Experts reveal the worst sleep positions for you
Experts have revealed the worst (and best) sleeping positions – and how to avoid walking around with aches and pains during the day.
Dr Deborah Lee, health specialist and sleep expert at Dr Fox Online Pharmacy, said there are several popular positions, from 'solider' to 'pencil' and 'fetal'.
Sleeping on one's side with bent arms curled close to your chest has been recently dubbed the 'T-Rex position' on social media.
The various names depend on the alignment of the back, legs and arms – but some are better for your posture than others.
'As a rule, sleeping on your back or side are preferable to sleeping on your front,' Dr Lee told the Daily Mail. 'These positions are the best to allow your muscles to relax and undergo repair overnight.
'We should also sleep without putting undue pressure on our joints and muscles.
'Your sleeping position can also affect medical conditions such as acid reflux/indigestion, sleep apnoea, and pain.'
So which one is your preferred sleeping method?
SIDE-SLEEP – T-REX
The T-Rex - also known as 'sleeping with dinosaur hands' - is sleeping on your side with your arms and wrists curled up to your chest.
According to Dr Lee, side-sleeping is not a problem – it is generally recommended – but the T-Rex position specifically should be avoided.
'Sleep specialists have suggested this is a natural tendency to curl up on our side in a ball and bunch up our fists to our chests, when we feel anxious or under threat,' she told the Daily Mail.
The T-Rex 'gives us a sense of comfort and security', but it has been proven to cause night-time paraesthesias – a tingling or prickling sensation.
Dr Raj Dasgupta, a sleep medicine specialist and chief medical adviser for Sleepopolis, says the T-Rex position can cause lasting nerve damage.
'When you sleep with your arms bent and tucked in, you can press on the nerves in your elbows or wrists,' he told HuffPost.
'This can slow blood flow and make your arms feel numb or tingly. If you do it often, it can also strain your shoulders and make them stiff or sore.'
Not ideal: Sleeping on one's side with bent arms curled close to your chest has been recently dubbed the 'T-Rex position' on social media (file photo)
SIDE-SLEEP – PENCIL
The 'pencil' version of the side-sleep – with the arms down by the sides instead of curled inwards – is a 'natural sleeping position with much to commend it,' Dr Lee said.
'The arms are alongside the body and not bent at the elbow or wrist,' she told the Daily Mail.
'A side sleeper pillow can help this be more comfortable.'
Sleeping on your side is generally recommended by experts as long as the body and the head are both facing sideways, as it helps to keep pressure of joints, maintain proper spinal alignment and prevent pain.
Sleeping on your side also keeps pressure off internal organs and promotes healthy blood flow, according to Mayo Clinic.
SIDE-SLEEP – FETAL
Another side-sleep variation is the fetal position – with the knees curled up towards the chest.
According to the Sleep Foundation, it is one of the most common sleep postures among adults and can be a healthy and comfortable way to sleep.
It can promote spinal alignment, reduce snoring, and provide comfort for pregnant people and those with back pain - but curling too tightly may cause joint stiffness or restrict deep breathing.
Pain: In most cases, the body will move around during the night which helps to avoid any pain sensations - but staying in one position too long can lead to pain for days after (file photo)
BACK-SLEEP – SOLDIER OR COFFIN?
Sleeping on your back, facing the ceiling, is also usually recommended to stave off joint pain, but it can sometimes make neck pain worse, not to mention exacerbate other issues.
Mayo Clinic experts say sleeping on your back is actually the worst sleeping position if you have sleep apnea – which is when your breathing stops and starts while you sleep.
There are two main variations – 'solider' (sleeping on the back with arms by the sides) and the 'coffin' (where the arms are rested on the chest either crisscrossed or one on top of the other). According to Dr Lee, soldier is probably the preferable of the two.
'There is correct spinal alignment and straight arms and wrists with the solider, but you may need a pillow under both the knees to soften the lumbar curve,' she said. 'It can cause shoulder discomfort, in which case extending the arms like a starfish can help.
'It’s preferable to try and sleep without the arms bent or crossed to avoid any nerve compression.'
FRONTAL
Lastly, sleeping on your front is generally considered the most unhealthy because it can inhibit breathing and cause irregular curvature of the spine.
So it is the worst position you can sleep in, especially if you suffer from lower back pain.
'Front sleeping with the head twisted to one side is not recommended as the spine is compressed all night and the cervical spine is also not in correct alignment which can lead to neck, arm and shoulder pain the next day,' said Dr Lee.
Another bad variation is the half-stomach sleeper, in which you lie on your front but with one leg curled up higher than the other, and one arm bent often under the pillow.
'Again, this means sleeping with a twisted spine,' the expert said.
Christian Moro, professor of science and medicine at Bond University in Queensland, Australia, said letting the body move around during the night is 'a good idea'.
'In most cases, the body will move around during the night which helps to avoid any pain sensations or uncomfortable sleeping positions,' he told the Daily Mail.
'As such, how you fall to sleep does not necessarily indicate the position you will remain in for most of the night.
'If you regularly wake with pins and needles, or a dead-arm, then it’s time to reconsider your sleep position, as this is a sign that blood flow is being restricted.
'Ideally, you will be able to find a position, mattress, and pillow that helps provide a good night’s sleep that avoids waking up in any pain.'
