Somesleepingpositionsarebetterthanothersforreducingbackpain,expertswarn.Accordingtochiropractors,pronesleepingistheworstsleeppositionforbackpain,whilesleepingonyourbackisconsideredthehealthiest.

Sleepingonthebestmattressesin2024canrelievetinglingbackpain.However,Dr.TonyNarda,achiropractorwholeadstheScoliosisReductionCenterinFlorida,revealsthatpronesleepingcancausemuscletensionandinflammation,leadingtoneckandbackpain.

Herewewilltakeacloserlookathowpronesleepingcausesandaggravatesbackandneckpain,andhowitaffectssleepquality.Inaddition,Dr.Nardawillshowyouhowtostopsleepingonyourstomach.Let'sgetstarted.

Depressedsleepingistheworstsleeppositionforbackhealth.Whenyousleeponyourstomach,yourneckandspinearecompressed.Sleepinginthispositionforlongperiodsoftimeoftenresultsinastiffneckandthrobbingbackthatwakesyouup.

"Sleepingforwardflattensthenaturalcurveofthespine,whichcancausebackpain,"explainsDr.Narda.Ifyoualreadyhaveneckorbackproblems,sleepinginthispositionisalmostcertaintomakethemworse."

Inadditiontotheextrapressureonthespine,whichcanstrainthevertebraeandsurroundingmuscles,pronesleepingalsoaffectsoxygenlevels.Sleepingonapronepositionputspressureonthediaphragm,makingitdifficulttobreathedeeply.Asaresult,oxygenintakeisreducedthroughoutthenight,whichcandisruptsleepquality,Dr.Nardasays.

Expertsbelievethatsleepingonyourbackisthebestsleeppositionforbackpain,andsleepingonthebestmattressforbackpainwillprovidethepressurereliefandsupportyouneed.

"Elevatedsleepisoptimalbecauseitmaintainsthenaturalcurveofthespineandminimizespressureonthejoints,"saysDr.Narda.Sleepingonyoursidewithapillowbetweenyourkneesisanotherknownfetalposition.Alternatively,sidesleepingimproveshearthealthandreducessnoring."

Sleepingonamattressthatisoptimizedforsidesleeping,withapillowbetweentheknees,positionsthehipsandreducesstressonthelowerback.

"Studiesshowthat7-17%ofpeoplearefrontsleepers,"saysDr.Narda.'Bychangingtheirhabits,theycanimprovetheirhealthandsleepbettereverynight.'Herearethreewaystostopsleepingonyourstomach.

"Bodypillowshelpsupportyourbackandsidepostureandpreventyoufromslumpingover,"saysDr.Narda.

Placingapillowbetweenyourkneeswhilelyingonyoursidewillkeepyoufromslumpingoverwhilesleeping.

Forsomepeople,beingsurroundedbyafortofpillowshelpstrainthemtosleepontheirback,whichisoptimalforspinehealth.

Thosewhohavetried(andfailed)togetcomfortableinpositionsotherthansupinecansleeponamattressthatisoptimizedforlyingontheirstomach,whichprovidespropersupportforthespine.

Mattressesthatarebestsuitedforlyingonone'sbackarefirmer,whichpreventsthespineandhipsfromshiftingtoofaroutofalignment.Asoftermattresswillcausethespinetosinkin,puttingstrainonthespineandcausingbackpain.Similarly,thebestpillowforapronesleeperisonewithalowloft.Alowloftputslessstrainontheneck,thusreducingthebuildupoftension.