No matter which side you sleep on, there are ways to ensure optimal arm positioning during sleep. Finding the optimal position can reduce shoulder and neck pain as well as arm numbness or tingling in both arms and hands.
However, side sleeping may come with its own set of challenges, including heartburn, snoring and sinus issues. In this article we will address these issues as well as provide helpful tips to improve your sleeping position.
Arms in front of the body
While sleeping on your side can seem more comfortable, it offers numerous advantages. Sleeping this way helps relieve pain in the back and neck, reduce acid reflux and decrease snoring; promote healthy sleep cycles by helping your body release melatonin; even potentially prevent neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s.
Unfortunately, sleeping on your side often causes paraesthesia – the feeling of pins and needles in your arms due to compressed nerves in your shoulders and upper arms – if this is something you experience while side sleeping try positioning your arms next to you rather than in front of you for maximum effectiveness.
Log sleepers typically slumber on their sides with arms extended. They are considered “easygoing social people.” Yearners sleep with arms at their sides and can often appear suspicious before making decisions.
Arms under the head
Sleeping on your side can have numerous advantages, from supporting heart health to relieving lower back pain and decreasing snoring. Unfortunately, however, this sleeping position can also cause arm and shoulder pain; depending on how you sleep it can pinch nerves causing pins-and-needles in your arms or fingers known as compression neuropathy.
Sleep deprivation is a significant problem that can leave you irritable and stressed throughout the day, aggravating shoulder pain further. Instead, try sleeping in a cuddler position by hugging a pillow to your body to support both head and neck during restful restful slumber.
This position is ideal for acid reflux sufferers as it reduces pressure on the esophagus and relieves any snoring caused by relaxation of throat muscles too much during sleep. Unfortunately, however, this position can still cause lower back pain if your mattress is too soft or your arms are raised overhead – adding a pillow beneath your knees and keeping them close by your sides can make this position comfortable for you.
Arms behind the head
Sleeping on your side with arms behind your head might feel comfortable, but it can put strain on the neck and shoulders, leading to tension headaches as well as thickening of carotid arteries that help promote brain circulation. Furthermore, it may lead to injuries that irritate shoulder ligaments – this position should not be chosen by people suffering from shoulder conditions such as rotator cuff issues.
Log sleepers are those who sleep with their arms down along their torsos in order to help with acid reflux or sleep apnea; it may also assist those who snore. Unfortunately, log sleeping can also cause back and hip pain as well as tension issues.
Use pillows to support yourself when sleeping in this position, as this can prevent you from transitioning back or stomach sleeping positions. A pillow that contours to your head’s shape may offer good neck support while trying out something different for arm support (perhaps a pregnancy or body pillow would be best). A body or pregnancy pillow could also be beneficial in keeping you in place throughout the night without shifting positions too frequently.
Arms in the prayer position
The prayer position is an effective solution for people experiencing tingling or numbness in their arms while sleeping, by relieving nerve compression in your arms and shoulders and relieving back tension by taking pressure off of your spine. It may also alleviate back pain by relieving tension between neck and shoulder muscles.
This sleep position features your hands reaching out in front of you while knees may also be raised. This position can help alleviate acid reflux or sleep apnea symptoms; it is also suitable if arms are in neutral positions and you possess a quality mattress.
This position is often employed during prayer. It serves to show humility or petition before God for others’ needs, just as Moses did by upholding his hands to ask Him for mercy and blessings. Additionally, pregnant women find this pose helpful in relieving back pain, decreasing miscarriage risk and increasing blood circulation.
Arms in the snuggler position
Many of us have our preferred sleeping style. Unfortunately, many sleepers may be unaware that their preferred method may be contributing to health issues like shoulder and hip pain. Sleeping purely on one side puts pressure in one area which may result in pinched nerves or compression neuropathy if sleeping is done exclusively on that side.
Sleeping in the fetal position can cause neck and shoulder discomfort as well as put strain on your stomach and lead to heartburn. A pillow between your knees and contoured pillow for your head can help ease this pain and provide some much-needed support for you while resting your head at night.
Sleeping like a “log” indicates an easygoing social person with an open mind but an inquisitive nature, who’s on the hunt for deals and entertainment. A pillow-hugger indicates an affectionate person who enjoys surrounding themselves with loved ones in bed – this cuddly and cozy style may cause lower back discomfort, however using memory foam pillows for neck support could ease this.
