the face.

 

How to make sleeping on the side comfortable?

Whether you change your sleeping habit and position or not, there are ways to sleep comfortably on your side.

#1: Consider using the right mattress for side sleepers; as an example are hybrid mattresses and or memory foam mattresses.

#2: Consider looking for memory foam pillows.

#3: Use another pillow – a firm one – underneath your favorite pillow; this will help support your neck.

#4: Try to shift from one side to the other side. Learn to sleep comfortably on your back too.

#5: Never tuck your chin into your chest or keep your head down; this will cause neck pain, as well as it may cause head and spinal misalignment.

#6: Place a pillow between your knees; this is a comfortable and healthy side-lying sleeping position. Also, it creates better spinal alignment. Additionally, you may place a pillow on your back for better back support.

#7: Talk to your doctor if you are experiencing severe numbness, tingling, and soreness of the arms, hands, and shoulders.