Each person has their own preferences when it comes to sleeping positions. For example, 47% of people sleep curled up on their side in the fetal position called side sleepers. There are plenty of back-sleepers and stomach-sleepers as well.

Today, we'll focus on side sleepers and whether or not a weighted blanket may help you get a good night's sleep in this position. While a weighted blanket is ideal for resting on your back, you might be wondering if you can use one on your side as well.

Side sleepers, it turns out, can still get a decent night's sleep with the help of a weighted blanket. We'll go over some weighted blanket guidelines and other helpful hints for side sleeper.

The Pros and Cons of Side Sleeping

Side sleeping has various advantages, but there are a few disadvantages if you aren't attentive.

Surprisingly, the left side is often regarded as the ideal sleeping position. Sleeping on your right side can actually cause heartburn, especially in people who have acid reflux and pregnant women. This condition is alleviated by sleeping on your left side, which also improves general gut health. When you sleep on your left side, gravity's natural effect on your organs will aid digestion.

Sleeping on one's side has also been shown to help with sleep apnea and snoring. The breathing airways collapse and obstruct the flow of oxygen during sleep apnea.

This can lead you to wake up numerous times every hour, gasping for air as your brain assists you in resuming breathing. It can also lead you to snore loudly when your throat narrows, waking up your companion. Sleeping on your side improves airway stability and lowers the risk of snoring and sleep apnea.

Sleeping on your side might help relieve pain in the lower back and joints if your body is appropriately positioned.

Side sleeping and back discomfort, on the other hand, have a thorny relationship. Sleeping on your side might aggravate lower back discomfort if your spine is out of alignment. In addition, sleeping on your side might cause neck and shoulder pain. Because the shoulder on the side you're sleeping on collapses toward your neck, this happens. It can be difficult to get the correct balance so that you don't wake up sore and aching.

How Weighted blankets Can Help Side sleepers

Side sleepers who have problems falling and staying asleep may benefit from weighted blanket. Here's how weighted blankets can improve anyone's sleep, regardless of their favorite sleeping position: 

1. Reduce Anxiety

Anxiety can interfere with your sleep in a number of ways. It can not only prevent you from falling asleep, but it can also cut down on the amount of time you spend in deep sleep. Weighted blanket provide deep touch pressure stimulation, which has a relaxing impact on the body and helps you sleep better by reducing nervous thoughts. 

2. Increase the brain's levels of sleep chemicals

Cuddling with your partner for as little as 10 minutes before going to bed can cause your body to generate Oxytocin, sometimes known as the "love hormone." This hormone can also help you sleep better by making it simpler to relax and lowering stress levels naturally. A weighted blanket evokes the feeling of being cuddled to help you relax. 

3. Relieve restlessness

Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS) is a nervous system problem that often worsens while you're sleeping. It can have a significant impact on your sleep cycle, resulting in a lack of deep sleep. You can minimize the feeling of restless legs by utilizing weighted blanket to induce counter-stimulation. Furthermore, other research suggests that RLS may be caused by elevated anxiety levels, which is something that weighted blanket are known to aid with. 

4. Falling Asleep Quicker                 

Weighted blanket of good quality can add a lot of comfort. Deep pressure stimulation's relaxing effect, which reduces anxiety and restlessness while increasing sleep hormones in the brain, will naturally make you feel more comfortable, allowing you to fall asleep sooner.

Getting the correct weighted blanket for your body type and sleeping habit is the key to reaping these benefits. Many individuals understand the importance of buying the correct size and weight based on the manufacturer's designations on the box or product specifics. Fewer people are aware, however, that their sleeping position is crucial.

4 Benefits of a Weighted Blanket for Side sleepers 

A weighted blanket is a must-have addition to your sleep arsenal if you're a side sleeper in desperate need of better sleep. But why is that?

The advantages of weighted blankets will speak for themselves: 

1. 1. Promotes a more restful night's sleep

Melatonin, the hormone responsible for synchronizing your circadian clock and regulating your sleep-wake cycle, is thought to be increased by the deep touch pressure provided by weighted. This could help you have a better night's sleep by improving your sleep quality. 

2. Instills a sense of tranquility

When your parasympathetic nervous system activates, "happy hormones" like serotonin and dopamine are released, helping you feel peaceful and content. There's also a psychological benefit: enveloping yourself in a weighted blanket provides a sensation of security and comfort, which can help you relax. 

3. It might help with morning aches and pains.

The fetal position is preferred by most side sleepers, although some experts advise that sleeping curled up in a tight ball all night can cause muscle tightness and back pain in the morning. What is the solution? Using a weighted blanket to sleep. Weighted blankets are designed to relieve stress and muscular tension, allowing you to sleep in a more comfortable (and healthy) position. 

4. Helps you sleep better by reducing tossing and turning.

A weighted blanket might be a useful sleep aid if you're learning to sleep on your back or side. Weighted blankets gradually push your body downward, making it less likely that you will return to your preferred sleeping position. Many people use a weighted blanket to aid with restless leg syndrome for the same reason.

How do Weighted Blankets work

Deep touch pressure stimulation, a scientifically-proven approach, is used in weighted blankets to assist your body to adjust from its sympathetic nervous system (which controls the fight-or-flight response) to its parasympathetic nervous system (the system responsible for the rest-and-digest response). When your parasympathetic nervous system kicks in, your respiration and heart rate calm down, your muscles relax, and you feel less agitated. The end result is usually a calmer, more restful night's sleep.