When should I not sleep on my stomach?

Conventionally, sleeping on one’s stomach is considered as one of the worst postures for a good night’s rest. This is because it pressures shoulders, neck, and hip; disrupts vein blood flow; squeezes internal organs; and causes significant breath impediments. Therefore, people who prefer to sleep on their stomach are advised to reconsider and transition to alternative positions such as on one’s back or side. Here, we discuss the severe risks posed to our health by sleeping on your stomach and the various tips for changing this habit should you have it.

What are the Potential Health Risks of Sleeping on Your Stomach?

The flattening of the stomach while sleeping on it is the most direct and concerning drawback. That said, the shift in internal organs’ positioning can cause the person to feel uncomfortable in the middle of the sleep, which is why those who lie still during the night are more likely to wake up with a frown on their faces caused by the displacement of abdominal parts. Moreover, due to the flat posture, people who sleep on their stomach have a greater risk of developing conditions such as backache, joint pain, and also insomnia – due to the shallow breathing. Additionally, there are further concernings from a sleeping on your stomach – an increased risk of developing wrinkles and sleeping with your face pressed against a surface for a long time can influence the production of bacteria and cause skin breakouts.

How to Transition from Stomach Sleeping to Side or Back Sleeping

One of the most effective methods for transitioning from stomach sleeping to any other position is gradually raising the height of your head side; instead of zapping from reducing your stomach time completely, you can slowly decrease its percentage while simultaneously increasing time spent in other positions. It is also essential to have a good mattress and pillow as they provide support to ease this reformation process. All in all, getting familiar with different sleeping positions would be beneficial in freeing yourself from potential health risks.

Tips for Avoiding Stomach Sleeping

In addition to raising the head side of the bed, there are several other techniques that would prove helpful in avoiding stomach sleeping. One of them is sleeping on your back, which is often recommended for various health benefits as it improves breathing and stops you from becoming intertwined during your sleep. Furthermore, feeling secure during your sleep also allows you to stay off your stomach. Therefore, creating a sleep-friendly atmosphere like playing soft music and dimming the lights can be helpful in calming your body down and falling asleep faster.

Effect of Pillows on Stomach Sleeping

Although obtaining a proper mattress is essential for a better sleep interaction, having a pillow and pillows with the right fillers is believed to help stomach sleepers avoid potential risks. Pillows fillers help keep the head in alignment with the spine as opposed to transitioning it to one side. This can ensure a comfortable posture and reduce health risks. Additionally, for stomach sleepers bigger pillows are advised; extra space under the pillow may help them avoid back pain and pressure.

What are the Benefits of Sleeping on Your Back?

Sleeping on one’s back is perceived as one of the healthiest postures for rapid and deep slumber. It allows for proper blood circulation due to no external pressure on any parts of the body, along with offering people with a flat spine and neck. It also prevents them from experiencing pain-sensitive joints because when you sleep on your back there is a negligible weight pressing them down – unlike lying on one’s side or stomach. Furthermore, people can take advantage of raised pillows to re-position their head in alignment with the spine, which can further ease potential neck strain.

Tips for Keeping Your Spine Aligned While Sleeping

Besides supporting the neck while resting, pillows can be used to discourage an unnatural lumbar curve. To achieve this position it is essential to have a pillow beneath your back so that it can support its curvature, balancing them out and taking away back pain associated with incorrect body placement. Additionally, it would help if one tries not to hog the bed; sleeping merely on one side will not make up for other 2/3rds of it being uncomfortably curled up. Therefore trying various width positions would be beneficial if you are looking for an improved sleep interaction.

Common Sleep Positions and Their Health Benefits

Apart from stomach sleeping and back sleeping, there are multiple other postures that could be beneficial depending upon an individual’s health concern or alignment problems. The side-sleeping position is considered a common position among people with shoulder impairments, as one can hug their pillow or keep it between their legs. This positioning keeps the shoulders unsupported (eliminating pressure) which helps in getting rid of any shoulder related pain. Moreover, for carrying mothers side sleeping is largely suggested as it does not pressurize any uterine veins.

How Sleep Position May Affect Digestion and Breathing

Sleeping in some certain orientations such as prone or sideways can affect breathing by either compressing airway muscles or just limiting space while lying flat. Furthermore, it can also cause digestion issues by reducing the body’s ability to absorb nutrients, balancing out gut hormones, and decreasing intestinal contractions. For example, people who sleep laying sideways have more tendency to experience reflux or heartburn compared to those who sleep on their backs as they have comparatively shorter time span lying flat.

What are the Long-Term Effects of Stomach Sleeping?

The long-term effects of sleeping in a prone position could depend upon numerous factors such as body mass index (BMI) or posture maintenance during late hours. Furthermore, these effects could possibly include neck ache, chest pains, restricted breathing, and cramps due to elevated lower back curve. Essentially, these conditions can be intensified if you fail to address them properly or do not transition from prone to back/side sleeping soon enough.

To conclude, anyone looking for improved sleep interaction should consider transitioning from prone sleeping to back or side sleeping. The tips discussed above can be helpful in doing so, but professional guidance is also suggested if you are looking for a long term solution for your sleeping woes.