Losing weight isn’t just about watching what you eat, it’s about making changes for a healthy lifestyle.
You want to make sure you’re covering all the bases to make long-lasting progress and keep that weight off for good.
A huge help for healthy, long-lasting change is making sure you’re getting consistent, high-quality sleep.
This builds a strong foundation for you to feel your best and boosts your chances of hitting your weight loss goals.
I’ll let you in on a little secret…
There isn’t a best sleeping position for weight loss.
This doesn’t mean the position you sleep in isn’t important, it just means there’s no specific way to lie in bed that’ll make you drop a few pounds.
Getting a good night’s sleep is going to help set you up to feel more energized, keep your focus, and be more likely to smash your weight loss goals.
Of course, sleeping right isn’t the only thing that helps you lose weight, you also need to follow a healthy diet and manage your stress levels.
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Why is sleep so important for weight loss?
You spend ⅓ of your life asleep, so it’s important you get this right.
Sleep helps keep your brain and body rested and healthy, increases concentration and helps you regulate your immune system.
But, what most people don’t know is that sleep has a huge impact on your ability to lose weight.
Getting proper rest each night may help you to regulate calories, make better food choices, and keep your metabolism working like clockwork.
On the other hand, getting poor quality sleep can lead to weight gain.
So let’s see how you can use sleep positions to boost your chance of a great night’s sleep and set the stage for long-lasting weight loss.
Best sleeping positions for a great night’s sleep
There are only so many ways to sleep, and it can be hard to figure out which is best for you.
To make it worse, sleeping in certain positions can lead to aches and pains in your upper body, neck, and back, lowering your sleep quality
Lower sleep quality can bring more trouble than a stiff neck, especially if you’re trying to lose weight.
Let’s see which positions are best recommended for the best quality sleep.
Back to basics
Some of us are back sleepers, in fact, it’s a popular position to sleep in.
Be it arms at your sides or crossed over your chest sleeping on your back comes with a great range of benefits.
Some experts believe that sleeping on your back can help with back and neck pain.
This is because it helps to keep your spine aligned and takes the pressure off some of your back muscles, making sleeping on your back a great choice for those with lower back pain.
If you normally experience neck pain, then sleeping on your back could help you ease it.
Just make sure you have a supportive pillow (memory-foam ones are great) to keep your neck and head well supported.
So if you don’t already, give back sleeping a try to relieve some of those aches and pains for a revitalizing sleep that could leave you feeling refreshed and more likely to stick to the best food choices for you.
Top tip: Try and keep your arms in symmetrical positions, like at your sides. This helps to keep your spine aligned and may help stop any aches in the morning.
Sleep on your side for extra comfort
The most popular sleeping position by far is sleeping on your side, so if you’re like most people then you’re no stranger to side-sleeping.
The most common position for side sleepers is the fetal position.
For the fetal position, you curl up on your side with your knees raised and arms tucked in.
As well as being comfy, it’s the most helpful position for back pain, as well as for heartburn, or for avoiding snoring.
This means sleeping on your side can not only reduce back pain but might also stop you from waking up in the middle of the night.
With improved sleep quality comes more energy, reduced food cravings, and a better chance of losing weight.
To make the fetal position work even better for you, why not try:
- Loosening your arms and legs to stretch out a little and avoid next day stiffness.
- Putting a pillow on your back to help with spine alignment.
- Placing a small pillow between your knees to help keep your hips aligned and reduce stress on your lower back.
If you are experiencing shoulder pain though, it might be worth giving this position a miss and sleeping on your back instead to avoid making a bad shoulder worse.
Sleeping in your front might slow your weight loss progress
Perhaps one of the worst sleeping positions is on your front.
Sleeping on your front provides the least support for your spine, so it’s likely that you’ll wake up feeling more tired than if you slept on your back or on your side.
This is because this position puts pressure on the ribs, making breathing a little harder, as well as putting your spine out of alignment.
This can lead to aches and pains in the morning, or even waking up during the night which might seriously impact your sleep quality.
If you can’t help sleeping on your front, make sure your mattress is firm and comfortable to give you the best support you can get.
We’re all different, and it takes time to figure out what works for you.
Even though no sleeping position alone will make you lose weight, improving your sleep quality will lead to a better chance of you sticking to your health and weight loss plan.
How do I lose weight from a sleeping position?
Finding which position works for you is fundamental.
Picking a position that helps you feel well-rested, without any aches, is the key to a good night’s sleep and good progress in your weight-loss journey.
When you find what works for you, you’ll notice a boost in your sleep quality, and you’ll feel more energized.
This means you will be better equipped to face the day, as well as ready to stick to your diet plan and avoid unhealthy food choices.
Check out our tips to create a healthy bedtime routine to supercharge your sleep quality and get you moving towards your fitness goals.
And If you need an extra hand, Miboko tracks the way your body reacts to food and gives you personalized advice on how to manage your diet, build healthy habits and smash your weight loss goals.
