Why People Who Sleep On Their Left Side Are Way Healthier Than Those Who Sleep On The Right
How the way you turn affects your health.
Ron Lach | Canva When it's time to finally go to sleep after a long day at work, school, or taking care of the kids, your bed may seem like the white light at the end of a tunnel. You prep yourself for bed with your night-time routine and satisfyingly lay down between the soft sheets.
Maybe you lay on your back or your sides, but we don't pay much attention to the position we are sleeping in. Mostly, we're concerned about being able to drift off into dreamland, where we can escape from reality for eight hours and recharge for the next day.
When I go to bed, I usually fall asleep on my right side. There's no specific reason for it. It's just what I do, and I've been doing it for as long as I can remember. But as it turns out, I might be doing myself a pretty major disservice by sleeping on my right side.
You can sleep in several ways: On your chest, back, left or right sides. But did you know that each way you sleep can have a big impact on your health?
People who sleep on their left side are often healthier and experience fewer digestive issues while they slumber.
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Dr. Ali Rezaie, a gastroenterologist from Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles, said sleeping on your back isn't good for you if you have breathing issues, and sleeping on the right worsens digestive disorders.
"Multiple studies have shown that sleeping on the right lateral position increases acid reflux episodes and heartburn as compared to the left lateral position,” Dr. Rezaie said. "This is thought to be due to positioning of the stomach, which lays above the distal part of the esophagus when sleeping on the right side.”
Dr. Rezaie also noted that the position of the head while sleeping affects digestive function, explaining that “elevation of the head of the bed has been associated with fewer reflux episodes.”
So, how should we sleep? Let's find out the best position to sleep in to get the perfect zzz's. Good news for left-side sleepers! Because when you sleep on your left side, you're probably dramatically improving your health and maybe even saving your life.
Holistic medicine calls the left side the dominant lymphatic side. When you sleep on that side, your body more effectively filters toxins through the lymph nodes. Sleeping on the left side can also improve circulation and help your brain filter out waste.
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The reason why you get so many benefits from your left side is because of the anatomy and location of your body's internal organs.
Sleeping on the right side can cause that entire system to slow down. This increases the chance of deadly diseases, including heart disease.
Sleeping on the left side may also help people with acid reflux and GERD. A 2022 study found that sleeping on the left side was associated with significantly shorter acid exposure and faster esophageal clearance than resting on the right side.
Sleeping on the left side makes your body's disposal system stronger, with the added bonus of easing heartburn! If you have trouble sleeping on your left side, consider sleeping with your back to a wall. A small pillow between you and the wall can make it more comfortable. It may take some time to get used to it at first.
If you're having trouble falling asleep, there's an easy hack you can use. Cristy Whitman, an energy healer and coach, recommended slowing your thoughts down, shutting off all distractions, and not distracting yourself every time you wake up in the middle of the night.
"The secret to falling back to sleep after you’ve woken up at night is to learn how to slow the momentum of your thoughts," Whitman explained. "Because of momentum, the more often you think a particular thought — such as, “Why can’t I fall asleep?” — the more likely you are to continue thinking those thoughts. Not only will you continue to think about them, but because each of those thoughts gathers momentum, they'll escalate over time."
You can also keep a dim light on your right side, making your body naturally want to turn away from it. Want one more secret hack? Sleeping with a pillow between your legs can help with joint pain.
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