When you crawl under the covers, you probably have a go-to sleep position you always find yourself in. For some, side sleeping is the only way to drift off. For others, sleeping on the back or belly is essential for getting a good night’s rest.
If you’re wondering what the single best sleep position is, the answer is that there isn’t one. But while there’s no one-size-fits-all recommendation for the best position to sleep in, some sleep positions are better for certain health issues, like neck pain or apnea, so if you struggle with overnight awakenings or pain, a different sleep position may help you.
Here’s a breakdown of the best sleep positions according to the experts, along with tips on finding support for any pose you find yourself in throughout the night.
Why is sleep position important?
Most people don’t put much — if any — thought into their sleep position. But given that you spend about a third of every day in bed, the sleep position you use is more important than you might think.
“Sleep position has a huge impact on not only your sleep but also how you’re feeling throughout the day,” says Julia Kogan, a health psychologist who focuses on behavioral sleep medicine at the Department of Veterans Affairs.
First and maybe the most obvious, a proper sleep position can keep your body comfortable. That, in turn, promotes high-quality slumber, which helps you feel more rejuvenated when you wake up and ultimately ready to wind down once bedtime rolls around.
In the right sleep position, your spine is aligned, enabling your torso, limbs, and joints to all be supported without pressure points. If your spine is aligned, ideally your neck and head are properly supported, too. This will help you get the restorative sleep you need, night after night. Accordingly, a poor sleep position does the opposite.
“Patients will tell me they’re waking up stiff and sore in the morning or tossing and turning all night long because they’re not aware of what sleep position is best for them,” explains Thanuja Hamilton, a sleep medicine specialist at Advocare Sleep Physicians of South Jersey and board member of the New Jersey Sleep Society.
That can lead to pain during the day, which has been shown to make it more difficult to fall asleep at night. Repeatedly sleeping in a bad or uncomfortable position can create a detrimental long-term cycle for both your body and sleep.
That said, there’s no single sleep position that’s best for everyone. Your best sleep position depends on how comfortable you feel, factoring in your sleep setup and any health conditions.
“You also have to remember that you can sleep in whatever position you want, but if your bed is wrong, you have to change it,” warns Hamilton. “Changing your mattress at least every 10 years is going to be as important as your sleeping position.”
How can sleeping positions affect your health?
Your sleeping position can impact certain health conditions — for better or for worse.
If you’ve ever woken up with a numb arm, you’ve experienced firsthand the impact that your sleep position can have on your circulation. The pins-and-needles sensation happens when you put weight on a body part (like your arm when side sleeping), which impacts the blood flow to the nerves. Even your breathing can be affected by your sleep position.
If you’ve been diagnosed with sleep apnea, you might find that your hypopnea episodes become more severe when sleeping on your back. Got lower back pain? Avoid sleeping on your stomach, which can strain your back muscles, and opt for lying flat on your back to keep your spine in a neutral alignment instead. An adjustable bed or a pillow under your feet could also help alleviate pressure on your beck.
Your sleeping position can also be an important part of staying healthy while pregnant. Stanford Medicine says pregnant people should try sleeping on their left side to promote blood flow to the fetus and improve kidney function. This sleep position can also help alleviate acid reflux symptoms, which can flare later in pregnancy.
Talk with a sleep specialist or physician to see whether you should adjust your sleep position for your health.
What are the different sleeping positions?
Sure, if you want to get specific, there are limitless positions you can try for sleeping. You might sleep with your limbs spread starfish style. Or, wrapped in your covers like a burrito. If you share a bed with a partner, you might become little spoon. And if you have pets, you might sleep with your arm draped around your furry friend. (Fun fact: Even dogs have preferred sleeping positions!)
But on a macro level, sleep positions typically fall into these categories: sleeping on your back, side sleeping, sleeping on your stomach, or a combination. Here’s a look at each of the different sleeping positions and how to sleep properly in each one.
Sleeping on your back
Sleeping on your back involves lying flat on your back facing up, with your legs extended out in a neutral position and arms either lying flat alongside the body, bent at the elbow with hands across the torso, or arms bent into right angles with palms facing up beside your head. This sleep position evenly distributes your weight across your body, which can alleviate back pain. Many people say this is the best sleep position for the skin on your face, as it minimizes friction of your face against a pillowcase.
However, it can also come with some downsides. Research shows that sleeping on your back can worsen breathing issues (especially sleep apnea). There’s also data that suggests people who sleep poorly tend to spend more time on their back than in other positions, so it might not be the best sleep position for everyone. If you’re lying flat on an unsupportive sleep surface, you could also put pressure on your lower spine and sacrum area.
If you are a back sleeper, consider alleviating pressure by:
- elevating legs using an adjustable base
- placing a pillow beneath your knees
- adding a supportive pad under the small of your back
- choosing a higher-loft pillow
Side sleeping
The majority of adults sleep on their sides — one study found that side sleeping accounts for about 54% of the time people spend in bed, but others skew up to 74%. Sleeping on your side involves lying on your side, in what’s typically called the fetal position, with your knees and arms bent slightly inward.
There’s a reason it’s so popular: Side sleeping is not only comfortable, it’s widely considered one of the best sleeping positions. Sleeping on either side can help reduce snoring and mild sleep apnea. Sleeping on the left side, in particular, can help improve blood flow to major organs (hence why many doctors prescribe this sleeping position to pregnant people) and ease acid reflux.
One drawback is that sleeping on your side can cut off circulation to the arm tucked beneath you, put extra pressure on your shoulder, or cause soreness in your shoulders if you don’t have the right pressure-relieving mattress. Without supportive pillows, ideally with a higher loft, your head and neck could also be out of alignment, causing shoulder and neck pain.
The Cleveland Clinic has guidance on how to sleep properly on your side:
- rotate sides
- don’t tuck your chin
- slip a pillow between your knees to pressure off your hips
- don’t scrunch up too tightly
Sleeping on your stomach
Sleeping on your stomach is exactly what you’d imagine: You’re belly-flopped onto your bed with your legs extended, arms in a goalpost position, and head tilted to one side.
Experts say that sleeping on your stomach isn’t an ideal sleep position, despite how natural it can feel for some people. After all, there’s a reason many babies try to roll onto their stomachs to sleep, despite the back being safest.
“When you’re sleeping on your stomach, it’s close to impossible for your body to be in alignment,” says Kogan. “That can lead to tension in the neck and spine that impacts you during the day, making it more difficult to sleep later.”
Another potential drawback of this sleeping position: It might affect your appearance.
“When your face is squished on a pillow, you can risk wrinkles. You’re also putting your face in a pillow where there’s oil and dirt, which can increase the risk of acne, and you can get puffy from fluid pooling in your face,” notes Hamilton.
Still, if you are a diehard stomach sleeper, there are some things you can do to make the sleep position a little gentler on your body.
- Sleep on a low-loft pillow. “A thinner pillow would be better to help keep your neck in alignment,” says Kogan. If you’re feeling strain on your body, try removing your head pillow and sleeping directly on your bed.
- Sleep on a firmer surface so that your torso doesn’t sink, putting extra pressure on your back.
You might also consider swapping out your pillowcases for fresh ones frequently to ensure your face is always on something clean.
Combination sleeping
Combination sleepers find themselves in different positions throughout the night. Since research shows that adults change their sleep position up to 36 times throughout the night, combination sleeping is something most of us experience.
If you know you’re a combination sleeper, opt for a bed that can accommodate multiple sleep styles. A medium mattress is a great supportive but comfortable option. Additionally, opt for a medium-loft or low-loft pillow unless you’re primarily on your back.
If you find yourself waking up with neck pain, sample a few different pillows until you find one that can support you through your most common sleep positions.
Factors to consider when choosing a sleeping position
There are two main questions to ask yourself when choosing a sleeping position. First, are you comfortable? And second, are you sleeping through the night and waking up feeling good?
If you answered yes to both questions, congratulations! You’ve found a sleep position that works well for you.
Otherwise, you can try training yourself to sleep in a better position. This can take time and physical constraints. We’ll get to those below.
Best position to sleep for apnea and snoring
Experts recommend sleeping on your side or your stomach if you deal with sleep apnea or snoring because these sleep positions help keep airways open. Sleeping on your back may cause your tongue and the back of your mouth to rest against the back of your throat and block airways.
While it may help many people sleep more soundly, sleeping on your back is associated with sleep apnea or snoring issues, especially for children. However, if you have that adjustable base bed or a wedge pillow — both of which help elevate your head slightly — research shows that you may be able to still sleep on your back and minimize snoring.
Best sleeping position for pregnancy
Pregnancy can create or exacerbate many sleep challenges. Not only can it be hard to get comfortable in bed, but there are also sleep positions that are not optimal for your health or for fetal health.
In the early days, when rest is so important, many doctors advise getting good sleep however makes you comfortable. As your pregnancy progresses, though, it’s important to avoid certain positions. Starting about halfway through your pregnancy, usually around 18-20 weeks, your doctor will advise you not to sleep on your back. This is because your baby is growing large enough that sleeping on your back could enable the baby to compress your inferior vena cava, which runs behind your uterus and returns blood to your heart, which could compromise blood flow for both of you. Of course, sleeping on your stomach could be both uncomfortable and dangerous in the later stages of pregnancy, too. Many doctors recommend sleeping on your left side.
While pregnant, acid reflux (or GERD) and joint pain can cause sleep challenges. Stack pillows or use a wraparound pregnancy pillow to support your joints and belly in any position, and try to elevate your head and feet to minimize acid reflux and swelling in your ankles.
Best Sleep Positions for Neck Pain
Waking up with neck pain is often a sign you might need to replace your pillow. Research shows that the height of the pillow is a great way to manage neck pain. However, you don’t want a pillow that’s too high or stiff because it’ll limit your neck’s natural movement throughout the neck and cause stiffness. This is a great reason to try out a pillow fitting as experts can lead you through the process of picking out the best pillow for you and your mattress.
If your sleep doesn’t improve after you make these changes, talk to a doctor about any other underlying causes that may be disrupting your sleep. Research shows neck pain is less likely to improve if you aren’t sleeping well.
Best Sleep Positions for Sciatica
Sciatica — the nerve pain that extends from your lower back down your leg — can be challenging to navigate when trying to get a good night’s rest. To manage sciatica while sleeping, according to the Cleveland Clinic, it comes down to the cause of your condition and where you are feeling the pain.
Here are comfort tips for every sleep position:
- If sleeping on your side, use a pillow between your knees to keep your hips in line.
- The fetal position might also be a good choice as it provides pressure relief by opening the space between your vertebrae.
Other tips that have helped sleepers with sciatica find relief include:
- adding a small pillow under your waist
- putting a small pillow between the knees to reduce spinal and pelvic pressure
- lying on your back with a pillow or towel under the lower back or knees
- sleeping on the side that’s not injured or sensitive
- sleeping on the floor for a firmer surface
Since there is no single correct way to manage numbness and tingling from sciatica, you should visit your doctor or physical therapist for curated sleeping tips.
Can you change your sleep position?
It’s entirely possible to change your sleep position, but don’t expect it to happen (literally) overnight.
“It usually takes a couple of weeks of consistency for someone to get used to it,” Kogan explains.
Start familiarizing your body with your new sleep position by lying that way for brief periods during the day. This can help you understand how to comfortably distribute your weight and where to place your limbs to help you ease into sleep at night.
Changing your sleep position isn’t an easy thing to do. After all, you’ve likely been sleeping the same way for most of your life. To give yourself the best chance of adopting the new position long-term, commit to sticking with it. Some people buttress themselves using pillows to prevent rolling. Others put tennis balls into their pajamas to make other sleep positions too uncomfortable.
Changing positions can be disorienting, but the good news is that if you’re healthy and waking up feeling refreshed most days, you probably don’t need to consider a new position.
“There’s no reason to change your sleep position unless there’s a medical issue, like snoring, acid reflux, or an injury,” notes Hamilton. “You can sleep in whatever position you want.”
What is the best sleeping position?
In general, the best sleeping position is the one that helps you sleep soundly throughout the night and allows you to wake up feeling rejuvenated. But if you have certain health conditions, such as sciatica or sleep apnea, certain sleep positions may offer some relief from symptoms, so talk it over with a doctor.
Overall, finding the right position for you will require some trial and error. It may involve choosing a new mattress, throwing out your pillows, or going through a few nights of practice before your new sleep position becomes a habit.
And keep in mind that sleep position isn’t the only factor in getting a good night’s rest. Practicing relaxation techniques (like box breathing), optimizing your bedroom for sleep, avoiding blue light close to bedtime, and making exercise part of your daily routine can all help foster better sleep — no matter how scrunched up or sprawled out you lie in bed at night.
Frequently asked questions about sleeping positions
How long should I stay in one sleeping position?
There’s no consensus among experts on how long you should stay in one sleeping position. In fact, most adults shift around between three and 36 times a night. However, excessive movement throughout the night could impact your sleep quality, so try to find a sleep position that’s comfortable and long-lasting.
Can sleeping in the wrong position cause snoring?
Several factors — including your sleep position — can trigger or worsen snoring. According to the Mayo Clinic, sleeping on your back causes your airway to narrow, which can lead to loud, frequent snoring. But changing your pillow can enable you to sleep on your back in silence.
What is the best sleeping position for optimal digestion?
Try lying on your left side if you’re dealing with digestion issues, such as GERD. Experts say this helps keep acid away from the valve and prevent it from backing up into the esophagus. To promote optimal digestion and sound sleep, avoid eating anything within three hours of bedtime.
