This ‘car crash’ sleeping position is the worst for posture

Not all sleeping positions are equal when it comes to getting your rest.

One position in particular will likely leave you achy rather than refreshed in the morning, according to James Leinhardt, a self-described sleep posture specialist.

In a TikTok, Leinhardt declared sleeping on your stomach with your arms stretched out on a pillow as a “car crash of a sleeping position,” and urged people to try a different posture when slumbering.

“You’re rotating your neck, you’re twisting it,” he explained. “You’re putting your head up and you’re fighting all the natural curves of your spine.”

In the video, which has more than 52.4 million views, Leinhardt demonstrated on plastic skeleton laid out in the same position how it can compress your vertebrate.

“You’re getting pins and needles, neck pain and back pain,” he added. “And you still do it every night.”

Although some people argued it’s the “most” comfortable position to sleep in, Leinhardt replied that there could be long-term consequences.

“When I’m sat in this chair and slouched, I’m comfortable for about 20 minutes, maybe half an hour max,” he said in a follow-up clip. “But then the pressure on the top of my sacrum and the way that my spine is slouched in the chair is going to cause me loads and loads of pain.”

“Eventually I’m going to reposition myself and move up and improve my posture,” he explained.

According to Leinhardt, the reason people think it’s more comfortable is because it’s what they’re used to.