Is Sleeping on Your Right Side Bad for You? What to Know About Acid Reflux
The position you sleep in can make a surprising difference in how comfortable you feel during the night. For many people, sleeping on either side is perfectly comfortable. But if you sometimes experience acid reflux, heartburn, or digestive discomfort, you may notice that one sleeping position feels better than another.
While sleeping on your right side is generally safe, some people with nighttime reflux may experience more symptoms in this position—especially after eating a large meal close to bedtime.
Why Can Sleeping Position Affect Acid Reflux?
Acid reflux happens when stomach contents flow backward into the esophagus, the tube that carries food from your mouth to your stomach. This can cause symptoms such as:
- A burning feeling in the chest
- A sour or acidic taste
- Regurgitation
- Discomfort after eating
- Symptoms that become worse when lying down
Gravity plays an important role because lying flat removes some of the help gravity normally provides in keeping stomach contents down.
Your stomach also has a naturally curved shape, which means your body position can affect how stomach contents sit inside it.
For some people, lying on the right side may make it easier for stomach contents to move toward the opening of the esophagus. This can increase the chance of reflux symptoms during the night.
Is Sleeping on Your Left Side Better?
For people who experience nighttime acid reflux, sleeping on the left side may be worth trying.
The stomach sits predominantly on the left side of the upper abdomen. When you lie on your left side, the position of the stomach may help keep its contents lower and away from the esophagus.
Research has found that left-side sleeping can reduce nighttime acid exposure compared with other positions in people with reflux.
That doesn’t mean everyone needs to sleep on their left side. If you sleep comfortably on your right side and don’t experience heartburn or reflux, there may be no reason to change your position.