Posture might not be the first thing that comes to mind when figuring out why you’re not sleeping well but the way you hold yourself can affect your entire body and mood. Posture has been known to be a culprit in poor digestion, decrease nervous system function, muscle fatigue and, yes, sleep quality. Turns out, your parents weren’t telling you to sit up straight just to annoy you!
According to multiple research studies, if you have ever had trouble sleeping, you’re not alone. It’s quite a common problem, especially now with all the stressors of the pandemic. Good news! The solution is easier than you’d think: Start with rolling your shoulders back and paying more attention to you posture.
According to Shape Magazine (June 2020), “maintaining good posture—during both daytime and nighttime—all comes down to the position of your head as it relates to the rest of your body, says Rahul Shah, M.D., a board-certified orthopedic spine and neck surgeon”.
“In the simplest of terms, in order to have what is considered “good” posture, your head should be centered over your shoulders and pelvis as you move around during the day or night, “similar to a scoop of ice cream sitting on a cone,” explains Dr. Shah. In this way, your muscles don’t have to do as much work to support your head/ The more work your muscles have to do to maintain your head’s position, the worse your posture will likely be, notes Dr. Shah”.
Of course, we know that understanding this is always easier than actually doing it. Everyone struggles with poor posture and trouble sleeping on occasion because it’s hard to see yourself doing these things. But, it’s time to pay attention if you’re constantly being woken up by pain, having pain that persists more than a few weeks or is starting to radiate down your arms or legs. If this is the case, then your first stop should be to your doctor or a specialist (such as a physical therapist) to help you assess the severity of the problem. If it’s not this bad but you still notice yourself waking up tired, on a regular basis or having difficulty falling or staying asleep, there are a few simple things you can change that might help. Austin Physical therapist, Danielle Vernon owns ScolioAustin and has been helping her patients overcome issues like this for over 20 years. “There are few things more irritating than not being able to sleep when you want to” she says but the answers might be surprisingly more obvious than you think.
What’s your habitual sleeping position?
Most people think they toss and turn but most of us tend to go into and stay in one position more than another. Do you know what your preferred sleeping position is? Are you like the masses and prefer to sleep on your side or are you a die-hard back or stomach sleeper? While no answer is the right one, for most of us, any habit comes with its share of muscle imbalances and can be a very hard habit to break.
So, is sleeping on your stomach really that bad for you? According to Healthline.com, “The short answer is “yes.” Although sleeping on your stomach can reduce snoring and diminish sleep apnea, it’s also taxing for your back and neck. That can lead to poor sleep and discomfort throughout your day. If you’re pregnant, you should be especially careful about your sleeping position and avoid sleeping on your stomach if you can.”
While sleeping on your back is generally recommended by most medical professionals over finding comfort on your stomach, there are still some health issues that can rear themselves if you’re a dedicated back-sleepers such as increasing your risk of developing sleep apnea, a sleep disorder that causes your breathing to stop and start. Plus, if you’re a snorer, lying in this position definitely isn’t ideal (particularly for your partner).
Dr. Duma noted, in Shape Magazine article (June 2020) that “when you sleep on your back, anatomically, your throat and belly are being pulled down by gravity, making it harder for you to breathe which is why, when you lie on your side, or get nudged by your bed partner, that snoring goes away”.
From a physical therapy point of view, Danielle Vernon, PT recommends sleeping on your side with pillow support as the optimal position for most people. You’ve heard about putting a pillow in between your knees for optimal sleep quality and spine alignment of your low back but don’t forget that a pillow that also supports between your arms will help you avoid collapsing your chest down to the mattress and twist your neck and upper back. In general, if you wake up with fewer aches and pains, your body probably likes what you’re doing.
As for the “best” side to sleep on? Research from Medicalnewstoday.com suggests that “sleeping on just one side (whether right or left) may be associated with muscle imbalance and pain—meaning alternating sides is the better option. If you have any pre-existing spine changes, then one side may be better than the other but this is always a good conversation to have with your physical therapist who can assess your spine balance”.
Experts suggest sleeping on your left side is better because “sleeping on your right side pushes on blood vessels, preventing maximum circulation,” Michael Breus, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist and author of The Sleep Doctor’s Diet Plan: Lose Weight Through Better Sleep” Meaning, you’ll likely end up tossing and turning through the night to accommodate the lack of circulation.
Sleeping on your left side, however, promotes cardiovascular return, allowing your heart to easily pump blood throughout your body because there’s less pressure on that area, added Christopher Winter, M.D., owner of Charlottesville Neurology and Sleep Medicine.
Can my daytime posture really affect me at night?
Truth is, there isn’t enough research available on the link between daytime posture and sleep quality to definitively say whether or not the two are related.
Still, because poor posture (during the day or at night) forces the body’s muscles to work overtime, your body will likely expend a significant amount of energy while your head is out of alignment with the rest of the body, explains Danielle. As a result, bad posture could leave you with more fatigue, more muscle imbalance, shallower breathing and decreased rib expansion which lowers the oxygen getting to your brain and muscles.
One of the most important parts of posture is how it influences the way we breath that can definitely impact our sleep quality. For instance, habitually leaning forward over your desk or computer can decrease your breathing capacity and your ability for your lungs to carry fresh oxygen to your brain and body, making you feel more tired to begin with.
According to Shape Magazine (June 2020), their experts suggest that “when breathing is impaired, so are the transportation systems delivering oxygen to your brain and muscles which not only affect your daytime energy levels but also your sleep quality later on. Shallow breathing has been shown to aggravate muscle pains and can be a contributor to anxiety. If we are not getting nice, full breaths while we sleep, then we are limiting our muscle’s ability to receive fresh oxygen and nutrition to help restore healthy tissue while we are in our most restful stages of repair”.
Bottom line..
Move more, set reminders and hydrate.
It’s no secret that hunching over keyboards and slouching over our smartphones isn’t ideal for your posture. If you sit for more than 2-3 hours a day, one of the best ways to improve your posture—and, in turn, your sleep quality—is to simply move more during the day. Dr. Shah reminds us that “The spine is a vascular organ—it craves blood flow, and the more activity one does, the more the blood flows to the spine,” he explains.
“Walking outside, riding a bike, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, and even just setting your phone to get up and walk around your office every 45-60 min can all count toward more posture-friendly (and sleep-promoting) movement throughout the day”. Doing these activities throughout the day will enhance your lung’s ability to expand and bring in fresh oxygen to repair your system and promote more restful sleep.
In addition to aerobic exercise, gentle daily stretches are an important way to ensure that your static activity doesn’t become your dynamic posture. As we age, our bodies tend to find less effort to stay in these collapsed postures by tightening our anterior chain muscles and weakening through our back, so regular stretching (especially the hip flexors) can encourage better alignment and flexibility when we stand and walk.
Most of us have smart phones so use them!
It’s easy enough to set an alarm on your watch or smart phone to remind you to get up and move so that you don’t forget when you’re deeply focused on something. Don’t just turn it off. Even if you only get up for a few minutes, your body will love you for it and, perhaps, not complain so much at the end of your work day.
Hydrate! Hydrate! Hydrate!
We know this but most of us still have a hard time doing it. Our body needs water to keep our systems healthy and, the added benefit is that it will force us to get up and take breaks more frequently. If it’s one call we can’t avoid, it’s mother nature. So make sure to get in at least 64 oz of water a day and it will be another way to get you moving throughout your work day.
If you have any other questions or comments, please feel free to reach out to us at hello@backbonecushion.com or danielle@scolioaustin.com for any physical therapy specific questions.
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