Does sleeping position affect health?

Question

I've heard that the sleeping position of a person affects his health in many ways. Is this true, and if so, in what way does it affect a person and which is the best position to sleep in?

Answer 1

I am focusing on one important health issue with respect to sleep position. Obstructive sleep apnea or apnoea (OSA) is a common condition where person has excessive snoring and disturbed sleep at night. These persons may also have headaches in the morning, daytime sleepiness, chronic fatigue or exhaustion, impaired functioning and emotional disturbances. Many expensive therapies are available but adjusting sleep position is an inexpensive method that may help greatly. Sleeping on the side (and not on the back) is recommended for this. Sleeping on the back causes the tongue to fall back and obstruct the airway, producing snoring and other features of sleep apnea syndrome. Extra pillows, as a pillow between the knees, may be used to get comfortable in this position.

References:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6740055

http://umm.edu/health/medical/reports/articles/obstructive-sleep-apnea

http://www.britishsnoring.co.uk/why_do_i_snore/sleeping_position.php

http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/features/sleep-position-and-sleep-quality

http://sleepapneadisorder.info/2011/08/18/the-best-sleeping-positions/

Answer 2

YES, your sleeping position can directly affect your health. While the best sleeping posture is generally considered to be sleeping on your back with your arms by your sides and it’s good for your neck, too, as long as you don’t use too many pillows. It observe that back sleepers tend to snore more than those in any other position.

Regards Maria Bertinelli Senior Associate at Asonor