Apparently those who live to the age of 80 spend at least 26 years of their lives sleeping, so with that much time spent in bed, it's very important to opt for the best sleeping position.
It turns out if you've only been using your pillow to rest your head on while you snooze, you've been doing it wrong. A sleep expert has urged people to try using an additional pillow between their legs, which can offer a whole host of other benefits.
According to sleep experts at Happy Beds, sleeping with a pillow between your legs can reduce backpain, prevent muscle cramps, improve your blood circulation and more.
When you sleep, the muscles in your back start to relax and heal over time, so it's incredibly important to think about your posture when you sleep.
With 23% of the world's population suffering from chronic back pain, which can make it difficult to sleep, changing this one thing could massively help.
Rex Isap, sleep expert and CEO at Happy Beds, explains that "the minute we climb into bed, we adopt a preferred sleeping position without giving much thought to it; we don’t realise that what we perceive to be comfortable is actually doing us more harm than good".
He added: "Misalignment whilst sleeping is a big issue, affecting our bodies by placing stress on the spine. We use pillows every day to rest our heads on whilst sleeping, but we should be using them more as they have several other benefits on our sleep.
"Placing a pillow between your legs or knees can promote better posture to give a more restful night's sleep, supporting the muscles and alignment in your body."
It also alleviates the pressure on your lower back and hips and alleviates muscle tension, which can help those who often suffer from pain while trying to sleep.
Sleeping with a pillow between your back gives you a "straight" sleeping position, which also aids digestion and keeps your spine aligned with your neck.
For those who struggle with snoring, it's also worth a go as sleeping on. your side can open up your airways.
If you've ever woken up with pins and needles, numb legs, cramping or tingling around your toes, the chances are this could be due to poor circulation.
This can be caused because of the pressure on the vena cava (a major vein carrying blood to your heart and back). Placing a pillow between your legs could help facilitate the blood flow.
Sleeping with a pillow between your legs is also ideal for pregnant women, who might struggle to get comfy.
Rex said: "For pregnant women, this is a great way to get more comfortable during the night and allow a less restless sleep during this time."
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