What does your sleep posture say about your health? Doctors explain

Some people sleep more comfortably on their backs, some on their sides, others on their stomachs. It turns out that it’s not just a habit. Your sleeping posture can tell you a lot about your health.

What diseases can tell about which posture for sleep

somnologist, therapist, clinical psychologist, Ph.

Certain patterns are possible here. For example, if a person is prevented by pain in a certain position, he will avoid it. An arm or leg injury, spinal diseases with radicular syndrome and unilateral pain, shingles, etc. can make a person refuse to sleep on the sick side.

Some people are contraindicated to sleep on the back – for example, those who snore. In this position, the tongue falls more, reducing the lumen of the respiratory tract, and snoring becomes stronger. The same is often true for obstructive sleep apnea.

In chronic heart failure, a person is very likely to choose a higher pillow because it is difficult to breathe horizontally due to blood stasis in the lungs. In addition, people with heartburn will strive for a higher pillow because lying down increases the backflow of gastric contents into the esophagus.

With restless legs syndrome, the already mentioned sleep apnea and diseases that cause certain nocturnal symptoms (pain, frequent urination, heartburn), a person will tend to change his or her sleeping position frequently. This is caused by trying to find a more comfortable position and waking up due to unpleasant sensations.

What else can the sleep posture indicate

psychiatrist, lecturer at the Department of the I. I. Mechnikov NWSMU

Much depends on how often a person changes position when falling asleep. The more we make movements, the more we delay the process of falling asleep. For example, the fetal position with bent legs pressed to the stomach can speak of anxiety. This body position gives a person a sense of security.

Also when falling asleep, in addition to frequent changes in posture and finding the most comfortable place, the so-called restless legs syndrome is possible, in which there are unpleasant sensations in the lower extremities. This is observed within the framework of neurological pathology, sometimes with a lack of trace elements (magnesium, calcium), as well as with neurotic conditions.

A big role in sleep is also played by twitching, when a person makes a lot of motor movements. This may indicate, for example, violations associated with improper functioning of the brain. In this case, it is necessary to make a diagnosis.

Sleep is the second health. If something bothers you, you can always consult a somnologist – a specialist in sleep disorders.