If you prefer stomach sleeping, it may feel more comfortable; however, to prevent back and neck pain you must maintain an optimal spine position to minimize strain on the back and neck muscles.
To do so, use a low loft pillow or go without one to avoid straining your neck. In addition, make sure that you stretch and practice yoga prior to sleeping.
Sleeping on Your Stomach
Stomach sleepers make up only 16% of snoozers. Although stomach sleeping may seem harmless enough, it actually places immense strain on your spine and neck which can lead to muscle, ligament, tendon and bone pain in your back and neck area. You could also experience headaches or numbness in certain body parts that prevent quality restful slumber resulting in poor quality zzzs that wreak havoc with daily life.
Stomach sleepers may also be more prone to shoulder issues. This is due to them tending to sleep on one arm against their pillow while lying on their stomach, placing unnecessary strain on their shoulder joint, which over time could result in rotator cuff injuries or other associated conditions.
People who sleep on their stomachs place additional strain on the lower abdomen and hips, leading to muscle spasms in both areas as well as tightness in muscles, ligaments, tendons and the airways, making breathing harder during the night.
Stomach sleepers don’t need to submit to an eternity of morning backache and popping ibuprofen; with the right mattress they can mitigate some risks and discomforts. Firm mattresses provide the ideal support for spines while preventing hips from collapsing into an involuntary crawl position while sleeping on their stomachs.
Sleeping on Your Side
Stomach sleepers should make every effort to switch over to side sleeping positions as soon as they notice heartburn symptoms, since side sleeping positions provide more comfort and reduce acid reflux. Sleeping on one’s side also aids with proper spinal alignment by eliminating curving and twisting that throws your spine out of alignment, especially during pregnancy. Women sleeping on their left sides also increase blood flow to increase optimal oxygen levels for their baby during restful slumber.
Sleeping on your stomach can cause shoulder, hip and lower back discomfort if your mattress doesn’t offer sufficient support. A pillow between your knees may help to alleviate this by stopping you from rolling back onto your stomach – possibly blocking any urges to use tennis ball technique to roll onto stomach again!
Consider switching to a side sleeping position if you experience snoring or mild sleep apnea symptoms. Snoring often accompanies this disorder as the tongue and soft palate relax in the throat during sleep and cause narrowing of airway passageways, leading to snoring and mild symptoms of sleep apnea. Elevating your stomach and chest during sleep may keep airway open, relieving snoring while improving mild symptoms of mild sleep apnea symptoms.
To maximize comfort while transitioning from stomach sleeping to side sleeping, select a mattress made of breathable material such as hyper-elastic polymer. Its open cells and resilient feel create more airflow than traditional mattresses for maximum ventilation and breathability.
Sleeping on Your Back
Stomach sleeping can exacerbate back pain by making it more difficult to reach a neutral spine position and can strain muscles that support your spine, neck, shoulders and hips. This strain often results in aches and pains in these areas as well as numbness or tingling sensations in them; pregnant women who may experience back or neck discomfort during pregnancy should avoid stomach sleeping as this could severely compromise their sleep quality.
Sleep experts suggest taking baby steps, like switching out mattresses with firmer ones or using sleep props, in order to help individuals who want better restful nights and improved health sleep on their backs. But changing long-held habits is often challenging. Experts advise starting small: replacing it with a firmer mattress or using sleep props as solutions.
If you’re a stomach sleeper looking to switch over, trying sleeping with multiple pillows may help you switch over. Just be sure that they’re positioned so your head, neck and spine stay in a straight line while doing it – otherwise it could become problematic.
Kiera Pritchard of Eachnight Mattresses suggests trying a pillow between your knees as this will align hip flexors and neutralize spine, and stretching before sleeping with moves like child’s pose which will realign body alignment.
Sleeping on Your Neck
Sleeping on your stomach is often considered the Loch Ness Monster of sleep positions, leading to neck and back discomfort. Sleeping this way forces you to tilt your head one way while twisting your spine for hours on end – exerting pressure on the vertebrae that can result in herniated discs in your neck area, headaches as well as pinched nerves in arms and legs from compression stress.
Many stomach sleepers tuck their arms under their pillows when sleeping, which can put unnecessary tension on your shoulder joints and lead to rotator cuff problems or other shoulder-related problems. You can help avoid such complications by choosing a pillow designed to support both neck and body stability while sleeping.
Who prefer to sleep on their stomachs can still benefit from finding an appropriate mattress, provided it has firmness that suits their sleeping position – soft mattresses could result in neck and back pain; and trying to limit sleeping on their tummies as this can increase risk of snoring, sleep apnea and acid reflux.
