Did you know something as minute as what side you sleep on could affect your health and digestive organs? Funny right! But actually, what side you sleep on can actually matter more than you think.
According to VeryWelll Health, sleeping on your side can offer several health benefits, including reduced back pain, reduced snoring, improved digestion, and more. However, which side you should sleep on may depend on your individual health needs and preferences.
Side sleeping is one of the most recommended ways to get comfortable, but with the suggestion comes the lingering question of: which side is better to sleep on, left or right? The answer isn’t one-size-fits-all, as each side comes with unique benefits and drawbacks. What feels best may depend on your body, your health, and even your mattress.
How each position can affect your sleep quality
It might not seem like that big of a deal but the way you position yourself at night does affect the quality of your rest and how you feel the next day. Here’s how:
It affects how much energy you carry through the day
Restorative sleep is about quality and not just hours. So, the side that minimizes your discomfort the most usually leads to steadier daytime energy.
It affects how deeply you sleep
Good spine and hip alignment help you stay still and reach the deeper stages of sleep that restore memory.
It affects how often you wake up
Reflux, discomfort, or airway issues can break up sleep. And people who feel relief on their left side often notice fewer wakeups and smoother returns to sleep.
It affects how your body feels in the morning
Aches, stiffness, or numbness are signs your position isn’t serving you. If this is the case, the right side might be for you as it’s the one that can ease pressure on certain joints and nerves, while also promoting better spinal alignment.
But the question still persists, which side is better, Left or Right?
If you’re a side sleeper, you’ve probably noticed you naturally favor one side over the other. But the side you choose can actually affect your digestion, heart health, and even how well you breathe.
So, here’s a breakdown of the advantages and disadvantages of sleeping on each side.
Sleeping on your left side:
- Supports digestion: Gravity works in your favor when you lie on your left. This side helps stomach acid stay where it belongs and makes heartburn less likely.
- May boost circulation in pregnancy: Doctors typically recommend the left side during pregnancy because it can improve blood flow to the heart, kidneys, and your growing baby. But recent studies have suggested the difference may not be as strong as it was once believed.
- Can reduce snoring: For some, the left side helps the airway stay open, which might ease mild snoring.
With all of that said, one drawback of sleeping on the left side is that it can put more pressure on internal organs like the stomach and lungs, which some people find uncomfortable, especially if they stay in that position all night.
Sleeping on your right side:
- May feel easier on the heart: Some people with cardiovascular concerns find the right side less taxing, since it doesn’t press directly on the heart. But this evidence is currently limited.
- Can be more comfortable overall: If your right side feels more natural, that matters, as comfort plays a significant role in how deeply you sleep.
- Gentle on the body: For people who feel cramped or restricted on the left, the right can provide more relief and more space to relax.
The major trade-off with sleeping on this side is the right side has been linked to more frequent acid reflux symptoms.
Which side is better to sleep on, left or right?
There’s no universal winner. It really just depends on your body and what helps you wake up feeling more rested and less uncomfortable.
But the left side is typically recommended because it can reduce heartburn and reflux, and it may improve circulation, especially if you’re pregnant. The right side, on the other hand, may feel more natural to some people, and it can sometimes be gentler on your heart.
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