Locations:
SearchMost people tend to have a favorite sleeping position. But is one better than another? A sleep specialist offers some insight.
Cleveland Clinic News Service | 216.444.0141
We’re available to shoot custom interviews & b-roll for media outlets upon request.
CCNS health and medical content is consumer-friendly, professional broadcast quality (available in HD), and available to media outlets each day.
images: 0
video: 0
audio: 0
text: 0
CLICK HERE to download soundbites, b-roll, script and web article.
For download password, contact ccnewsservice@ccf.org.
CLEVELAND - Whether it’s your left or right side, your back or even your stomach – most people tend to go to sleep in the same position every night.
But does your sleeping position really matter?
“For some people, sleeping position doesn't matter, but there's a few really critical components to this. One, is that in the Sleep Center, we see many people with snoring who may have obstructive sleep apnea. It’s a very prevalent disorder. Probably 25% of men and 10% plus of women have it, increasing with age. And so, generally, people with obstructive sleep apnea are advised to avoid sleeping on their backs,” said Nancy Foldvary, DO, sleep specialist at Cleveland Clinic.
Dr Foldvary said people with a deviated septum or who have nasal congestion may also prefer to sleep on their side.
The same goes for those with other chronic conditions like arthritis, acid reflux and heart failure.
She said, generally speaking, there is no sleeping position that’s considered better than another.
However, she notes sleeping on your stomach can be uncomfortable.
And while most of us tend to sleep in the same sleeping position every night, it’s natural to move around.
However, if you’re constantly tossing and turning, that could be a sign of restless legs syndrome.
“Restless legs syndrome is a common disorder. 10-to-15% of people have it. It’s a little less common than sleep apnea but commonly exists. And so, these are people who have an urge to move their legs, who are constantly repositioning at night,” she said. “Restless legs does not need to just be in the legs, it can be in the arms, it can be the whole body. So, if there's a feeling of constant need to move, that might be a reason to see your physician to have that investigated because that's a very treatable situation,” she said.
Dr. Foldvary adds that a bad pillow or mattress can also cause a person to toss and turn at night, so that’s another factor to consider.
