Why It’s Better Not to Sleep on Your Right Side

When you finally get in bed at the end of the long day, you probably curl up under the blanket and settle into your favorite sleeping position without giving it much thought. But it turns out, some positions might be better than others, and if you’re used to sleeping on your right side you might want to change your habits. Although sleeping on the right side may be healthy for your heart, it has many drawbacks that outweigh its benefits.

Here at Bright Side, we have many side sleepers on our team, and we did our research to find out what might happen if you sleep on your right side every night.

1. It might make your acid reflux worse.

If you’re trying to get rid of the annoying aching sensation of heartburn, then making some lifestyle changes, such as wearing loose clothes and choosing low-impact exercise, may help you relieve the symptoms. But if you’re sleeping on your right side all the time, it might be sabotaging all your efforts, because it can make the existing condition worse. Something as simple as flipping to your left side may help you cool the burning feeling in your chest.

2. It may affect your blood circulation.

Apart from benefiting your digestion, sleeping on your left side can help your heart pump blood more efficiently. While sleeping on your right side causes the pressure of your body to smash up against the blood vessels, sleeping on your left side may potentially increase the blood flow. Proper circulation is key for maintaining your overall health and wellbeing, and can also prevent enlarged spider and varicose veins.

3. It’s not the best sleeping position during pregnancy.

As your bump gets bigger, it becomes more and more challenging to get a good night’s sleep. When you sleep on your right side, it might restrict the blood flow to your heart and to your baby. Because the baby is already pushing some of your organs upward, this discomfort may prevent you from getting much needed sleep.

4. It may hurt your liver.

Because the liver is located on the right side of your body, sleeping on this side puts more pressure on this essential organ and might eventually lead to liver congestion. To avoid this, try not to sleep on your right side on a regular basis.

Are you a side sleeper? What side do you usually sleep on?