Skip to main content
Close Close

Congratulations
You're on the list.

Make sure to check your spam folder so that our emails are always delivered into your inbox.
xo, Kourt
Give your inbox
and your life

the Poosh it needs.
By clicking SIGN UP, you agree to receive emails from Poosh and agree to our terms of use and privacy policy.
Free Shipping on All Domestic Orders.
  • HEALTH + WELLNESS
  • LIFE + STYLE
  • HOME + ENTERTAINING
  • KKB
Poosh
  • instagram pinterest facebook twitter youtube join newsletter
  • Shop
  • search
  • search
  • body
  • diy
  • fitness
  • Giving Back
  • health
  • mind
  • Relationships
  • Sexual Wellness
  • soul
7 Easy Biohacks You Can Start Doing Right Now
7 Easy Biohacks You Can Start Doing Right Now
Do Opposites Really Attract?
Do Opposites Really Attract?
The Self-Care Ritual That Actually Relieves my Pain
The Self-Care Ritual That Actually Relieves my Pain
Is Trauma Trapped in Your Body?
Is Trauma Trapped in Your Body?
How Arousal Mapping Can Awaken Your Desire
How Arousal Mapping Can Awaken Your Desire
A Workout for Your Follicular Phase
A Workout for Your Follicular Phase
  • Adulting
  • beauty
  • guides
  • Hacks
  • style
  • travel
Stylist Dani Michelle Shares Her Transitional Dressing Must-Haves
Stylist Dani Michelle Shares Her Transitional Dressing Must-Haves
Poosh Product Picks: Madeleine Rose
Poosh Product Picks: Madeleine Rose
Poosh Pause: My Bali Reset
Poosh Pause: My Bali Reset
How to Detect Narcissist Red Flags
How to Detect Narcissist Red Flags
I’m Getting Married in 8 Months—This Is My Expert-Approved Skin Treatment Schedule
I’m Getting Married in 8 Months—This Is My Expert-Approved Skin Treatment Schedule
How to Thrive, Not Just Survive
How to Thrive, Not Just Survive
  • decor
  • entertaining
  • kids
  • motherhood
  • Playlists
  • recipes
Khloé Kardashian’s Easy Weeknight Slow Cooker Veggie Burrito Bowls
Khloé Kardashian’s Easy Weeknight Slow Cooker Veggie Burrito Bowls
Hormone Healthy Raw Carrot Salad Recipe
Hormone Healthy Raw Carrot Salad Recipe
Must-Have Items New Moms Swear By
Must-Have Items New Moms Swear By
Vegan Armenian Lahmacun Recipe From Kourt’s Incredible Spread
Vegan Armenian Lahmacun Recipe From Kourt’s Incredible Spread
Kourt’s Favorite Cajun Kale Chips
Kourt’s Favorite Cajun Kale Chips
Under $50: Chic Bathroom Organization Accessories
Under $50: Chic Bathroom Organization Accessories
  • family
  • kourtney
Khloé Kardashian’s Easy Weeknight Slow Cooker Veggie Burrito Bowls
Khloé Kardashian’s Easy Weeknight Slow Cooker Veggie Burrito Bowls
Vegan Armenian Lahmacun Recipe From Kourt’s Incredible Spread
Vegan Armenian Lahmacun Recipe From Kourt’s Incredible Spread
Why Kourt Loves Seed Cycling
Why Kourt Loves Seed Cycling
Kourt’s Favorite Cajun Kale Chips
Kourt’s Favorite Cajun Kale Chips
3 Salads Kourt is Eating on Rotation Right Now
3 Salads Kourt is Eating on Rotation Right Now
Kourtney’s Wet Hair Look: The Breakdown
Kourtney’s Wet Hair Look: The Breakdown
What are you looking for?

Menu

  • Shop
  • HEALTH + WELLNESS
    • body
    • diy
    • fitness
    • Giving Back
    • health
    • mind
    • Relationships
    • Sexual Wellness
    • soul
  • HOME + ENTERTAINING
    • decor
    • entertaining
    • kids
    • motherhood
    • Playlists
    • recipes
  • KKB
    • family
    • kourtney
  • LIFE + STYLE
    • Adulting
    • beauty
    • guides
    • Hacks
    • style
    • travel
  • Newsletter
instagram pinterest facebook twitter youtube join newsletter
body

What Kind of Sleeper ARE YOU?

By Poosh
share on pinterest share on facebook share on twitter Share on Flipboard share by email
 Photo credit @lilyrose_depp
@lilyrose_depp

Eventually, you reach an age where “being tired” is no longer just a feeling—it’s become part of your personality. 

“Two of the main reasons my clients can’t sleep are stress and pain,” says neuroscientist and board-certified psychiatrist Dr. Dave Rabin, MD, PhD, the co-founder and chief innovation officer at Apollo Neuroscience. “My work with clients helps them learn how to better adapt to and recover from stress to improve sleep, which is at the foundation of feeling better. It’s amazing how much easier life can feel when we get restful sleep. Most people struggle with sleep because of stress left over from the day or stress about sleep itself,” Dr. Rabin explains. 

Um, yep, sounds about right. 

“Stress (emotional, mental, or physical) is a major contributor to worsening pain because it increases inflammation in the body. Many people wake up with aches and pains or can’t sleep as a result of chronic pain,” Dr. Rain tells us.

A common culprit? The position we sleep in. 

“A comfortable, pain-free sleeper is the best sleeper,” Dr. Rabin says. Kinda like how the best workout is the one you’ll be consistent with, the best sleep position is the one where you’re comfortable and pain-free. 

“Every body is unique, and the best sleeping position is the one that prevents pain and supports posture,” he continues. “There’s no one size fits all, but there are certainly some positions that are better than others.”

Ofc, there are many sleep position variations (shout out to our fellow “on your stomach with one knee bent up to your chest and arms akimbo” sleepers), but generally they fall into one of three main categories: side, back, or stomach. 

Below, we take a look at the pros and cons of each. 

Side Position

Benefits: Dr. Rabin says that side sleeping tends to be a comfortable position for people with back pain, and it can help reduce snoring. “Snoring can be quite disruptive, not just if you share a bed, but also to the snorer,” Dr. Rabin says. If you’re a snorer or sleep next to one, he recommends sleeping on your side versus on your back.

Pregnant people and those with acid reflux may also be more comfortable sleeping on their side.

Drawbacks: Side sleeping is generally not recommended for people with shoulder pain (for obvious reasons). It can also contribute to face, neck, and chest wrinkles because your face is pressed against the pillow. This causes the skin on your neck and décolleté to bunch up.

Sigh.

Tips: 
– If you’re concerned about wrinkles but are #teamsidesleeper4eva, consider using a silk pillowcase, which creates less friction between your skin and your pillow and helps your skin remain flat. For chest and neck wrinkles, silicone patches worn overnight can help smooth existing lines and prevent skin from bunching up.
– If you have gastrointestinal issues or are pregnant, sleeping on your left side may give you more benefits than sleeping on your right side.

Back Position

Benefits: This can also be a comfy position for people with back pain, according to Dr. Rabin. He recommends a well-supported, firmer mattress. Sleeping on your back doesn’t contribute to wrinkles, and it’s helpful if you have a stuffy nose—provided you prop up your head and upper back with pillows. 

Drawbacks: If you’re a snorer and/or have sleep apnea, sleeping on your back tends to make it worse. Heartburn and acid reflux are also more likely.

Tips: 
– It can be helpful for back sleepers with acid reflux and heartburn to use pillows to prop up their head and upper back. Placing a pillow underneath your knees can help make back sleeping more comfortable by relieving pressure on the lower back. 

Stomach Position

Benefits: Sorry, stomach sleepers—this is pretty much the worst position to sleep in. Though, one pro is that it can help reduce snoring. 

Drawbacks: “Stomach sleeping, or the prone position, can add pressure to the spine and increase back and neck pain. It can also reduce mobility in the chest, making it harder to breathe, and it’s not generally recommended,” Dr. Rabin says. “When you have to work harder to breathe, it can make your sleep less restorative.” 

Not to mention, this sleep position can also contribute to face, chest, and neck wrinkles. 

Tips: 
– Making the switch to sleeping on your side or back is beneficial for people with neck and back pain. Because that can be difficult, try surrounding yourself with pillows to keep you from rolling over in your sleep. 
– If you can’t quit sleeping on your stomach, use a thin pillow or no pillow to help reduce strain on your neck. Placing a thin pillow underneath your lower stomach/upper thigh can lessen the strain on your spine. 
– Choosing a medium to firm mattress can also help minimize the drawbacks. 

Shop our sleep collection:

Shop Reishi Mushroom Gummy
Shop Calming Body Oil
Shop Weighted Blanket
Shop Sleep Stone Mask
Shop Cortisol Balancer
Shop Blueberry Calm Ade
Shop White Queen Zippered Pillow Case
Shop Contour Lovely Lashes Sleep Mask
Shop Lavender Whipped Body Butter
Shop Rose Quartz Eye Mask
Shop Hormone Soothing Bath Soak
Shop Kourtney x Barker Wellness Calm Magnesium Bath Flakes
Shop Kourtney x Barker Wellness Calm Bundle
Shop Sleep Tea + Melatonin
Shop Infrared Heating Body Belt

Dr. Dave Rabin, MD, PhD, is a neuroscientist, board-certified psychiatrist, co-founder & chief innovation officer at Apollo Neuroscience, which has developed the first, scientifically-validated, wearable technology that actively improves sleep, relaxation, focus, and calm by using a novel touch therapy that signals safety to the brain. 

Up next, be the first to know our weekly content and sign up for our Poosh newsletter.

You may also like...

Go to article 7 Easy Biohacks You Can Start Doing Right Now
health

7 Easy Biohacks You Can Start Doing Right Now

Go to article Is Trauma Trapped in Your Body?
body

Is Trauma Trapped in Your Body?

Related Articles

Goes to article 7 Easy Biohacks You Can Start Doing Right Now
health

7 Easy Biohacks You Can Start Doing Right Now

Goes to article The Self-Care Ritual That Actually Relieves my Pain
body

The Self-Care Ritual That Actually Relieves my Pain

Goes to article Is Trauma Trapped in Your Body?
body

Is Trauma Trapped in Your Body?

Goes to article How Arousal Mapping Can Awaken Your Desire
body

How Arousal Mapping Can Awaken Your Desire

Goes to article How to Tell the Difference Between Dry and Dehydrated Skin
body

How to Tell the Difference Between Dry and Dehydrated Skin

Goes to article Did You Know… Laughing is Good for the Heart
health

Did You Know… Laughing is Good for the Heart

Goes to article FYI: Why Sucking Isn’t Just for Penises 
Sexual Wellness

FYI: Why Sucking Isn’t Just for Penises 

Goes to article A Perfect Menstrual Phase Workout 
fitness

A Perfect Menstrual Phase Workout 

  • About
  • Contact
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • California Privacy Rights
  • Affiliate Disclosure
  • Accessibility

Keep in Touch

instagram pinterest facebook twitter youtube join newsletter
Reviewed by Allyant for Accessibility
  • © poosh, llc
    All Rights Reserved