What side to lay on if you have indigestion?

Due to gravity, the shape of the stomach, and the angle of the connection between it and the esophagus, sleeping on your left side can greatly reduce reflux (see bottom picture). Another way to use gravity to help decrease nighttime GERD symptoms involves propping up the head section of the bed by about six inches.

How should I lay with indigestion?

Don’t sleep on your right side. For some reason, this seems to prompt relaxation of the lower esophageal sphincter — the tight ring of muscle connecting the stomach and esophagus that normally defends against reflux. Do sleep on your left side. This is the position that has been found to best reduce acid reflux.

How should I sleep to avoid indigestion?

Prevention tips

1. Sleep with your head elevated. Try a mattress lifter, a wedge-shaped pillow, or add a pillow to help keep your stomach contents from moving upward.
2. Sleep on your left side.
3. Eat smaller more frequent meals.
4. Try different foods.
5. Chew a lot.
6. Time it right.
7. Improve your posture.
8. Stop smoking.

Why is it uncomfortable to sleep on my left side?

Whether you’re on your left or right side, the corresponding shoulder can collapse into the mattress as well as up toward your neck, creating misalignment and pain the next morning. A firm mattress and pillow can help alleviate this risk, as well as keeping your head straight in line with your shoulders.

Does sleeping on your left side help with digestion?

Digestion benefits and left-side sleeping Gut health: There is no medical evidence to support that sleeping on one side is better than the other. However, the location of the stomach is a clue. The stomach’s natural position is on the left side, where it can digest food more effectively.

Why do I get heartburn when I lay on my left side?

Lying on your left side allows acidic contents to pass through the lower esophageal sphincter into the stomach. Plus, elevating your head allows gravity to work.

Is sleeping on your left side good for your heart?

Even though lying on your left side may change your heart’s electrical activity, there’s no evidence that it increases your risk of developing a heart condition if you don’t already have one.

Is it bad for your heart if you sleep on your left side?

There’s some evidence that sleeping on your left side may shift your heart and disrupt your heart’s electrical current. Also, many people with heart failure report having trouble breathing in this position. Sleeping on your back can worsen sleep apnea and snoring.

What happens when you sleep on your right side?

Sleeping on your right side can cause more acid to leak through your esophagus. Sleeping on your stomach or back makes GERD symptoms worse, too. To lower the risk of GERD problems, patients usually sleep best on their left sides.