Your Sleeping Position Can Affect Your Health In These Ways

Personality tests say that if you sleep face-down on your bed with your chest pressed against the mattress, you are a brash and aggressive person but cannot handle criticisms very well.

But what you may not know is that this sleeping position can affect your health more negatively than positively.

Advantages of sleeping on your chest: You will have better digestion that those who sleep on their back. Plus, it opens your airway and prevents snoring or sleep apnoea.

Disadvantages: You most likely sleep with your neck twisted to one side (since it's impossible to breathe through the pillow), and therefore develop frequent cricks in your neck and horrid shoulder pain. Plus, it will prevent you from breathing fully as your chest wall is compressed this way. And if you are a growing girl, it will prevent breast development.

Tips to improve your posture:-

• Sleep with an extremely thin pillow or without any pillow to prevent hyperflexion of your neck.
• Hug a log-shaped or extra-fat pillow to raise one side of your body and improve your breathing and neck curvature.

Also read - This Is How Your Personality Can Affect Your Health

This sleeping position is also called the foetal posture because it resembles the posture of a child in the mother's womb - curled up on one side with the chin tucked close to the neck and the arms and legs held close to the chest.

And personality tests say that those who sleep this way appear tough on the outside but are extremely shy and sensitive on the inside.

Advantages of sleeping like a fetus: It improves sleep apnoea and snoring, and is the best position for pregnant women (if they sleep on their left-hand side).

Disadvantages: You won't be able to breathe fully and will develop back pain over time because of the extreme curvature of your spine for prolonged periods of time.

Tips to improve your posture:-

• Sleep straighter.
• Use a fat pillow under your head and neck to improve the spine's curvature.

If you sleep like a log with your arms on either side and stretched out completely on one side, then you are a very easy-going, social person in life who, nevertheless, is quite gullible.

But how does it affect your health?

Advantages of sleeping like a log: This sleeping position maintains the natural shape of your spine (straight), is good for breathing, and eases snoring and sleep apnoea.

Disadvantages: Your breasts will start to sag because of this (if you are a woman), and you might develop a tingling sensation in the arm closer to the mattress because of the pressure and cut-off blood circulation.

This posture is the yearner's position and is the mark of a suspicious individual who is more rational than emotional.

Advantages: Similar to that of the person who sleeps like a log. Namely, straight spine, full breaths, and no snoring.

Disadvantages: It can lead to arm and shoulder pain due to reduced blood circulation and pressure on the nerves.

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This posture is also called the soldier's sleeping position and is the mark of a disciplined individual who likes peace and loathes noise.

Advantages of this position: It keeps your spine straight and reduces acid reflux, as it lowers the oesophagus and stomach.

Disadvantage: It can cause sleep apnoea and increase snoring because your tongue falls backward into your throat at night and this ends up restricting your airway. Plus, it can lead to lower back pain, as outstretched legs increase the arch of the lower back.

Tips to improve this position:-

• Use a towel roll of a small pillow under your back and knees to elevate your body and reduce the lower back arch.
• Use a thin pillow under your neck to keep your spine completely straight.

This position is similar to the soldier's position (lying on your back) but with one difference - your arms rest on either side of your head during sleep.

This is the mark of a helpful person with good listening abilities.

Advantage: Your spine is straight.

Disadvantages: Causes sleep apnoea-induced snoring, acid reflux, and shoulder cramps.