BBC Pidgin of Monday, 21 August 2023

Source: BBC

Wetin be di best sleeping position?

Hoton alama Hoton alama

Studies of many pipo from sailors for cargo ships to welders for Nigeria fit help us ansa di question although e dey one kain say very few large scale studies dem don do on sleep, upon how e dey important.

First you go need find out which kain position pipo dey use sleep.

You fit ask, but pipo dey only remember di position dem dey wen dem dey try sleep, and di position dem dey wen dem wake up.

To find out more, researchers don try some methods, like recording pipo wen dem dey sleep or make dem wear technology wey go monitor dia movement,

For Hong Kong, researchers dey develop system wey go use infrared depths cameras wey fit detect di position of pesin wey dey sleep even if dem use think blanket take cover bodi.

Researchers for Denmark dey use tiny motion sensors for voluteer dia legs, backs and arms to take find dia favourite position.

Dem find out say during di times pipo dey sleep for bed, more dan half of di time dey lie down for dia side, 38% for dia backs and 7% for dia belle.

Di older dem grow, di more time dem dey sleep for dia side.

Dis sleeping tin na wetin dey come as we dey old, cos pikin dem wey don pass three years dey average around di same amount of time for dia sides, backs nad belle.

But babies dey sleep mostly for dia back because na how dem dey arrange dem for bed for safety reasons.

So, side sleeping na di most common position and we trust say majority carry di vote, but wetin science tok?

Snoring

One small scale observation study wia volunteers bin dey allowed to sleep as dem like show say pipo wey sleep for dia right side bin sleep well small pass left side sleepers, afta dem na back sleepers.

Anoda small scale study bin investigate how sailors wey dey work for cargo ship dey sleep. Dem find out say snoring bin dey more common wen di sailors use back take lie down.

Some snoring dey caused by severe obstructive sleep apnea, wia breathing dey stop and start like gen wey fuel don finish as pesin dey sleep.

Dis one dey more common for pipo wey don dey sleep again and again for dia backs.

Wen you sleep for your side e dey help clear your upper airway and dey make so your uvula (di fleshy part wey dey hang for di back of your throat) and tongue no go block your throat wey dey reduce snoring.

Infact, for some cases, wen pesin stop to dey sleep wit im back and start to sleep for side, e dey cure di sleep apnea mata pata-pata.

Side sleeping fit also get oda benefits.

For example, research for di sleep pattern of welders for cargo ships for Nigeria show say back sleepers dey get back pain pass side sleepers.

Na Personal Choice

E no mean say side sleep dey good for everybodi or fit cure all aches and pains.

E depend on wetin dey so you and how you dey sleep gan-gan.

Researchers for Western Australia monitor volunteers bedrooms for 12 hours a night wit automated cameras and find say di pipo wey wake wit stiff neck, spend more time for wetin dem call "provocative side sleeping positions."

For dis context, dis phrase mean say wen pesin sleep for dia side or twisted position, for instance, wit one thigh rolling ova di oda and di spine dey roll.

Pipo wey sleep for more upright side position and wit more support bin report less neck pain.

Wetin di study no fit ansa na weda di "provocative" position cause di neck pain or weda pipo dey sleep like dat because na di only comfortable way to sleep from neck pain.

For one study wey dem do wit old pipo for Portugal, dem ask pipo wey get back pain to sleep for dia side and those wey get neck pain to sleep for dia back.

Four weeks later, 90% of di participants say dia pains bin do reduce. But na only 20 pipo do di study so e no possible to say na dis simple solution fit cure back and neck pains.

As e dey go for science, more research dey needed.

Heartburn

For one particular medical problem, no be just to sleep for your side method dey.

Wen acid reflux dey, gastric juices dey leave di stomach to di chest.

Doctors dey sometimes tell patients to sleep wit plenti pillows so e go relieve symptoms.

If di mata kontinu, di wahala na wetin dem dey call gastroesophageal reflux disease and e fit cause major gbege.

E no clear why dey happun but one explanation na say wen pesin sleep for left side, e dey keep di link between di stomach and di esophagus so e dey above di level of di gastric acid.

But sleeping on di right go allow di gastric acid to escape.

No mata di ansa, if you get heartburn, e no fit harm you pass to try to sleep for your left side more.

Face down position

And wat about di small minority wey dey sleep face down?

First of all, one study show say no be beta idea if you get jaw pain.

And wat about wrinkles? Shey to squeeze face chook for pillow no go make am worse so?

For one journal on plastic surgery, group of surgeons explain say, facial skin dey last well if you treat am "like floating seaweed as e dey attached to di stem."

So di idea na to put di least amount of pressure for your face wen you dey sleep so e don comot belle sleep,

And if to preserve your face beta pass to deal with pain and heartburns, then you no fit sleep for your side too.

So wetin we fit use conclude fit mata?

First to sleep for your side get plenti advantage but na your specific posture get effect for neck and back pain, and di side wey you sleep fit increase or reduce heartburn.

Snoring fit increase if you sleep for your back , but e fit be your best sleeping method.

E dey worth am to try new positions and keep for diary if your current position no dey let you sleep well. But no too worry about di positions sotay e no even allow you to sleep di sleep.