It’s no secret that good posture is important in our everyday lives; however, some people may not know that maintaining your body's perfect position posture doesn’t just apply to sitting and standing. When you sleep, the muscles in your back start to relax and heal over time, so we must maintain good posture, even whilst getting our forty winks.
We have three main curves in our spine; lower, middle, and upper. Maintaining these whilst asleep is perhaps something most people don’t think about, but it’s essential. Back pain, especially the 23% of the world's population suffering with chronic back pain, can make it difficult to get a good night’s sleep, but you could be making things worse for yourself depending on how you sleep.
Can pillows help with preferred sleeping positions?
The minute we climb into bed, we adopt a preferred sleeping position without giving much thought to it; we don’t realise that what we perceive to be comfortable is actually doing us more harm than good. Misalignment whilst sleeping is a big issue, affecting our bodies by placing stress on the spine.
We use pillows every day to rest our heads on whilst sleeping, but we should be using them more - in fact, many experts believe that sleeping with a pillow between your knees and legs can help your posture.
The benefits of sleeping with a pillow between your legs
Eliminates pressure and muscle tension
When you lay in your bed to sleep, your knees generally guide themselves together. However, this can place a lot of muscle tension in your lower back, and your hips as your leg pulls from your spine. Placing a pillow between your legs can help reduce muscle tension by preventing your legs from pulling, providing you with a better night’s sleep and less pain and undue stress on your back in the morning.
Reduces lower back pain, muscle cramps, varicose veins and sciatica
Lower back pain is a common problem for many, so finding a comfortable sleeping position can be challenging. People with muscle cramps, such as period pain, varicose veins, and sciatica, are often in agony when trying to sleep. Sleeping with a pillow or two between your legs or knees can help to alleviate the pressure on your lower back and your hips. The alleviation can reduce swelling in your lower back, allowing you to receive a good night’s sleep.
Gives a 'straight' side sleeping position
Sleeping when your back hurts can be incredibly awkward and painful, especially when keeping your back in a straight position. Putting a pillow between your knees can aid your back into a neutral position where it’s neither flat nor arched; this keeps your top leg from falling over your bottom leg.
Prevents your hips from rotating
When your hips rotate, they cause your spine to become unaligned, which will naturally happen throughout the day. However, whilst sleeping, you want to ensure that your spine is aligned as possible to reduce further pain in the morning. Laying on your side with a pillow between your needs will ensure your legs and pelvis are kept level. If one leg falls over the other, your pelvis and hips will rotate. When your spine is aligned, the pressure is taken off nerves, promoting a healthier night’s sleep and a far less achy body!
Improves blood circulation
Have you ever woken up with pins and needles or numb legs? Can you recall a cramping or tingling sensation around your toes? Poor circulation whilst sleeping can be caused by several factors, one of which is where pressure is put onto the vena cava, a major vein carrying blood to the heart and back. Placing a pillow between your legs and maintaining a slight elevation for your feet can help facilitate blood flow more naturally through your lower extremities.
Ideal for pregnant women
Trying to get comfortable when you’re pregnant can be an absolute nightmare; most positions are found to be uncomfortable, especially the further along you are in your pregnancy term. Placing a pillow between your legs or knees promotes better posture and can give you a more restful night’s sleep, supporting the muscles and alignment in your body. Curious about other positions that are great whilst pregnant? Check out our blog post looking into the best sleeping positions during pregnancy.
Combatting posture problems with good sleep
Although there isn’t much scientific backing, experts confirm that people with sleep problems often have more issues with back pain than others. It's a vicious circle - because that pain can then affect the quality of sleep, causing people to wake more frequently, affecting people's mood and the ability to function.
So if you're suffering from posture problems, then popping a pillow between your legs - alongside, of course, a quality mattress - may give you a better night's sleep.
