Sleep problems and pain: solutions for pain caused by the sleeping position

Sleep medicine experts say there’s no one “right” way to sleep, but if you wake up with discomfort or stiffness or have restless nights, adjustments to your sleeping position may help. Here are some of the most common problems related to how people sleep, and what can be done about it.

For fans of side sleeping

Many of us sleep on our side without a problem, but experts explain that for some people, for example the elderly or people with joint problems, this position puts a lot of pressure on their shoulder, hip and knees. Sleeping on a memory foam or gel mattress can help by distributing the weight more evenly. Placing a pillow between your knees can also reduce hip, knee and lower back pain by keeping your legs and hips as parallel as possible.

When you sleep on your side, using a pillow that’s too thick or too thin can force your spine out of balance, leading to muscle and joint strain, or it can put pressure on nerves and cause pain, tingling, or weakness in your shoulders, arms, or upper back.

Along with this, people with a deviated septum may find that sleeping on their side affects their breathing. The condition occurs when the thin layer of cartilage and bone dividing the nasal cavity is off center or crooked. It’s a fairly common condition that affects more than 80 percent of people, although only about 30 percent notice an effect on breathing when sleeping on their side. For some people, it is easier to breathe when they sleep on the side where the narrower nostril is, allowing air to flow unhindered through the wider nostril.

For fans of sleeping on their backs

The goal in sleep is to maintain the natural curvature of the spine and neck, without creating too many bends, twists and turns. Sleeping on your back is best for maintaining this condition, but it can also cause problems or exacerbate existing problems.

Sleeping on your back may also worsen acid reflux symptoms by allowing stomach acid to seep into the esophagus. Besides, any sleeping position can lead to nasal congestion, but sleeping on your back can make you feel the suffocation even more.

Elevating the upper body with a pillow or bolster can help relieve acid reflux. Alternatively, try raising the head of the bed by placing blocks under the legs of the bed frame, she said. Some studies also suggest that sleeping on your left side can help.

Pregnant women are usually asked to avoid sleeping on their back after about 20 weeks to prevent the uterus from putting pressure on the vein that carries blood from the lower body to the heart. This may restrict blood flow to vital organs or lower blood pressure, leading to dizziness.

During pregnancy it is safest to sleep on your side, especially on your left side, as this transfers the weight from the vein. This pose is also supposed to help with pregnancy-related acid reflux.

For lovers of sleeping on their stomachs

Sleeping on your stomach is the least common sleeping position, and it also tends to be the hardest on the spine. Tilting your head to one side all night causes strain on the neck, and this is usually exacerbated by a thick pillow that tilts the neck upwards.

The pose can also overstretch the lower back. In a review published in 2025, researchers found that sleeping on your stomach is associated with more lower back pain than sleeping on your back or side.

How to learn to sleep in a different position?

Most of us constantly read about improving the quality of sleep by choosing a specific sleeping position, but actually changing the sleeping position is not necessarily an easy or short matter. According to sleep experts, the best way is to get used to it – try to stay as long as possible in the new position, but you can also start with short periods of time every night. With enough persistence you will get used to the comfort of the new sleeping position you have chosen.

Also, strategic placement of regular pillows, special pillows or devices can help you stay in one position throughout the night. To stay on your side, try placing a body pillow behind you. There are also pillows that tie to the back to maintain the sleeping position on the side, and electronic devices that vibrate when they sense that you have rolled onto your back. They are the technological equivalent of receiving an elbow from your spouse.

If you are trying to get used to sleeping on your back, experts recommend trying to sleep with a small pillow under your knees, even if it feels uncomfortable the first few nights.

Your sleeping position is just one of many factors that contribute to the overall quality of sleep. Maintaining a regular sleep schedule, adequate physical activity and maintaining a dark and cool temperature in the bedroom – all these are important for a good night’s rest.