Why Sleeping on Your Right Side Every Night Could Be Sabotaging Your Best Rest

Consistently favoring one side over the other can affect how your internal organs handle gravity during those long hours of rest.Your body isn’t perfectly symmetrical internally. Key organs like the stomach, heart, and liver are positioned asymmetrically, meaning gravity impacts them differently depending on which way you lie.This raises an important question…Potential Downsides of Regularly Sleeping on Your Right SideRight-side sleeping might feel cozy, but studies suggest it can sometimes put extra strain on certain systems while you sleep.For example:Digestion and Heartburn Issues: Research, including findings from the Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology, shows that right-side sleeping may allow stomach acid to flow more easily into the esophagus, leading to nighttime heartburn or discomfort.Organ Pressure: The liver, your body’s largest internal organ, sits mainly on the right. Lying on it for extended periods could influence its function, though this varies from person to person.Blood Flow Considerations: The inferior vena cava—a major vein carrying blood back to the heart—runs along the right side. Some research indicates this position might subtly affect circulation in certain individuals.Lymphatic System Flow: The body’s primary lymphatic drainage pathways are more aligned on the left side, which helps with natural detoxification overnight.