The Trouble with Stomach Sleeping…and What You Should Do Instead
Why?
We’re glad you asked. Because we work closely with medical professionals in the sports medicine and physical therapy fields, we have firsthand knowledge of what sleep positions provide maximum relief and achieve the best results. This experience led us to create our list of the top 3 reasons why you should avoid sleeping on your stomach, and we can’t wait to share it with you!
- It Can Cause Neck and/or Back Pain
The human spine has a natural curve. When you sleep on your stomach, you essentially eliminate the spinal curve, flattening out (or, in some cases, arching) the back and placing pressure on the spine itself and surrounding muscle tissue.
This position also forces you to sleep with your neck turned sideways which, in turn, places stress on this area of the body, causing stiffness, discomfort, and pain.
- It Can Affect Your Breathing
Getting good rest while sleeping on your stomach can be a challenge as it can affect your ability to breathe normally.
When laying on your stomach, the body must work extra hard and expend more energy trying to breathe. This can lead to the development of snoring and sleep apnea, poor sleep quality, and leave you feeling tired and groggy when you wake.
- It Can Age You
Sleeping on your stomach can really do a number on the delicate skin of the face, neck, and chest. When sleeping on your stomach with your head turned to the side, your facial tissue experiences both tension (as it is pressed against your pillow) and compression (due to gravity).
Over time, this can change the shape of the skin, causing wrinkles and creating an aged appearance.
You may be asking yourself, If I can’t sleep on my stomach, how should I sleep? We recommend transitioning to sleeping on your back (which is ideal) or on your side (a close second).
It’s important to note that we at Noble Pillow understand how hard it can be to try and change deeply ingrained sleep habits. That’s just one of the reasons why we created the Noble Sleep System—to help our customers gently transition into healthier sleep positions at a more tolerable rate. Our pillows make back and/or side sleeping not just tolerable but comfortable, allowing you to get the high-quality rest you need.
Noble Head Pillow
Our Head Pillow features a recessed center that cradles the skull for back sleeping, reducing head jut and promoting open airways.
For side sleepers, the Head Pillow has independently elevated side sections that accommodate either shoulder and keep the head and neck in a neutral position, reducing shoulder and neck stress and relieving muscle and nerve tension.
The unique zone construction found within our pillows allows you to adjust the fill within each channel for a custom fit, modifying the support for side, back, or stomach sleeping. This allows you to gradually increase the amount of time you spend sleeping on your back or side until you’re ready to move away from stomach sleeping altogether.
Noble Lower Body Pillow
Our triangular-shaped Lower Body Pillow is ideal for encouraging back or side sleeping. The wedge shape decreases pressure on the lower back during back sleeping by promoting proper hip and spinal alignment. When side sleeping the pillow offers much-needed support to the pelvis.
Our revolutionary adjustable channel system gently guides your legs, hips, and spine into alignment when sleeping on your back, and the base ends of the pillow gently separate and cushion feet and ankles during side sleep.
And if you’re in the process of transitioning off your stomach and onto your side or back, the Lower Body Pillow can help by providing optimal abdominal support while stomach sleeping.
But what if I must sleep on my stomach?
We hear you. There are certain instances and circumstances when stomach sleeping is the only option available. Know that our pillows can offer needed support to reduce neck and spine stress and allow you to get optimal rest.
In these cases, the inner core of our head pillow can be removed to ensure your neck is supported and in alignment with your spine.
For more information on how to set up and customize your pillow according to your preferred sleep position, be sure to visit the Use & Maintenance page of our website.
Here you’ll find a treasure trove of valuable information—from troubleshooting tips and frequently asked questions to helpful videos and a digital version of our user’s manual.
It’s important to remember that no one stays in the same sleep position all night long. In fact, the average person changes positions during sleep between 10 and 40 times. So, don’t be surprised if you go to sleep laying on your back or side and wake on your stomach. We all know that habits can be hard to break.
But here’s the good news—with a little persistence and the right head and body support, you can, over time, train your body to accept a new sleep position, allowing you to get
the good rest you deserve.
References
Image by Svetlanasokolova on Freepik