The Best Sleeping Positions

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Written by Ashley Zlatopolsky, Content Writer

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In This Article

Wondering what sleep position has the most benefits?

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Love curling up on your side to sleep (the most popular sleeping position favored by 54 percent of people)?¹ How about stretching out on your back or sprawling across your mattress for stomach sleeping? Perhaps you’re even a combination sleeper who sleeps in different positions throughout the night. 

Whatever your preferred sleeping style may be, there are pros and cons to each type of sleeping position. But is one ultimately better for you than the other? Here’s what research and experts have to say.

Our Best Sleeping Position Video Guide

What Is the Best Sleeping Position? 

For the most part, sleeping on your side or on your back are widely considered to be the best sleeping positions, though one may be better for you than the other depending on your health and lifestyle.

Stomach sleeping is less recommended, says Taher Saifullah, MD, founder of Spine & Pain Institute Los Angeles, because it doesn’t allow your spine to maintain its natural curve. This, in turn, may cause back or neck pain, especially when paired with an unsupportive or sagging mattress.²

Wondering how side, back, and stomach sleeping compare? We’ve assembled a thorough breakdown of the benefits and drawbacks of each, as well as how to determine which sleeping position will best suit your needs.

Back Sleeping

Back sleeping, also known as supine sleeping, involves lying on your back. Most back sleepers fall into one of two natural positions: sleeping with their arms at their sides or sleeping with their arms over their head and legs sprawled out. 

Back sleeping comes loaded with advantages, especially when you’re sleeping on a good, supportive mattress (ideally medium-firm, which research shows offers just the right amount of pressure relief to help reduce back pain).³ According to Saifullah, back sleeping is great for promoting healthy spinal alignment. 

“When you sleep on your back with a supportive pillow under your head and a small pillow or rolled towel under your knees,” he explains, “it [also] helps maintain the natural curve of your spine.” – Taher Saifullah, MD

Saifullah says that back sleeping also helps evenly distribute your body weight, which lessens pressure on your shoulders and hips (a leading cause of back pain from sleeping). It also helps reduce your chance of experiencing acid reflux (or stomach acid rising into your esophagus), he says, especially when you sleep with your head slightly elevated above the rest of your body.⁴

Still, there are downsides to back sleeping, and a few experts believe that although it’s considered one of the best sleeping positions, it’s not quite as superior as side sleeping for the following reasons. First off, Saifullah says back sleeping can worsen sleep apnea or snoring. This is because the “tongue and soft tissues of the throat might collapse towards the back of the mouth” in this position, he explains. That said, creating more of an incline for your head with a pillow or an adjustable base may help reduce snoring if you prefer to lie on your back.⁵ 

Then, there’s the chance that back sleeping can cause lower back pain, but this is most often due to sleeping on a mattress that’s too soft or lacks proper lumbar support.

Find the best mattresses for back sleepers here.

Side Sleeping 

Side sleeping is the most popular sleeping position, and for good reason.¹ Not only is sleeping on your side oh so comfortable with many ways to sleep, such as facing left or right, or with an arm curled under your pillow to support your head, it can provide many health benefits. 

Side sleeping is an excellent way to maintain good spinal alignment while sleeping, Saifullah says, especially if you have lower back pain (placing a pillow between your knees can also help with lower back pain specifically). 

Saifullah goes on to say that another benefit of side sleeping is that it makes you less likely to snore, since sleeping on your side can help keep the airways open, making it the best sleeping position for people with sleep apnea.

There are a few disadvantages to side sleeping, though. “Side sleeping might create pressure points on your shoulders and hips, potentially leading to discomfort or pain,” Saifullah says (this is especially true if your mattress is too firm). “Prolonged side sleeping can also contribute to the formation of facial wrinkles due to the pressure on one side of the face.”

Browse our picks for the best beds for side sleepers to learn more.

Is one side better to sleep on than the other? 

“Sleeping on the left side is generally considered better for overall health,” Saifullah says. “It can improve circulation, reduce acid reflux, and benefit kidney function by relieving pressure on the liver.” Left side sleeping is also recommended for pregnancy because it can improve blood flow to the fetus.⁶

However, right side sleepers shouldn’t fret. Emerging research has found that sleeping on the right side may lead to more restful sleep. A 2022 study of 13 individuals discovered that those with a preference for right-sided sleeping had lower instances of tossing and turning, and therefore reported much better sleep quality.⁷

Stomach Sleeping 

Stomach sleeping may not be the ideal sleeping position, but if you just love sleeping on your stomach, rest assured benefits still exist.

Stomach sleeping is a great way to keep the airways open and reduce snoring, Saifullah says, but it can be hard on your back. “This position can place significant strain on your neck and spine,” he explains. “Since your head is turned to one side, it can cause neck pain and misalignment of the spine.” Stomach sleeping can also increase pressure on sensitive joints, which can lead to even more discomfort and further exacerbate pain in the back and neck.

Also, like side sleeping, lying on your stomach means your face will rub up against your pillow, which may lead to facial wrinkles.

Still, don’t be deterred from stomach sleeping if this is the most comfortable sleeping position for you. As long as you don’t wake up with neck or back pain, you can feel confident in continuing to sleep on your stomach.

Learn More: Is Stomach Sleeping Bad? and Best Mattresses for Stomach Sleeping

Ashley Zlatopolsky

Content Writer

About Author

Ashley Zlatopolsky is a Detroit-based writer and editor who specializes in sleep content. She writes about sleep health, hygiene and products for Sleep Advisor, Mattress Clarity, Real Simple, Sleep.com and more.

Side Sleeper