So what is considered the all-around healthiest sleep position?
Many doctors say it's lying on one's back, with the head slightly elevated, about 10 - 30 percent. This is postulated to give the brain optimal blood circulation rather than congestion and also allows for more un-obstructed breathing, says Dr. Steven Park, a head and neck surgeon and member of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. You see many native cultures sleeping this way, via hammock and other devices, rather than on flat surfaces as in the West.
Sleeping in a hammock rocks (pun not intended but I’m keeping it nonetheless). It’s peaceful, relaxing and it feels great both when you fall asleep and when you wake up. Keep in mind though that not every hammock is going to be comfortable to spend the night in, so if you’re going to try it for the first time make sure you have a hammock that is designed with a full night’s sleep in mind. You shouldn’t have to worry about falling out of it in the middle of the night (Trek Light Hammocks have a No-Flip™ design) and you don’t want to wake up with a permanent rope tattoo from sleeping on knots or string (silky smooth parachute nylon is where it’s at!).
{ If you’ve never tried sleeping in a hammock before or if you’ve had a bad experience in the past, check out our blog series Sleeping In A Hammock: Your Complete Guide To Healthy Hammock Sleep. Learn how to properly sleep in a hammock and how to avoid bad hammock experiences! }
It seems that the health benefits of hammocks are just beginning to be studied in depth and we’re really just scratching the surface. From the medical hammocks used in premature baby therapy to their application in the treatment of arthritis, acid reflux, sleep apnea, autism or simply to reduce stress and provide a healthier night sleep, it’s exciting to see science catching up with what native cultures (and hammock lovers across the world) have known for centuries. The zero-pressure point ergonomics and the ability to slightly elevate your upper body are the keys to a healthy sleep that no flat surface or mattress can truly provide.
It doesn’t mean you need to replace your bed with a hammock (although many of our customers have actually done just that). But, if you’ve got a place at home to hang a hammock, I challenge you to think of it as more than just a place to spend a few minutes when you need to relax. Forget about those bad experiences you had falling asleep in rope hammocks and waking up with a waffle pattern on your face or a pain in your back. Get a quality hammock, learn how to sleep in it properly and take your next nap in it or try spending a full night in it if you never have before. The health benefits of hammocks is a topic we’ll continue to explore in detail on the Trek Life blog and I hope you find it as fascinating as we do.
Let us know in the comments if you’ve already spent a full night in a Trek Light Hammock or any other hammock and if not, I encourage you to give it a try and let us know how it went! On a side note, if you’ve got the ability to hang a hammock in your home and you’re interested in trying a hammock sleep experiment and blogging about it, please get in touch – I’d love to feature your experience on the blog.
UPDATES: Since we first published this post there have been a lot more stories on hammock health in the news. It's extremely encouraging to see that the more hammocks get put under the microscope so to speak the more we keep learning about how incredibly healthy the hammock experience is. Here are some links to more great articles and hammock sleep studies - we'll continue to update this page as more studies come out:
NPR: Why Hammocks Make Sleep Easier, Deeper
WebMD: Gentle Rocking Helps You Fall Asleep Faster, Get Deeper Sleep
Current Biology: Rocking Synchronizes Brain Waves During A Short Nap
CNN: Hammocks Make For Deeper Sleep
Lifehacker: Want Better Naps? Sleep In A Hammock
Health.com: Study: Hammocks Make For Deeper Sleep
HealthGuidance.org: Improve Your Health With Hammocks
Check out our Hammock Health page for lots more on the health benefits of hammocks, and of course don't forget to read our Sleeping In A Hammock Guide for the information you need to know to sleep in a hammock comfortably, whether for a short nap or as a full-time bed.
Comments (59)
[…] what? Sleeping in a hammock is good for for you, and while it’s just now beginning to gain recognition in sleep studies it’s something that […]
[…] […]
I am so happy to hear I am not alone! I love sleeping in a hammock. I ordered a treklight hammock and I’m checking the mail everyday. I can’t wait to try it out. I sleep in a rope hammock with a speader bar. I can’t wait for the additional comfort of my new hammock. Of course my friends don’t understand why I sleep n a hammock. They have the hammock fear thing. It’s the only way I get a good night sleep. Thank you for the great article!
Laurie Lee
awesome! I have been sleeping in a hammock since I started camping with those, they are so much more compact, plus I feel very refreshed when I wake up —a healthy full night sleep. My friends thought I was crazy, but now I got proof that it is good for you, Thanks guys. Keep up the good work…
Thanks for saying hello, it’s great to hear from people who sleep in a hammock regularly!
[…] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Seth Haber, Bexx Ferri. Bexx Ferri said: RT @TrekLightGear: Science says: Sleeping In A Hammock Is Good For You http://fb.me/TQhjSTnp […]
[…] Trek Light Gear can often be classified as education. I’m educating people about the health benefits of hammocks, the importance of relaxation and how a hammock can improve their lives. But, while you can […]
I have just recently converted my uncomfortable dorm room bed into a couch and built a stand over it for my hammock. Honestly I have not slept that well in a long time. Also, this article should be read by more people. It has very many truths in it.
Thanks MK! Would love to see a picture of your new setup – you can share it on our Facebook page or just email it to us. Thanks for reading!
Dear Trek Light Gear,
I’ve been trying to sleep in hammock ever since I fell upon this article (two months ago) and I have not been successful. I have a double parachute hammock that is 6 feet in width and 8 feet in length. I had it hanging between two walls that are 10 feet and 7 inches apart. I tried different hanging lengths form really tight to lose and curvy. I have slept in the 45 degree angle and still nothing. My lower back feels a pinch after a while and if I fall asleep I wake up in the middle of the night. I can feel the benefits of sleeping in a hammock: Rocking, slightly elevated head, etc. Which is why I persist with sleeping in a hammock. What am I doing wrong?
Thanks
Luis Ospina