Supine Position

When you sleep at night, how do you sleep? In other words, what is the position, when you sleep? Do you sleep on your sides or do you sleep with your face down or with your face facing the sky? Most of us will find it difficult to answer these questions. Each of us have a different sleeping position. We rarely do pay attention to the way we sleep, unless it is required. Many times it is also possible, that we are fast asleep and we are not able to make a mental note of the way we sleep. Well one of the positions in which we sleep is the supine position.

What is Supine Position?

When one has to undergo a surgery, a very commonly asked question is how will they be positioned on the surgical table. Depending on the part of the body to be operated a person can be placed in different lying positions. Lying position is where the body is more or less in a horizontal position, where the entire body is supported by the surface below. The most common position used for surgery is the supine position.

The supine position for surgery or while sleeping is the one, where the person lies flat on his back. This is almost a flat position. When one sleeps the person may use a pillow under their neck, due to which the neck will be placed on an elevation. The prone position is the opposite of the supine position. In the prone position, the person is lying face down. The prone position is not only used while sleeping, but it is also used during surgery, by soldiers, for competitive shooting, etc. The prone position is considered to be more stable, as the ground below the person is able to lend more stability to the person.

There is a variation of the supine position. In this position, the person lies on his back, but the legs are bent at the knees and the feet are placed on the floor. Some people are comfortable, when they place their feet on the floor. This position is often used when the woman is in labor or also for pelvic examination. It is also known as dorsal recumbent position. The other variation of the supine position is to place the hand below the neck. In this position the legs can either be extended or they can be bent at the knee and the feet placed on the floor.

Lying in the supine position during the second and the third trimester is not recommended. It may restrict or affect flow of blood to the baby. As the baby grows, the uterus becomes heavy and in the supine position, a lot of pressure is placed on the major blood vessel.

Sleeping in the supine position helps in reducing strain on the spine. Sleeping in this position helps to strengthen weak muscle in the back and alleviates back pain. When one sleeps in a supine position, the effects of gravity are reduced considerably. Sleeping in supine position is often said to be the best position to sleep in, since the spine is well aligned in this position. For some people sleeping in the supine position without a pillow can be uncomfortable, as it strains the neck. If you have a problem sleeping in supine position, refer to Buzzle article, how to sleep on your back. There are people, who sleep in the supine position, but place their hand below their neck, so as the neck is well supported. If you suffer from any back problems, it is better to consult your health care professional, before you use this position to sleep.