Many people fall asleep on their stomach, which often results in aches, pains and an impaired night’s rest.
Breaking this sleeping cycle is easier than you think – follow these simple tips and you’ll soon see improvements to both your health and sleep!
Back Pain
Sleeping on your stomach puts significant strain on the spine. Sleeping prone flattens out the natural curve of the spine, which can lead to pain and stiffness in the back and neck areas. Furthermore, stomach sleeping causes you to twist your neck when breathing which could result in herniated disks in your neck which can be very painful, as well as cause tingling sensations in arms and hands.
No matter how tempting stomach sleeping may seem, over time it will lead to back and neck pain that’s difficult to treat. Sleeping this way strains muscles, herniates discs, and can result in other medical problems which are difficult to address.
If you find it impossible to stop sleeping on your stomach, try placing a small pillow or rolled towel under your abdomen to relieve some of the strain from sleeping on this position. Sleeping on either your side or back can also help minimize stress and strain as your spine maintains a natural curve and curves more freely. Furthermore, core strength exercises like planks and bridges may strengthen muscles supporting your back while supporting it further.
Neck Pain
Sleeping on your stomach forces the spine into an end-of-range position that places strain on both its vertebrae and surrounding muscles, leading to pain anywhere along the spine, especially the neck. You can “train” yourself to sleep in more supportive positions by using larger pillows or asking your bed partner to gently remind you if you move to your stomach during the night. Placing a knee wedge or regular pillow under each knee may also assist with keeping the spine in an ideal alignment.
Neck pain may arise from straining the neck muscles for too long, sleeping in an awkward position, age-related changes to the spinal column that put pressure on nerves in the neck, herniated disk ruptures from between vertebrae that press against spinal nerves or even herniated disk herniation, among many other sources of neck discomfort.
If you wake up with neck pain, over-the-counter painkillers such as ibuprofen and naproxen may provide temporary relief. If this pain continues, speak to a healthcare provider; they can assess and recommend treatments that could prevent future issues that interfere with sleep. Seek professional assistance immediately if it comes along with shortness of breath or heart palpitations symptoms.
Sleeping Partner
Sleeping on the stomach can be painful for all parts of your body and put strain on your spine, leading to lower back pain, neck pain and reduced quality of restful slumber. If you share a bed with a partner, ask them to nudge/poke you gently when they detect that you’ve fallen into this sleeping position during the night – using a pregnancy pillow (similar to support your pelvis and lower back while working toward avoiding stomach sleeping) can provide great support while alleviating some symptoms associated with sleeping on your stomach!
This couple’s sleeping pose, commonly referred to as the ‘tangle, is usually only seen immediately following an intimate session or at the start of a new relationship. It symbolises deep intimacy and an eagerness for closer connection; however, it could also signal lack of trust or vulnerability within a relationship.
Stomach sleeping may be appropriate early in pregnancy, but most women will eventually need to change positions as their bump grows larger. For a comfortable pregnancy experience it’s essential that pregnant women consult their healthcare provider on safe sleeping positions throughout each trimester to prevent aches and pains. If stomach sleeping becomes an issue for you consider purchasing a medium-firm mattress to keep their body in an ideal position with proper support for hips and spine, thus eliminating stomach sleeping altogether.
Sleeping on Your Side
Sleep studies often recommend side sleeping as the optimal position for overall health, while stomach sleeping should be eliminated from one’s habits as soon as possible. Stomach sleeping can often result in neck pain, tingling in their fingers and poor quality rest; switching positions could improve your quality of sleep and lessen back, neck, and shoulder discomfort.
Sleeping on your stomach requires twisting of your neck in order to follow the natural curve of your spine, creating significant stretching of neck muscles and tightness which may lead to pinched nerves or shoulder issues. Tucking one arm under a pillow while sleeping on your stomach further adds tension points and may lead to shoulder problems as well.
An effective option is to utilize a cervical pillow or body pillow that provides adequate neck and head support when sleeping, in order to maintain correct position for your neck and head while also helping prevent rolling over during the night. A supportive mattress may also assist by not allowing too deep sinkage of stomach into mattress which causes overextension of spine due to overcompensation by compensatory stretching of spine muscles.
