Ever heard the term ‘floating in space’? Imagine experiencing that sensation while you’re asleep. One of the newest and most innovative bedtime concepts is sleeping in zero gravity. The idea is to create a sleeping environment that feels similar to floating in space, with minimal gravity pressuring on our joints.
This experience is no longer only reserved for astronauts, thanks to the help of a zero-gravity bed this style of mattress and frame could offer tremendous relief to those who suffer from aches and pains. If you’re curious to know what it’s all about, this guide will cover the ins and outs of zero-gravity sleeping and how you could benefit.
One Small Step for Man, One Giant Leap for Mankind
Zero-gravity refers to a specific sleeping position that was originally developed by NASA. In preparation for a shuttle launch, astronauts were placed into a neutral body posture as a way to evenly distribute their weight and minimize the pressure on their bodies. This position became known as ‘Zero-G’.
The style uses a mattress and frame to position the body in a way that relieves pressure from common pain points like the lower back, hips, and shoulders. By minimizing the stress in these areas, the bed helps to offer a more comfortable sleeping experience.
How to Get Zero Gravity Position on Adjustable Bed
If you have an adjustable bed, you can easily get into the zero-g position. Some adjustable beds already have a zero-gravity preset button. If yours does, you can use it to automatically place yourself in the correct posture.
When setting the position, you will start off laying flat on your back. The bed will then raise your head and knees so that they’re slightly above your heart and stomach, placing your body at approximately a 120-degree angle.
Read Our Guide: Best Mattress for Ajdustable Beds
Benefits of Zero Gravity Sleeping Position
This style of sleeping might seem fancy and futuristic, but it has some substantial benefits for your health and body.
Reduces Snoring and Eases Breathing
When you lay on your back, throat and neck tissue can obstruct your airways. Elevating your upper body in the zero-g posture opens up your air passages for better breathing. The raised position could help alleviate multiple issues including asthma, sleep apnea, respiratory conditions, allergies, and even the occasional stuffy nose.
Additionally, if you or your partner’s snoring gets in the way of peaceful nights, this could be an excellent solution to a good night’s rest.
Get More Info: How to Prevent Snoring at Night Naturally
Decreases Heartburn and Acid Reflux
The irony of zero-gravity sleep is that it’s a smart way to let gravity help at the same time. This is especially true for easing heartburn and acid reflux.
Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) occurs when acids that normally are restricted to the stomach bubble up into the esophagus. Acid reflux is the compound that rises up, and heartburn is a painful symptom of this that occurs in the chest. Remaining upright during the night allows gravity to pull those acids back down to the stomach.
Alleviated Insomnia and Deeper Sleep
The concept behind the zero-g sleep position is that it's designed to reduce stress on your body by removing pressure on your muscles and joints. This heightened state of relaxation is meant to help you doze offand remain in a deeper state of sleep— an enormous benefit for those who deal with insomnia regularly.
Improves Circulation
The circulatory system includes the heart and blood vessels with the heart being the central organ, pumping blood throughout the body. The circulatory system also helps supply the respiratory system with oxygen and nutrients while removing waste and carbon dioxide. Good circulation helps to ensure everything runs smoothly.
Because zero-g doesn’t put as much stress on your heart and keeps your legs elevated, it should improve circulation by allowing the heart to pump blood more efficiently.
Want to know more? Read our guide for sleeping with legs elevated.
Better Digestion
Sleeping in an upright posture also benefits the digestive system. The same way gravity is used to alleviate Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease by pulling things down, it also helps get the food you eat into your stomach. When the upper body is elevated, food can pass through the esophagus and into the stomach easier than when lying down flat.
Learn More: How Digestion Affects Your Sleep Quality
Back and Neck Pain Relief
There are excellent flat beds on the market designed to ease the strain on the body’s pressure points, but if you are still experiencing back and neck pain, a zero-g bed could be the relief you need. This is because your spine is in a neutral position with less pressure on it than a flat bed. And remember NASA’s original intent when developing zero-g was to remove as much tension in the body as possible.
Get More Info: How Can Adjustable Beds Help with Back Pain
Reduces Swelling
Swelling of the legs and feet could be symptoms of diabetes, high blood pressure, or significant weight gain. A benefit of zero-gravity sleep is that it could curb that swelling because the legs are lifted, which promotes better circulation to the lower half of the body. With better blood flow, the swelling should go down.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it healthy to sleep in a zero-g position?
The zero-gravity position could not only help you sleep better but also promote heart health, digestive health, and respiratory health. With these medical benefits, it’s a considerably healthy way to rest. That being said, you can also apply this position to things other than sleep, like reading or watching television.
If overall health is a focus, or you have a particular health condition mentioned earlier, it may be a wise choice to invest in an adjustable bed that will allow you to achieve this sleep position in your everyday life.
Is side sleeping in a zero-gravity position ok?
On the surface, it would seem this posture is ideal for back sleepers, but what about side sleepers? Will it still have the same positive effects? The good news is, yes, it should be especially beneficial for those who sleep on their side.
As we discussed earlier, zero-g is designed to reduce pressure on the body as much as possible. Sleeping on your side can put a lot of stress on your shoulders and hips, which means this design should be an excellent choice for side sleepers to offer more comfort for their joints.
Conclusion
With a varied assortment of health benefits that extend far beyond getting a good night’s rest, a zero-gravity bed may arguably be one of the most innovative and appealing products on today’s market. The sleep position’s capabilities include improved circulation, better digestion, reduced snoring, easing back and neck pain, and more.
This sleeping style is particularly great for back and stomach sleepers, who may need even more relief for sensitive pressure points and aches than a traditional flat bed could offer. So, while a trip to outer space may not be on your itinerary at the moment, for now, you and your joints can at least experience a weightless, zero-gravity sensation as you sleep.
Jill Zwarensteyn is the editor for Sleep Advisor and a certified sleep science coach. She is enthusiastic about providing helpful and engaging information on all things sleep and wellness.
Based in Los Angeles, she is an experienced writer and journalist who enjoys spending her free time at the beach, hiking, reading, or exploring new places around town.
She’s also an avid traveler who has a personal goal of being able to successfully sleep on an airplane someday.
