How To Get Better Sleep As A Side Sleeper

By far the most popular sleeping position is on our side. According to research conducted by The Better Sleep Council, approximately 66% of people are side sleepers. A common question people often consider is, which side is best to sleep on? Left or right, it doesn’t matter, unless you’re pregnant, and then its recommended that you sleep specifically on your left side .

Benefits Of Sleeping On Your Side

Sleeping on your side offers a number of benefits. One benefit to being a side sleeper is that it allows your airwaves to stay open to reduce snoring.  Back sleepers are more susceptible to snoring due to their breathing passages being restricted.  A third benefit of being a side sleeper is reduced pressure on your heart. Sleeping on your side, especially the left side helps improve blood flow and circulation throughout your entire body.

Issues With Side Sleeping

While side sleeping possesses a number of benefits, it can present several issues.  This is especially true when an individual is sleeping on a mattress made of a single density or feel across the entire surface. Some of the most common issues with sleeping on your side include improper spinal alignment that can lead to back and neck pain, as well as pain in the hips and shoulders

Side Sleeping On A Cheap Mattress Can Cause Back Pain

In this image, three issues can be identified. If the person’s shoulders are wider than their hips, the spine will be curved from the top to the bottom (Number 1), or from the Cervical to the Lumbar region of the spine. Depending on each individuals’ physical characteristics, the spine will be compressed to a greater or lesser degree at various locations.

It’s been our experience that the 5 Vertebra of the Lumbar region take the brunt of the deflection (Number 2). This causes lower back pain and typically will cause us to adjust our sleeping position several times during the night. In most cases, this is the biggest reason that people look to replace their mattress.

Side Sleepers Shoulder Pain

The third area of discomfort (Number 3), is the shoulder. Due to the fact that the mattress is the same density under the shoulder, it keeps the shoulder from sinking into the mattress. This causes, in many cases, shoulder pain and numbness in the arm and fingers. Shoulder pain is caused by the pressure that is caused from sleeping on your side.

Side Sleepers Hip Pain

There is a fourth area of discomfort as well, but typically not as severe as the three listed above, and that’s the hip. Because the body is tilted downward when on its side, it puts additional pressure on the hip area, just like on the shoulders. This creates issues, especially if you already have bad hips. This issue can more or less be the result of not only a poorly supporting mattress, but based on the person’s overall weight as well.

So what does perfect spinal alignment look like?

The photo on the left shows a woman on a typical mattress that has a single density across the entire surface of the mattress. This traditional design accounts for approximately 99% of the mattresses on the market today. In the photo on the right, Custom Sleep Technology modified the construction of the mattress to accommodate her shoulder width by allowing her shoulders to sink into the mattress. This allows for proper spinal alignment, and a reduction in shoulder and hip pressure that results in pain most side sleepers face.

What Is The Best Type Of Mattress For Side Sleepers?

The best mattresses for side sleepers is one that is designed specifically for your body, and will prevent pressure points while promoting proper neck and spinal alignment. Side sleepers need a mattress that provides proper support while being able to contour to your body. The proper mattress should be able to prevent pelvic rotation by keeping the shoulders and hips straight – if your hips and shoulders are aligned, so is your spine.

In addition, the best mattress for side sleepers will be firm enough to support your weight while being soft enough to offer pressure point relief and allows your muscles to relax. This means, side sleepers need a mattress that has a thickness appropriate for their body weight.

High quality sleep is vital to our health and daily performance. Taking the time to understand why a mattress that works best for your unique body profile is critical to give you the best opportunity to achieve deep, high quality sleep.

Because of this, Custom Sleep Technology uses a patent pending mathematical process to determine what is the best mattress for your individual body, no matter your sleep position. Our goal is to create the best mattress to give you the highest quality night’s sleep that traditional mattresses can not!