Sleep is crucial for your overall health because it allows your body to rest, repair and recharge, having a significant impact on your physical and mental well-being. Because sleep is one of the four pillars of pelvic health, as well as nutrition, movement and stress, when affected it can result in a flare adding more stress and restriction to your pelvic floor muscles. If you are someone who is dealing with pelvic floor dysfunction, this could mean an increase in your symptoms such as urinary incontinence and pelvic pain.

So then what position should I sleep in to make sure I am getting the best sleep? Is there one best position to sleep in? In short, the answer is no, as long as you have adequate pillow support with correct placement.

For side sleepers – if you like to sleep on your side, it is recommended to place a single, firmer pillow below your head, one that can fill the space between your neck and shoulder to maintain a neutral neck position. Next you would place a pillow between your knees and ankles to support your hips and in addition, put a pillow in front of you to wrap your arm around to ensure a more curved spine avoiding rotation in your lower back.

For stomach sleepers – if you like to sleep on your stomach, it is recommended that you use no pillow under your head to keep your neck in neutral and avoid any neck extension. Pillows should be placed under your hips to keep your lower back in a neutral position and avoid extension, and another one under your shins to keep them in neutral and remain in line with your hips.

For back sleepers – if you like to sleep on your back, a single, softer pillow should be placed under your head as well as another under your knees to help your lower back and hips maintain a neutral position avoiding strain.

While the right position varies for individual needs and comforts, we can all agree that sleep is vital and the bottom line is, it doesn’t matter what position you sleep in, as long as you are getting sleep! Getting adequate sleep allows your body to properly regulate hormones, manage stress, repair tissue and avoid pelvic floor dysfunction. For more tips on how to improve your quality of sleep, reach out to us for your free consultation today!

Recommended Amount of Sleep for a Healthy Adult: A Joint Consensus Statement of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and Sleep Research Society.

Influence of Pelvic Floor Disorders on Sleep Quality in Women – PMC

The Four Pillars of Pelvic Health