You might fall asleep sprawled out on your back or curled up in a ball. In any case, the sleep position genuinely impacts the quality of your night’s sleep. Nonetheless, you must know your body and overall sleep patterns to determine if your chosen position is optimal. For instance, if you have back pain, heartburn, snoring, sleep apnea, or wrinkles, you must align your spine accordingly. You will immediately realize that sleep position makes a huge difference in terms of health outcomes and sleep quality.
Among different types of sleeps, there are side, back, and stomach sleepers. However, experts say sleeping on the side or back is more beneficial than sleeping on the stomach. Side sleeping is overwhelmingly the most common sleep position – approximately 74% of the population rests on their side! A side sleeper sleeps on the left or right side of their body. Therefore, if it goes sideways, you are a side sleeper and among the majority.
Should You Sleep on Your Left Side or Right Side?
Side sleeping is the most common occurrence, and it is also one of the healthiest sleeping positions. However, it is interesting to note which side a sleeper should use for sound sleep. One might think it does not matter at all. However, some medical practitioners and researchers have explored the different benefits of sleeping on each side. Let us find it out here:
Health Benefits of Sleeping on Your Left Side
Sleeping on the left side can benefit many people in various conditions. Let us take a closer look at these scenarios:
Pregnant Women
The left-side sleeping is highly recommended for pregnant ladies. It becomes more accessible for the heart to pump blood through the body if a pregnant lady sleeps on her left side. Furthermore, side sleeping prevents the baby from putting extra pressure on the vein carrying blood from the mother’s legs to the baby’s heart. More significantly, side sleeping is safer during pregnancy, as back sleeping may increase the risk of late stillbirth, according to research.
People with Digestive Problems
If you suffer from acid reflux, lying down right after a meal may not be healthy. Due to the stomach’s shape and the angle of its connection to the esophagus, it is also unwise to rest flat on your back. Therefore, for best health outcomes, doctors recommend left-side sleeping, which limits the amount of stomach acid exposed to the esophagus.
When you rest on your back, gas cannot leave your system immediately. Therefore, if you often deal with bloating, constipation, and stomach aches, you must try sleeping on your left side. In this position, gravity automatically helps your wastes transfer from the small intestine to the large intestine.
People Who Snore and Sleep Apnea
According to researches, people sleeping on their backs (instead of their sides) tend to snore more. It is because when you sleep on your back, your tongue falls back into your throat due to gravity. Consequently, it creates an obstruction that can result in snoring.
Sleeping on your left side can naturally open the airways to smooth your breathing process. You may also find relief if you rest on your right side. However, doctors consider sleeping on your left side to be more effective. Moreover, it is also the recommended sleeping position for individuals having sleep apnea.
People with High Blood Pressure
Blood vessels are located on the right side of the body. Therefore, researchers believe sleeping on the left side can relieve pressure and help people with high blood pressure.
Health Benefits of Sleeping on Your Right Side
As our bodies are not symmetrical, sleeping on the left side is unsuitable for everyone. Therefore, one group of people can benefit from sleeping on their right side.
People with Heart Conditions
People with heart failure should also avoid sleeping on their backs since it puts pressure on the lungs and may contribute to sleep apnea symptoms. According to some studies, more than half of people experiencing heart failure.
A study conducted in 2023 concluded that sleeping on the right side can help patients with heart conditions. In this position, sleepers may experience less pressure on their hearts. The study’s outcomes also indicated that right-side sleeping helps stabilize blood pressure and heart rate.
Health Benefits of Sleeping on Your Side
People with Back Pain
Many individuals live with chronic pain, especially in their lower back. Sleeping on your stomach can increase the amount of pressure on your spine and lead to pain upon waking. However, when people switch to side sleeping, they report relief in pain.
People with Improving Brain Health
Your brain works on getting rid of waste throughout the day and night. Typically, it performs the bulk of this vital job at night while you sleep. Researchers evaluated whether your sleep position impacts your brain’s efficiency during the waste removal process. They conclude that the side-sleeping position allows for more efficient and rapid waste removal than the stomach or back sleeping positions.
Health Benefits of Sleeping on Your Back Side
If you are uncomfortable with side sleeping, you can switch to sleeping on your back. According to researchers, the back-sleeping position offers multiple health benefits, including back pain relief, especially when combined with side sleeping.
The side-sleeping position offers several benefits, another sleep position may help in the following two key concerns: wrinkles and shoulder pain.
In case of wrinkles, sleeping on your side with your face pressed into the pillow can compress your skin, leading to crinkles. Therefore, to reduce your risk of shoulder pain, you should try alternating between sides during sleep. Similarly, side sleeping can also exacerbate shoulder pain since it places more pressure on the shoulder facing the mattress. Therefore, to reduce your risk of shoulder pain, you should try alternating between sides during sleep.