Finding the Best Sleep Position for Your Medical Condition

Everyone wants a good night’s sleep and most of us are willing to try anything just to get it. Among some of the most common topics of discussion regarding sleep quality is sleeping position. Some people swear by sleeping on their back, while others prefer to sleep on their stomach or side. Sleep positions even vary all over the world depending on culture and nationality.

The truth is that some people may actually benefit from a certain sleep position, although there really is no one position that is better or worse than another is for everyone.

According to Dr. Kris Abeln, an orthopedic surgeon with the Loeb Orthopedic Group and the Jewish Physician Group in Louisville, everyone must find what works best for them.

For people suffering from medical conditions such as back pain, sleep apnea and gastroesophageal reflux disease, Abeln and other experts suggest that certain sleeping positions may in fact be superior to others. Here are some things to consider.

Back Pain

If you have back pain, then sleeping on your side may be ideal. Back pain sufferers often find the side sleeping position most comfortable of them all, according to Dr. David Hiestand, a practicing physician with the Center for Sleep and Wake Disorders at the University of Louisville.

Abeln also recommends side sleeping to people with spinal stenosis, or narrowing of the spine. Abeln says, “Sleeping on your side probably does support the alignment and the normal curvature that we have in our spine.”

Some people with back pain prefer to sleep on their back and while experts agree it may not be ideal for back pain sufferers, it is possible to enjoy a restful sleep in this position.

“We often recommend putting a pillow behind your knees,” said Abeln. This actually flexes the hips and takes tension off the sciatic nerve, both of which can make back sleeping more comfortable.

The worst position overall for back pain sufferers, according to Hiestand, is on the belly. Research shows that this position actually changes the natural curvature of the spine, which can lead to more pain and the exacerbation of other problems. Sleeping on the belly, for example, requires the awkward position of turning the neck to breathe.

Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea sufferers may also experience exacerbated symptoms based on their sleeping position. Sleep apnea, a disorder in which the sufferer struggles to breathe during sleep, may worsen for those who sleep on their backs.

Dr. Virgil Wooten, a professor of internal medicine at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine and medical director of the UC Health Sleep Medicine Center at University Hospital in Ohio, confirms that sleep apnea symptoms and snoring tend to be worse when sufferers sleep on their back than when they sleep on their side.

Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease

People with a propensity toward reflux should avoid sleeping on their belly, according to experts, as this will allow gastric secretions to flow into the esophagus more frequently. Hiestand recommends reflux sufferers sleep on their side. If the person prefers sleeping on their back, then Hiestand recommends keeping the bed elevated by putting a brick or two under the headboard. The American College of Gastroenterology also suggests raising the head of the bed using 4-inch-by-4-inch pieces of wood to combat the problems associated with gastroesophageal reflux disease.

Wooten also believes that many sufferers back pain, sleep apnea, gastroesophageal reflux disease and other medical conditions require more effective treatment than simple positional changes, as it is very difficult for most people to sleep in one position all night long. According to Wooten, most people change their body position 25 or so times a night.

If you have trouble getting to sleep or staying asleep, or experience frequent excessive daytime sleepiness due to poor sleep, consult your doctor. While sleeping position can help some people find relief from their symptoms, further treatment methods may be necessary.