Do you sleep on your front? Sleep experts warn you really shouldn't – this is the simple fix they recommend for a better night's rest

Do you sleep on your front? Me too, or at least, I *used* to sleep very happily on my stomach night after night.

However, when I became Ideal Home's Sleep Editor, I began speaking to sleep experts about all manner of things related to how to sleep better, and the one thing I heard time and again – from osteopaths, physiotherapists, doctors, and sleep clinicians alike – was that front-sleeping is *the* worst sleeping position for your long-term health.

It makes sense, of course. I was aware that twisting my neck at a 90-degree angle all night long probably wasn't *good* for it, but I was comfy.

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That is, until I hit my forties. Suddenly, I had neck pain, tension, and what felt like a pulled muscle travelling from my neck down into my shoulder. I realised I'd need to eat humble pie and change my sleeping position.

Luckily, the experts were on hand to teach me how to do so, because as I soon discovered, changing a sleeping position you've gotten used to is easier said than done! This is their expert advice on the downsides of front-sleeping, and what you can do to fix it.

What's so bad about sleeping on your front?

First up, aside from my experience of gradually developing a stiffer neck over time, what are the main downsides of front sleeping, according to the experts?

'Front sleeping is probably my least favourite of all sleeping positions from a musculoskeletal perspective,' explains Nell Mead, physiotherapist and author of How To Be Your Own Physio.

'The core issue is what it does to your neck. To breathe, you have to rotate your head to one side, and most front sleepers keep it rotated in the same direction, night after night, for hours at a time.'

'That sustained rotation can cause significant neck pain, stiffness, and referred pain into the shoulders and arms,' says Nell. Hmm, exactly the symptoms I began experiencing as a regular front-sleeper.

'When sleeping on your stomach, you need to twist your neck often, close to a 90-degree turn to breathe,' agrees sleep expert, registered osteopath, and founder of The Sleep Site, Dave Gibson. 'This is not a position the neck is designed to maintain for long periods, and it can contribute to neck and shoulder pain over time.'

'Front sleeping is the one sleep position where the evidence against it is both consistent and significant,' confirms Natalie Pennicotte-Collier, clinical sleep therapist and resident sleep expert at MattressNextDay.

'If you're a front sleeper, I'm not here to make you feel bad about something that likely feels the only way you can get comfortable at night,' reassures Natalie, 'but it is important to understand what the science shows.'

And as our experts go on to break down, that evidence suggests that front-sleeping causes numerous stresses on the body.

• Neck pain: 'The main issue is the neck,' says Natalie. 'To breathe, you have to turn your head to one side. Across a full night, that creates sustained muscular strain and reduced spinal alignment. In the clinic, this often shows up as morning neck stiffness, shoulder tension, upper back discomfort, and recurring headaches.'
• Lower back pain: 'Sleeping on your front can also increase the arch in your lower back, leading to compression of the joints in the lumbar spine,' advises Dave. Stomach-sleeping 'tends to put the lower back into extension,' agrees Nell, 'that's a slightly arched position which can irritate the joints of the lumbar spine and contribute to lower back pain, particularly in people who already have issues there.'
• Shoulder pain and pins and needles: 'Many front sleepers bring their arms up under the pillow or overhead,' says Natalie. 'This places strain on the shoulder joint and can compress nerves and blood vessels. That is often what leads to pins and needles on waking, and over time, it can contribute to shoulder problems.'
• Breathing and sleep depth: 'When you are lying on your front, your chest is pressed into the mattress, so it cannot expand as easily when you breathe in. That means your breathing muscles have to work harder throughout the night,' says Natalie. 'That extra effort keeps the body slightly more alert and can reduce the depth of sleep.'
• Nervous system affects: 'And more broadly, whilst front-sleeping the body is working against itself,' explains Natalie. 'For sleep to be fully restorative, the nervous system needs the body to feel supported and able to fully relax. A sleeping position that holds the neck in rotation and puts the lower back under strain makes that much harder to achieve, so there is always a degree of underlying effort.'

Do our experts recommend changing to a different sleeping position?

Okay, after that shortlist of physical ailments, we're probably all convinced of the downsides of stomach sleeping by this stage, and, unsurprisingly, it's a sleeping position our experts all agree on changing if possible.

'Front sleeping isn’t catastrophic for everyone, and if someone has always slept that way and wakes up feeling fine, the urgency is lower,' explains physiotherapist Nell. 'But if a patient comes to me with unexplained neck pain or morning stiffness and they’re a front sleeper, changing position is usually one of the first things I suggest.'

'As a registered osteopath, I tend to advise patients to change to side or back sleeping, especially if they suffer from neck or lower back pain,' agrees Dave. But, as I discovered in my own personal experience, changing your sleeping position isn't something that just happens overnight.

'For those thinking of changing positions, it can take some time to adjust to a new sleeping position,' confirms Dave. 'The key here is to be patient and not give up, as it can take a few weeks to feel comfortable in a new sleeping position.'

And reader, I am now a side sleeper, so I'm proof that you *can* change your sleeping position. Especially if you implement our expert's following top tips.

Simple ways to switch up your sleeping position

'Side sleeping is generally the gold standard for sleep posture,' says Nell. Who goes on to explain that this alternative to front-sleeping 'keeps your spine in a fairly neutral position and is comfortable for most people.'

When switching to this sleep position, the key is to use a pillow of the right height to keep the neck in line with the rest of the spine, says Nell, 'and optionally a pillow between the knees to prevent the top leg from pulling the pelvis into rotation and stressing the lower back.'

And, alongside investing in the best pillow for a side sleeper, the experts' most important piece of advice is to consider using a body pillow, such as Simba's Body Pillow, Woolroom's Washable Wool Body Pillow, or Silentnight's more affordable Body Pillow.

I've tested multiple body pillows in my mission to change from front to side sleeping, and I absolutely agree that this addition has been game-changing in helping me switch to a more comfortable sleeping position.

'You could prop pillows around you as you get used to lying on your side or back, to prevent you rolling onto your front during the night. But full-length body pillows are especially effective,' says Dave.

'A body pillow is often the most effective tool,' agrees Natalie, 'it gives a sense of support that makes side sleeping feel more natural and easier to maintain. Alternatively, a pillow between the knees can also help reduce the discomfort that often causes people to roll back onto their front. You can also place a pillow behind your back to gently discourage rolling.'

'Hugging a pillow to your front can make side sleeping feel more secure and comfortable,' adds Nell, 'especially for people used to the “pressed into the mattress” sensation of front sleeping.' This was definitely true for me.

Most importantly, if you're a front-sleeper like me who is determined to find a better sleeping position for your body, 'be patient with the process,' says Natalie.

'If you wake on your front, simply reposition and go back to sleep. Over time, the body adapts. It's not about forcing a perfect position. It is about helping your body find one that allows it to rest more fully.'

And as Dave adds, whilst these tips work well for most front-sleepers eager to switch to a sleeping position that puts less strain on the neck, 'it's important to note that if you suffer from persistent neck or lower back pain, or have a shoulder injury, you should consider getting personalised advice from an osteopath or physiotherapist.'

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