Don't Sleep Like This

Improving Side-Sleeping Posture

A few adjustments may reduce awkward pressure and help you wake up feeling more comfortable:

• Align your hips and legs: Place a pillow or other support between your knees. Adjust its thickness so your legs stay roughly parallel without pressing together or twisting apart.
• Support your neck: Choose a pillow height that keeps your neck aligned with your spine, rather than bent upward or drooping downward. If your pillow is too low, try placing a folded towel underneath it and adjusting the height until it feels comfortable.
• Position your lower shoulder: Keep it back and down instead of tucking it under your body or shrugging it toward your ear. Bending that arm and resting it under a pillow may help keep it in place.
• Support your upper arm: Place a pillow in front of your body and rest your upper hand on it. This can help prevent your shoulder and shoulder blade from being pulled forward.
• Consider strengthening and stretching: The video notes that comfort may also involve strengthening and stretching appropriate muscles, and directs viewers to a mobility assessment for exercise suggestions.

Presenter and source: An unnamed presenter from WeShape, in the video “Don’t Sleep Like This.”