A lot of factors can affect how good a night's sleep is, but choosing a comfortable position is key, one expert says.
Asked whether front, back or side was best, Christian Moro from Brisbane's Bond University told Seven Sharp: "This is all quite individual in your age, weight, environment, activities, and whether you're pregnant.
"It can all play a part in which position is best for you but the key is to get a restful sleep, you should not be waking up with a stiff neck, tight muscles or a sore back," he said.
"Really find a position where you're comfortable."
Research suggests most people who sleep on their backs tend to be worse sleepers or have breathing difficulties, he added.
"On average, most people tend to spend time sleeping on their sides — however, we do move during the night.
"So, sometimes a short part might be on the front, might be on the side, might be on the back, but it seems like most commonly the best position might be on our sides," he said.
Moro added that sleep deficiency is linked to a range of chronic health issues and being comfortable is key.
"And also when we're tired there's a higher chance of injury during the day," he added.
"So if you're comfortable and waking up refreshed, keep that position rather than trying to change it."
But people are meant to move a certain amount during the night, Moro said.
"It's quite good because it helps us prevent developing bed sores or pressure ulcers in everyday life.
"So we want to allow this, actually," he said.
"Don't tuck ourselves in too tightly, give yourself room to move on either side because during sleep our body will detect and pick up any pain and discomfort and adjust our position accordingly."
Choosing the right pillow is "vital" as well, and can affect spine alignment, Moro said.
"If you sleep on your side for example, you might like a larger pillow — whereas on your back, that same pillow would cause your neck to be quite down, so it depends upon how you sleep.
"In regards to a mattress, there's no optimal mattress but there definitely can be bad mattresses."
Temperature can also affect a night's sleep, with overheating "one of the worst things", he added.
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