Sleeping on your back is associated with self-confidence. Back sleepers may also be stubborn and have high expectations for themselves and other people. Depending on whether you sleep with your arms down at your sides (reserved) or arms and legs outstretched (relaxed, open-minded) might also have an influence.
New research suggests our preferred sleep positions influence the brain's ability to get rid of metabolic waste, which ultimately affects our overall cognitive function and the manifestation of neurological disease.
Back sleeping keeps your spine and neck neutral, meaning you can wake up with less pain or pressure in these areas. Back sleeping helps prevent excess pressure in these areas of the body, which can help you get better quality sleep that benefits your mental health.
While there could be some links between sleep position and health, your preferred sleeping pose probably doesn't have all that much to do with your personality. If the quality of your rest leaves something to be desired, trying out a new sleep position could help improve your sleep.
A 2019 study published in Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, showed among 165 participants (45 with diagnosed neurodegenerative disease, 120 controls) a supine sleep position (on back, head at body level) for more than 2 hours per night increased the risk of dementia by almost four times (3.7 times greater).
Sleep on your side to boost brain power
Concerned about your brain health? Side sleeping could help keep you sharp and possibly reduce your dementia risk.
Sleeping on your side, as opposed to sleeping on your back or stomach, may be a better position for your brain to clear out its waste while you sleep.
The worst sleep position: On your stomach
“This position puts the most pressure on your spine's muscles and joints because it flattens the natural curve of your spine,” he says. “Sleeping on your stomach also forces you to turn your neck, which can cause neck and upper back pain.”
Check out this handy breakdown fromPRNewswire: Overall, more Americans sleep on the right side of the bed than the left (while lying down), with more men than women preferring this side (58% vs. 50%)
Stomach sleepers. While stomach sleepers have bold personalities and are often more sociable than others, they are not as confident on the inside. Helena says: 'Stomach sleepers don't take criticism well and problems don't roll off their back as easily as with others.
Can Boost Your Mental Health and Productivity, a New Study Shows. Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh noted that the best daily routine includes rising early each morning and staying active throughout the day.
Sleeping without a pillow can help some people who sleep on their stomach, but it is not a good idea for everyone. People who sleep on their side or back will usually find that sleeping without a pillow puts pressure on their neck. By doing this, it can ruin a person's quality of sleep and lead to neck and back pain.
While research is limited, anecdotal reports show that sleeping without a pillow can help reduce neck and back pain for some sleepers. Stomach sleepers are generally best suited for going pillowless, because the lower angle of the neck encourages better spinal alignment in this position.
Reading, listening to music, or relaxing before bed with a hot bath or deep breathing can help you get to sleep. If you don't fall asleep within 20 minutes of turning in (or if you wake up and can't fall back to sleep in 20 minutes), get out of bed and do something relaxing until you feel sleepy.
Sleeping on your left side can help naturally open the airways and make breathing easier. You may also find relief if you rest on your right side, but doctors believe sleeping on your left side to be more effective. It's also the recommended sleeping position for people with sleep apnea.
Sleeping like a “log” is the way Dr. Idzikowski describes lying on your side with your arms at your sides. If this is your favorite sleeping position, then you're probably easy-going, social, and relatively trusting of strangers, he told the BBC. That said, you may also be a bit gullible.
Reflux and heartburn: If you suffer from heartburn, sleeping on your right side can make symptoms worse, Salas says. That's true for people who have gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and for people who have heartburn for other reasons, such as pregnant women. Flip to your left side to cool the burn.
Some listeners claim that they choose the right side as a way to "protect" their significant other. When sleeping, they choose the side that is closest to the door. In the event of a home invasion, the man would be able to put himself between his partner and the attacker.
So why do women like the left? "It could come down to what side you prefer to lay on, and if you want to face your partner or not," Arezzolo says. "If you sleep on the left side of the bed and on your right side of your body, you allow yourself to be cuddled, aka the little spoon."
Improved sleep quality
Sleeping naked certainly removes any possibility of pajama-induced overheating interfering with a good night's rest. It's the absolute final move in shedding layers to stay cool. “There's no question that cooler is better than warmer for overall sleeping,” says Dr. Drerup.
Avoid sleeping with your arms higher than your shoulders (for example, by putting them under your pillow). It constricts your nerves and your veins. Your arms can be numb, and the weight is heavy on your shoulders, which makes getting up harder. Finally, sleeping on your back is technically the best way to sleep.
Pull your knees up slightly toward your chest. The pillow for your head should keep your spine straight. A rolled towel or small pillow under your waist may also help support your spine. Insert pillows into gaps between your body and the mattress.
Trouble understanding visual images and spatial relationships. For some people, having vision problems is a sign of Alzheimer's. This may lead to difficulty with balance or trouble reading. They may also have problems judging distance and determining color or contrast, causing issues with driving.
CLEVELAND – A recent study has found that older adults who regularly nap for more than an hour a day had a 40% higher risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.
For most people with Alzheimer's — those who have the late-onset variety — symptoms first appear in their mid-60s or later. When the disease develops before age 65, it's considered early-onset Alzheimer's, which can begin as early as a person's 30s, although this is rare.