Sleeping on Stomach May Increase Risk of Sudden Death in Epilepsy

In a recent study published in the journal Neurology, researchers from the University of Chicago found that stomach sleepers with epilepsy may be at a higher risk for sudden unexpected death, drawing parallels to sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). “Sudden unexpected death is the main cause of death in uncontrolled epilepsy and usually occurs unwitnessed during sleep,” said the study’s lead author. During the study, researchers reviewed 25 studies that included 253 sudden unexpected death cases where body position was recorded. The results of the study found that 73 percent of the cases, people died positioned on their stomachs, whereas 27 percent died in other sleep positions. Additionally, in a subgroup of 88 people, researchers found that those younger than age 40 were four-times more likely to be found on their stomachs at the time of sudden death, in comparison to people over age 40. “We’re not sure why this was more common in younger people,” the author said. “Similar to infant SIDS cases, adults often have an impaired ability to wake up after a seizure, especially a general seizure…Our findings highlight an important strategy for preventing sudden unexpected death in epilepsy — that ‘back is best.’” To read more about this study, click here.