What Is Zero-Gravity?
"Zero-gravity" and "zero-G" refers to a position that preserves your body’s neutral posture, creating the sensation of weightlessly floating on the top of your bed. The position distributes your weight evenly, preventing the pressure buildup around your neck, back, and hips that other sleep and sitting positions create.
In the zero-G position, your body doesn’t have to work against gravity to maintain proper spinal alignment. When you let yourself fully relax into the position, you’ll feel maximum comfort and pressure relief.
The History of Zero-G
NASA scientists first discovered the zero-gravity position while investigating ways to ease astronauts’ transition between Earth’s gravity and the weightlessness of space (a state called “microgravity”). They identified the position the human body naturally assumes in the absence of any physical forces, including gravity, and called it neutral body posture (NBP).
In other words, NASA pinpointed the position that doesn’t require any work or muscle tension to maintain for humans floating in space. Using data collected at the Skylab research space station, they later published the Man-System Integration Standard, documenting the average measurements for NBP. You can read more about these findings and NBP specifications here.
Zero-Gravity Bed Benefits
Sleeping on a bed that supports your body in a neutral position feels like lounging on a cloud. But it doesn’t just feel good; it does good.
For back sleepers, the position can improve your overall sleep health and wellness. Aside from preparing you for a career as an astronaut, sleeping in the zero-G position has the following benefits.
- Pain-Free Sleep– The zero-gravity position redistributes the weight that would otherwise aggregate around your neck, back, and various joints. Relieving pressure in these areas means waking up without stiffness, soreness, swelling, and pain.
- Breathing and Snoring– By elevating your head above your chest, the zero-G position opens your airways, letting you breathe easier. It also angles your head in a way that keeps the tongue from falling back and putting pressure on your throat, preventing the obstruction that causes snoring.
- Circulation– In the zero-G position, your head and legs are elevated above your heart, increasing circulation.
- Digestion– When you lay flat on your back, your body has to work against gravity to push food down for processing. In the zero-gravity position, the slope of your torso aids digestion instead of working against it.
- Lounging and Relaxation– If you like to watch TV, read, or even work from bed, you’ll love the zero-gravity setting. With your body naturally aligned, you’ll feel comfortable in this position for hours on end.