'T-Rex sleepers' issued urgent warning over seriously damaging sleep position

It's bad news if you're a fan of the 'T-Rex' sleeping position as experts have issued an alarming health warning.

Now, although it might not seem important, the position you sleep in can affect how well rested you feel and an uncomfortable one can do more damage than you think.

Look at it this way, unless you move around a lot in your sleep, your body will likely remain in whatever position you nod off in for a whopping eight hours - you're just not all that aware of it because you've dozed off.

It can influence back and neck pain, as well as breathing issues like snoring and sleep apnea, digestion and even skin health.

But one particular sleep position is apparently worse than the others - the 'T-Rex'.

Health experts have warned against a particular sleeping position (Getty Stock Image)

The 'T-Rex' earned its nickname as it essentially resembles sleeping with dinosaur hands - lying on your side with your arms and wrists curled up to your chest.

MailOnline spoke to Dr Deborah Lee, health specialist and sleep expert at Dr Fox Online Pharmacy, who explained that while side-sleeping is generally not a problem and it's actually recommended, the T-Rex position specifically should be avoided.

She said: "Sleep specialists have suggested this is a natural tendency to curl up on our side in a ball and bunch up our fists to our chests, when we feel anxious or under threat."

The expert outlined how the popular sleeping position 'gives us a sense of comfort and security' as we nod off.

However, Dr Raj Dasgupta, a sleep medicine specialist and chief medical advisor for Sleepopolis, warned HuffPost that the 'T-Rex' can even cause night-time paraesthesia and lasting nerve damage

Paraesthesia, known more commonly as pins and needles, is a pricking, burning, tingling or numbing sensation that's usually felt in the arms, legs, hands or feet, as per the NHS.

The expert told the publication: "When you sleep with your arms bent and tucked in, you can press on the nerves in your elbows or wrists

"This can slow blood flow and make your arms feel numb or tingly. If you do it often, it can also strain your shoulders and make them stiff or sore."

While it may be comfy, it has the potential to leave lasting damage (Getty Stock Image)

He also emphasised that 'if your arms or hands go numb every night, stay numb for a while after waking up, or start to feel weak during the day, it’s time to see a doctor'.

Dr Matthew Bennett, a board-certified orthopaedic surgeon, told the outlet that some people also develop similar nerve irritation at the wrist, much like what happens with carpal tunnel syndrome.

Essentially, by keeping your elbow bent all night, this builds pressure where nerves pass through narrow spaces.

Patricia A. Gentile, a clinical assistant professor of occupational therapy at NYU Steinhardt, explained to Verywell: "There’s a tunnel in your wrist, literally a tunnel, and through the tunnel runs the median nerve and a bunch of arteries and tendons, so when you keep your wrist flexed or bent, especially severely, it compresses everything running through that tunnel."

Other warning signs that you could be dealing with nerve damage include shooting pain down your arm, trouble gripping things or even dropping your phone more often.