The Ultimate Guide to Sleeping on Your Side
If you’re part of the 74% of Americans who sleep on their side, you know this sleep position has some pros and cons. While it can be super comfortable (and even beneficial for your health), it can also lead to aches and pains.
If you’re not getting the most out of your side-sleeping experience, or if you’re waking up with sore shoulders and hips, you’ve come to the right place. We’re covering everything you need to know about side sleeping.
The Perks of Being a Side Sleeper: Health Benefits + More
Good news: sleeping on your side can really benefit your body. Studies show sleeping on your left side can prevent heartburn and other gastric issues. It can also help gravity move waste through your colon, which keeps you regular. Plus, it’s beneficial for your digestion.
Sleeping on your left or right side may help clear interstitial waste from your brain, reducing the risk of neurological disease. It also makes you a better sleep partner by reducing snoring. When you lie on your side, your tongue doesn’t fall into your throat and block your airway, which means fewer unpleasant noises.
Sleeping on your side, when done correctly, aligns your spine, shoulders and pelvis which reduces pressure on your back and helps your body recover after a long day.
The Downsides of Side Sleeping
One of our veteran Sleep Experts, Greg, helps customers in our Florida showroom. He’s had side sleepers come into the store with all kinds of issues.
“Side sleepers often come in with shoulder pain,” says Greg. “Or, their arm goes numb. And sometimes–if their mattress is too soft–they feel like they’re ‘swaying’ inside of it.”
Greg also meets a lot of side sleepers with hip pain. “If the hip pain goes away within an hour of waking up,” he says, “your mattress is often to blame.”
This is especially true if you’re a side sleeper who weighs more. The wrong mattress can force that weight right into your hips.
Sleep Expert Spotlight
Greg works at our showroom in sunny Plantation, Fl. He's helped thousands of customers find their perfect mattress in his nearly two-decade career in the mattress industry.
Possible Pain Points When Sleeping on Your Side
The reality is sleeping on your side puts concentrated pressure on the whole side of your body, including your hips, ribcage, and shoulders. This can cause significant pain, especially if you’re sleeping on the wrong mattress.
If you’re a twisted side sleeper–aka your sleep with your top thigh pressed against the mattress–or if you sleep in the fetal position–you may also experience lower back pain.
For some folks, lying on their side can also put a lot of pressure on their jaw, leading to additional discomfort.
If you sleep with your shoulder pushed up toward your neck, you may also experience pain from a misaligned spine.
Side Sleeping and Signs of Aging
Side sleeping can also be detrimental to your beauty sleep. The friction of your skin on your pillow, combined with the pull of gravity from sleeping on your side, can lead to wrinkles and fine lines.
Luckily, many of these dilemmas can be solved or reduced with the right mattress, bedding and sleep posture. We’ll show you how soon, but in the meantime, grab a Mulberry silk pillowcase.
A silk pillowcase reduces the friction of your skin on the pillow, which can lead to fewer fine lines and less tangled hair. Plus, silk draws less moisture out of your skin than cotton, which means your complexion is more hydrated in the morning.
Bonus points if you switch the side you sleep on every night. If gravity’s going to have its way with your face, you may as well make its effects even!
One Solution to Side-Sleeping Issues: Switch to Your Back
For some people who experience pain or other issues from sleeping on their side, the best solution may be to switch to back sleeping.
How do you make the transition? Greg suggests using an adjustable base with your bed. It can make switching to back sleeping easier by creating a cradling sensation that reduces the urge to curl up on your side.
Trying to nod off in a new position can be uncomfortable at first. But “if you can get in the habit of elevating your feet with the adjustable base,” says Greg, “it's really good for relaxation. Because elevating your feet boosts your circulation (which relaxes your muscles), you fall asleep quicker and stay asleep longer”–even in an unfamiliar sleep position.
But “if you’re really serious about switching to your back,” says Greg, “a new mattress may be necessary.” To learn more, check out our guide on training yourself to sleep on your back.
If you don’t think you can make the switch, that’s okay! Let’s talk about the healthiest way to sleep on your side instead.
Side Sleeping Positions: Everything You Need to Know
Did you know there’s a right way to sleep on your side? It’s on your left! When you sleep on your left side–especially supported by pillows–you reduce pressure on your internal organs and support healthy blood flow.
That said, unless you have a health condition, sleeping on your right side is fine too.
Just know you may experience more gastrointestinal distress or heartburn on your right side if you’re prone to these things. (This is because your organs are in a less beneficial position when you lie on the right.)
Side Sleeping
Best Practices
- 1. Use a high-profile, supportive pillow.
- 2. Align your shoulders with your ears.
- 3. Keep your chin in a neutral position.
- 4. Rest your hands at your sides.
- 5. Bend your kness slightly.
The Best Pillows to Support You While You Sleep
Did you know your pillow is as important as your mattress for sound sleep?
Generally, side sleepers should choose a dense pillow that can fill the space between their body and the bed for the most support. This means opting for the adjustable GhostPillow - Shredded or GhostPillow - Gel Memory Foam pillows.
Both of these options will help keep your head and neck aligned and assist in preventing your shoulder from getting pushed toward your neck (ouch!). This is especially important if you opt for a softer mattress, which most side sleepers will.
Denser pillows are also the best pillow choice for maintaining alignment when you use them between your knees. An adjustable pillow is especially ideal because you can tailor it to the unique alignment of your hips.
On the other hand, a memory foam pillow is great if you experience jaw pain while sleeping on your side since it contours to your face rather than allowing your face to sink into it.
If you only have a softer (down or faux down) pillow, you can try folding it in half to amp up the support.
Regardless of which pillow you choose, opt for one that’s hypoallergenic and easy to clean. (Don’t worry, all the GhostBed pillows check these boxes!)
Supporting your body while you sleep
Combined with sleeping on the right mattress and having good sleep posture, supporting your body while you sleep is the key to pain-free side sleeping. Here’s the best way to do it:
- 1. Place one or two pillows under your head and neck. Make sure the pillows are not beneath your shoulder.
- 2. Place one pillow flat on the bed in front of your chest. This will support your top arm, reducing pressure on the ribcage.
- 3. Place a pillow between your knees so your hips and knees are parallel.
- 4. Avoid letting your arm dangle over the bed, as it may cause your arm to fall asleep.
Using an adjustable base for additional support
Earlier in this guide, we talked about using an adjustable base to make the transition to back sleeping. But an adjustable base can be a a great support for side sleepers, too.
When you purchase a GhostBed Adjustable Base, the accompanying remote will have an anti-snore position button, which tilts your head up just a few degrees. This is one of Greg’s most recommended features:
“If you use the anti-snore button or tilt the head portion a maximum of five degrees, you can feel supported on your side without feeling like you’re lifting too much. With this feature, you no longer have pressure on your ribs or waist.” It also helps open your airways for easier breathing, says Greg.
Combined with a pillow between your knees, you’re in the ultimate sweet spot for comfortable side sleep.
Best Mattress for Side Sleepers
If you’re experiencing pain while sleeping on your side, there’s only so much changing your sleep posture and using supportive pillows can do. You may need a mattress better suited to your body type and sleeping style.
- You've had your mattress for longer than 7-10 years
- You're waking up with new or unexplained hip or shoulder pain
- You're having trouble falling asleep
- Your mattress is sagging from repeated hip and shoulder pressure
- You wake up feeling foggy and disoriented
Generally, a side sleeper will prefer a softer memory foam or memory foam hybrid mattress because it caresses the body at pressure points like hips and shoulders. Firmer mattresses can push against these points, causing pain.
Our most popular mattresses for side sleepers are the GhostBed Luxe and the GhostBed 3D Matrix®, which are rated as “Medium” and “Medium-Plush,” respectively. Both have excellent cooling features, as well, so you stay comfortable all night.
While the 3D Matrix and Luxe are our most popular models for side sleepers, everyone has different preferences. Take our mattress quiz to find the best mattress for you!
Ready for the best sleep of your life?
Here’s a quick recap of what you’ve learned today:
- Sleeping on your side–especially your left–can have many health benefits. But it can also lead to pain in your shoulders, ribs and hips, especially if you’re sleeping on the wrong mattress.
- One solution is to switch to sleeping on your back, in which case, an adjustable base can help you make the transition.
- If you stick with sleeping on your side, support your body with firm, high-profile pillows and a soft mattress like the GhostBed Luxe or GhostBed 3D Matrix®.
We’re standing by to help you find the exact right mattress for your unique sleeping style and body.
You can give us a call, send us a chat, email us, or schedule a consultation. Or if you’re not ready to talk, you can also take our mattress quiz to find the perfect mattress for you.
We can’t wait to help you get the best sleep of your life!
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