How you sleep could determine everything from Alzheimer’s to heartburn

Research suggests that the choice of a person’s sleeping position can seriously affect their health and well-being. It can determine everything from Alzheimer’s to heartburn.

ON YOUR LEFT 

Sleeping on your left could ease heartburn at night as it helps the internal organs aligns in a way that alleviates the amount of acid leaking out of the stomach into the oesophagus. On the downside, a study by scientists at Yuzuncu Yil University of Turkey said that 40.9% of left-side sleepers experience regular nightmarkes, compared to 14.6% of of right-side sleepers.

ON YOUR BACK 

Sleeping like a starfish assists align the spine and helps stop back pain (especially with a supportive pillow under your head and knees). Cosmetic surgeons also maintain that the position is great for the skin to prevent wrinkles that could form from pressure on people’s faces. Nonetheless, this way of sleeping doubles the occurence of snoring as gravity makes the tongue fall to the back of the throat and narrow airways. This can cause sleep apnoea and even exacerbate teeth-grinding.

FOETAL POSITION 

This comfortable childhood pose helps the person feel like a baby, and for this reason they wake up feeling refreshed. Nonetheless, foetal position sleep will worsen neck pain as it places pressure on the joints.

ON YOUR RIGHT 

Right-side sleepers can reduce their high blood pressure as the heart is given extra room. Sleeping on the left and right helps improve waste clearance in the brain, spinal cord and nervous system that can ultimately prevent neuro-degenerative illnesses related to dementia, such as Alzheimer’s, according to a study conducted on rodents by the Stony Brook University in the United States. Nonetheless, the right-side sleep position is not recommended during the late term of pregnancy as it carries a higher risk of stillbirth, according to research from the University of Auckland, New Zealand, that found blood flow in right-side sleepers produced problems for the foetus.

ON YOUR FRONT 

Sleeping on your belly helps digestion after a heavy meal. Hong Kong’s Shue Yan University also found that it was conducive to having racier dreams more than other positions due to the fact that it is more difficult to breathe while in this position. Nonetheless, chiropractors and orthopedic doctors say that this is the worst position from a muscoloskeletal point of view as it overstretches opposing neck muscles leading to headaches, neck stiffness and pain.