what side is it better to sleep on?
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As it turns out, sleeping on your side is actually pretty good for you — especially if you're sleeping on your left side. Not only can it help reduce snoring, it's great for your digestion and might even reduce heartburn.
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A 2010 study of 10 participants found a relationship between laying on the right side and increased cases of heartburn (also known as GERD) than when laying on the left side. Researchers theorize that if we lie on the left side, the stomach and its gastric juices remain lower than the esophagus while we sleep.
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Sleeping on your left side is often referred to as the “ideal” scenario during pregnancy. Positioning yourself on the left side of your body allows for optimal blood flow from the inferior vena cava (IVC), which is a large vein that runs parallel to your spine on the right side.
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Similarly, sleeping on your left side, specifically, could help the flow of blood to your heart. When your heart pumps blood out to your body, it gets circulated and then flows back to your heart on the right side, Winter explains.
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Why Are Pregnant Women Told to Sleep on Their Left Side? Women are told to sleep on their left side during pregnancy because it may help preserve blood flow to their growing fetus.
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Sleeping on the right side puts pressure against these blood vessels, which limits circulation. Tip: Try sleeping on your left side to help the blood flow to your heart more efficiently.
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That 2019 study review showed equal safety with sleeping on the left and right sides. There's a very slight risk of compression issues with the IVC when you sleep on the right, but it's mostly a matter of where you're most comfortable.
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Sleeping on Your Side During Pregnancy Spending the night on your side—specifically the left side—is the best sleep position during pregnancy. “That's to get all the weight of the uterus off the right side to optimize blood flow,” Twogood says.
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Experts recommend lying on your left side. It improves circulation, giving nutrient-packed blood an easier route from your heart to the placenta to nourish your baby. Lying on the left side also keeps your expanding body weight from pushing down too hard on your liver. While either side is okay, left is best.
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It's also important to sleep on your left side in a non-fetal position. Cons: Sleeping on the left side can put pressure on the stomach and lungs, and affect blood flow, so it is best to switch it up… or you may experience numbness in your arms from resting on one for too long.
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8. Avoid sleeping on the left side if you suffer from heart disease, gallstones or digestive problems. The right side is the preferred position.
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Sleep on your left side. Gravity will work in your favor on your left side as your stomach is now positioned below your esophagus, which makes reflux more difficult. Should stomach acid escape, gravity is able to return it to your stomach quicker than when on your right side or on your back.
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But when you sleep on your right, “the pressure of your body smashes up against the blood vessels that return to your ticker.” Meanwhile, “sleeping on your left side with your right side not squished is supposed to potentially increase blood flow back to your heart,” Winter said. Have acid reflux? Try the left side.
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Although your OB-GYN may recommend sleeping on your left side for optimal blood flow to your heart, a 2019 review of studies actually found that either left or right side is A-OK. However, sleeping on your back is not recommended as it causes your abdomen to rest on your intestines and some major blood vessels.
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Choosing to sleep on your right side or left side can make a difference to several health conditions. Left side sleeping is beneficial if you have acid reflux. Studies show acid reflux is worse when people lie on their right side.
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There's ongoing question about whether a left-side or right-side sleep position is more healthy for our hearts. Research shows that right-side sleeping may lower nervous system activity, which reduces heart rate and blood pressure.
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Pro tip for side sleeping While you sleep on your left side at night, gravity can help take waste on a trip through the ascending colon, then into the transverse colon, and finally dump it into the descending colon — encouraging a trip to the bathroom in the morning.