Is it bad to sleep on your stomach? The short answer is yes.” Although sleeping on your stomach can reduce snoring and sleep apnea, it also puts stress on your back and neck. This can lead to poor sleep and discomfort throughout your life. day. If you are pregnant, you should be especially careful with your sleeping position and avoid sleeping on your stomach if possible.
Starting at the spine
Many people who sleep on their stomach experience some pain. Whether it’s neck, back or joint pain, this pain can affect how long you sleep. More pain means you are more likely to wake up at night and feel less rested in the morning.
Sleeping on your stomach puts pressure on your back and spine, according to the Mayo Clinic. This is because most of your weight is in the center of your body. This makes it difficult to maintain a neutral spine position during sleep.
The burden on the spine increases the load on other structures in your body. Also, since the spine is a conduit for your nerves, spinal cord pressure can cause pain almost anywhere in your body. You may also experience tingling and numbness, as if part of you has “fallen asleep” (while the rest of you feels uncomfortable and awake).
Doctors say that when sleeping in this position, the back muscles contract, since our head is turned to the side in this case. As a result, the blood in the brain of the vessels is not received. If, however, in this case a person suffers from atherosclerosis of the artery and on the other hand “put” cholesterol plaques, lock cells in general that are at risk of still being without oxygen.
This is clearly very dangerous. If you say that you are not sick with this disease, the doctors have his argument – once you get old, and do not know how painful “pop up”. So we do not accustom ourselves to this role, and then they do not come from the breast. This is one of the main reasons for not sleeping on his stomach.
In addition, while you were sleeping in this position, the chest is compressed. As a result – the breath goes astray and breaks down. Man Can not fully saturate your body with oxygen, and in the morning he feels tired and does not rest well.
And here is the neck
If you haven’t learned to breathe through your pillow, you have to turn your head to the side when you sleep on your stomach. It knocks your head and your back, twists your neck. You may not notice the damage this causes after one episode of sleeping on your stomach, but throat problems can develop over time.
A neck problem you don’t really need is a herniated disc. This is when the gelatinous disc ruptures between your vertebrae. When this gel leaks out of the disc, it can irritate the nerves.
Special care for expectant mothers
When you “sleep for two,” you need as much quality as possible. The very idea of sleeping on your stomach sounds silly during pregnancy, but you should also avoid it early in pregnancy. This extra weight around the waist will put more pressure on your spine.
In addition, your baby will have more room if he or she does not have to squeeze between your spine and the mattress. BUT A 2012 medical study suggests that sleeping on your left side during pregnancy can increase healthy blood flow and ensure optimal oxygen levels for you and your baby.
Tips for sleeping on your stomach
What if you’ve been sleeping on your stomach all your life and, despite warnings, can’t fall asleep any other way? Here are some tips to help you avoid problems:
- Use a thin pillow or no pillow at all. The more even the pillow, the less the head and neck will be bent.
- Place a pillow under your pelvis. This will help keep your back in a more neutral position and take pressure off your spine.
- Stretching in the morning. A few minutes of stretching will help your body and gently strengthen the supporting muscles. Before you stretch, make sure you warm up with a little movement and take it easy!