Stomach vs. Back vs. Side Sleepers: Who gets the Best Sleep?

What type of sleep is the best?  

There are some people who will vehemently defend their preferred position and cannot be convinced otherwise.  If that is you, we’re not here to guilt you into changing. We’re here to bring awareness to the impact that sleeping orientation has on your health and the benefits and drawbacks of each. 

What’s the Big Deal Anyway? 

While sleeping is supposed to be a process that requires you to relax and not overthink, you may want to think about these effects of sleeping position. 

• Wrinkles
• Back / Neck Pain
• Sleep Apnea / Snoring
• Heartburn / Acid Reflex
• Heart Disease

If any of the above caught your attention, then let’s proceed with evaluating each of the three positions courtesy of Baylor Scott White Health.

The pros of sleeping on your stomach include: 

Stomach

• Less snoring occurs during the night
• Smaller probability of developing sleep apnea
• The cons of sleeping on your stomach include:
• Straining of the neck
• Feeling pain in your back
• Smashing of the breasts
• Impacting the skin (wrinkles)

Tip: Place a pillow under your pelvis or lower stomach area to reduce pain. 

Back 

The pros of sleeping on your back include: 

• Preventing back pain and sagging breasts
• Fewer wrinkles developing on the face and beck
• Fighting acid reflex

The cons of sleeping on your back include: 

• More snoring occurs during the night
• Higher chance of developing sleep apnea

Tip: Place a small pillow below your knees for extra comfort 

Side  

The pros of sleeping on your side include: 

• Healthier spinal alignment (less back pain)
• Less snoring occurs during the night
• Beneficial for those who are pregnant or have sleep apnea/acid reflux

The cons of sleeping on your side include: 

• Experiencing pain or numbness in the shoulders
• Poor circulation to specific areas of the body (arms and hips in particular)
• Impacting the skin and breasts due to the sideways orientation of the body

Tip: Place a pillow between your legs to align the spine.  

While side sleeping is most common (more than 60 percent of adults reported this type as their go-to position according to Sleep Foundation), there are a variety of benefits and drawbacks for stomach, back, and side sleepers alike.  

Which category do you fall into? Let us know by reaching out on one of our social media platforms.