The Nightly Habits That Lead to Chronic Pain: A Spine Expert’s Warning

Your seemingly harmless nightly habits could be the root cause of your chronic pain. A specialist in spine alignment has issued a warning about two specific sleeping positions that can wreak havoc on your spine. He emphasized that sleep is when your body is supposed to rest and recover, but a bad posture can turn this into a period of strain, leading to uneven pressure on vertebrae and nerves.
The specialist cautioned that the long-term effects are significant. What starts as waking up with a sore neck or back can, over time, evolve into chronic pain syndromes and even a permanent posture imbalance. Your body’s ability to repair muscles and ligaments overnight is compromised by these poor positions.
The first, and one of the “most common bad sleep positions,” is sleeping on your stomach. The expert explained that this forces you to twist your neck to one side for an extended period. This sustained rotation can strain neck muscles and compress nerves. He also described this position as “unnatural” because it causes the lower back to arch excessively, stressing the lumbar region.
The second position to avoid is the tightly curled-up fetal position. The specialist noted that while it “feels super comfortable,” tucking your knees tightly to your chest “rounds the spine too much.” This C-shape over-stretches the back muscles, tightens the hip flexors, and limits deep breathing. Over time, this can lead to decreased flexibility and chronic mid-back pain.
The best way to sleep, according to the expert, is to maintain the spine’s natural alignment. He recommends sleeping on your back with a small pillow under your knees, or on your side with a supportive pillow between your legs. These positions distribute your body weight evenly, preventing strain and allowing your spine to truly rest.