Most of us don’t think twice about how we sleep. We just curl up in whatever position feels most comfortable and drift off. But did you know that your sleeping position can affect your brain function, digestion, and overall health? Studies suggest that sleeping on your left side offers surprising benefits, from improving digestion to enhancing your brain’s natural detox system.
If you’ve never considered changing your sleep posture, now might be the time! Let’s explore the science behind left-side sleeping and how it can positively impact your body.
The Surprising Benefits of Sleeping on Your Left Side
Sleeping on your left side isn’t just about comfort—it can actually improve several bodily functions. Here are the top benefits of making the switch.
Supports a Healthier Spine & Reduces Back Pain
Ever wake up with an aching back? Sleeping on your stomach or even your back can put unnecessary strain on your spine. When you sleep on your left side, your spine stays in a more natural alignment, reducing tension in your lower back. If you suffer from chronic back pain, switching to your left side could be a game-changer.
Helps Reduce Snoring & Sleep Apnea Symptoms
Snoring happens when the airway is partially blocked. When you sleep on your back, your tongue and soft palate fall backward, making snoring worse. Side sleeping, especially on the left side, keeps your airway open, reducing both snoring and symptoms of sleep apnea. If your partner often complains about your snoring, this might be the easiest fix.
Video : What Sleeping On Your Left Side Does For Our Brain, Stomach And Lymphatic Health
Aids Digestion & Reduces Acid Reflux
Sleeping on your left side can actually help your digestive system. Since your stomach is naturally positioned on the left side of your body, lying on that side allows gravity to aid digestion. This can help prevent acid reflux and heartburn, improve digestion by helping food move smoothly through the intestines, and reduce bloating and constipation.
Boosts Brain Health Through the Glymphatic System
Did you know your brain has a built-in cleaning system? It’s called the glymphatic system, and it works mainly while you sleep. This system helps flush out toxins and waste that accumulate in the brain during the day.
Research suggests that side sleeping improves glymphatic drainage, meaning it can help remove harmful substances linked to neurological diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. In short, sleeping on your left side may support better brain health and reduce the risk of cognitive decline.
Enhances Circulation & Heart Health
Sleeping on your left side also helps your heart work more efficiently. Because your aorta (the main artery) curves to the left, sleeping on this side reduces pressure on the heart, making it easier for blood to flow.
For pregnant women, doctors highly recommend sleeping on the left side to improve circulation to both the mother and the baby.
How to Train Yourself to Sleep on Your Left Side
If you’re a back or stomach sleeper, you might be wondering how do I train myself to sleep on my left side? Here are some helpful tips.
Use the Right Pillow & Mattress
A firm mattress and a good pillow will support your neck and keep your spine aligned while you sleep. A memory foam pillow that conforms to your head and neck is ideal.
Use a Pillow as a Barrier
Placing a pillow behind your back can prevent you from rolling onto your back while you sleep. If you want extra support, try hugging a pillow to keep your upper body stable.
Put a Pillow Between Your Knees
If you experience hip or knee discomfort, a small pillow between your knees can help reduce strain on your joints and keep your spine aligned.
Wear a Sleep Shirt with a Tennis Ball
This is an old trick, but it works. Sewing a tennis ball into the back of your sleep shirt makes it uncomfortable to roll onto your back, helping you stay on your side.
Try Sleeping on a Couch Temporarily
If you’re struggling to train yourself, sleeping on a narrow couch for a few nights might help, as it naturally limits movement.
The Downsides of Side Sleeping
While sleeping on your left side has numerous benefits, it’s not perfect for everyone. Here are a few potential drawbacks.
Shoulder & Hip Discomfort
If you sleep on a too-firm mattress, your shoulder and hip may feel sore due to added pressure. The solution is a softer mattress or a memory foam topper that can help cushion these areas.
Facial Wrinkles & Puffiness
Pressing your face into a pillow every night can cause wrinkles over time. If this concerns you, try using a silk pillowcase to reduce friction on your skin.
Jaw Stiffness
If you suffer from TMJ (jaw pain), sleeping on one side might add pressure to your jaw. Switching sides occasionally or using a softer pillow can help alleviate this issue.
Comparing Sleeping Positions: Which Is Best for You?
If sleeping on your left side doesn’t feel right for you, let’s compare other sleeping positions.
Sleeping on Your Back: Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Good for spinal alignment
- Reduces pressure on joints
- Helps prevent facial wrinkles
Cons:
- Can worsen snoring and sleep apnea
- Increases risk of acid reflux
Sleeping on Your Stomach: Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Can reduce snoring
Cons:
- Puts strain on the neck and spine
- Increases risk of back pain
- Can restrict breathing.
Sleeping on Your Right Side: Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Still helps with snoring
- Better than stomach sleeping
Cons:
- Can worsen acid reflux
- Doesn’t support circulation as well as left-side sleeping
Video : Sleeping on Your Left Side…Your Body’s Best Resting Position! Dr. Mandell
Final Thoughts: Should You Switch to Sleeping on Your Left Side?
Your sleep position plays a bigger role in your health than you might realize. While everyone has their own preferred sleeping posture, sleeping on your left side offers significant benefits for your brain, digestion, heart, and spine.
If you often wake up with back pain, acid reflux, or poor circulation, making the switch to left-side sleeping might improve your overall well-being. However, comfort is key, so if this position doesn’t feel right, listen to your body and find what works best for you.
Now, over to you. Do you sleep on your left side, or will you try switching? Let us know in the comments. Sweet dreams and better sleep ahead!
Matt Heath: My parting message: Enjoy things while they are around
A lot of big, tragic and important things have happened to this wonderful country of ours since April 2014. None of which I have covered. I was too busy writing about hungover parenting, ancient philosophy and my dog Colin.
Out of the 536 columns I have written, 27 were about that guy. Far too few. He is such a good boy, he deserves an article a week.
Today is the end of an era for me, and whenever these final events pop up in our lives, we can’t help but think about the ultimate end.
Everything we do, we will one day do for the last time. That’s why you have to enjoy things while they are around. It’s not just big events like leaving a job, house or loved one either. Whatever moment you happen to be in now, you will never get it back, and you don’t know how many more you have.
Everything we do in life, from eating pizza to spending time with the people we love, to driving, writing, drinking or breathing, we will one day experience for the final time. It might happen tomorrow. This can be either a depressing or an inspiring thought, depending on how you look at it.
A few years back in this column, I interviewed professor of philosophy William B Irvine, of Wright State University, Ohio, on this very topic. He put it this way on a Zoom call: “Recognition of the impermanence of everything in life can invest the things we do with a significance and intensity that would otherwise be absent. The only way we can be truly alive is if we make it our business periodically to entertain thoughts of the end.”
Today’s column is very meaningful to me because it is my last. Like the last night with a lover before she goes overseas. And just like a lover, there have been some half-arsed efforts put in from me over the years. Last week, for example, I spent 750 words moaning about how bad my cricket team is. But the truth is that any of my columns could have been the final. If I had reminded myself every week for the past 10 years that the end is inevitable, I may have been more grateful for having a column and appreciated writing them all as much as I am this one.
While everything we do could have more meaning with a focus on finitude, some things are inherently more worthwhile than others. There is no doubt my column “The pros and cons of wearing Speedos” from November 2022 was less meaningful than most things in this world. That was a waste of everyone’s time. So, if we only have so much time, how do we pick the best things to do?
Well, Oliver Burkeman, the author of Four Thousand Weeks – Time Management For Mortals, suggested this to me in a 2022 column: “Ask yourself, does this choice enlarge me? You usually know on some unspoken level if it does. That’s a good way to distinguish between options.”
With that in mind, I don’t feel great about my 2018 article on “New Zealand’s best hole”. That didn’t enlarge anyone.
There will be people reading this column right now who have loved my writing in the Herald and are sad to see it end. Others will have hated it and are glad to see me go. Many won’t have any opinion at all. But for those in the first camp, I have good news. I have a book coming out on May 28 called A Life Less Punishing – 13 Ways To Love The Life You Got (Allen and Unwin Book Publishers). It’s a deep dive into the history, philosophy and science of not wasting our time lost in anger, loneliness, humiliation, stress, fear, boredom and all the other ways we find to not enjoy perfectly good lives. It’s available for pre-order right now (google it if you’re interested).
A Life Less Punishing took me two years to write and is equivalent in words to 100 of these columns. Which would be a complete nightmare for those in the hate camp, but as I say, great news for those who want more.
Anyway, thanks to the Herald for having me, thanks to the lovely people who make an effort to say nice things to me about my column nearly every day and thanks to the universe for every single second we get.
Bless!
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