Sleeping on your left side is often recommended as the best position to reduce acidity symptoms, like heartburn and acid reflux.
Why Left-Side Sleeping Helps with Acidity
Gravity plays a significant role in managing stomach acid. Here's why the left side is preferred:
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Stomach Position: Your stomach is naturally positioned on the left side of your body. When you lie on your left side, the angle between your esophagus (the tube connecting your mouth to your stomach) and your stomach helps keep the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) – the valve that prevents stomach acid from flowing back up – submerged below the level of stomach acid. This makes it harder for acid to reflux into the esophagus.
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Right-Side Sleeping Concerns: Lying on your right side can relax the LES muscle, making acid reflux more likely. The stomach being higher than the esophagus in this position also facilitates acid entering the esophagus.
Other Helpful Tips for Reducing Acidity
While sleeping on your left side can be beneficial, consider these additional strategies to manage acidity:
- Elevate Your Head: Use pillows to raise your head and chest slightly. This helps keep stomach acid from flowing upwards.
- Avoid Eating Before Bed: Don't eat for at least 2-3 hours before going to sleep. This gives your stomach time to empty and reduces the amount of acid it produces while you're lying down.
- Limit Trigger Foods: Identify and avoid foods that trigger your acidity, such as spicy foods, fatty foods, chocolate, caffeine, and alcohol.
- Smaller Meals: Eat smaller, more frequent meals rather than large ones.
- Maintain a Healthy Weight: Excess weight can put pressure on your stomach and increase the risk of acid reflux.
Sleeping on your left side can be a simple and effective way to manage acidity symptoms. However, if you experience frequent or severe acid reflux, consult a doctor to rule out any underlying medical conditions and discuss appropriate treatment options.
