Is Sleeping on Your Stomach Bad? A Doctor Explains the Surprising Pros and Cons

We spend roughly a third of our lives sleeping, but most of us spend more time counting sheep than thinking about how our sleep position impacts our health. Turns out, different sleep positions can make all the difference when it comes to managing certain chronic conditions and improving your overall sleep quality. And while many tend to think sleeping on your stomach is bad or back sleeping is the best, there may be good reasons why you should consider rolling over.

Is sleeping on your stomach bad?

According to one survey , only about 17 percent of people are dedicated stomach sleepers. While stomach sleeping may not be the most ideal position for some, Valerie Cacho, MD , an integrative sleep physician, women’s sleep expert and CEO of Sleephoria, says any impact on your health differs between people.

“Sleeping on your stomach may affect the position of your spine, specifically the neck, because you can’t keep it straight. You have to have your head turned to allow yourself to breathe,” she explains. That bent spinal alignment means you may wake up with shoulder, neck and back pain , which is the main reason you may want to avoid stomach sleeping.

What’s your preferred sleeping position?

However, sleeping on your stomach is generally not bad for your overall health. In fact, it may be beneficial in some instances. The ideal sleeping position is about what’s most comfortable for you, and Dr. Cacho notes that “finding the right sleep position can take some trial and error.” So don’t be afraid to try switching it up each night to find what sleep position helps you wake feeling rested and refreshed!

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Benefits of sleeping on your stomach

When is it a good idea to sleep on your stomach? Turns out it may be a good choice for those who snore or have obstructive sleep apnea , which Dr. Cacho notes goes undiagnosed in as many as 90 percent of women.

“When you’re on your stomach, your tongue is pulled forward to help open up your upper airway,” she explains. That’s why subjects in a 2015 study published in Sleeping & Breathing experienced less severe apnea and up to five fewer apnea episodes per hour while sleeping on their stomach. (Plus this position may help reduce snoring , too.)

Benefits of sleeping on your back

Back sleeping—which is the preferred position for about 18 percent of people —keeps “the spine in the most neutral position,” explains Dr. Cacho, since your spine maintains its natural curve. That means that those who opt for sleeping this way tend to have less back pain than those who sleep on their stomach, per a 2019 study in BMJ Open .

What’s more, research published in the Aesthetic Surgery Journal in 2016 found that facial wrinkles from friction against pillows are common. But keeping your face away from your pillowcase by sleeping on your back can prevent your pillows from tugging on your skin, so wrinkles are less likely to form over time.

Benefits of sleeping on your side

Side sleeping is the most popular sleep position, with 42 percent of folks saying they sleep that way every night. Dr. Cacho notes that it’s a safe and comfortable position for most people. And those suffering from acid reflux or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) may benefit from the sleep position. Lying on your left side helps food pass smoothly through the digestive tract, so stomach acid stays in the stomach instead of inching up into your esophagus and causing heartburn, per a 2023 study in the World Journal of Clinical Cases .

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Sleeping on your side may also be beneficial for your brain. Sleeping activates the glymphatic system “that cleans the brain of toxins,” explains Dr. Cacho. This includes waste like amyloid beta plaques that are linked to Alzheimer’s, according to 2024 research published in Cureus . And researchers reporting in The Journal of Neuroscience found that side sleeping was the most effective sleep position for this waste removal during sleep.

The right pillow can make your sleep position more comfortable

If you’re looking to change your sleep position to ease aches, tame snoring or for another reason, Dr. Cacho suggests looking for special pillows that can help support your body. Thin pillows are ideal for stomach sleepers, since they help reduce the strain when you twist your neck.

For side sleepers, research in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics found that pillows that were about 10 cm in height were most comfortable for those with neck and back pain.

Regardless of what sleep position you drift off in, a 2011 study published in Physiotherapy Canada found that feather pillows tended to be the least comfortable for most people, while those using pillows made from latex and polyester were typically the most comfortable and had better sleep quality.

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