What's the Best Side to Sleep On? Expert Opinions Challenged by Ancient Wisdom

It is well-known that a good night's sleep without discomfort improves our mental and physical health. In a new series of studies conducted recently, experts from around the world examined whether sleep position impacts sleep quality. The findings were surprising as experts unanimously concluded that sleeping on the left side is the best choice for maintaining spine and neck health and preventing sleep apnea.

Researchers argue that sleeping on the left side is recommended for everyone, and even if one is merely lying down, it would be beneficial to adopt this position. Why? According to them, sleeping on the right side introduces numerous health issues, including digestive problems, irreversible back damage, breathing difficulties, and even asthma that can develop solely as a result of this sleeping position.

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In contrast, sleeping on the left side provides several advantages, which experts have listed one by one:

1. Positively affects digestion processes and prevents stomach acid from rising to the esophagus, thus avoiding heartburn.

2. Assists in the circulation of blood from and back to the heart muscle.

3. Aids in the detoxification process of the digestive and urinary systems.

4. Encourages the drainage of fluids from the body into the bloodstream by naturally moving fluids to the spleen and other essential organs in the lymphatic system.

5. Maintains spine stability and health.

6. Pregnancies – Sleeping on the left side allows for better blood flow in the body, benefiting both mother and fetus.

What does Jewish tradition say about this?

In the book "Mishneh Torah" by Rambam, in the medical chapters, Halacha 5 states: "A person should not sleep face down or on their back, but on their side. At the beginning of the night – on the left side, and at the end of the night – on the right side."

The reasoning, according to the Jewish medical genius Rabbi Moses ben Maimon, is: The digestion of food in our body occurs in three stages – in the stomach (through acids), the liver, and various body organs. At the beginning of sleep, it's preferable to lie on the left side to support the digestion process in the stomach. The liver, however, is on the right side of our body, and to assist digestion there too, it's necessary to switch sleep positions to the right side.