You’ve probably heard it before: “Sleep on your left side—it’s better for digestion.” But is this just an old wives’ tale, or is there science behind it?
Surprisingly, there’s solid anatomical reasoning showing that left-side sleeping can support smoother digestion, reduce heartburn, and even improve gut motility—especially after meals or for people with acid reflux or IBS.
How Left-Side Sleeping Supports Gut Health
- The stomach and pancreas sit on the left side of your abdomen.
- The small intestine empties into the large intestine through the ileocecal valve on the lower right.
- Waste then moves upward through the ascending colon, across the transverse colon, and down the descending colon on the left toward the rectum.
Sleeping on your left side allows gravity to assist this natural flow, helping food move smoothly and waste travel toward elimination. Continue reading…
