Are You a Side Sleeper? Then We’ve Got Some Advice For You

Your sleeping position plays a pivotal role in the quality of sleep you get every night, and as it turns out, the majority of people tend to be side sleepers.

Does this sound like you? Well, while it’s true that sleeping straight on your back is the best position for spinal support, sleeping on your side does come with its own benefits. However, this all depends on which side you prefer to sleep on and what support you have from your mattress. We give some top tips for side sleepers.

Side sleeping pros and cons 

As well as alleviating the symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea and snoring, frequently sleeping on your side is also recommended to soothe neck pain, and if you’re pregnant; due to the fact it helps with blood flow.

However, many side sleepers suffer from the pins and needles feeling known as paresthesia, where you often wake up with an arm that’s gone numb. This can be the result of a lack of blood flow or putting too much pressure onto a nerve as you side sleep, the feeling can jolt you awake, leading to a disruptive night’s sleep.

If your mattress isn’t really suitable for sleeping on your side then you can be left with frequent shoulder, neck, and back pain. This is particularly true for low end mattresses which simply don’t have enough fillings to support side sleepers, which is why knowing the GSM of your mattress is essential. 

It’s also suggested that side sleepers will experience more facial wrinkles which can develop when sleeping in this position, yikes!

Tips for mattresses for side sleepers

• Choose a mattress with slightly softer comfort layers to help let your hips, shoulders and side sink into the mattress
• Too firm a mattress will aggrivate side sleepers causing disturbed sleep
• Choose a mattress that has progressive support such as a pocket sprung mattress
• Side sleepers may struggle with memory foam especially turning over as they get held in one spot

Get the right support when side sleeping

When you frequently sleep on your side, having a mattress that can properly support your curved areas; mainly your neck and waist is essential. If your mattress is too firm in the top layers, it will end up causing pressure points in places, such as your hips and shoulders; as they tend to bear the brunt of the pressure when you’re a side sleeper. This is because your body will end up contorting to fit the mattress when it should be the mattress conforming to you!

With the wrong mattress you’ll be left with more misalignment and spinal curvature when snoozing, leading you to wake up with pain in your shoulders and hips or numbness in your legs or arms.

A high quality supportive mattress helps to keep your spine aligned, which is essential for promoting your healing and regenerative process at night.

When you’re a side sleeper, you’ll need to consider something that’s more medium or soft in the top layers. It also should be gentle on your shoulders and hips. A high amount of GSM (Grams per square meter) in the fillings will be essential as these will allow you to be comfortably supported. You should always look for this when buying a mattress if the retailer can’t tell you then walk away.

Take our Pocket Sprung Mattresses, which have two elements; the spring is able to offer you luxurious support and the fillings then provide you with high levels of comfort in the upholstery layers. For a true medium feeling in the top layers, have a look at our hugely popular Origins Pocket 1500 or Artisan Naturals. Our Artisan range of pocket sprung mattresses are crafted with all natural fillings, which also makes them ideal for anyone who has heat issues at night, as they provide a soothing and cool sleep surface.

The best side to sleep on  

The side you actually sleep on really matters when it comes to your overall health and wellbeing. It turns out you should always be sleeping on your left side if you’re a side sleeper, as this has a number of benefits. Your stomach is naturally positioned on your left side, so sleeping on that side allows it to better digest your food.

As well as aiding your digestion, sleeping on the left can alleviate acid reflux, lower the risk of heartburn, improve circulation, and even help to drain toxins from your lymph nodes. If you often find yourself sleeping on your right side instead then you try placing a large pillow behind you in bed to help train your body to stick to the left.

We have a blog article showing all the variations of sleeping style which may give you some more help when it comes to improving your night sleep.

Having a high-quality Luxury Mattress that’s designed to give you the perfect balance of comfort and support will allow you to reap the benefits of side slumber. Plus, you could even combine your mattress with all-natural comfort layers to fully support your body’s temperature regulation and pressure points.  As always you really do need to consider the amounts of fillings, especially as a side sleeper, without knowing this you really are just guessing.

We never like to guess which is why we list our GSM on each of our handmade mattresses, so if you have any questions, please contact us today on 0161 437 4419 for friendly advice.