1. Acid reflux and heartburn
This is the clearest reason someone might be advised to change from the right side.
When you have GERD (acid reflux), sleeping on your right side can make nighttime reflux and heartburn worse. Mayo Clinic recommends starting sleep on the left side, while Johns Hopkins likewise notes that right-side sleeping can aggravate heartburn.
A simple explanation is that the stomach’s position relative to the esophagus makes reflux more likely in the right-side position.
If you regularly wake with:
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Burning in your chest
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Sour liquid or food coming into your throat
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Nighttime coughing
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A hoarse throat
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Heartburn after lying down
then trying your left side may help.
2. Pregnancy
The claim that pregnant women must always sleep on their left side is also overstated.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists says pregnant women can sleep on either the right or left side. What becomes more important later in pregnancy is avoiding prolonged sleeping flat on the back, because the enlarged uterus can put pressure on major blood vessels.
So, if you are pregnant and naturally roll onto your right side, you don’t need to panic. Side sleeping is generally preferred later in pregnancy.
3. Breathing and sleep apnea
Side sleeping can actually be beneficial for people who snore or have obstructive sleep apnea. Johns Hopkins notes that sleeping on the side can help keep the airway open and reduce snoring in some people.
Therefore, it’s not accurate to say that sleeping on your right side generally harms breathing.
