Most of us know that sleeping with your neck in an odd position can make your neck hurt or that a sagging mattress can make your back ache. But, what you may not be aware of is that the position you sleep in can have a significant impact on your health. It could even increase or decrease your risk of certain diseases. While study results vary, buying a new mattress can help you avoid these five common health issues that can be the result of, made worse by, or improved by changing, your sleeping position.
GERD (Acid Reflux)
Most people assume that it’s their evening meal or just-before-bedtime snack that causes their acid reflux. Evidence is mounting to show that sleeping on your right side can cause an increase in GERD symptoms. Some researchers believe that sleeping on your right side relaxes the sphincter muscles designed to keep the contents of your stomach down where they belong, though nothing has been proven yet.
Sleep Apnea
If you have a friend or partner who snores so loudly that they seem to be gagging, stop breathing, and then start up again, they probably suffer from obstructive sleep apnea, which, in turn, can lead to a range of other health issues. If you sleep on your back, the problem probably gets worse. If you have mild to moderate sleep apnea, before you go to your doctor for a CPAP machine, try changing your sleeping position and mattress first. Come into our mattress store in Knoxville and let us help you choose a new mattress that will support you side-sleeping.
Waking Up with a Pain in the Neck
We all know the agony of waking up with a pain in the neck. While none of the experts seem to agree about what sleep position can prevent you from waking up in pain, they do all agree on one thing. They agree that sleeping on your stomach causes you to twist your head in one direction or another, put excess pressure on your cervical vertebrae or neck, which, in turn, leads to those mornings when you can’t hold your head straight.
It Was the Nightmare Before
No one truly knows what causes us to have nightmares; they have been connected to psychological stress and various prescription drugs. Some now believe that the position you sleep in can lead to nightmares, as well. Sleep and Hypnosis published a study in which they found those who slept on their left sides tended to have more nightmares, and those who slept on their right sides tended to have far more pleasant dreams.
Various Forms of Dementia
New studies are beginning to show that there may be a correlation between sleeping on your right side and reducing your risk of multiple neurological disorders, including both Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Disease. Testing conducted using laboratory animals found that the glymphatic pathways in those who slept on their sides worked more efficiently than those slept on their backs or stomachs.
While there may be no perfect position to sleep in, when you come into the Bed’r Mattress store in Knoxville, our sales team will help you find the perfect new mattress for the position you prefer to sleep in. Come on in today and let us help you sleep better and improve your health at the same time!