Sleeping on your stomach can lead to disrupted zzzs and pain down the line.

Image Credit: LIVESTRONG.com Creative How Bad Is It Really? sets the record straight on all the habits and behaviors you’ve heard might be unhealthy. In This Article

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    How to Tweak Your Sleep Position
  If you asked a room full of people how they like to sleep, you'd probably get a slightly different answer from each person. Some like to sleep on their side, hugging a pillow, while others prefer to stay on their back all night. And you may even meet one or two people who get their best shut-eye facedown.

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 Everyone has their own preferred position, and contrary to popular belief, there's no "perfect" way to sleep. With that said, there are better and worse positions for optimal rest. And unfortunately for stomach sleepers, your preferred posture is the latter.

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  But just how bad is it really to sleep on your tummy? Read on for the answer, and then learn what you can do about it.

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 4 Reasons Sleeping on Your Stomach Isn't Ideal

  1. It Can Cause Neck Pain Sleeping on your stomach is arguably the worst sleep position, according to sleep specialist Michael Breus, PhD, author of ​​The Power of When.​ And that’s because it often causes some pretty bad pain and soreness, especially in your neck.

    Advertisement Often, when people sleep on their stomachs, their neck is elevated too high. Plus, your neck is twisted to one side throughout the entire evening. As a result, many experience neck pain the morning after sleeping on their stomach, Breus says. Related Reading The 8 Best Pillows for Neck Pain

  2. It Can Strain Your Lower Back Lower-back pain is another common issue with stomach sleepers, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Sleeping on your front side extends your neck and spine, which puts extra stress on the joints in your spine and lower back. And when you sleep on your stomach, it’s challenging to keep your spine properly aligned, Breus says.

    Advertisement While this may not cause pain or pressure after a night or two, consistent stomach sleeping can lead to discomfort or pain in the long run. And stressing out the sensitive joints in your back can also hamper your mobility, making it harder to sit with good posture or perform daily tasks.

  3. It Causes You to Move Around Stomach sleepers are often the ones who move around the most throughout the night, too, Breus says. Sleeping facedown compresses the joints in your neck and back. And it can also cause your arms to go numb, considering they usually sit under the weight of your body.

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    Advertisement Due to the discomfort this position can cause, stomach sleepers tend to shift or jolt around more often at night, causing sleep disruption. And a lack of quality sleep is linked to all kinds of negative health effects, like overweight and high blood pressure.

  4. It Can Make Acid Reflux Worse Any flat sleeping position can worsen symptoms of acid reflux — and that includes stomach sleep. When you stand or sit upright, gravity helps prevent acid in your stomach from rising back up your throat, according to the GI Society.

    Advertisement But when you lay flat in bed, gravity isn’t there to help you, making it easier for acid to rise up and disrupt your sleep. So, How Bad Is Sleeping on Your Stomach? There’s no one perfect sleep position out there. But full transparency: Stomach sleeping is definitely the worst one, Breus says. It causes the most discomfort during and after sleep and can cause joint mobility problems down the line.

    Advertisement Although not many people actually sleep on their back through an entire night, it’s the most optimal sleep position, Breus says. It can be a little problematic for people with snoring problems, as this position can make it tougher to breathe (snorers are better off on their sides). But it’s definitely the best for your joints and alignment. How to Tweak Your Sleep Position Unfortunately, training yourself to sleep in a new position isn’t so easy, Breus says. A sleep expert can offer a personalized plan to help improve your sleep posture and position. But a lot of the DIY tricks don’t usually help much.

    Advertisement With that said, there are tweaks that can help make stomach sleeping more comfortable for your body.

  5. Ditch the Pillow Breus recommends sleeping with a very light pillow under your head or none at all. This brings your head back in line with your spine, relieving some of the pressure on your neck and back.

  6. Elevate Your Pelvis Placing a small pillow under your pelvis is another tip that may add some comfort, according to the University of Rochester Medical Center. This can help correct an over-arched lower-back, bringing your lumbar spine into alignment with your mid- and upper-back.

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    references

       Cleveland Clinic: "Back, Side or Stomach: Which Sleep Position Is Best for You?"

   GI Society: "Heartburn Keeping You Up at Night?"

   University of Rochester Medical Center: "Good Sleeping Posture Helps Your Back"
  Is this an emergency?

    If you are experiencing serious medical symptoms, please see the National Library of Medicine’s list of signs you need emergency medical attention or call 911.

    references

       Cleveland Clinic: "Back, Side or Stomach: Which Sleep Position Is Best for You?"

   GI Society: "Heartburn Keeping You Up at Night?"

   University of Rochester Medical Center: "Good Sleeping Posture Helps Your Back"

Is this an emergency? If you are experiencing serious medical symptoms, please see the National Library of Medicine’s list of signs you need emergency medical attention or call 911.

Sleeping on your stomach can lead to disrupted zzzs and pain down the line.

Image Credit: LIVESTRONG.com Creative

How Bad Is It Really? sets the record straight on all the habits and behaviors you’ve heard might be unhealthy.

Image Credit: LIVESTRONG.com Creative

How Bad Is It Really? sets the record straight on all the habits and behaviors you’ve heard might be unhealthy.

  • Effects
  • Bottom Line
  • How to Tweak Your Sleep Position

The 8 Best Pillows for Neck Pain

            How Bad Is It Really to Sleep Fewer Than 7 Hours a Night?
           by
          Molly Triffin
          
            How Bad Is It Really to Sleep With Earplugs Every Night?
           by
          Molly Triffin
          
            How Bad Is It Really to Sleep Late on the Weekends?
           by
          Molly Triffin
        


      Cleveland Clinic: "Back, Side or Stomach: Which Sleep Position Is Best for You?"
    
      GI Society: "Heartburn Keeping You Up at Night?"
    
      University of Rochester Medical Center: "Good Sleeping Posture Helps Your Back"