We all have our innate preference for everything - and our preferred sleeping position is no different. Some people may be attracted towards stomach sleep. However, this position increases the likelihood of dislocation of the spine, and subsequent pain, pain, stiffness, and night rest. 

If you are unable to sleep in this position, it is important to know which pillow is best for your stomach sleepers and which mattress is best for healthy spine alignment. 

According to the chiropractor, continue reading to discover why stomach sleep is a disease. Plus: Top tips for pillows that stomach sleepers should adopt as soon as possible.

Stomach sleep is often cited as the most defective sleeping posture. Rubina Tahir, a chiropractor in DC, Ann Arbor, Michigan, offers an analogy to explain why it spells bad news for your spine.

"Do you walk around all day with your head turned to one side?"She asks. Naturally, the answer is no, so you should not sleep that way. "Keeping [your] head spinning to one side is known as an extreme end-range type of posture," she continues. "If the neck is held at the extreme of the normal range of motion for a long time, the risk of joint pain increases (aka hyperextension due to rotation). A similar example would be a "tech neck" by keeping your head down while sending a text message.

As explained in a 2019 review in the journal BMJ Open, a stomach sleeping in a position called a "prone position" has been clinically suggested to "increase the load on spinal tissue, reduce recovery, and cause awake spinal symptoms."

In addition, Dr. Tahir says that stomach sleep increases the likelihood of waking up at night and stiffness in the morning.

Given these points, stomach sleep can provide built-in perks for major demographics. In cases where there are among an estimated 37 million chronic snorers in the U.S., it may be found that this sleeping position alleviates this condition. "People who snore often have less snoring and an easier posture to fall asleep in," the chiropractor notes.

Stomach sleepers generally need to sleep on pillows as long as they are in the right shape and in the right position. If you can't resist the urge to sleep on your stomach, Dr. Tahir recommends making a strategic pillow selection to minimize the potential danger.

"While stomach sleep should be avoided — back or sideways sleep is best — it's important to know that high pillows can highly increase the range of end of neck movement and accelerate joint wear and tear," she warns. (She calls feather pillows as one type that would be too high.As such, thin pillows are more ideal for stomach sleepers as they reduce the inclination of your neck position and thus cause less strain.

In addition, attention should be paid to how and where the arms are placed. "I want to avoid putting my head on my arm or putting my arm under my pillow," she advises. Make this mistake"increases the compression force of your forearm, leading to numbness and tingling."

If you are looking for the best pillow for stomach sleepers to maintain optimum neck and spine health, you are sure to note the following chiropractor-approved tips " Contour pillows provide neck support and can place the head in a more anterior position as compared to the neck. This is perfect if you have to sleep on your stomach," explains Dr. Tahir. 

Choose the material of the pillow wisely. Chiropractors suggest choosing a pillow that consists of shredded memory foam and microfiber clusters. "This allows the pillow to mold in your body," she says. Avoid pillows that are too hard. A solid pillow is likely to create an uncomfortable angle in the cervical spine of the stomach sleepers, she continues.

Avoid log pillows. According to the doctor. Tahir, the shape of a log pillow doesn't provide enough support; chances are you'll wake up intermittently in the middle of the night in search of a more comfortable position. 

One thing you need to know that sleeping on your stomach is not ideal for your neck, shoulders and back.1 But it's not always easy to avoid this sleeping posture in practice, if that's your recourse. With that in mind, Dr. Tahir offers some farewell tips for stomach sleepers that are worth adopting. 

It is important to invest in a mattress that is best suited for stomach sleepers to prevent the spine from becoming out of alignment. "A mattress of medium hardness supports the joints throughout the body," says Dr. Tahir. She particularly recommends memory foam mattresses with pocket coils, saying they are less likely to accelerate sagging and wear and tear.

Just as stomach sleepers should avoid resting on solid, high pillows, they should be careful to sleep on only 1 thin pillow."Stacking pillows will press the neck joints," Dr. Tahir warned, eventually causing long-term stress. "You may feel better at the beginning of the night, but this is because your skeletal muscles are in an active phase. But sleep is the time of inactivity of skeletal muscles, and therefore the pressure points are exposed to different forces."

In short, stacking pillows doesn't go for stomach sleepers - your body will probably try to communicate with you through nighttime awakening.

"Sleeping posture is part of a model that reduces unnecessary pressure on the intervertebral discs and joints of the spine," Dr. Tahir said. Back and side sleep is preferred because it supports proper alignment and thus helps to keep aches, stiffness and more serious injuries at bay.

Again, changing the position of sleep is not as easy as saying, but it is not impossible. Training your body to sleep in a different position takes practice. It takes between 2 weeks and 30 days to notice a significant change," says Dr. Tahir. But it will be worth the effort in the long run. "The shorter the time to sleep on your stomach, the better."You can continue to wake up on your stomach, but it is still in your best interests to try step by step from this position.

Do not ignore the worsening of pain to avoid persistent wear and tear. Instead, consulting a local chiropractor can help stomach sleepers establish healthier paths and build more sustainable habits. "The chiropractor will examine your posture and the current health of your joints. [They are] trained to provide optimal suggestions for neck and back health," explains Dr. Tahir.

If necessary, perform adjustments that can relieve pressure from joints that are held regularly in extreme range of motion (i.e. stomach sleep). "Patients usually notice that their ability to turn and tilt their heads improves, reducing pain, soreness and stiffness," she continues. Another bonus: "Getting regular adjustments will help you ease into side sleep and back sleep because it feels more comfortable for you."

Dr. Tahir says it's hard to test a pillow at an active muscle stage. To protect your buck and body as well, she suggests prioritizing pillow and mattress brands with favorable trial periods and/or return policies.