How Your Sleeping Position Affects Your Back and Neck Health

Did you know how you sleep can either help or harm your back and neck? Certain sleeping positions can stress your spine and contribute to discomfort, stiffness, or long-term pain.

The International Spine, Pain & Performance Center team is all about spine health, including spine health while you sleep.

Read on to learn how your sleeping position affects your spine and how you can improve your sleep quality and back health.

Why your posture at night matters

Good posture — keeping your spine in neutral alignment — matters whether you're standing, sitting, or walking. 

When you sleep, your body should also maintain a neutral spine alignment. This means your head, neck, and spine are aligned straight without unnatural curves or strain. 

Poor sleeping posture can cause the muscles and ligaments in your back and neck to overcompensate, causing you to wake up with a sore back or a stiff neck. 

To compound matters, poor sleep can impact memory, mood, and energy levels night after night.

Common sleeping positions and how they affect your spine

Not all sleeping positions affect your spine the same way.

Supine (on your black)

Sleeping flat on your back is the best sleeping position for neck and back pain. It evenly distributes your body weight and helps maintain the natural curve of your spine. It also prevents your neck from twisting at an awkward angle.  

There's one exception to this, though. If you have sleep apnea, sleeping on your back may exacerbate your symptoms. If that's the case, you may benefit from side sleeping for your spine and sleep apnea.

Tip: Use a supportive pillow under your head (such as a neck roll). Many back sleepers find that placing a small pillow under their knees can further reduce pressure on their lower back.

Side sleeping

Side sleeping is the most common position and can be good for your back and neck — provided you use the right support. Side sleeping can lead to neck stiffness or lower back pain without proper support.

Tip: Use a pillow that supports your neck's natural curve and place a pillow between your knees to keep your hips aligned. This simple trick alleviates pressure on your lower back.

Fetal position

This position is comfortable, but it can cause issues over time. 

The fetal position (curled up on your side) is popular for comfort, but it can strain your neck and back over time if you're tightly curled. This position can also lead to restricted breathing.  

Tip: Adopt more of a side sleeping position rather than a tightly curled fetal position. Keep your body relaxed, not overly curled, and use supportive pillows to maintain spine alignment.

Prone position (stomach sleeping)

This position is the worst for neck and back health. In it, your spine is forced into an unnatural curve, while your neck is often twisted to one side. This can lead to stiffness, pain, and even long-term issues like herniated discs.

There are cases where sleeping prone is recommended, but this is usually the case if you're dealing with a lung issue or other respiratory conditions. 

Tip: If you must sleep on your stomach, skip the pillow to reduce pressure on your neck.  

Choose the right mattress and pillows

Your sleeping position isn't the only factor affecting your spinal health—your pillow and mattress are also important. 

Back sleepers typically need thinner pillows, while side sleepers benefit from thicker, firm pillows to fill the space between the head and mattress.

A medium-firm mattress provides adequate support for your spine without causing pressure points. If your mattress is too soft, it can cause your body to sink low and fall out of alignment, while a mattress that's too firm may create discomfort in your pressure points (think hips and shoulders). 

What if your neck and back still hurt?

Choosing the right sleeping position and the right mattress and pillow combination can help avoid pain from poor alignment. However, if you have underlying spinal conditions, such as a herniated disk or a pinched nerve, you'll need to address the root cause of your pain head on.

Our team can diagnose the source of your neck or back pain in Washington, D.C., or Arlington, Virginia. Depending on what's causing your pain, you may benefit from physical therapy, injections, radiofrequency ablation, and other lifestyle modifications. 

Questions? Call or click to get started.