This article reviews ways to improve digestion by sleeping in the best position.
How Sleep Affects Digestion
During sleep, the digestive system is hard at work. On average, it can take anywhere from 30 to 72 hours to digest food, though it varies by person. Digestion time depends on the type of food, what you drank, and your metabolism (how your body converts food into energy).
When digestion is working as it should, you barely notice it. But if you have any issues like heartburn or constipation, you’ll feel uncomfortable and possibly bloated.
Nutritional factors that may disrupt sleep include:
Eating too close to bedtime Overeating Consuming spicy foods Consuming alcohol or caffeinated drinks High-carbohydrate meals
Getting too little sleep can affect your gut. It can also result in a 40% increase in blood levels of cortisol, a stress hormone that slows the metabolism. It can also trigger an increase in hunger and cravings by 33%.
Sleep on the Left Side
Sleeping on the left side separates food and acid from the lower esophageal sphincter, which means less acid will back up into the esophagus.
Sleeping on your left side may reduce the risk of heartburn and symptoms of indigestion.
Heartburn is common in people who are pregnant. If you’re pregnant, sleeping on your left side is recommended because it improves blood flow and kidney function and takes the pressure off your liver from the increasing weight of the uterus.
Side Sleeping Benefits
There are some benefits to sleeping on your side. Left-side sleeping is recommended for people who have heartburn due to acid reflux or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
Avoid Back Sleeping
Back sleeping may be preferred by some people, but it’s not the best position if you have heartburn due to GERD or acid reflux. Back sleeping allows acid to creep back up into the throat, causing a burning sensation and discomfort throughout the night.
Malted milkFatty fishNutsRiceKiwisTart cherries and cherry juice
The old adage “back to sleep” really only applies to babies, to prevent sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Most other people would benefit from side sleeping.
Additionally, if you have sleep apnea, a serious sleep condition that can affect your overall health, back sleeping may make it worse.
Summary
What you eat and drink can affect your digestion during sleep. Your sleep position can also affect your digestion, alleviating or exacerbating conditions like heartburn. Side sleeping, particularly on your left side, is recommended to improve heartburn. A person can make other simple changes, like avoiding eating before bed, that can help digestion.
A Word From Verywell
If you have any digestive issues that make sleep difficult, discuss sleeping strategies or treatment options with your healthcare provider. They will be able to make the best recommendations for your specific situation. Sometimes simple diet changes can be enough to improve sleep.
