Sleeping is not only about getting rest, it is about keeping ourselves healthy. Most of us never prioritise sleep, it’s more a necessity that we cannot avoid. We almost ‘squeeze’ sleep between work, socialising, working out and other day-to-day activities and this is a big mistake! What is even more interesting is the fact that 2 out of 3 adults believe that sleep affects our productivity at work the next day and also our general effectiveness. This is supported by research conducted by the American National Sleep Foundation late last year. So although we all understand the benefits of sleep, we still refuse to make it our priority and try to get a good one every night. According to the same survey, there are only a few people that consider sleeping as their top priority. The detailed figures are the following:
- 35% of people choose fitness and nutrition as their top priority
- 27% feel that work is the most important thing in their lives
- 17% choose their hobbies as their priority
- Only 10% feel that sleep is the most important thing of the day
- 9% have their social life as the top priority
Sleep Positions
Another interesting factor for a good night’s sleep is the way we sleep. According to Sleep.org the best position for your body is the back position. It’s ideal for your spine and neck as they rest in a neutral position. In addition, the back position is the best if you want to avoid acid reflux. Just make sure you get a bit of elevation from your pillow. However, the back position can be dangerous for people who suffer from sleep apnea so avoid it if you can. Finally, this position usually makes snoring more severe.
The side position is also a good one for your body and spine. It doesn’t put too much pressure on it so you can get good relief. This position is also good to prevent acid reflux and in general it makes snoring less severe. Overall it’s a good choice with many benefits.
The fetal position is the most popular one (41% of people sleep in this position). It is the best position for pregnant women, especially when you sleep on your left side. This because it prevents your uterus from pushing against your liver but it also helps a lot with blood circulation. It is a good position for those who snore but make sure you don’t curl too much as it can close your diaphragm which won’t allow you to breathe freely.
Finally, the stomach position (which is my favourite one) is the worse one for your spine and neck. This is because it is hard to keep your neck and spine in a neutral position which means more tension there. It’s also bad for your muscles and joints so if you can avoid sleeping in this position. However, this position is good for snorers so there is on small benefit here.
Final Thoughts
Finishing this post, I would like to share my final thoughts with you. In today’s life is really easy to focus on things that we think that there are more important than they actually are. But we do need to remember all the basics so we can live a happy and good quality of life. And sleep is one of those that we should make sure we get every single day. It’s one of the best ways to maintain our health, mentally and physically, so put it right up there with the rest of your priorities.
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