A spine alignment specialist has issued a direct warning against one of the most common sleeping positions: sleeping on your stomach. While many find it comfortable, the expert explained that this posture is one of the worst for your spine, putting immense strain on your neck and back. He emphasized that sleep is a critical time for the body to repair itself, but this position actively sabotages that recovery process.
The specialist detailed how stomach sleeping forces you to twist your neck to one side for hours, a position that is completely unnatural. This prolonged rotation can strain the muscles and ligaments in your neck and, more worryingly, compress the nerves that exit your cervical spine. This can lead to symptoms ranging from a stiff neck in the morning to tingling or numbness that radiates down your arms, indicating nerve irritation.
The neck isn’t the only part of the body that suffers. The specialist elaborated that when you lie on your stomach, your lower back is forced into an exaggerated, unnatural arch. This hyperextension puts significant stress on the lumbar region, and many people who favor this position eventually develop chronic lower back pain and stiffness as a direct result. The spine is simply not designed to be held in this position for long periods.
The expert also flagged a second position to avoid: the tight fetal position. While not as universally maligned as stomach sleeping, curling up too tightly, with knees drawn high to the chest, also poses risks. This posture causes the spine to round excessively, which can over-stretch the back muscles, tighten the hip flexors, and even restrict deep breathing, leading to its own set of problems like mid-back pain.
The best sleeping position, the specialist reiterated, is one that keeps the spine in its natural, neutral alignment. He advised sleeping on your back with a small pillow under your knees, or on your side with a supportive pillow between your legs. These postures evenly distribute your body weight, prevent strain, and allow your spine to truly rest, helping you wake up refreshed and pain-free.