EXCLUSIVE: Good sleep posture

At Hibern8, we want everyone to achieve a better nights sleep. The elusive ‘perfect’ nights sleep comes with many influencing factors. Hibern8 can enhance individuals sleep from a nutritional perspective… reducing stress levels, increasing levels of our sleep hormone ‘melatonin’, improving sleep quality, and reducing some common disturbances. What about the other factors though…. our routines, our caffeine intake, our dietary intake, sleep hygiene, our sleep posture etc. All key areas for individuals to work on.

James Leinhardt, the founder and CEO of Levitex, is a specialist in sleep posture and he and his team have kindly written the following article giving you insights into reasons why to ensure you have good sleep posture, and how to go about it improving yours!

Enjoy the article, and for further information visit their website or socials. www.levitex.co.uk Instagram: @levitexsleep TikTok: @levitex . I highly recommend you jump on to one of his TikTok lives, and also check out his recent TEDx talk that you can watch here.

In addition to this Levitex have kindly set up the code ‘Hibern8’ to use on their site. So if you are interested, you can now get £10 off of one of their incredible pillows!

Ed

Co-founder & Head of Nutrition for Hibern8

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We spend our days hunched over our desks, glued to our phones, or bending over to play with the kids. No wonder our posture is suffering, and our spines? They’re bearing the brunt of it. 

But it’s not just our daytime habits causing problems - the way we sleep matters, too. 

If you've spent an entire day with poor posture, continuing that into your sleep can exacerbate the problem. The good news? Nighttime is your chance to recover. Imagine waking up without that nagging neck pain or shoulder tension - all thanks to optimising your sleep posture.

Good sleep posture can:

• Reduce pain
• Improve circulation
• Decrease snoring
• Boost lung capacity
• Increase energy levels
• Aid muscle relaxation

How to achieve good sleep posture

The first step to achieving good sleep posture is positioning your body correctly at bedtime. This is the moment you have total control, and it’s likely the position you'll maintain the longest. While you might shift during the night, a few hours of optimised sleep can make a world of difference.

The best position: Side sleeping

Research by Gracovetsky et al. shows that semi-foetal side sleeping is ideal for a neutral spine. When your spine is neutral and straight, your muscles can finally relax. It’s like giving your spine the break it’s been begging for.

So how do you get it right?

• Position yourself on your side: Either side works, but it’s recommended to alternate. 
• Choose the right pillow: Your pillow should fill the space between your ear and shoulder, keeping your neck perfectly neutral. If it's too high or low, it could cause strain, which leads to neck pain. 
• Use a second pillow between your knees and ankles: This extra pillow stops your top leg from crossing over, keeping your hips neutral.

Simple, right? These steps will transform your sleep. You’ll achieve a neutral spine, neck, and hips, helping your muscles rest and recover properly.

The alternative: Back sleeping

Not a side-sleeper? No worries! Back sleeping can also support good posture if done right.

Here’s how:

• Pick a low pillow: Your pillow should not push your neck forward. The goal is to maintain a neutral neck, with the natural curve of your cervical spine supported. 
• Place a pillow under your knees: By placing a pillow under your knees, your legs bend slightly, and your pelvis tilts. This reduces the gap between your lower back and the bed, offering better support and contact. As a result, your body weight is more evenly distributed, and you'll stay more anchored, making you less likely to toss and turn during the night.

Avoid stomach sleeping

Sorry, stomach sleepers - there’s no way to make this position work for good posture. Your neck ends up rotated to one side, causing strain, and you’re also likely to bend one leg up, twisting your hips and spine. This twisted position can lead to a host of problems, including lower back pain and neck stiffness.

If you always wake up sore, this could be why! 

Adapt to better habits

Here's the encouraging part: changing how you sleep isn’t impossible. It’s all about forming new habits. While it might be hard initially to change the way you've slept all your life, your body will adapt over time. Consistency is key.

Start by adjusting your position every night consciously. Use pillows to help you stay in place. Over time, your new posture will become second nature, and you’ll start reaping the benefits.

Conclusion

Perfect sleep? It’s a myth. But getting your sleep posture right can significantly enhance your muscle recovery and prevent waking up in more pain.

Give it a shot - your spine and neck will thank you!