Changing sleep positions during sleep is absolutely normal. We move, turn and spin as many as 40 to 50 times a night, but is turning a lot in your sleep normal? As you get older, that intensity decreases. Under normal circumstances, you notice little or nothing yourself. So you don’t have much impact on it because you are sleeping.
And that’s the difference with tossing and turning, because most of the time you don’t sleep or sleep only very lightly. Wobbling in bed not only disrupts your bed partner’s sleep, it also affects you. Often tossing and brooding go hand in hand. Stress from your work or problems in your personal life are running through your head so you literally can’t find your bearings.
Eating and drinking before bedtime
Did you eat late and still have something on your stomach? Or is that amount of caffeine from that last glass of Coke, cup of tea or coffee getting in the way of your sleep? Then, too, you turn in bed because you can’t catch sleep. Just like you have trouble falling asleep after an intense sports workout late at night. In those cases, it is better to just get back up and relax quietly until fatigue sets in again.
A mattress that is too hard or a poor sleeping position can bother you during sleep. Sleeping too hard can restrict your blood circulation or cause oppressive pain, causing you to roll from one side to the other.
What is a good sleeping position for me?
We know by now that during sleep we frequently change positions and often adopt intermediate postures. We have little control over this. How we fall asleep we do consciously determine ourselves.
Often you already have a preference and will look for that sleeping position yourself going into the night. Physical therapists (physiotherapists) and scientists active in the study of human ergonomics prefer supine as the sleeping position. However, as for everything in this world almost, there is something to be said for every sleeping position. Let’s quickly go over the different attitudes:
1. Sleeping on your back
Ergonomically, this sleeping position is the most restful for a healthy body. At least that is what many physical therapists (or physiotherapists) and sleep scientists claim. In fact, for babies, supine lying is strictly recommended in the first few months to reduce the risk of crib death. Want to know more about that? Then read the article: What to do when your baby is not sleeping?
There is also a downside because people who snore during the night will have noticed that supine is not ideal. This position is also not recommended for people with sleep apnea.
2. Sleeping on your side
Do you suffer from sleep apnea or are you a talented snorer? Then side-lying is the ideal sleeping position. Also, if you are awake with lower back pain, it is better to fall asleep on your side. When you assume the pose, stretch your body sufficiently. Avoid a fetal position that is too curled up; this allows your back to relax from tailbone to neck.
Choose a medium to soft mattress if side lying is your favorite sleeping position. This way you avoid pressure spots and pinched blood vessels, especially at the level of your shoulders and hips.
3. Sleeping on your stomach
Somewhere I once read about a study that concluded that only a very small percentage of the total number of stomach sleepers are really notorious stomach sleepers. Often, as infants and toddlers, they can hardly be changed from this position.
There would, according to those conscious researchers, be a link to the basic flight and freeze response. By turning away from the outside world, these belly sleepers seem to find peace within themselves. Nice story, right?
Most of the group of stomach sleepers often simply chose a mattress that was too hard. Sleeping is also a habit and so your body is going to adapt to that habit. They often move their legs a lot, from an intermediate position with the leg raised on the left to one on the right. The pressure on the lower back becomes high and your body anticipates. It often does come at the expense of your sleep quality because your sleep phases are interrupted each time.
The fact is that your back and neck vertebrae will have a pretty hard time in this sleeping position. Best to opt for a lower or even no pillow if you do sleep on your stomach.
Problematic excessive exercise or restless legs
When movement becomes problematic, there may be a sleep problem, better known as Restless Legs Syndrome (RBS, or Restless Legs Syndrome RLS). How can you know this?
- Your legs regularly feel annoying or restless?
- It cheers you up when your legs move?
- When you sit the feeling increases?
- It feels exactly more intense during the evening or night?
If you find yourself nodding along regularly and recognize yourself, be sure to contact your primary care physician. If you don’t sleep alone, then your bed partner has probably already told you that you move around a lot. RLS is hereditary and can be treated with medication. These drugs are also used for people with Parkinson’s disease.
Frequently asked questions about turning in your sleep:
Wat betekent het als je veel draait in je slaap?
Turning a lot in your sleep can indicate stress or restless sleep. However, it is common to do dozens of moves a night. This stimulates blood circulation. Excessive turning and tossing in your sleep may indicate RBS (Restless Legs Syndrome).
Hoe voorkom je draaien in bed?
Prevent turning in your sleep by properly adjusting your bed to your position. That way you don’t turn unwanted by gravity. This often results in a body reaction as well, causing you to move more and sleep more restlessly.
Wat te doen tegen veel bewegen in slaap?
Maintain low stress levels before bedtime and pay attention to what you consume before crawling under the covers. Moving around in your sleep is perfectly normal. Excessive exercise requires you to readjust your bed, improve your evening routine and adjust your diet.
Is turning a lot in your sleep normal – conclusion
Turning a lot in your sleep is normal, but tossing and turning in bed can indicate stress, poor digestion or the wrong mattress.
Your sleep position can also affect your health and sleep quality. The best sleeping position depends on your personal preference, but some positions have more advantages or disadvantages than others.
If you have problematic exercise or restless legs, it may indicate a sleep disorder that requires treatment.
