[Reading level: C1 – Advanced]
We spend about one-third of our lives sleeping, yet very few of us pay much attention to the position we sleep in. Some people believe that sleeping on the back is the best option, while others think sleeping on the side leads to better sleep. So, which sleeping position is actually the ideal one?
In reality, from a medical perspective, there is no single sleeping position that is perfect for everyone. Each position has its own advantages and disadvantages, and each is suitable for different health conditions.
Sleeping on your back
Sleeping on your back (supine position) is highly regarded by many orthopedic and rehabilitation specialists. In this position, the spine remains in a neutral alignment, allowing pressure to be distributed evenly across the musculoskeletal system. The muscles and ligaments are also able to relax after a long day of activity, helping reduce aches and pains while supporting the body’s recovery process.
For the skin, sleeping on your back also minimizes friction between the face and the pillow, thereby reducing the risk of developing premature wrinkles. This is one reason why the position is often recommended by dermatologists and cosmetic specialists.
However, this position is not always beneficial. When lying on the back, the soft palate and the base of the tongue tend to fall backward, partially narrowing the airway. As a result, snoring and obstructive sleep apnea may become more severe.
In addition, people with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) are generally advised to avoid sleeping on their backs because stomach acid can more easily flow back into the esophagus. For pregnant women, especially from the second trimester onward, this position is also not recommended because the enlarged uterus may compress the inferior vena cava, reducing blood return to the heart and affecting circulation in both the mother and the fetus.
Sleeping on your stomach
Sleeping on your stomach (prone position) is a posture that most experts do not recommend maintaining for long periods.
In this position, the neck must remain turned to one side for many hours, placing extra stress on the cervical spine and the muscles of the neck and shoulders. At the same time, the chest cannot expand as easily, making breathing less efficient.
Keeping the face pressed against the pillow throughout the night also increases pressure on the skin, which may contribute to the formation of premature wrinkles over time.
The only notable advantage is that, for some people, this position may help reduce snoring because the airway is less likely to collapse. Overall, however, this benefit does not outweigh its negative effects on the spine and musculoskeletal system.
Sleeping on your side
Sleeping on your side (lateral position) is one of the most common and highly recommended sleeping positions. However, sleeping on the left side and sleeping on the right side offer different benefits.
Sleeping on your left side
For people with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), sleeping on the left side is the ideal choice. In this position, the stomach lies below the esophagus, allowing gravity to help keep stomach contents where they belong and reducing the likelihood of acid reflux.
This is also the position most commonly recommended by obstetricians for pregnant women, particularly from the second trimester onward. Sleeping on the left side helps relieve pressure on the inferior vena cava, improving blood flow back to the heart and enhancing circulation to the placenta.
Sleeping on your right side
On the other hand, sleeping on the right side may provide certain benefits for people with cardiovascular disease. Since the heart is located slightly to the left side of the chest, lying on the right side gives it more space and reduces the pressure placed upon it. Some studies have also suggested that this position may increase parasympathetic nervous system activity, helping lower heart rate and blood pressure in some individuals.
However, for people with gastroesophageal reflux disease, sleeping on the right side is generally not recommended because stomach acid can more easily flow into the esophagus.
The fetal position
According to many surveys, more than 40% of adults sleep in the fetal position. This is essentially a variation of the side-sleeping position, with the back slightly curved, the head gently bent forward, and the knees drawn up.
This position may help improve snoring and obstructive sleep apnea in some people because it keeps the airway more open.
For individuals with lumbar spinal stenosis, a herniated disc, or sciatica, the fetal position can also reduce pressure on compressed nerve roots, thereby relieving pain.
However, it is important not to curl up too tightly. When the knees are pulled too close to the chest and the back becomes excessively rounded, greater stress may be placed on the spine. Using a body pillow is a simple way to keep the body in a more neutral position, prevent excessive curling, and improve overall comfort during sleep.
Besides providing physical support, hugging a body pillow can also create a sense of security and relaxation. These comforting feelings are associated with the release of oxytocin, a hormone that helps reduce stress and promotes feelings of bonding.
So, which sleeping position is the best? The answer is simple: the best sleeping position is the one that best suits your health condition.
WORD BANK:
from a medical perspective /frəm ə ˈmed.ɪ.kəl pɚˈspek.tɪv/: từ góc độ y học
supine position /ˈsuː.paɪn pəˈzɪʃ.ən/ (n): tư thế nằm ngửa
be highly regarded /bi ˈhaɪ.li rɪˈɡɑːr.dɪd/: được đánh giá cao
orthopedic /ˌɔːr.θəˈpiː.dɪk/ [C1] (adj): thuộc chỉnh hình
rehabilitation /ˌriː.həˌbɪl.əˈteɪ.ʃən/ [B2] (n): phục hồi chức năng
specialist /ˈspeʃ.əl.ɪst/ [B2] (n): chuyên gia, bác sĩ chuyên khoa
spine /spaɪn/ [B2] (n): cột sống
neutral /ˈnuː.trəl/ [B2] (adj): trung tính
alignment /əˈlaɪn.mənt/ [C1] (n): sự căn chỉnh, sự thẳng hàng, vị trí
distributed /dɪˈstrɪb.juː.t̬ɪd/ (adj): được phân bố
ligament /ˈlɪɡ.ə.mənt/ [C2] (n): dây chằng
friction /ˈfrɪk.ʃən/ [B2] (n): sự ma sát
premature wrinkle /ˌpriː.məˈtʃʊr ˈrɪŋ.kəl/ (n): nếp nhăn sớm
dermatologist /ˌdɝː.məˈtɑː.lə.dʒɪst/ [C2] (n): bác sĩ da liễu
soft palate /sɔːft ˈpæl.ət/ (n): khẩu cái mềm
the base of the tongue (n): gốc lưỡi
snoring /ˈsnɔːr.ɪŋ/ (n): chứng ngáy ngủ
obstructive sleep apnea /əbˈstrʌk.tɪv sliːp ˈæp.ni.ə/ [C2] (n): chứng ngưng thở khi ngủ do tắc nghẽn
gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) /ˌɡæs.troʊ.ɪˌsɑː.fəˈdʒiː.əl ˈriː.flʌks dɪˈziːz/ (n): bệnh trào ngược dạ dày thực quản
stomach acid /ˈstʌm.ək ˈæs.ɪd/ (n): axit dạ dày
esophagus /ɪˈsɑː.fə.ɡəs/ (n): thực quản
pregnant /ˈpreɡ.nənt/ [B1] (adj): mang thai
trimester /traɪˈmes.tɚ/ (n): tam cá nguyệt
from … onward (adv): từ … trở đi
uterus /ˈjuː.t̬ɚ.əs/ (n): tử cung
compress /kəmˈpres/ [B2] (v): chèn ép
the inferior vena cava /ði ɪnˈfɪr.i.ɚ ˌviː.nə ˈkeɪ.və/ (n): tĩnh mạch chủ dưới
circulation /ˌsɝː.kjəˈleɪ.ʃən/ [B2] (n): tuần hoàn
fetus /ˈfiː.t̬əs/ (n): thai nhi
prone position /proʊn pəˈzɪʃ.ən/ (n): tư thế nằm sấp
posture /ˈpɑːs.tʃɚ/ [B2] (n): tư thế
cervical spine /ˈsɝː.vɪ.kəl spaɪn/ (n): cột sống cổ
collapse /kəˈlæps/ [B2] (v): xẹp xuống, sụp xuống
musculoskeletal system /ˌmʌs.kjə.loʊˈskel.ə.t̬əl ˈsɪs.təm/ (n): hệ cơ xương khớp
lateral position /ˈlæt̬.ɚ.əl pəˈzɪʃ.ən/ (n): tư thế nằm nghiêng
acid reflux /ˈæs.ɪd ˈriː.flʌks/ (n): trào ngược axit
obstetrician /ˌɑːb.stəˈtrɪʃ.ən/ [C2] (n): bác sĩ sản khoa
placenta /pləˈsen.tə/ (n): nhau thai
cardiovascular /ˌkɑːr.di.oʊˈvæs.kjə.lɚ/ [C1] (adj): thuộc tim mạch
parasympathetic nervous system /ˌper.əˌsɪm.pəˈθet̬.ɪk ˈnɝː.vəs ˈsɪs.təm/ (n): hệ thần kinh phó giao cảm
essentially /ɪˈsen.ʃə.li/ [B2] (adv): thực chất, về bản chất
variation /ˌver.iˈeɪ.ʃən/ [B2] (n): biến thể, sự khác nhau
curve /kɝːv/ (v): uốn cong
bend /bend/ [B1] (v): uốn cong
draw up sth /drɔː ʌp/ (v): co, kéo lên
lumbar spinal stenosis /ˈlʌm.bɑːr ˈspaɪ.nəl stəˈnoʊ.sɪs/ (n): hẹp ống sống thắt lưng
herniated disc /ˈhɝː.ni.eɪ.t̬ɪd dɪsk/ (n): thoát vị đĩa đệm
sciatica /saɪˈæt̬.ɪ.kə/ (n): đau thần kinh tọa
nerve root /nɝːv ruːt/ (n): rễ thần kinh
curl up /kɝːl ʌp/ (v): cuộn tròn người
body pillow /ˈbɑː.di ˈpɪl.oʊ/ (n): gối ôm
oxytocin /ˌɑːk.sɪˈtoʊ.sɪn/ (n): oxytocin (một loại hormone)
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