Best Sleeping Positions for Pain Relief, Digestion, and Better Sleep Quality

Many people prefer to sleep on their side, and a few small adjustments can significantly improve your sleep quality and reduce pain. Dr. Trisha Pasricha, a physician at Harvard Medical School, shares insights into how sleep position affects your health and what you can do to avoid unnecessary discomfort.

In a video shared on social media, Dr. Pasricha explains that poor sleep posture can worsen neck and back pain. “To prevent this,” she says, “try slightly bending your knees and placing a pillow between them. This helps keep your spine aligned and reduces pressure on your hips.”

Another tip she recommends is placing your bottom arm across your chest, creating a kind of self-hug. “This position helps maintain natural body alignment and reduces the risk of neck strain,” she adds.

How Sleep Position Affects Digestion

If you suffer from acid reflux, sleeping on your left side may help. Studies have shown that this position reduces the likelihood of stomach acid moving up into the esophagus.

On the other hand, sleeping on your right side may benefit people who take medication before bed. Research shows this position can speed up the absorption of medication in the stomach.

A 2022 study from Johns Hopkins University found that sleeping on the right side accelerated drug absorption by approximately 13 minutes, while sleeping on the left slowed it down by over an hour. Dr. Pasricha explains: “The right side allows medications to pass more quickly from the stomach to the small intestine, where they are absorbed most efficiently.”