Are You Sleeping in the Wrong Position? 5 Surprising Facts That Could Be Sabotaging Your Sleep (and How to Fix Them!)
Raise your hand if you’ve ever woken up groggy and wondered, 'What in the world happened last night?' The truth is, how you sleep—and I mean your actual sleep position—might be the unsuspecting villain ruining your rest. I only really learned this after reading a recent eye-opener from the New York Post: Why sleeping on your back is the unhealthiest position — and the one exception when it’s actually the best.
Honestly, I always thought the fetal position was for babies and actual adults slept like they were on a yoga mat—flat on their backs and arms at their sides. Turns out, I was massively wrong.
The Shocking Truth About Sleeping on Your Back
Let’s cut to the chase: sleeping on your back may be the worst thing you can do for your health if you snore or have sleep apnea. That’s not just me talking—experts are saying it, too. When you’re on your back, gravity has a field day, causing your tongue and jaw to slide backward and block your airway. Translation: You snore louder, breathe less efficiently, and wake up as if you spent the night wrestling a bear.
But wait, there’s a plot twist: for a tiny handful of people (like those with specific spinal issues), back sleeping might actually be the best. For the rest of us? Maybe not so much.
5 Surprising Facts About Your Sleep Position
Ready to hear what shocked me? Here are five things most people (definitely me, yesterday) get entirely wrong about sleep positions:
- Back sleeping increases your risk of snoring and sleep apnea.
- Side sleeping (especially on your left) is the best for your heart, digestion, AND keeping your airways open.
- Stomach sleeping might quiet your snoring, but it’s rough on your neck and spine.
- Back sleepers are more likely to wake up tired—even after 8 hours.
- Changing positions isn’t easy, especially if your body’s used to it (but it’s NOT impossible!).
So, why are so many of us back sleepers?
Why Do We Keep Sleeping on Our Backs?
It’s all about comfort, right? Maybe your pillow is too fluffy, or your mattress is out to get you. Or—let’s be honest—maybe you just never realized your sleep position could be making you snore like a freight train. I was guilty of all of the above.
But knowing the risks is only half the battle. What can you actually do about it?
The Anti-Snoring Sleep Shift: How to Actually Sleep Better
Let’s face it: old habits die hard. I tried pinning a tennis ball to my pajamas to force myself onto my side (don’t judge), stacking pillows, and even sleeping with a rolled-up towel behind my back. Did any of that work? Well… sort of. But not consistently.
The game-changer, though, was finding solutions that tackled the real problem: the downfall of gravity on my airway. That’s where customizable anti-snoring mouthpieces come into play. Devices like the Snorple mouthpiece work by gently moving your jaw forward and keeping your tongue in place, making it WAY harder for your airway to get blocked—even if you roll onto your back in your sleep. (Plus, prepping it with a microwave instead of boiling water? Total win for lazy people like me!)
If you’ve ever wanted to personalize your anti-snoring game, there’s more info on Snorple’s official website. They break down their device’s science, share customer reviews, and offer a 30-day money-back guarantee—so you can try it risk-free. (No sketchy fixes here.)
What the Experts—and Real People—Say
According to that NY Post article, experts agree: controlling your sleep position is step one, but using proven solutions is step two. And with over 100,000 people already using mouthpieces like Snorple, it’s clear nobody has to suffer in silence (or, more accurately, in a thunderous symphony of snores).
But don’t just take the experts’ word for it. I asked my partner (who used to nudge me awake every 20 minutes), and now I’m proud to say our nights are—finally—peacefully quiet.
Final Thoughts & Your Next Move
Here’s the bottom line: Your sleep position matters way more than you think. And if you—or your partner—are waking up cranky, tired, or ready to start a pillow war, it’s time to change things up.
- Try sleeping on your side—especially your left.
- Get a mouthpiece that fits your life (and your actual mouth).
- Don’t settle for a night of snoring misery.
If you’re ready for real sleep, why not explore what the Snorple team has to offer?
What’s YOUR go-to sleep position? Have you beaten snoring, or is it still the boss of your bedroom? Share your story in the comments—let’s help each other get some well-earned, blissfully quiet Zzz’s tonight!