I’ve always read and been told that sleeping on your stomach is bad for your spine and neck but after a workout or long day at work, I find that laying on my stomach for an hour or so while I read or scroll on my phone makes my back feel so much better. Am I doing more long-term harm than good with this? Why does it feel so good on my back but is bad for it? Is it just not recommended for long periods of time but beneficial for shorter periods?
I believe that feeling is decompression and depending on your body different positions will decompress the spine and thus feel good
It probably depends on your specific physiology and also what you’re doing all day
I highly doubt it’s bad for you to temporarily lay on your stomach. Like any posture you should shift position somewhat often just to relieve and shift around the compressive forces on various parts of your body.
For example, I know someone who sat cross legged for too long and it compressed a nerve in their ankle causing permanent nerve damage.