People tend to sleep in the position that they find most comfortable. In some cases, those sleeping positions may not be the most suitable for them. Some sleeping positions have been linked to better sleep. There are also recommended sleep positions for pregnancy, snoring, neck pain, back pain, acid reflux, and more.
In this video, people confess which sleeping position they prefer, and healthcare providers share their reactions.
Preeti Parikh, MD is the Executive Medical Director at GoodRx and served as the Chief Medical Officer of HealthiNation.
Stacia Woodcock, PharmD, is a pharmacy editor for GoodRx. She earned her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Kentucky and is licensed in New York and Massachusetts.
References
American Pregnancy Association. (n.d.). Best sleeping positions during pregnancy.
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. (2021). Can I sleep on my back when I’m pregnant?
Benoist, LB, et al. (2014). Evaluation of position dependency in non-apneic snorers. European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology.
Cary, D., et al. (2021). Examining relationships between sleep posture, waking spinal symptoms and quality of sleep: A cross sectional study. PLoS One.
Center for Spine and Orthopedics. (2021). The best sleeping positions to help with lower back pain.
Desouzart, G., et al. (2016). Effects of sleeping position on back pain in physically active seniors: A controlled pilot study. Work.
Lee, W. H., et al. (2017). Effect of sleep posture on neck muscle activity. The Journal of Physical Therapy Science.
Shoen, S., et al. (2022). Sleeping on your stomach — Is it bad for you? Sleep Foundation.
Yu, E. (2018). What sleep positions are best for your back?. The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.
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