# Back vs front vs side sleepers **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 11, 2006, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-vs-front-vs-side-sleepers/372314 "2006-09-11T18:08:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tastes_of_chocolate/32/3232_2.png) [@Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tastes_of_Chocolate)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2006, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-vs-front-vs-side-sleepers/372314/1 "2006-09-11T18:08:30Z")
Some friends and I were wasting time in the local mall, when we decided to check out a mattress store. While they were trying out the beds, I decided to take a look at the pillows. They had pillows for people who sleep on their side, or on their back, or on their front. But, thinks I, I sleep on all of those. Sometimes in the same night. (Ok, so maybe it was really just a way to justify not spending $80 on a pillow). So now the poll: Do you sleep exclusively on one side/front/back (and which)? Mainly on one side/front/back? Or are you like me, and you like variety when sleeping? ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2006, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-vs-front-vs-side-sleepers/372314/2 "2006-09-11T18:26:47Z")
[QUOTE=Tastes of Chocolate] Or are you like me, and you like variety when sleeping? [/QUOTE] Guess I’m like you - I sleep however I feel comfortable at that moment. Either side, my back or even my stomach. ---
**Author:** ![Omega\_Glory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7c8e57/32.png) [@Omega\_Glory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omega_Glory)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2006, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-vs-front-vs-side-sleepers/372314/3 "2006-09-11T18:29:37Z")
I like variety too. ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2006, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-vs-front-vs-side-sleepers/372314/4 "2006-09-11T18:31:54Z")
Same here – all of the above can be comfortable, depending on the moment. ---
**Author:** ![DianaG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ab992/32.png) [@DianaG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DianaG)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2006, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-vs-front-vs-side-sleepers/372314/5 "2006-09-11T18:33:01Z")
I usually sleep on my side, but I also have a tendency to spread out across the bed in a kind of half on my side, half on my front, legs sprawled position. I never sleep entirely on my back or on my stomach, though. ---
**Author:** ![Agonist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/439d5e/32.png) [@Agonist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agonist)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2006, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-vs-front-vs-side-sleepers/372314/6 "2006-09-11T18:37:00Z")
Mainly on my left side, although I generally start out on my right. Sleeping on my back or stomach is uncomfortable. ---
**Author:** ![Autumn\_Almanac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d26b3c/32.png) [@Autumn\_Almanac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autumn_Almanac)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2006, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-vs-front-vs-side-sleepers/372314/7 "2006-09-11T18:37:26Z")
I can fall asleep in any position, but I’ll always turn during the night and wake up either on my front or on my right side. ---
**Author:** ![Anastasaeon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@Anastasaeon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anastasaeon)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2006, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-vs-front-vs-side-sleepers/372314/8 "2006-09-11T18:54:18Z")
Mostly on my side, either side will do. Occasionally on my back, but it has to be just right, or my hands fall asleep and wake me up, or worse; I snore when on my back. I can’t sleep on my stomach because my breasts get in the way. They don’t feel comfortable smooshed. Which sucks mightily, because pre-adolescence, sleeping on my stomach was so comfy. Then again, maybe the memory is sweeter since I can’t do it anymore… ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2006, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-vs-front-vs-side-sleepers/372314/9 "2006-09-11T19:00:33Z")
I’m unlikely to sleep on my front unless I collapse in that position. I usually sleep on my back, unless I’m with my wife, when I’m just as likely to sleep on my side in the spooning position. All-in-all, though, I’d say BACK 2/3 of the time and SIDE (no preference on which) 1/3 of the time. ---
**Author:** ![divemaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/divemaster/32/78_2.png) [@divemaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/divemaster)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2006, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-vs-front-vs-side-sleepers/372314/10 "2006-09-11T19:20:37Z")
When I first lie down I am on my back. Just to settle in, I guess. But I always turn over on my left side before going to sleep. Always. Trying to sleep in any other position feels weird. ---
**Author:** ![tremorviolet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e47774/32.png) [@tremorviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tremorviolet)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2006, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-vs-front-vs-side-sleepers/372314/11 "2006-09-11T19:26:51Z")
I sleep on my side, switching sides as my face gets hot. I spent about a year trying to train myself to sleep on my back (even started a thread about it) but it was just a year of crappy sleep. I’d rather sleep on my back 'cause I’m getting a wrinkle through one eyebrow from the pillow and I sometimes have nerve problems due to my shoulders curving inward and side sleeping doesn’t help. But trying to retrain yourself is tough… ---
**Author:** ![Lionne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Lionne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lionne)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2006, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-vs-front-vs-side-sleepers/372314/12 "2006-09-11T19:44:26Z")
I fall asleep splayed dead center in the middle of the bed until my mouth falls open sometime in the night, causing horrible dry mouth, at which point I hug my body pillow with the top resting underneath my chin and finish out the night sleeping on my side. ---
**Author:** ![Carlyjay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Carlyjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carlyjay)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2006, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-vs-front-vs-side-sleepers/372314/13 "2006-09-11T20:10:00Z")
I always start out on my stomach, and somehow end up on my back with my arms thrown over my head willy-nilly. ---
**Author:** ![lavenderviolet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/cdc98d/32.png) [@lavenderviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lavenderviolet)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2006, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-vs-front-vs-side-sleepers/372314/14 "2006-09-11T20:14:54Z")
I almost always sleep on my side. The particular side I favor depends on the layout of the room/bed, but usually there is only one side that I feel comfortable on for any given setting. I think when I was younger I was able to sleep on my back, but nowadays it’s pretty hard for me to get comfortable like that. ---
**Author:** ![anu-la1979](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/47e85d/32.png) [@anu-la1979](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anu-la1979)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2006, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-vs-front-vs-side-sleepers/372314/15 "2006-09-11T20:15:53Z")
I sleep on my back like a mummy. ---
**Author:** ![Lilairen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8491ac/32.png) [@Lilairen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lilairen)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2006, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-vs-front-vs-side-sleepers/372314/16 "2006-09-11T20:23:37Z")
I sleep on my side, though I swap sides regularly; occasionally on my stomach. When I have a whole bed to myself it’s generally some sort of sprawl, really; like a cat I expand to fill all available space. I can’t sleep on my back comfortably at all. ---
**Author:** ![kelly5078](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/6f9a4e/32.png) [@kelly5078](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kelly5078)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2006, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-vs-front-vs-side-sleepers/372314/17 "2006-09-11T22:05:22Z")
Usually back. Sometimes right side. Rarely left side. Never stomach. ---
**Author:** ![whiterabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/cab0a1/32.png) [@whiterabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whiterabbit)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2006, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-vs-front-vs-side-sleepers/372314/18 "2006-09-11T22:08:00Z")
I know when I was a baby I liked to sleep on my stomach with my butt pointing into the air, but it’s been a while. My left side is my favorite position, and just about the only way I can fall asleep, though I can fall asleep on my right if I’m sleepy enough. Never stomach. Sometimes in the morning when I’m dozing off and on I can do it on my back, but my left side is the best. ---
**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2006, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-vs-front-vs-side-sleepers/372314/19 "2006-09-11T22:14:38Z")
I fall asleep on my side, often flipping from side to side a few times before I decide which to stick with. Normally, though, I wake up on my back. My boyfriend sleeps on his tummy like a little kid. Makes it really hard to cuddle, dammit. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2006, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-vs-front-vs-side-sleepers/372314/20 "2006-09-11T22:21:03Z")
I fall asleep on my back, shift to on my left side about 2 hours in, then shift onto my belly for the last hour or so. Whichever way most annoys the cats who are trying to sleep on top of me. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-vs-front-vs-side-sleepers/372314.md?page=2)