At first it seems that this is a ridiculous and pointless question. What difference does it make how a person sleeps, if he still rests and relaxes in a dream? But it turns out that our rest and health of the back depends on the position in which we sleep. It is very important to pay attention to this, because we spend more than a third of life in a dream.
Let’s start with the very first – your bed. If your bed is too soft, then during sleep on the side the spine will bend towards the bed and curl its physiological curves.
If the bed is too stiff, the spine will also bend. In this case, this happens because the shoulder and the side of the pelvis too abut against the hard mattress and the lumbar with the thoracic spine create a “S” shape. Therefore, the most ideal option for a comfortable sleep is a semi-rigid mattress. It is better if it is orthopedic. It differs from the usual one in that, by its design, it “adapts” to our bends of the spine. This makes it possible to relax the back muscles as much as possible, since the spine retains its natural position and does not warp.
So orthopedic mattresses – this is not an advertising trick, but a really useful thing. Now appeared a large number of varieties of orthopedic mattresses, depending on the material, structure, price. If you want to buy such a mattress, it is better to do it in orthopedic salons, where specialists will give you detailed advice and help you choose the mattress for you.
But now let’s talk about how it is better to sleep to provide maximum relaxation for the back. If the provisions for sleep are conventionally arranged in ascending order that would ensure safety and better relaxation, then it would look like this:
- On the side
- On the stomach
- On the back
On the side, sleep better on orthopedic mattresses to avoid curvature of the spine. But still this is not the best option, since the possibility of distortion of the physiological curves of the spine is present.
On the stomach, sleep is much better, according to some vertebrologists, because of the lack of internal pressure on the spine. But I believe that at this time the discomfort is felt by the cervical spine.
This is especially important for those people who have cervical osteochondrosis. When you lie on your stomach, the head is turned to one side. The joints that connect the first and second vertebrae are strained because of the stretching of their ligaments.
Sleeping on the back is the best option. This position is most favorable for your back, because all the vertebrae are in the right anatomical position. But notice that in the supine position on the back with straightened legs, lumbar lordosis can be maintained and the muscles of the waist do not relax.
In that case, how can you provide yourself with an ideal pose for sleeping for the sake of your back health? Very simple! You can put a small pad or cushion under your knees or under your waist, which will smooth the lumbar lordosis, reduce muscle tension and relax the entire spine.
Do not forget about the pillows.
They should not be tall and too soft. The cervical spine also needs rest. Ideal option – orthopedic pillow with a roller under the neck. Regardless of whether you sleep on your back or on your side, it well supports the cervical bend (lordosis).
At first glance it seems that all these tips are insignificant. But if you look at them from the point of view of relaxation of the muscles of the back and the correct position of the spine, it turns out that all the details are very important and they should be taken into account. All the features of the correct position of the body during sleep must necessarily be observed for people with exacerbation of osteochondrosis and in the presence of pain in the back (a fading period). People with mild osteochondrosis, during remission, as well as people with a healthy back, should also follow these recommendations. They will help to keep your back healthy longer.
Image credit: claudioscott