After what feels like an incredibly long winter, Britain is finally experiencing some heat this week, the sleep experts at Happy Beds have offered insights into the optimal sleep posture for enhancing rest during the warmer evenings, along with advice on how to embrace it.
Side sleeping is the best position for you to sleep in during hot weather
Rex Isap, CEO and sleep expert at Happy Beds, said “If you are one of the many who struggle with heat, side sleeping provides the least contact with the mattress and allows heat to escape from the body more quickly than other positions.
“For even better sleep, we recommend placing a pillow between your knees to stop skin-to-skin contact, which can cause friction if you sleep without pyjamas.”
Four expert ways to transition to sleeping on your left side
Choose the correct pillow, as almost one-fifth wake up with a sore neck
According to the data from Happy Beds bedding calculator, 18% of people wake up with a sore neck each day due to their pillows. That equates to around 11.8 million people in the UK. But choosing the correct pillow for sleeping on your side is essential, as you need to make sure your neck and spine are aligned in one clear line to avoid any tilts to your neck that could leave you waking up in pain.
Select a medium-firm mattress
If your mattress is too soft, that could lead to you sinking into the mattress during the night and potentially waking up with joint pain, particularly from your shoulders. However, too firm, and that could also lead to aches on the side you are sleeping on.
A medium-firm mattress can mould around your body and ensure you don’t sink too deep into the mattress while supporting your side. Memory foam and latex foam mattresses work particularly well for side-sleepers, as they contour to your body for customised support.
Use a pillow between your knees
A pillow between your knees can prevent skin-to-skin contact, which can impact your sleep, especially if you tend to get too hot during the night. Moreover, this pillow can also help keep your spine aligned as it can keep your hips in place and stop your legs from collapsing in on themselves.
To prevent yourself from rolling on your back, you could also place a pillow behind your back to support it and keep it in place.
Swap sides with your partner if you like to face each other
Research has revealed that the further apart you sleep from your partner, the more unhappy the relationship. However, if sleeping on your left side means you need to face away from each other due to your side of the bed, switch it up. That way, you can still spend time facing each other in comfortable positions, but you also have the opportunity to move to the other side if needed.
