Which side is better when sleeping?

The article was professionally consulted by Specialist Doctor I Vo Thi Thuy Trang - Gastrointestinal Endoscopy Doctor, Department of Medical Examination & Internal Medicine - Vinmec Danang International Hospital. The doctor has many years of experience in the field of gastrointestinal endoscopy.

Humans need a good night's sleep to recover from a hard day's work and get ready for a new day. Sleep quality is determined based on many factors, in which sleeping position is an important influencing feature. Sleeping on the right side is a common question many people have. According to many studies, lying on the left side is chosen as the healthiest sleeping position with many benefits that it brings when compared to other positions.
Lying on the right side while sleeping is considered a position that has an adverse effect on health. When pregnant women sleep on the right side, it will increase pressure on blood vessels and organs in the abdomen, hinder the activity and blood circulation in the body, reduce blood flow through the placenta to feed the fetus. . People who often suffer from heartburn due to gastroesophageal reflux disease, peptic ulcer disease will face more trouble when choosing to lie on their right side. More severe reflux symptoms over a long period of time increase the risk of esophageal cancer.

Sleeping on your back is very popular and recommended for many people, but it still has its own disadvantages. People with bronchial asthma and snoring should avoid sleeping on their back because of the risk of narrowing the airways and reducing the amount of oxygen circulating in the blood. Healthy people lying on their back should choose a hard pillow to raise the head and neck, avoid narrowing the airway at the pharynx position, and help overcome the weakness of the supine position when sleeping.

Sleeping on the left side while sleeping has many benefits on human health in general, affecting the functioning of many organs in the body. Some of the benefits of sleeping on the left side include:
Effects on the digestive system The left side position has been shown to aid in the digestion of food by the stomach. Evening meals right before bed, whether large or small, are digested for some time afterward, including during sleep. In the abdomen, the stomach is located on the left side of the upper abdomen. Food from the stomach, along with digestive enzymes, goes to the small intestine and large intestine, which is more convenient when the body is lying on the left side. This supports the digestion and absorption of food as well as improves the excretion of waste the next month. In addition, sleeping on the left side is also suitable for people with diseases related to the digestive tract such as gastroesophageal reflux disease, peptic ulcer disease because it reduces heartburn symptoms. The junction of the esophagus and the stomach is kept at a higher position than normal, so the acidic digestive juices in the stomach are not able to reflux, so the symptoms of belching and abdominal pain are relieved.

Effects on the circulatory system The heart is located inside the ribcage with a leftward position of about 45 degrees. The heart is an organ that must work continuously, non-stop throughout a person's life. The ability of the heart to contract and pump blood to feed the body is influenced by many factors from living habits, so it is necessary to maintain jobs that support the functioning of the heart. Sleeping on the left side has the effect of reducing the pressure of the peripheral circulatory system on the heart, from which it is easier to pump blood to different organs in the body of the heart. Therefore, sleeping on the left side helps to support the heart muscle, especially in people with pre-existing cardiovascular diseases.
Besides, lying on the left side also works to improve the circulation of the lymphatic system in the body. Lymphatic fluid is a fluid that is present throughout the body and plays a role in immunity thanks to its ability to eliminate harmful substances in the body. Lymphatic system obstruction is one of the risk factors that adversely affect human health.
Effects on the musculoskeletal system Patients with musculoskeletal conditions such as chronic low back pain should sleep on their left side, although doctors often recommend lying on their back to keep the spine straight. Lying on the left side has the role of increasing circulation in the body, keeping the axis of the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar vertebrae straight. When lying on the left side, the legs should be slightly bent to the chest to maintain the natural curvature of the spine. Bend your legs to the chest too much, causing the spine to bend too much, causing pain for the patient.

Reducing snoring while sleeping Snoring not only affects the quality of your sleep but also causes trouble for those around you. Practicing sleeping on the left side is one of the best measures to reduce snoring. Sleeping on your back is the worst position for people who suffer from snoring because in the day position the tongue tends to fall behind the throat area, pressing on the airways, which is the mechanism that makes the sound of the day when sleeping. Lying on the left side when sleeping is a position that helps maintain the tongue in an intermediate position, opening the airways.
Beneficial for pregnant women During pregnancy, the uterus increases in size hundreds of times and lies on the right side of the woman's abdomen. The position of the uterus during pregnancy is not favorable for the body's blood circulation because it puts pressure on the inferior vena cava and many other organs. Meanwhile, the process of pregnancy increases the circulating volume inside the body and the requirements for blood circulation are placed at a higher level. Therefore, lying on the left side is a movement that helps bring the uterus to the intermediate position, reducing blood vessel compression and increasing circulation in the mother's body.