SLEEP ON IT
The best sleep positions for 9 illnesses from flu to stomach bugs – and the ones to avoid
Plus when you should never wear a thong to bed
WHEN you're unwell, all you want to do is collapse into bed.
To aid your recovery, there are some sleep positions that are better than others for easing symptoms, experts say.
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Lisa Artis, deputy CEO of charity partner , said: “Ultimately, sleep is the best medicine. A solid eight hours of uninterrupted rest helps the body fight infections, speeding up recovery and restoring energy.
"Without enough sleep, we wake up feeling overtired and irritable, making it even harder to shake off illness.
"Taking to our beds to rest and recharge can make all the difference in how our bodies cope with a heavy cold, reinforcing the simple truth that good sleep is essential for good health."
Lisa shared the best sleep positions to assume if you're plagued by colds and flu, period cramps, constipation, and acid reflux.
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Plus, she highlighted the sleep positions to avoid and which might be sabotaging your recovery.
1. Coughs, colds and flu: Prop yourself up
If you're wracked by coughs, sniffles and a runny nose, chances are you're struggling to breathe while huddled up in bed.
According to Lisa, the best position to assume is on your back with your head and shoulders propped up with extra pillows at a 45-degree angle.
"This position prevents mucus from pooling in your throat, which can trigger coughing fits and make breathing more difficult," she said.
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She recommended you avoid sleeping flat on your back, as this can cause snot to settle in your airways and make congestion worse.
Worst sleep position: Face-down, as this puts unnecessary strain on your neck and limits airflow.
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2. Constipation: Left to digest
Constipation can leave your stomach feeling bloated and sore - not ideal conditions for drifting off into restorative slumber.
According to Lisa, flipping onto your left side can help relieve constipation and ease irritable bowel symptoms - such as cramps and bloating - by using gravity to support better digestion.
"This position encourages the natural flow of food and waste through your digestive system, allowing gravity to move waste from the small intestine to the large intestine more efficiently," she explained.
Sleeping on your stomach may place unwanted pressure on your digestive organs, adding to your discomfort.
Worst sleep position: Lying flat on your back, as it may slow digestion and cause bloating, making constipation symptoms linger longer.
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3. Stomach bugs: Right for relief
Stomach bugs can leave you with a whole host of unpleasant symptoms, such as diarrhoea and vomiting.
In between toilet trips and wracked by nausea, it may seem like you'll never be able to get to sleep.
But according to Lisa, it's worth turning to your right side to ease your symptoms.
She said: "While there's no scientific proof, some believe sleeping on the right side may help reduce nighttime bowel movement during diarrhoea.
"This position could slow stool frequency by encouraging it to stay in the lower part of the digestive tract longer, preventing it from reaching the colon too quickly and reducing urgency."
While you might be tempted to curl into a foetal position to ease your suffering, this might suppress your abdominal area and add to your discomfort.
Worst sleep position: Sleeping on your stomach can make diarrhoea and nausea worse because it can compress your stomach and organs.
4. UTIs: Curl up
Urinary tract infection can cause some pretty nasty symptoms, from pain or burning when you wee to pain across your lower tummy and back or under your ribs.
Lisa recommends you sleep on your side in a relaxed foetal position or on your back with legs slightly apart.
"These positions ease pressure on the bladder and promote pelvic relaxation, which can alleviate discomfort," she said.
"Have a hot shower and put a hot water bottle on your abdomen or between your legs for 15 minutes before bed."
The best sleep routine and environment
Thomas Høegh Reisenhus, TEMPUR® sleep specialist & sleep counsellor, reveals the key components of a good bedtime routine and environment...
A sure-fire way to facilitate a better night’s sleep is to practice good sleep hygiene.
Establish a sleep routine that works for you and stick to it.
This will help your body establish a consistent, natural sleep-wake cycle which can do wonders for your overall sleep quality.
As such, try to avoid making up for lost sleep with a lie-in.
Instead of sleeping in, spend your morning reading a book in bed or having a leisurely coffee in the kitchen.
Ensure that your bedroom, bedding, and sleepwear are fit for purpose too.
The ideal sleep environment is dark, quiet, and cool – much like a cave.
If you find unwelcome sources of light are keeping you up, consider investing in an eye mask or black-out curtains.
Adding soft furnishings can be a great way to reduce noise, with the surfaces having an absorptive quality, but if this doesn’t work, consider embracing a soothing soundtrack to block it out.
In terms of temperature, try to keep your bedroom at 18°C. You can further reduce the risk of waking up due to overheating by ensuring that all your bedding and sleepwear is made with natural, breathable materials such as cotton and linen.
Bear in mind that everyone is different; what might work for most, may not work for you!
Whilst knowing how much sleep you should get, how to overcome common barriers, and practicing good sleep hygiene can facilitate a great night’s sleep, if you continue to struggle with sleep or fatigue persistently, do not hesitate to visit a doctor or health professional for support.
You should avoid sleeping on your stomach, as this will trap heat and pressure on your pelvic area and could make your symptoms worse.
Worst way to sleep: Wearing tight constricting nightwear or a thong.
According to Lisa: "E. coli, the most common bacteria in the colon and a leading cause of UTIs, can easily cling to the string back of a thong.
"Even slight movements during sleep can cause the material to shift, potentially transferring E. coli bacteria dangerously close to the vaginal area."
5. Period cramps: Pillow power
Trying to get to sleep while battling period cramps is a monthly occurrence for many of us.
Lisa advised using your pillow to guarantee painless slumber.
Lie on your back and nestle the pillow under your knees, or turn to your side and slot it between your thighs, she said.
But avoid stretching out flat on your back as this position can strain our lower back and worsen bloating.
Worst sleep position: Curled up tightly. While tempting, this can restrict blood flow and increase muscle tension.
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6. Migraines: Neutral neck position
To ease the searing pain of a migraine, Lisa advised you lie down with your neck and back aligned.
"A firm supportive pillow is essential to keep your spine in a neutral position, reducing tension that could worsen migraines," she added.
But keep the pillows to a minimum, as loading them on and using overly thick ones can push your neck out of alignment.
Worst sleep position: Face-down, as this compresses your neck and can exacerbate migraine symptoms.
7. Kidney stones: Switch it up
Kidney stones can leave you feeling sick and with a severe pain in the side of your tummy that comes and goes.
Lisa said: "Research indicates that the most effective way to ease kidney stone pain while resting is to lie on your side with your knees slightly bent.
"Studies also suggest that this position improves blood flow, which may help in passing the stone more easily.
"For added relief, try sleeping on your back with a pillow under your knees to reduce kidney pressure."
Avoid curling into a foetal position, even if it's tempting, as this can also increase pressure on the kidneys and worsen the pain.
Worst sleep position: Sleeping in the same position for too long.
According to Lisa: "Sleeping on one side for too long might increase the risk of kidney stones on that side."
She cited research from the , San Francisco on people with reoccurring kidney stones.
It showed that people who consistently slept on one side developed stones on the same side.
8. Acid reflux: Left is best
The burning at the back of the throat from acid reflux will wrench many of us out of a peaceful sleep.
To ease your symptoms, Lisa recommended sleeping your left side with your body elevated.
"This position keeps stomach contents below the oesophagus and minimises acid reflux.
"Elevating the head with an adjustable pillow can enhance comfort."
Lisa said you should avoid lying flat on your back after eating, as this allows acid to flow back into the oesophagus.
Worst sleep position: On your right side. Research shows this can increase reflux symptoms.
9. Ear infection: Bad ear up
If you have an earache, your first instinct might be to sleep with your bad ear against the pillow to protect it.
But according to Lisa, the best position is on your side with the infected ear up.
"This promotes drainage and keeps pressure off the inflamed area," she said.
"Airflow around the ear also speeds up healing."
You should avoid lying down completely flat can make ear pressure and pain worse, she added.
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Instead, prop up your head up so your affected ear is higher than the rest of your body
Worst sleep position: On the infected ear. This compresses the area and may worsen pain.
What’s your sleep personality?
WE spend a third of our lives asleep - but the way we do it varies hugely from person to person.
Some of us are serial nappers who love nothing more than a mid-afternoon snooze, while others struggle to get more than four hours of kip a night.
Scientists in the US have identified four distinct sleep types and the impact each can have on long-term health. These are:
- Good sleepers
- Weekend catch-up sleepers
- Insomnia sleepers
- Nappers
Almost half of us fall into the insomnia and napper categories, but this is less than ideal, the researchers said.
These are "suboptimal" patterns which increase our risk of several killer conditions.
After 10 years, being an insomnia sleeper was associated with a 72 to 188 per cent higher risk of chronic health problems, like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, depression and frailty.
It did not, however, increase someone's risk of respiratory conditions.
Meanwhile, nappers appeared to be more likely to develop diabetes, cancer and frailty.
Being a weekend catch-up sleeper or good sleeper was not associated with chronic conditions.
Study author Soomi Lee, associate professor of human development and family studies at The Pennsylvania State University, said: "Our findings indicate a heightened risk of chronic conditions involved in suboptimal sleep health phenotypes, mainly insomnia sleepers."
Read the full story here.
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