What are the benefits of sleeping with a pillow between the legs?
More than 4 out of 10 French people report having sleep disorders (1) , whether it is insomnia , difficulty falling asleep or waking up at night. Several factors can cause this poor quality of sleep: stress , poor diet, irregular schedules, or even conditions that are not conducive to sleep ( blue light , noise, temperature). Among which, the position adopted. It is also advisable to sleep with a cushion between the legs. But what are the advantages of this pose?
Why sleep with a cushion between the legs?
Sleep is one of the essential organic functions. When we sleep, the body indeed begins a process of regeneration necessary for its health. Thus, during the night, takes place:
- Cellular renewal – rebuilding body cells and eliminating cellular waste.
- Hormonal stimulation – secretion of insulin, prolactin and testosterone, growth hormones, regulation of ghrelin and leptin levels …
- Cerebral regulation – learning, memorization, mood regulation, “purge” of information…
- Immune work – boosting immunity .
Thus, when waking up, the body and mind are supposed to be rested and ready to face a new day. However, sometimes sleep is not as restorative as expected: this happens when the sleeping posture is poorly adapted. Thus waking up is accompanied by skeletal and/or tendon pain, these having direct repercussions on mood and vitality.
The position in which we sleep is essential in our propensity to feel rested, because it must involve a minimum of tension in the skeleton. The key to a good night’s sleep is to keep the spine in the most neutral position possible, without tension. Sleeping with a pillow between the legs keeps the spine in its most natural posture – an S-curve, which provides balance and stability to the human body. So we sleep better .
What are the benefits of placing a pillow between your legs?
Sleeping with a pillow between your legs first means sleeping on your side. Also, if you are more used to sleeping on your back or on your stomach, the posture may seem complicated to adopt, because “against nature”. However, be aware that sleeping on your side (without curling up too much – fetal position), by inserting a cushion between your legs and knees, allows you to:
- Maintain the back, pelvis and pelvic floor in a natural and restful axis.
- Relieve the pressure from one knee to the other, as well as the tension on the hip . Also, people suffering from knee conditions (gonarthrosis, gonalgia, meniscus problem, etc.) or hip conditions (CFA, coxarthrosis, coxopathy, etc.) will be relieved of their pain.
- Soothe pain in the back, buttocks and/or legs. Thus, people suffering from sciatica, lumbar disc disease or lumbago will benefit from the posture.
- Pregnant women are advised to sleep on their side, with a cushion between their legs. The left side is to be preferred, because the posture helps to promote blood circulation. The vena cava is well freed, the aorta is not compressed. Thus, the placental circulation is fluid.
- People prone to snoring, sleep apnea or gastric disorders (such as gastroesophageal reflux disease) will benefit from sleeping on their side. Placing a cushion between their legs will allow them better stability of the thorax. The airways will be more stable and clear.
Finally, be aware that if it is impossible for you to sleep “on the dog’s back”, and that you swear only by the position on your back, it is advisable to put a cushion under your knees. Thus you correct the lumbar hollow that is created when you are lying down. The muscles, tendons and nerves of the lower back will be relieved.
What type of cushion to place between his legs, for a good night?
You will have understood: the purpose of sleeping with a pillow between the legs is above all to absorb the weight of one part of the body on the other and to restore balance. Also, it is important to choose your cushion carefully, so that it fully plays this role of shock absorber. It should therefore be:
- Firm enough – if too soft it won’t prevent hip and knee sagging, but if too firm it will create other pressure points on the body.
- Quite bulky – if it is too flat, it will not compensate for the inter-leg imbalance.
- Classic or ergonomic – it is entirely possible to use a “classic” pillow, as long as it meets the criteria above. But it is also possible to adopt a special cushion, ergonomic, dedicated to the specific use of knee support. Finally, it is also possible to opt for a bolster, placed along its length, from the crotch to the ankle.
And for the head?
Finally, know that the pillow you use to support your head is just as important as the one you use between your legs. Your cushion must indeed maintain a head-neck-column balance, without creating breakage or tension on this axis.
- If you are small and/or light, it is better to choose a soft pillow. People of average build will prefer a semi-firm support. Finally, we advise people of large build and / or large build a cushion of strong support, very firm.
- If you have recurring neck and/or shoulder problems, it is better to opt for a memory foam and/or ergonomic pillow.
- Sleeping on the side requires a fairly thick pillow, which will fill the space between the neck and the mattress.
- Sleeping on your back involves a large pillow, which must fully accommodate your head and neck.
Stephen Paul is the lead author and founder of My Health Sponsor. Holder of a diploma in health and well-being coaching with more than 200 articles in the field of health, he makes it a point of honor to offer advice based on reliable information, based on scientific research, and verified by health professionals.