Sleep posture: sleeping on your back

Supine sleeping (on your back)

Biggest problem areas I see here are with the neck, and the knees.


NECK

You want your neck in a straight line.

With too much cushion under your head, you're stretching the back of your neck. Too much of our lives are spent hunched forward - over a book, over a phone, at a desk... It's important to give your neck a break.

A small pillow that fills the space between your neck and the bed is ideal. If you can see your feet, your pillow is probably too big.


KNEES

For most of us, lying on our back on a flat surface is actually putting our knee in a state of hyperextension (locked knees, at the end point of unbending one's knee). To put the most ease into the joint, we want the knees in a little bit of flexion (bent).Even just a five degree bend is better for your knees. This is especially important for those of us with knee issues.

Lastly, if sleeping on your back creates low back pain, consider (small) pillow support in the small of your back.