Left-Side Sleeping: A Simple Way to Reduce Nighttime Reflux

Most people don’t think much about the way they are sleeping. But if you deal with heartburn or reflux at night, your sleep position may matter more than you realize.

Research suggests that sleeping on your left side may help reduce nighttime reflux compared to sleeping on your right side or back.

Why?

It comes down to anatomy.

Your stomach sits slightly to the left side of your body. When you lie on your left side, gravity can help keep stomach contents lower and away from the esophagus. When you lie on your right side or flat on your back, it can make it easier for acid to move upward and trigger reflux symptoms.

That does not mean left-side sleeping is a cure, but for people who notice heartburn, sour taste, coughing, or discomfort at night, it may be a simple habit worth trying!

How to Give It a Try

• Start the night on your left side
• Use a pillow behind your back to help prevent rolling over
• Avoid eating a large meal too close to bedtime
• Keep your upper body slightly elevated if reflux is still an issue
• Give it a few nights, since new sleep positions can take time to adjust to
• Pay attention to whether symptoms improve over a few nights

This is one of those changes that sounds almost too simple to matter. But if reflux tends to show up at night, sleeping on your left side may be one of the easiest things to test!

Want to Learn More? Check Out:

• https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37969463/

‍