The average person spends about 26 years of their life sleeping. That is about one third of our life!

How we sleep matters, but it’s often something we don’t give much thought to. We are never really taught how to sleep properly – it’s just something that happens.

Most of us are a little “guilty” of sleeping in whatever position is most comfortable, but this is often not the best for our health.

And several studies show that the quality of our sleep greatly affects our health.

A report from the Mental Health Foundation found that almost half of UK adults aged 18 and over (48%) say that poor sleep has negatively affected their mental health – making us more anxious, stressed, overwhelmed and irritable. And it also affects our physical health, of course – in a very important way.

Lack of sleep has been linked to conditions such as dementia and can reduce our overall life expectancy and reduce our daily well-being. Studies show that sleeping five or fewer hours a night can increase the risk of mortality by up to 15 percent.

Poor sleeping posture is also linked to chronic back and neck pain – and sleeping in the right position can help improve these conditions.

So, to summarize, the correct sleeping position is very important.

As we’ve said before, sleeping on your side is optimal for posture and pain. However, studies have also shown that the side you choose to sleep on also makes a difference to your health and how you feel when you wake up in the morning.

So left or right side?

There are theories about which side is best to sleep on, with some evidence suggesting that sleeping on the left side may have health benefits for some people. Some benefits cited are improved blood flow and less pressure on internal organs – both of which sound, undeniably, positive.

Sleeping on the left side has also been linked to improved reflux and digestion.

For example, one study looked at a group of people over the course of a two-day experiment. Over the course of 48 hours, the participants were observed sleeping on their right side after a high-fat meal. The same was also done for the left side.

The researchers found that the right side was associated with increased heartburn and acid reflux and concluded that sleeping on the left may be more beneficial.

Sleeping on the left side also has the potential to encourage regular bowel movements. According to Healthline, the small intestine carries “waste” to the large intestine through the ileocecal valve, located in the lower right part of the abdomen. Sleeping on the left side could potentially allow gravity to assist in the process of moving “waste” through this valve.

If you are pregnant, it is also recommended to sleep on the left side as it improves blood flow for the mother as well as for the fetus in the womb.

So, in short, sleeping on the left side appears to be more beneficial than sleeping on the right side.

However, if you’re a natural back or face sleeper and can’t sleep on your side, the best way to make sure your body is aligned is to use a thin pillow.