The Health Dangers of Sleeping on Your Stomach
Getting a good night’s sleep is one of the
most important things for your overall health, however, there are
certain intrications on the way you should sleep as well. While there
are certain sleeping positions that are comfortable for you, some are
better for your body than others. In particular, medical experts
unanimously agree that the worst position is sleeping on your stomach.
According to Alex Savy, a certified sleep science coach, sleeping on the
stomach could lead to various short-term and long-term health issues.
Read on to learn about the dangers of sleeping on your stomach, how to
reduce them, or how to unlearn the habit altogether.
What could sleeping on your stomach result
in?
Most of the issues that stem from sleeping on the stomach are the result
of poor spinal positioning. When lying on the stomach, the spine loses
its natural curve, and therefore, you can experience tension or strain
in the back. This can lead to back pain in the morning or, in more
serious cases, chronic pains in the lumbar spine, which is the lower
back. You don't just put pressure on your spine when sleeping on the
stomach, but on the heart and lungs as well.
The position also puts your hips in an
anterior position, which further increases the curve of the lumbar spine
and can create spinal disk problems. According to Healthline, a
herniated disk is another risk that comes with sleeping on your stomach.
It is a condition that occurs when there is a rupture in one of the
rubbery cushions (disks) that sit between the individual vertebrae that
stack to make your spine. When this gel-like material bulges out from
the disk, it can irritate the nerves.
Your neck can also suffer damage, as it is twisted to one side for most
of the night. "In order to breathe while lying on your stomach, you must
twist your neck to one side. This creates a twist in your neck and puts
it out of alignment with the spine," Savy says. That way, one side of
the neck gets tight, while the other gets weak. Knots and tension can
form in your neck, causing everyday pains and aches, and even more
serious neck ailments over time.
If your neck, back, and hips weren’t
enough, this sleeping position can also cause headaches. The twisting of
the neck can lead to neck and shoulder pain and this “tightness in the
muscles here can cause pain and can also cause headaches," explained
physical therapist Nicole Lombardo.
The most helpful thing to do, however, is
to simply train your body to sleep on the side, which is considered much
healthier. For a smooth transition, wedge a pillow between the stomach
and your mattress. Doing so will prevent people who are used to sleeping
face-down from rolling over their belly while asleep. At the end of the
day, quality sleep will prove beneficial in almost every aspect of your
health, so changing your sleeping habits is definitely worthwhile.