Meet the Experts
Kaliq Changis a physician and interventional pain management specialist at the Atlantic Spine Center.
Terry Cralleis a registered nurse and sleep expert with the Better Sleep Council.
Erin Rossi is a Certified Sleep Science Coach and contributor to theSimply Restblog.
@buffy
Carolyn Burkeis a certified sleep coach and editor forThe Sleep Advisor.
James Rowley is the chief of pulmonary and critical care and sleep medicine at DMC Harper University Hospital.
“The key to restful sleep is keeping the spine in natural alignment,” Chang says.
Who Shouldn’t Sleep on Their Back?
This sleep position isn’t recommended for those with sleep apnea.
She adds that people with positional apnea experience the majority of their breathing abnormalities while sleeping on their backs.
So if you suffer from positional sleep apnea, back sleeping most likely isn’t for you.
Comfort plays a role in deciding which sleep position is best for you, too.
Our experts agree that sleeping on your side can be just as healthy as sleeping on your back.
Put simply, sleep experts recommend sleep in whatever position is comfortable for you.
Though they do advise against sleeping on your stomach, which can lead to neck and back pain.
A Note About Pregnancy
If you’re pregnant, sleeping on your side is actually your best option.
On that note, Cralle urges you to think beyond the sleep surface alone.
This isn’t uncommonsome people experience lower back pain after sleeping on their back.
To reduce pressure and stress on your spine, Chang recommends sleeping with a pillow beneath your knees.
“Make a pillow fort around you, placing a pillow under your legs.”
The sleep experts we spoke to all agree that side-sleeping is just as optimal as sleeping on your back.
“For some that might be on their back, for others on their side.”
National Sleep Foundation.Best Sleeping Positions.
Updated April 29, 2021.
2012;14(3):133-138. doi:10.3109/14764172.2012.685563
University of Rochester Medical Center.Good sleeping posture helps your back.
