Does your sleeping position really say anything about your mental health?

SOh, are you a flamingo or a climber? Well… let’s go back.

If you’ve ever tossed and turned after a stressful day, you know that emotions can affect your sleep. But what about how you sleep? Lately, TikTok has been flooded with FYPs claiming that your sleeping position (this is where all the flamingos come in) can reflect the state of your nervous system or underlying mental health. TikTok experts will easily convince you that your sleeping position is a crystal ball of your mental health and can diagnose various disorders and conditions. But is it really that simple? This may seem obvious, but it’s actually not.

“There are some unique effects that mental health issues have on sleep,” says Dr. Jennifer Martin, a clinical psychologist, adjunct professor at the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine, and director of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. . “In fact, if you look at the diagnostic criteria for mental health problems, sleep deprivation is almost always on the list. So if your mood is out of your normal range, you tend to have trouble sleeping as well. The most common are , making it difficult to sleep.”

Even when we feel stressed and end up in the sack, our bodies are likely throbbing with cortisol. Cortisol is the hormone responsible for our fight-or-flight response, explains Shelby Harris, Sleep Health Director, Clinical Psychologist, and Psychologist at Sleepopolis. “Women’s Guide to Overcoming Insomnia”

So while cortisol hits your bloodstream like a Ticketmaster concert-goer, melatonin (no, not the over-the-counter kind) has a hard time doing its job. The purpose of melatonin is to help you get quality sleep, Artie Glover, MD, medical director of the Sleep Center at Tufts Medical Center, told Well+Good. To add insult to injury, not getting the rest you need puts your body under even more stress.

But what does this have to do with your sleeping position? Below, we’ll explain how legitimate these TikTok claims are, how to calm down before you wake up, and how to deal with lingering sleep issues. Find out when to seek professional help.

What your sleeping position says about your mental health

So, you’re having a bad night’s sleep and your neck hurts because you’re sleeping in a weird way. Should I be worried? Probably not. In fact, Dr. Martin says it’s common for all of us to sleep badly from time to time. But depending on your lifestyle, she continues, you may experience more sleep issues, such as if you’re a new parent or a college student staying up all night before a midterm exam.

But the jury is still out on whether your sleeping position is a sign of an underlying mental health condition. Some early research published in the Journal of Ambient Intelligence and Humanized Computing suggests a potential link between dementia and Alzheimer’s disease and people who primarily sleep on their stomachs or backs. This is because the brain has to work long hours in such a position to remove problematic proteins. It can accumulate and in some cases affect cognition (or thinking and processing skills). However, the same study states that poor brain health can lead to mental health conditions such as depression, not the other way around. On the other hand, other symptoms such as sleep apnea and snoring occur most often when you sleep on your back. This can affect poor sleep quality and lead to changes in mental health.

But despite countless TikToks suggesting tyrannosaurus arms deal with nervous system eavesdropping, research confirms sleeping position may be linked to certain mental health concerns This still requires detailed research. “We haven’t found any solid science to suggest that sleep position can in any way predict a person’s personality, overall mood, or health,” Dr. Martin says.

“The idea that stress controls sleep posture is not supported by science,” agrees Dr. Harris. “While stress may cause you to toss and turn more, there is no evidence that anxiety or stress causes you to sleep in a particular position. When it comes to getting a good night’s sleep, your mental state is more important than your physical sleep habits. physical health plays a bigger role.”

Although collecting, analyzing, and reporting solid scientific research can take time, Dr. Martin and Dr. Harris say that anecdotal research on the subject may exist and needs to be further developed. There is.

“Sleeping in the fetal position has been associated with people having anxiety and needing comfort,” says Dr. Grover. However, it’s important to note that “having anxiety” may be different from being diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder or other anxiety-related illnesses. “According to the National Sleep Foundation, research shows that people who sleep on their backs are more likely to have nightmares, and this position may also be associated with sleep apnea.”

What further clouds the validity of these TikToks is that sleeping position can be influenced by a variety of factors unrelated to mental health. “Sleeping position may be influenced by comfort, body pain, or long-standing habits. For example, people with lower back pain may sleep on their side or back to relieve discomfort.” says Dr. Harris. Our experts also note that pregnant people often sleep on their sides to accommodate their growing bellies.

However, if you notice a change in your mental health while sleeping in a new position, talk to your doctor or mental health professional to understand what’s going on and how to best deal with it. will help you.

How to relax your nervous system before bed

Regardless of your sleeping position, there are several things you can try to improve the quality of your sleep. First, avoid drinking caffeinated drinks before bed. “Avoid caffeine 6 to 8 hours before bedtime,” recommends Dr. Grover. Caffeine is a stimulant and can keep your nervous system alert.

And while putting away your devices can help, so can launching a meditation app with sleep-specific sessions. “Focusing on the present moment through meditation can help you take your mind off things that are stressing you out, and help you feel better.Regularly practicing mindfulness has been shown to improve your sleep over time. ,” says Dr. Harris.

If you’re not subscribed to the app or don’t like it, try some deep breathing techniques, continues Dr. Harris. “Taking slow, deep breaths helps calm your nervous system,” she says. “It sends a signal to your body that it’s safe to relax. Practicing breathing techniques will slow your heart rate and help you fall asleep faster.”

Finally, make your bedroom an oasis for sleep. “A comfortable room temperature, bedding and pillows are essential,” says Dr. Grover. According to the Sleep Foundation, the optimal sleep temperature ranges from 65 degrees Fahrenheit to 68 degrees Fahrenheit.

conclusion

Dr. Martin reiterates that it’s typical to toss and turn at night. However, if this happens more frequently, it may be time to contact your provider. “A rule of thumb I often use with people is if it happens too often and you can’t recover from the last (bad night’s sleep), it’s a problem,” she says. “Clinically, if you have trouble sleeping more than three times a week, you have insomnia that itself requires treatment.”

Life goes by so quickly that it can be difficult to keep track of exactly how many nights of sleep you’ve lost. Dr. Harris says if you’re trying to address your sleep issues and still have trouble achieving a satisfying night’s sleep, you may want to talk to your health care provider or seek a referral to a sleep specialist. He added that there was no. So what about climbing flamingos? “Although there’s no real link between sleep position and stress, bad sleep shouldn’t always be ignored,” explains Dr. Harris.