Getting enough sleep is just as important as sleeping in a proper position. The way in which you get your sleep can have a serious impact on both your physical and mental health.
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Wrong Sleeping Position
Your sleeping position affects your mood, productivity, and energy levels. If you sleep in a bad posture, you are likely to experience tiredness, pain, stomach troubles, premature aging, as well as problems with your mental alertness, memory, and concentration. Here are 6 health issues that can be caused by sleeping in a wrong position.
Shoulder Pain
Shoulder pain is usually caused when you are sleeping on your side, especially when you remain on one side for too long, without switching to different positions during the night.
Apart from causing shoulder pain, side sleeping may also lead to lower back pain since when you sleep in this position, you rest all of your weight on one side.
If you are a side sleeper, you can prevent or treat shoulder and lower back pain by placing a pillow between your knees.
Neck Pain
In case you sleep on your stomach, you are likely to experience pain in your neck. If this condition is left untreated, it can become chronic and threatening.
By sleeping on your stomach, your neck is forced to be rotated to the left or to the right, which can cause a serious damage in the cervical joints of your neck.
Lower Back Pain
Lower back pain is commonly caused by stomach sleeping. Sleeping on your stomach is considered to be the worst sleeping position since it doesn’t support the natural curve of your spine, which leads to numbness and pain.
On the other hand, sleeping on the back can help you to maintain your back and neck in a proper alignment and to reduce your spinal problems.
Breathing Problems
Breathing problems can be caused by sleeping on the stomach. It is advisable that you sleep on your back in case you are dealing with any respiratory issues. By sleeping in this position, you will make the breathing much easier.
Poor Circulation
Stomach sleeping restricts you from having a proper blood circulation. Poor circulation of the blood can lead to numerous health problems, including heart attack, stroke, and premature death.
In order to improve your blood circulation, you should try sleeping on your side. Side sleepers usually have better heart and brain health from being in this position throughout the night.
Also, this position is linked to a reduced risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.
Wrinkles
Sleeping on your stomach can be responsible for leading to premature aging. This position can cause facial wrinkles and sagging skin because your eyes and cheeks remain pressed against a pillow for a long period of time.
On the other hand, sleeping on your back can provide you with a clearer, less wrinkly, and more youthful skin.