Certainly, there’s more to sleeping than just lying on your bed and finding some rest.[1]
In fact, not many people know that their sleeping styles have deeper meanings and affect their quality of sleep and health.
If you’re the starfish sleeping position person, here are interesting things about your sleeping style:
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What is the Starfish Sleeping Position?
Before you get to know more about the sleeping style, it’s good you know the basics about it.
The starfish sleeping position is when you sleep on your back with your arms placed near your head.
Personality Associated with the Starfish Sleeping Position
It’s interesting to discover that one’s sleeping position tells much about their personality.
If you sleep in the starfish position, there are personality traits you must have noticed with you.[2]
The association between sleeping styles and personality has been a subject of discussion for a while now, and the arguments have been interesting.
Here are the personality traits of a person who assumes this sleeping position:
Good listener
Are you a good listener?
If you sleep on your back with your arms raised near your head, you are highly likely to be a good listener.
People who prefer this sleeping position are good with conversations because of their ability to listen keenly.
They don’t talk a lot.
Much of what they do when engaging in conversations is giving an ear to those they speak with.
Staying away from the limelight
People who assume the starfish sleeping position don’t like attracting attention.
They prefer to be in the background as the loudest people in the room take all the limelight.
Perhaps this is why they are good listeners.
Make friends easily
It’s because of the above-mentioned traits that people with this sleeping position make friends easily.
Any person will want to have a friend who listens to them when they need or when they’re in a conversation.
Also, they’re always quick to offer a helping hand whenever someone is in need.
Carefree
Something else that stands out for people with the starfish sleeping style is that they are carefree individuals who thrive in minding their own business.
They don’t like getting involved in the affairs of other people.
For them, what they have on their plate is enough.
Independence
They are independent people.
They would rather be in their own world rather than bringing many people along.
That’s why they prefer having a few friends who know what loyalty is all about.
If you find yourself assuming the starfish sleeping position, chances are high that you have the described personality traits.
It is fascinating to know that the way you sleep tells so much about the person you are.
The Advantages of the Starfish Sleeping Position
Improvement of facial skin condition
One of the benefits of this sleeping position is that it prevents bacteria that affect the face.
Pillows collect a high amount of bacteria, and that is why dermatologists advise on frequent changes of their covers.
If your face rubs against a pillowcase that’s full of germs, the likely result is infections on your skin.
Therefore, the starfish sleeping position helps to deal with this problem because the face doesn’t come into contact with a pillow.
Since you sleep facing up, you prevent your facial skin from contacting bacteria from your pillows.
Your chances of acne breakouts are significantly reduced by assuming this sleeping position.
Prevents wrinkle development
The starfish sleeping position goes a long way to reduce the development of wrinkles.
If you sleep in this position, you don’t have to worry about wrinkles.
A healthy spine
The health of your spine is essential.
Not many people know that their sleeping position affects their spines.
The good news to those who sleep in the starfish sleeping position is that their spine remains aligned in the right position.
Something important to look out for when sleeping in the starfish position is that there is no gap between the lower back and the mattress.
People who sleep in a normal back sleeping position can place a pillow below their knees to reduce the gap between their lower back and the mattress.
But when you sleep in the starfish position, you spread your legs wide, so you can’t place a pillow below the knees.
Therefore, you should check if there is a gap in the lower back.
More details about the connection of starfish position and back pain in a minute.
The health of your heart
Many people have concerns about the health of their hearts.
Thankfully, sleeping in the starfish sleeping position helps to reduce the pressure on the heart.
When the pressure on your heart is reduced, you increase your chances of living a healthy life.
Disadvantages of the Starfish Sleeping Position
There are disadvantages of this sleeping position you should be aware of.
One of the disadvantages is that it has a higher likelihood of causing snoring.
As you probably know already, snoring can be problematic, especially if you’re a couple or you sleep in the company of other people.
Many people don’t like the sound of snoring.
They find it irritating to a large extent.
If you’re a starfish sleeper, the likelihood of you snoring is high.
Something else that can be problematic to you as a starfish sleeper is back pain.
You’re likely to develop back pain if this is the position you sleep in.
Still, you can feel neck pains if you place the wrong pillow under your head.
Make sure that your head and neck are comfortable when you go to bed.
In addition, you can ask someone to take a picture of you lying down on the pillow and see if the head is falling download or pushed upward excessively.
How Do You Make the Most Out of this Position?
Based on the disadvantages of this sleeping position, you should put in mind things to get the most out of it.
As you take note of the issues, you’ll be maximizing the advantages associated with it and, in the long run, improve your sleep and health.
Avoiding neck and shoulder pain
If you’re a starfish sleeper, it’s also imperative to take care of your neck and shoulder when going to sleep.
Ensure that you give your neck the best support possible to avoid neck pains.
The best and most effective way of achieving this is ensuring that there’s a pillow filling the space between your neck and mattress.
If the pillow you’re using doesn’t fit as it should, you can opt for a rolled towel.
Put it under your neck. It will do just fine and give you the support you need to sleep well.
Stopping snoring
Snoring is the most pronounced disadvantage of the starfish sleeping position.
Actually, for most people, it overshadows the many advantages associated with this sleeping position.
So, how do you stop or prevent snoring?
There are lifestyle changes you need to adopt to prevent snoring whenever you sleep in this position.
Here are some of the changes you have to practice to get the most out of starfish sleeping style:
- Avoid drinking alcohol before your sleeping time
- Take enough rest
- Stop smoking
- Maintain the right weight
Here are things you should do before you get to sleep to improve the quality of your sleep:
- Take medicine to treat any allergies you might be having
- Ensure that the head of your bed is raised to a comfortable level
- Consider using nasal strips
Is the Starfish Sleeping Position Good for Babies?
Most parents, especially first-timers, are worried about the sleeping position of their babies.
One of the questions that mothers ask about their children is whether the starfish sleeping position is good for their children or not.
The truth of the matter is that it is a safe sleeping position with valuable benefits for babies.
You don’t need to force your baby to sleep in this position, but you do need to place him/her on the back for sleeping.
Here are amazing benefits of this sleeping position for babies:
Boosting of a baby’s intake of oxygen
Babies who sleep in the starfish position allow enough intake of oxygen into their system.
They have an adequate supply of oxygen throughout their body the entire night.
The good thing about this position is that it doesn’t restrict oxygen flow when the baby is asleep.
It is during the night that your baby’s vital organs grow.
Therefore, as long as oxygen flows adequately, nothing will hinder the organs from growing as they should.
Allow your baby to sleep on his/her back, and you’ll boost the intake of oxygen in their body.
Prevention of suffocation
As you know very well, babies are prone to suffocation, and one of the contributors to this is letting them sleep in particular sleeping positions.
For example, if they sleep on their sides, there’s a likelihood of rolling over and blocking their noses with beddings.
Other sleeping positions can prevent the supply of oxygen, which leads to suffocation.
Thankfully, you can allow them to sleep on their back to prevent to reduce the risk of suffocation.
With this position, the passage of oxygen is not prohibited.
There’s sufficient oxygen flowing into the system of your baby, thus reducing the chances of suffocation.
Uninterrupted sleep
The starfish position is comfortable for your baby.
They don’t have interruptions when they sleep in this position, thus giving them high-quality sleep.
Since sleep is important for babies, this sleeping position allows them to sleep for longer durations than other sleeping positions.
Remember, the quality of sleep that babies get has a huge impact on their health.
If they’re able to sleep uninterrupted and get enough rest, their health improves.
Another benefit associated with this is that you’ll be able to concentrate on other duties as your baby sleeps.
The attention that babies require when they are awake is a lot.
So, if they can manage to sleep, it will be a big advantage to you.
Less pressure on muscles
Another good thing with the starfish sleeping position for babies is that it reduces the degree of pressure on their muscles.
The baby is less likely to complain or start crying because of muscle pains.
This sleeping position allows them to relax their muscles.
As a result, they can sleep for longer durations without waking up in pain and give you time to attend to other duties.
Prevents falling
If your child sleeps in the starfish position, they have a reduced probability of falling.
Particularly if your baby doesn’t know how to turn carefully, the sleeping position goes a long way to prevent falling.
Other sleeping positions increase the chances of babies falling.
If they feel any muscle strain or pain from other sleeping positions, they will turn and could fall.
It’s a great thing if your child sleeps in this position, it will prevent some casualties resulting from falls.
Final Words…
The starfish sleeping position is not conventional, but it has benefits for those who sleep in it.
Just like any other sleeping position, it has advantages and disadvantages.
The most important thing is to know how to reduce the effects of the sleeping position and make the most out of it.
Generally, it is a safe sleeping position for both adults and children.
All you need to do is ensure that you have a firm mattress and good support for your back, neck, and head.
