Top back view portrait of sleepy woman lying on stomachThe way you sleep is like spices to food—eating something nutritious will satisfy your hunger and fuel your body, but without the right spices, it just falls flat. The same can be said for sleeping positions; without the right position, your sleep and comfort can fall short. You might still get enough sleep, but the sleep position you choose can make or break your sleep quality and health more than you realize.

In this article, we’re going to focus specifically on stomach sleeping. Lying on your stomach is one of the least popular and least common sleep positions due to the pressure it puts on your spine and neck, among other things. Whether sleeping on your stomach feels comfortable to you or you’re lying on your stomach for a specific reason—it often does more harm than good.

Continue reading to learn more about the effects that stomach sleeping has, in addition to tips that can help you avoid these unwanted bodily aches and pains down the road.

Is it bad if you sleep on your stomach?

Well…yes and no. 

The thing is, it’s not that sleeping on your stomach is all negative. It does have its potential upsides, such as reducing sleep apnea and snoring for some. However, for others, it can be harder to breathe. Plus, stomach sleeping puts needless pressure on your body, putting you at risk for immense muscle and joint pain and potentially numbness and exasperated nerves.

We’ll get further in detail about what this looks like below, including the pros and cons of sleeping on your stomach. The best thing to do is assess what matters most to your situation and health, then outweigh the pros and cons.

Is it bad if you sleep on your stomach?

Well…yes and no. 

The thing is, it’s not that sleeping on your stomach is all negative. It does have its potential upsides, such as reducing sleep apnea and snoring for some. However, for others, it can be harder to breathe. Plus, stomach sleeping puts needless pressure on your body, putting you at risk for immense muscle and joint pain and potentially numbness and exasperated nerves.

We’ll get further in detail about what this looks like below, including the pros and cons of sleeping on your stomach. The best thing to do is assess what matters most to your situation and health, then outweigh the pros and cons.

What are the benefits of sleeping on your stomach?

Diminishes sleep apnea and snoring

This is one of the main positives from sleeping on your stomach. While sleeping on your back is going to make snoring worse, stomach sleeping eases snoring.

Alleviates heartburn

If you struggle with heartburn or acid reflux a lot at night, sleeping on your stomach can help to diminish heartburn symptoms and have a more restful sleep.

What are the drawbacks of sleeping on your stomach?

It blocks your airway

This is especially the case if you sleep on your stomach with your head turned to one side. The pressure on your lungs could potentially restrict movement of your rib cage and diaphragm.

t’s hard on your spine and back

According to mayo clinic, sleeping on your stomach is hard on your back and spine. You can’t maintain a neutral spine position when you sleep on your stomach. Most of your weight is in your mid-section.

So when you lie on your stomach, you’re applying more pressure to the bed. That extra pressure can cause your mattress to sink more, which pushes the spine out of it’s mid-range, natural curvature. Then if you’re turning your head to one side, your spine will curve to a point that results in strain and pressure around surrounding muscles.

It strains your neck and shoulders

More times than not, you’re going to be sleeping with your head turned to one side if you sleep on your stomach. Over time, this could start to irritate your neck and shoulders. You’ll feel a lot more pain and soreness when you wake up. More importantly, a twisted neck could strain your spine and put you at risk for a herniated disk. This is something you definitely don’t want to happen.

It’s not ideal for moms-to-be

Of course, you can’t possibly picture sleeping on your stomach during the later stages of pregnancy. But it’s not ideal even in the earlier stages. Not only is it uncomfortable, but when you have extra weight in your middle abdomen, your spine will feel increased pressure and strain. For optimal oxygen levels and blood flow, this study recommends sleeping on the left side if you’re pregnant.

All of this strain and pressure on your core joints and muscles can directly impact how much quality deep sleep you get.

We’re not naive though, we understand that for some people, this is the most natural and comfortable sleeping position. It’s not an inherently bad sleep position, but it could cause adverse effects if you’re not making it work for you. That’s why we’ve come up with some essential tips and strategies to make sleeping on your stomach as comfortable and risk-free as possible.

Tips to improve stomach sleeping

If you don’t want to switch up your sleep position, no hard feelings. But try to adopt as many of these tips in order to better align your body for sleep and beyond.

  • 1. Use a firmer mattress. This will prevent your hips and chest from sinking too much due to the weight of your abdomen. If you don’t want to go and replace your mattress, then you could always look at getting a firmer mattress topper.

  • 2. Use a thin pillow for your head or no pillow at all. It’s all about getting the right pillow! You want to avoid craning or angling your head and neck into an unnatural position. There’s plenty of thin or specialty soft pillows made for people who sleep on their stomachs that can help you keep your neck and spine neutral.
  • 3. Keep your legs straight and flat. This is where you shouldn’t be using pillows to prop anything up. Try to keep both legs at the same height to prevent twisting of your spine.
  • 4. Prop your body and pelvis up with a pillow. Because your pelvis is a little heavier, it will likely push itself into your mattress. Using a thin pillow will help to lift your spine, soften the pressure and avoid uneven weight distribution.
  • 5. Prop your forehead with a pillow. If you’re nervous about twisting and hurting your neck, then you can try lying face down while propping your forehead up with a pillow. This also might make it open your airway more and make it easier to breathe.
  • 6. Stretch it out in the morning. A few minutes of some gentle stretches will work wonders on strengthening your muscles and putting your body back into alignment when needed.

Sleep better in any position

Regardless of how much you love any sleep position, including stomach sleeping, there’s going to be upsides and downsides. It’s critical to make a position work for you rather than against you. What’s most important is that you’re comfortable and getting enough quality sleep every night. As long as you keep in mind these tips and stay flexible to switching positions when necessary – your dreams are well within reach.