Everyone has a preferred sleeping position, whether it's on your stomach, on your back, on your side or even curled up with an extra pillow. Normally, this is just a personal choice and you think nothing of it, however it can have a significant impact on your sleep, especially if you have breathing problems.
When it's time for bed, which position do you prefer to put yourself in before you nod off?
It’s an important question, especially if you have sleep apnea, because your sleeping position can affect the quality of your sleep, as well as how good you feel the next day.
Lying down creates different breathing conditions for your body from when you are upright.
When you're on your feet or sitting, your airways are pointing downward, leaving breathing and airflow fairly unrestricted. However, when you lie down, your body is forced to breathe in a horizontal position, meaning that gravity is now working against your airways.
If you snore or have sleep apnea, you probably know that lying on your back is the worst position because gravity increases the tendency for your jaw, tongue and soft palate to drop back toward your throat, which narrows your airways and can lead to increased breathing difficulties.