How Your Sleep Position Can Impact Heart Health, Metabolism, and More

Healthline News RSS Feed – Read More

Female in bed sleeping on her side — Experts say that sleeping on your side may be better for your health. Image Credit: Amor Burakova/Stocksy

Certain sleeping positions, like side sleeping, may be better for your health.
Sleeping on your stomach or sleeping on your back may affect your health in various ways, according to experts.
There are some ways you can help retrain your body to sleep differently.

Quality sleep is vital for overall health and well-being. During sleep, your body works hard to maintain your physical health and support healthy brain function.

The amount and quality of sleep you get can impact various aspects of your health, including your heart, metabolism, respiratory system, and immune system.

The position you sleep in may also affect your health. Some experts suggest that certain positions may be better for your health, while others may have negative effects.

Healthline spoke to sleep experts about what may be considered the best and worst sleeping positions for your health.

Why sleep positions matter

The position you sleep in can affect your body in various ways.

For example, some positions may lead to back pain and stiffness. Other positions, such as sleeping on your back, may aggravate symptoms of sleep apnea or indigestion.

Nancy Collop, MD, a professor of medicine and neurology and director of Emory Sleep Center, explained how your sleep position can impact your respiratory health.

“If the upper airway (nasal passage to larynx) [is] vulnerable to collapse (narrow or congested, say due to allergies, URI [upper respiratory infection], then when sleeping on your back, you are more prone to snore or have sleep apnea,” Collop told Healthline.

“This is likely because the jaw drops back and [the] airway narrows. Also, if you are prone to reflux, that might be worsened when sleeping flat, either on [your] back or left side.”

Sarathi Bhattacharyya, MD, a pulmonologist and sleep medicine specialist, and medical director of the MemorialCare Sleep Disorders Center in Long Beach, CA, noted that sleep positions can affect people differently depending on any underlying medical conditions.

“Common considerations that may influence your choice of sleeping position include chronic pain, sleep apnea, and pregnancy,” Bhattacharyya told Healthline.

“Certain positions can make these conditions more challenging or worsen their impact on the quality of your sleep.”

Best sleep positions

Sleeping positions are often a personal preference. However, some experts may recommend certain sleeping positions based on medical needs.

For instance, a recent systematic review found that supported side sleeping and back sleeping (supine) may be more beneficial for spine health in individuals with lower back pain.

Collop agreed that side sleeping, especially on the right side, may be one of the best sleeping positions.

Bhattacharyya said that the “best” sleep position also depends on the individual medical context. He gave the following examples:

The best sleeping position for back and neck pain is typically sleeping on your back. This can help achieve better alignment of the spine and neck, preventing strain on the neck muscles.
The best sleeping position for patients with sleep apnea is often on their sides. This may not be necessary if the sleep apnea is treated, for example, with a CPAP machine.
During pregnancy, medical providers often encourage side sleeping during the later trimesters. The left side is usually the most recommended sleeping position to prevent compression of one of the large veins in the neck.

You may want to consult with your healthcare professional to discuss the best sleeping positions for addressing your specific health concerns.

Worst sleep positions

Collop said that sleeping on your back may be the worst sleeping position, as it can cause breathing issues. However, she also noted that this can be alleviated by elevating your head.

Bhattacharyya agreed that sleeping on your back can aggravate sleep apnea and affect breathing. He added that side sleeping can be detrimental if you have neck or back pain issues.

“Sleeping on your stomach can contribute to worsening of both conditions and is generally not a recommended sleeping position to address any chronic medical condition,” he added, referring to sleep apnea and chronic pain.

Stomach sleeping can also lead to an increased likelihood of back, neck, and shoulder pain.

How to adjust your sleeping position

Both Collop and Bhattacharyya agreed that retraining your body to sleep differently can be difficult.

“Training yourself to sleep in a different position can take several weeks,” Bhattcharyya said.

He gave the following advice:

Placing pillows under your knees and lower back can help with alignment if you are trying to sleep on your back.
Side sleeping can be maintained by placing a pillow between your legs to help align your spine and hips.

“Start the night in your desired sleeping position, even if you may not maintain that position all night,” he recommended.

“Supporting your body with pillows, wedges, and the right mattress can also help with retraining your body to sleep in your desired position.”

Collop said that there are “trainers” you can buy to help keep you from rolling onto your back.

“You can also buy fancy beds that elevate the head or a wedge pillow,” she said.

“There are devices that have a ‘bumper’ that runs up your spine, so if you roll to your back, it is uncomfortable — I have also seen people sew a tennis ball or similar object in the pajama top back for a similar effect.”