This position can help keep the pelvis and spine in alignment as you sleep.

Proper alignment can also help relieve back stress and pain triggered by a herniated disc or sciatica.

Below are some potential benefits of sleeping with a pillow between the knees.

Pregnant woman lying on the bed in her room, hugging a pillow to rest more comfortably

Edgar Barragan Juarez / Getty Images

A pillow between the knees neutralizes the position of the pelvis by slightly elevating the top leg.

This can put pressure on the spinal nerves, leading to significant pain and numbness.

Sleeping on your back with a pillow under your knees may also help by reducing pressure on the disc.

Valerie Cacho headshot

May Improve Posture

Our posture while sitting or standing is essential.

When you sleep on your side, the top knee rests on the lower knee.

This position is sometimes called “provocative side lying” because it disrupts your body’s natural alignment.

Placing a pillow between the knees improves sleeping posture by lifting the top leg and preventing twisting.

A Word From Verywell

Adequate body support to stay comfortable at night is key for proper rest.

Sleeping with a pillow between your legs can be helpful, and various options are available.

Experts agree that lying on your left side is thebest sleep positionduring the second and third trimesters of pregnancy.

Are There Benefits to Sleeping With a Pillow Under Your Knees?

Can Sleeping With a Pillow Between Your Legs Be Bad For You?

However, everyone is different.

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