A poor night's sleep can leave you walking around like a zombie the next day, feeling grumpy, unable to concentrate or physically exhausted. Make sure your sleeping posture isn't keeping you awake at night.

Lying on Side or Foetus Position
Lying on your side can take a variety of forms. Some people lie with their knees slightly bent and rest both arms by their side, or stretch them out in front. Others may adopt the foetus position where their knees are bent high, at a right angle to the body.

Care should be taken when lying on the side, especially if the mattress is soft or if you have an hourglass figure. Sinking into the bed may cause an asymmetrical strain to the lower back. In extreme cases, unnecessary pressure to the hip could lead to bursitis – inflammation of the sack of fluid on the side of the hip – particularly if you are overweight.

Midline Position
Some people will only feel comfortable sleeping in one position, others choose to sleep in a variety of postures.

Whichever position is preferred, chartered physiotherapists recommend keeping the body in the midline. This means maintaining the natural curves of the spinal structure to minimise stresses and strains.

Lying on Your Side in the Midline Position
Chartered physiotherapists understand that each individual will vary. Lying on either side can help the structures of the back – discs, muscles and ligaments – adopt an optimal position.

To achieve the midline position, a pillow placed between bent knees could help support the hips. If you have a very soft bed, or an hourglass figure, pillows can be placed under the waist/side of the body to support your midriff and back. Increase or decrease the number of pillows.

Lying on Your Front
This position has the potential to cause the most problems.

To minimise the risks, be sure to keep the neck as near to the midline as possible – don't bend the neck too far forward, backward or twisted to one side.
If you must sleep in this position:

-- Try to sleep with a shoulder slightly back or place a pillow under the chest to ensure the neck is in the correct position.
-- If possible, adopt a quarter turn by slightly raising one side of your body and placing a pillow under your belly to support you in this position.
-- Note carefully that if your bed is too soft, you may put an asymmetrical strain on your spine.

Adopting the Front Position
Some people lie on their front with arms by their sides or wrapped around the pillow. Others place their hands around the pillow and turn their head to one side. Physios tend to avoid encouraging this posture because the sleeper is more likely to move out of the midline position and sustain an asymmetrical strain to the neck.

Sleeping on the Back
Lying on the back can take two main forms – your arms are pinned to your sides or they are up around the pillow. If the legs are kept straight, causing the back to arch, this may lead to unnecessary strain on the structures of the lower back.

Tips for Lying on Your Back
-- Place pillows under your knees to off-load the lower back.
-- Make sure there are enough pillows to support the neck and head in the midline position, thereby preventing the head and neck from tilting forward or back.

Getting Out of Bed
People are at their most vulnerable after a night’s sleep because the spinal discs are full of fluid.
Avoid any strenuous exercises first thing in the morning.
When getting out of bed, roll on to your side, bend your knees, push hands to raise yourself up and lower your legs over the side of the bed. This will help protect your back.