To understand what the correct sleeping posture is, it is important to understand the natural curvatures of the spine.

So, what is the correct sleeping posture?

When viewed from the side, the spine has a series of gentle curves with the cervical spine (neck) and lumbar spine (lower back) forming the lordotic (hollow) curves in the spine. These are the curves needing support at all times when lying down (on the back). Leaving these curves unsupported can cause unnecessary strain on neuromusculoskeletal structures.

Similarly, when considering the spine being viewed from the front -the spine is straight and deviance from this alignment when lying down (on the side) would likewise result in unbalanced stresses/and strains.

What is the practical application of this?

Only two sleeping postures are deemed biomechanically acceptable:

a) On the back

b) On the side.

a) When lying on the back the use of cushions are vital to maintain the above-mentioned curvatures. Not using a cushion flattens the cervical and lumbar curves causing unwanted strain on the neck and lower back. The cushion under the head should also extend into the curve of the neck supporting the lordotic (hollow) curvature. A cushion under the knees will also reduce stress on the lordotic lumbar spine. If the mattress is very soft, then a small cushion under the lumbar spine may further reduce strain-If the mattress is firm enough this is generally not necessary.

ALWAYS OPT FOR A FIRMER RATHER THAN A SOFT MATTRESS!

b)To maintain the spine in a straight line when lying on the side, cushions are equally vital! Maintaining the cervical spine in a 90 degree or neutral position to the shoulder axis is far more important than the types of cushions used etc. If soft cushions are your preference you may need two of them to maintain the neutral position, firmer cushions may require using only one. So before spending money on expensive cushions please consider the following.

IT IS ALL ABOUT THE ANGLE OF THE NECK TO THE SHOULDERS-90 DEGREES!

Putting a cushion between slightly bent knees will also drastically reduce lumbar spine stress and prevent twisting when lying on the side. This is the recommended position for anyone suffering lower back pain, as in the picture above.

Is stomach sleeping a bad thing?

YES! NEVER SLEEP ON THE STOMACH!

When sleeping on the stomach one has to turn the head to breathe – this places a considerable amount of torsional stress on the upper cervical spine causing a twisting effect. This will invariably result in cervical dysfunction, pain, and headaches. It will also result in hypermobility of the mid-cervical area with eventual instability which is difficult to reverse.

USING A CUSHION IN THIS POSITION IS EVEN WORSE!

If you struggle to fall asleep in a position other than on your stomach, please persist trying not to do this! It takes a few nights of re-educating your positional sense to create a new normal, but your brain accommodates, and it will happen.

Packing cushions around yourself to prevent rolling over or even placing a large paper clip on the front of your pajama’s may help if you continue to find yourself waking up on the stomach.

Hopefully, the above advice is helpful please feel free to direct any further questions drchiro.co.za and remember, we’ve got your back!