To help you avoid health problems like diabetes, dementia, heart disease, and obesity, doctors have a simple solution – snooze longer. A definition of good night’s sleep is staying pleasantly unconscious for eight hours straight and aligning your circadian rhythm with the movement of stars.

But there’s another thing you must take into account, and that’s your sleep position.

Whether you sleep on your stomach, side, or back matters more than you think.

If you want to improve the quality of your sleep, read on…

For Loud Snoring & Sleep Apnea: Stomach Sleeping

They may be fragile and clueless, but babies can actually teach us a thing or two about sleeping. You’ll never see a baby with its belly against the mattress simply because stomach sleeping is not a natural position for catching some Z’s. As such, it can hurt your spine and trigger lower back pain.

But there’s still something that stomach sleeping is good for.

If you’re dealing with respiratory problems like snoring or sleep apnea, then stomach sleeping may actually help you. Laying with your face down on a pillow keeps the upper airways more open.

For Nervous Stomachs & Baby Bumps: Side Sleeping

While stomach sleeping is widely considered as bad for your spine, side sleeping (which includes the fetal position) has been described as the second-best option. This means that turning your flank to the mattress might still get you a good night’s sleep, but it may be uncomfortable for one side of your face and your body.

Apart from this one con, side sleeping boasts amazing benefits for your overall health. It’s great for reducing snoring, but also can potentially reduce acid reflux and prevent neck and back pain. According to sleep experts, pregnant ladies should snooze on their left side because this position improves circulation to the heart.

For Your Spine’s Sake & Perfect Skin: Back Sleeping

If side sleeping’s not ideal, then what is?

Experts say that hitting the sack with your back down and face up is the most natural and hence the healthiest position for getting some much-needed rest during the night. Its benefits overlap with those of side sleeping but without the uncomfortableness.

There is one tiny problem with this position, though:

Unfortunately, back sleeping cannot eliminate snoring. Now, this may not be such a bad thing for your physical health, but it will certainly cause some emotional headaches in the morning. If you’re sleeping alone, then snore away. If not, then you might wake up to an upset partner.

That said, the best sleep position is the one that makes you the most comfortable. The entire point of a good night’s sleep is to rise and shine revived and ready for another day, so feel free to experiment.

If you’re looking for the perfect comfortable bed to test out some new sleep positions in then check out Live and Sleep’s endless selection of luxury mattresses. You’re sure to find the perfect fit to ensure a sound night’s sleep.