Side, Back and Stomach Sleepers: What's the Best Sleeping Position?

A good start is half the work. So if you wake up tired in the morning and haven't slept well, the rest of the day will often be harder going. We spend around a third of our lives asleep, yet many of us struggle to get a good night's rest. That's why we're diving deeper into the science behind the best sleeping positions and explaining how side, back, and stomach sleepers can improve their sleep quality. Discover for yourself, through some simple solutions, how to sleep better.

Different sleeping positions examined

There are, of course, various ways to lie in bed. For everyone, sleeping position is a personal thing. Still, there are a number of common positions that we all tend to adopt. In a study conducted in Denmark among 363 men and 301 women in 2017, it turned out that 54.1% sleep on their side, 37.5% on their back, and only 7.3% of people sleep on their stomach. Let's take a closer look at these positions and how to use them properly for an optimal night's sleep.

Side sleeping: sleeping on your side

Side sleeping (or the foetal position) is often considered the best sleeping position for your overall health. It helps keep your spine in a neutral position, which can reduce back and neck pain. Sleeping on your side can also improve your breathing and apnoea and reduce snoring. Side sleeping is the most common position we naturally adopt when we sleep. But adopting the wrong posture can leave you waking up feeling poor the next day. There are a few downsides to sleeping on your side:

• Side sleeping puts extra pressure on your stomach and lungs, so if you feel nauseous, it's better to avoid this position.
• Your arm can end up in the way, causing it to fall asleep (ironically).
• The muscles in your neck and shoulders can become overloaded because your shoulder carries a lot of weight.
• For beauty reasons: you can develop wrinkles on your face if you really sleep on your side every day.

That's why we've put together some tips for the perfect side-sleeping position:

Tips for sleeping on your side

• Use a firm pillow to support your neck, head, and spine.
• Place a pillow between your knees to relieve pressure on your hips and lower back. If you don't have a spare pillow, you can tilt your hips down a bit more and pull one knee up instead.
• Try alternating between sleeping on your left and right side to reduce pressure points.

Which side is best to sleep on?

Sleeping on your left side is generally considered the best sleeping position because of its many health benefits. One of the main benefits is improved digestion, since the stomach and pancreas are located on the left side of the body, allowing gravity to help digest and move food along. Sleeping on your left side can also improve lymphatic drainage, as a large part of the lymphatic system is located on the left side of the body, contributing to more efficient removal of waste products and toxins from the body.

The right mattress choice for side sleepers

A mattress for a side sleeper shouldn't be too hard or too soft. It's important that your mattress moves with you and conforms to your body position. A boxspring with pocket springs is ideal for this, since pocket springs offer many different comfort zones so you can always lie comfortably.

The right pillow for side sleepers

Side sleepers will surely recognise this: the pillow has to be just right, otherwise you won't lie comfortably. As you can see in the image, it's important that the pillow fills the gap at your neck. A firm, orthopaedic pillow is extremely well suited to side sleepers.

Back sleeping: sleeping on your back

Sleeping on your back ensures an even distribution of body weight, which can reduce pressure on your spine and joints. It can also help keep your head, neck, and spine in a neutral position, reducing the chance of pain and discomfort. A common complaint from our sleep partners is that back sleeping tends to lead to more snoring. This can have several causes, and of course we have tips for that too:

Tips for back sleeping

• Use a thin pillow to support your head and neck without bending your neck.
• Place a pillow under your knees to support the natural curve of your lower back.

The right mattress choice for back sleepers

What makes a good mattress for back sleepers? Your best option is a memory foam mattress or a memory foam topper. Memory foam offers the best support for your back.

The right pillow for back sleepers

Most problems for back sleepers arise from a tight or restricted feeling (which, among other things, leads to snoring). If this happens, your pillow is most likely too thick for your sleeping position. In that case, it's better to get a pillow that's flatter and firmer. As a back sleeper, you can even sleep without a pillow at all, but that's really down to personal preference.

Stomach sleeping: sleeping on your stomach

One of the least common sleeping positions is stomach sleeping. Although sleeping on your stomach is generally not recommended because of the pressure it puts on the spine and neck, it does have one advantage: stomach sleepers usually suffer less from snoring and sleep apnoea (not breathing during sleep), because the airways stay more open in this position. Aside from that, we can add to the list of downsides: stomach sleepers grind their teeth more, get numb arms from how the arms are positioned, and get more headaches. If you still want to sleep on your stomach, we recommend the following:

Tips for stomach sleeping

• Use a flat pillow or sleep without a pillow to keep your neck in a more neutral position.
• Place a small pillow under your pelvis to support your lower back and reduce pressure on your spine.
• Try to regularly change your sleeping position to prevent neck and back pain. Lying on your stomach for too long is something your body won't thank you for in the long run.

The right mattress choice for stomach sleepers

If you're looking for a mattress for stomach sleepers, go for a cold foam mattress or pocket springs.

The right pillow for stomach sleepers

Do you really only sleep on your stomach? Then it's best not to use a pillow on your side at all. A pillow forces your neck to twist even further, and that's exactly the problem with this sleeping position.

Can you change your sleeping position?

Changing your sleeping position can take some time and perseverance, but it is possible to train your body to sleep in a new position. What matters most here is being aware that you want to change your sleeping position. So before you go to sleep, get into the right position straight away and be conscious of the posture you're adopting. You can also force yourself to stay in one position. If you often roll onto your stomach, place two pillows on either side of you so you're unable to roll over. Do you wake up at night in a different position? Be aware of it and get back into your desired position. You'll need patience and perseverance, but if nothing's bothering you: sleep well!

Source citation:

DovePress - Scientific and medical research
Pub Med - Sleep Breath