sleep

Published: Mon, 08/01/16

Most of us sleep 6-10 hours per day; that's 1/4 or more of our lives. Yet, sleep position is an overlooked topic in health and our education system. In short, there are pro's and con's to each position:

Prone (laying on your belly):

pro: we live in a forward-based world, always bending/reaching/grabbing things in front of us. The end result is that the front of our bodies become shorter, so sleeping on our bellies helps us stretch our spines at night.

con: it's difficult to find a good position for your head, and often times your neck is cranked and turned to one side or the other.

Supine (laying on your back):

pro: this is the best position for your shoulders, especially if you have pain related to your rotator cuff, biceps tendon, labrum, or capsule. By sleeping on your back -- with your head at the back of the pillow, so your shoulders are also supported -- you'll reduce strain on your shoulders and neck.

con: your spine continues to feel the force of gravity, which it feels all day. This isn't the best way for joints in your spine to heal at night, and it also doesn't lead to a lot of mobility in your low back.

Sidelying (laying on your side):

pro: great on your low back, especially with a pillow in between your knees, so your legs remain parallel. Remember to have a neck pillow, or pillow doubled over for your head, so you're not reaching for the pillow by side-bending your neck.

con: the shoulder you're laying on is inevitably rounded forward and your arm ends up bearing your weight all night. If your neck or hips aren't properly positioned, this can also be a lot of strain on your spine.

If you sit all day, sleep position is even more important.

Knowing which sleep position to choose, based upon how your body feels and moves right now, is a great way to help you look and feel better. In fact, it's also a great way to improve the quality of your sleep, your metabolism, and your energy for the day.

On the following page, you'll learn about a muscle that is the most affected by sleep position, and if ignored, leads to pain, tightness, weakness, and anxiety. It's easy to fix, and it only takes about 15 minutes:

sleep -- get THIS right.

Keep training hard,

Mike Westerdal
CriticalBench.com

PS -- If your neck is tight, check this out.