Not a stupid question for sure, but I also would be reluctant to trust anything random internet people say about things of a medical nature.

But, eh… I think you’ll be fine.

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.

Laying on your stomach is good if it reduces your back pain, but variety is the spice of positioning. Lying on your stomach extends your back and for some people with the right type of bulging disks it will bring pain relief. Possibly more so with pushing up on your elbows or for the maximum stretch pushing up on your hands while holding your hips down and arching your back. Just don't overdo it.

How on earth are you reading while lying on your stomach??

Anecdotally, I had a quenching desire to lie on my stomach after giving birth. Like, I was exhausted and sleep deprived and you could have told me that this would kill me and I'd still sleep on my stomach in the hospital. I later looked it up and apparently lying on your stomach helps with the back formation of the uterus.

If it feels good for you, it is probably good. The warnings are about the sleeping position, which is unnatural (meaning your body wasn't built for it) and may lead to pain, joint ache, breathing problems etc.

However, laying on your back can be a huge relief for your back, I know that from experience. Especially if your lower back hurts, it's a very good way to work against the painm but I guess your reading position is also different to a sleeping position, your neck is bend upwards and also you push your back more through.

Laying on the stomach can also help with stomach pain and ingestion problems.

In the end everybody is different. Carefully listen to your body and how it responds.

Also I can really recommend going to the gym and strengthen your torso, especially back and stomach muscles. I feel so much better than before, I think I can never go back to not working out.

I can't say more than anecdotal, but after a broken neck and back (shoulder blades and up), I cannot sleep on my stomach at all. I haven't been fused or anything, but I lost around 1/2-1/3rd of my neck rotation to the left.

Sleeping on my stomach used to be a thing, but now it will leave me in terrible shape for days. The deviation in alignment of the spine is more significant than it seems. When your range of mobility is reduced significantly, the effect is far more noticeable as abnormal. It is about like falling asleep in a yoga pose. Those are some of the most fatigued muscles in the body, just to hold up your head. Damage some and it becomes extremely evident.

If it feels good you’re fine. It felt freaking awesome when I was recovering from a herniated disc as prescribed by a physiotherapist. Lying that way is at least as effective as “decompression” from a chiroquacker. I can’t imagine why it would be harmful.

If you’re scrolling and your neck isn’t supported your neck muscles will not thank you.