Our bodies change as we age, and so do our sleep needs. Snoring, newly diagnosed sleep apnea, and nasal congestion can cause you to experiment with different sleeping positions. Recovering from an injury or pregnancy could be another reason.

Reasons to change how you sleep

Try putting a soft pillow under your stomach to make it more comfortable. It is easier to adjust to a new position if there is a strong incentive such as a tennis ball keeping you from your desired position.

Adjusting to stomach sleeping

Starting out on your back: Try to fall asleep on your back, then turn back if you wake up on your side. Buying an adjustable bed: Some beds allow you to put your body into specific positions, like zero gravity. Sleeping on an incline can make your bed mimic lying back in a recliner chair.

To learn to sleep on your back

<ul><li>Use a tennis ball. Side sleep training was traditionally done by taping a tennis ball to the back of the pyjama top. When a person turns on their back, the ball makes it uncomfortable, so they turn on their side again.</li><li>Put a pillow between your knees. Sleep with your knees drawn up slightly towards your chest. Or, place a pillow between your knees to help your spine correctly align.</li><li>Using a device. Sleep backpacks and belts are designed to help you sleep in a particular position.</li><li>Build a pillow buffer: Use pillows to provide proprioceptive reinforcement to sleep on your side.”</li></ul>

How to switch to side sleeping

<ul><li>Sleeping on your back relives pressure points and is orthopedically more stable. You may want to sleep on your back if you are struggling with shoulder, hip or knee pain.</li></ul> <ul><li>Stomach sleeping works well for those suffering from sleep apnea because your airways are more likely to stay open.</li><li>The free-fall stomach position, with your hands above a supportive pillow, is the best sleeping position for digestive issues like indigestion and heartburn. However, it can be difficult to align your spine and potentially result in muscle and neck pain.</li></ul>

Back and stomach sleeping

<ul><li>Side sleeping is ideal for back or neck problems, GERD and sleep apnea.</li><li>Snorers may benefit from turning over onto their side.</li><li>There is also some evidence to suggest sleeping on your left side is better for circulation, particularly during pregnancy or for anyone with high blood pressure or circulatory disorders.</li></ul>

To learn to sleep on your back

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