Ria Bhagwat is the lifestyle editor at Real Simple, where she covers stories related to health, wellness, life, and home. Prior to joining Real Simple, Ria was a freelance lifestyle writer at a variety of publications, including Apartment Therapy, Well+Good, and House Digest, where she wrote about everything from color coordination to holistic wellness. In her spare time, you can find Ria taking walks across Brooklyn or obsessing over which romance novel to read next.
Are you prone to tossing and turning in your sleep? Does it take you a significant amount of time to find the best, most comfortable sleeping position? You're not alone -- in fact, most people struggle with finding the best sleeping position, according to Dr. Kevin Lees, licensed chiropractor. Pressure points, sleep issues, and indigestion can all lead to , Dr. Lee explains. "This is usually different from tossing and turning while trying to get to sleep, which can often be caused by anxiety, stress, or even a change in sleeping habits."
Properly identifying the problem at hand -- and choosing one of these sleeping positions to improve the pain you likely experience in the morning -- can help you achieve more restful sleep (and wake up feeling pain-free).
You might be wondering whether your favorite sleeping position is actually doing more harm than good. "Stomach sleeping, while a hard habit to break, can be tough on your spine," Dr. Lees says. "[It's an] awkward position the neck is in to breathe, and the added stress to the lower back can lead to pain, stiffness, numbness, and muscle tension." Over time, these physical effects become long-term issues that can cause significant damage to the spine. Instead, it's best to maintain the spine in a "neutral position to avoid added stress and tension while sleeping," he says. Here are some sleeping positions that can help do exactly that.