Sleep Smarter: How Better Body Mechanics Can Transform Your Rest

We’ve all heard how important sleep is. But did you know how you sleep matters just as much as how long you sleep?

When most people think about body mechanics, their minds jump to the obvious: desk jobs that wreck your posture, or labor-intensive work that wears on your joints. And those are big factors - how you move or don’t move your body over the day impacts how your body holds tension and adapts - or “compensates”- to the use demand on it.

But there’s one piece of the puzzle that often gets overlooked—sleep posture.

How you store your body for the night has a major impact on how you feel in the morning. Tossing and turning? Waking up sore, stiff, or not feeling rested even after a full night’s sleep? Chances are, it’s not just the mattress or a busy mind — it’s your body mechanics while you sleep.

Let’s dive into how optimizing your sleep setup could mean waking up feeling better than you have in years.

Sleep Is One of the Four Pillars of Health

At IMS we view the the foundation of a healthy body from four key habits:

How you move it (exercise and activities of daily life)
How you fuel it (nutrition)
How you hydrate it (water)
How you store it (sleep)

Many models of health include stress management and we believe the best way to manage mental, emotional, and physical strength is by building resilliance and a toolbox to fit where you are in life. That last one—how you store your body—happens for about a third of your life. Think about it: 6–8 hours of holding the same (or slightly shifting) position while asleep. If that position isn’t serving your body well, it can cause or worsen pain, mobility issues, and even affect your energy during the day.

Why You Might Be Tossing and Turning

Many people change positions all night long—not because they’re “light sleepers” but because they’re uncomfortable. Tight muscles, sore spots, poor alignment… the body is naturally trying to escape the discomfort. But the irony is, that movement keeps you from reaching the deep, restorative stages of sleep.

Worse still, the shifting can actually cause new pain—by irritating other muscles, overstretching tissues, or locking joints in bad positions. It's a frustrating cycle.

Let’s Talk About Sleep Positions

🛌 If You’re a Back Sleeper…

Staying neutral is key. That means supporting your body so that your spine, hips, and legs are all at neutral angles without putting strain on your muscles. If you already have pain or discomfort in your back or hips, try the following suggestions:

Place a bolster or firm pillow under your knees so they’re slightly bent—around 45 degrees is a good starting point. This position helps:

Decrease tension in the quads and hip flexors (thighs)
Reduce the common forward pelvic tilt that’s aggravated by long periods of sitting
Allow the hamstrings to gently lengthen and the lower back to relax

Bonus: This kind of setup can help with circulation and make it easier to stay still through the night.

💤 If You’re a Side Sleeper (like me)...

Here’s where a lot of people get kinked up—literally.

Start with your neck:
Your pillow should support your head in line with your spine. If it’s too soft or too tall, your head will tilt, putting strain on your neck or shoulders. You don’t want to be reaching toward the mattress or curling up like a question mark.

Now let’s talk about your body alignment:

Your top leg needs support so your hip doesn’t twist and pull on your lower back.
Use a bolster or pillow that goes between both knees and ankles—this keeps your pelvis neutral and your glutes from engaging all night to “hold” your body in place.
Keep your knees bent—somewhere between 45° and 90°, depending on what feels best for you.

If your mattress is too soft or too firm, it can affect this alignment too. Think about how a pregnant person sleeps with a pillow under their belly to reduce that forward pull—same principle here. We’re aiming for even support from shoulder to hip to ankle.

Let’s Talk Pillows and Bolsters

At my office, I use two basic Saloniture bolsters from Amazon. Nothing fancy, but they’re made to hold up to daily use in a professional setting—and they do. I’ve used them nightly at home for over a year and a half and they’ve held their shape without developing divots.

Not a fan of the texture? Slip a pillowcase over them or have a custom cover made by a local seamstress. Etsy has options too, but I prefer keeping it affordable so I can change them out when I want.

These bolsters have made a huge difference in how my body feels in the morning. And the great thing? You can totally set this up at home.

Why It Works: The Science of Positional Release

Here’s the cool part: When your body finds a comfortable, neutral position, it sends a signal to your brain that it’s safe to relax. This is the same idea behind positional release therapy—a method that puts the body in the most comfortable, non-stressed position to help muscles let go of tension.

If you’re stuck in poor posture while you sleep, you’re essentially “training” your body to hold onto tension. But if you sleep aligned and supported, your nervous system can start to reset, your muscles can rebalance, and your brain can finally focus on deep healing and restoration.

Sleep Hygiene Still Matters

Before you run off to get new pillows, don’t forget the basics:

Avoid blue light an hour before bed (phone, tablet, TV)
Don’t eat or drink a lot right before sleeping
Use a bedtime routine to cue your body to wind down (think: scented lotion, soft lighting, maybe some light stretching)

This all helps you shift into rest mode, so when your body hits that perfect position, it’s ready to do the good work of recovery.

Ready to Sleep Better Tonight?

Whether you're a side sleeper or a back sleeper, taking a few simple steps to align your body can make a huge difference. Try one small change tonight—add a bolster, adjust your pillow, tweak your sleeping angle—and see how you feel in the morning.

Because how you move, fuel, hydrate, and store your body matters—and yes, even while you're sleeping.

Reflect:
What’s one part of your sleep setup that could use improvement?
Have you ever tried sleeping with a bolster or body pillow for alignment?

Let’s help your body rest smarter—you deserve it.